The Hunger Games Trilogy

The Hunger Games Trilogy has captured the attention of readers and non-readers alike. The series starts with The Hunger Games and Katniss Everdeen volunteering to go in to the sickest reality television show you can possibly imagine. Collins brings in an interesting love triangle that includes fellow district 12 tribute Peta and Gale, a hunting partner to Katniss. Throughout the series, which includes Catching Fire and Mockingjay, this love triangle is what makes the story interesting, beyond the obvious government gone-wrong/ save the world theme.

I was wildly entertained and I deeply enjoyed this series. As a matter of fact, I read it in a week. However, I have a serious problem with the way that the first book ends. SPOILER ALERT. Because of this ending, an attempted suicide, I have a problem recommending this book to kids and with the popularity that it has maintained over the last few years. As an educator, I am upset with librarians and English teachers alike because I feel like we have missed another opportunity to discuss a serious issue.

When Bella attempted suicide in the Twlight series, we barley mentioned it. In that series, immature readers might have even missed that she was trying to kill herself. However, no one can miss the attempted suicide in The Hunger Games. All action stops and they talk about it. I hate that this is treated so lightly by teachers and I'm not sure that most parents would even know that it is there.

Now that I have said my piece there, I have to say that I thought the movie was great. I had problems with the fact that Madge is not a character in the movie, the bodies are not picked up during the games, and Lenny Kravitz felt like a strange casting choice to me. However, I imagine that I will see it again and deeply enjoy it again.

Finally, Dystopian literature in this manner is doing social studies teachers a favor. Readers are learning to question government. It is so obvious to readers that what the Capital is doing is wrong that drawing parallels about wrongs from our own government is a natural jump.