University of Phoenix SOC105 Hunger Games and Society

8/13/2019 University of Phoenix SOC105 Hunger Games and Society

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Hunger Games and Society

SOC/105

Intro


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The Hunger Games is a book that received relative anonymity before it started to reach critical

acclaim for its action packed storyline and compelling characters. The book revolves around the main

protagonist Katniss Everdeen and the decision she made to take her sisters place in the worlds hunger

games. These hunger games force competitors to fight to the death until the last person is standing. The

author, Suzanne Collins modeled the story of Katniss Everdeen after characters in Greek mythology.

Katniss has to fight people from other districts in order to stay alive using her skills with a bow and

arrow. While the story of Katniss and her struggles can be viewed as another book geared for teenage

readers, the character development and socioeconomic issues bring out a story that involves so much

more. It enables adults to understand and relate to some of the exciting events in the books. The

Hunger Games ultimately sheds the shallow childrens book and brings about a world that is not to

different from our own. It brings to light some of the problems with todays world and exposes it in a

way that children can understand it.

Cultural Significance

The setting for the Hunger Games is in a post apocalyptic world where the rich only get richer

and the poor continue to get poorer. The rich live in luxury where the poor barely has enough to eat. By

bringing in children to this world of injustice, it exposes them to the moral issues of common society. As

the misfortune of people continues to grow, certain people are profiting from all of it. Katniss is risking

her life as a game for a few rich people to continue to get richer. Her life is a matter of whim for the rich

and isnt worth anything significant at all. The sacrifice of life for so little helps build a moral compass for

children who read this authors works. Katniss makes the ultimate sacrifice for her sister by taking her

place in the games. This selflessness helps to instill compassion for siblings especially in terms of family

values. Blood is thicker than water and Katniss shows it with her courage and sacrifice. Finally, the

cultural value of maintaining a strong friendship and trust with one another is brought out in the Hunger


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Games. While Katniss must create an alliance with the boy from her district to survive, she puts her life

on the line to completely trust someone. Such friendships are shown to be valued in life and this book

does a good job of showing it for kids who are the main audience in reading this book how those values

are important. For a book that mainly involves teenagers ruthlessly bullying and killing each other, it is

presented in a way that speaks to children and has them coming back for more.

Socioeconomic Values

The Hunger Games completely challenges how the way money separates class. The rich in

society are constantly boasting about their wealth. The book delves into how the leader of the Capitol

city constantly reminds them that something such as hope can destroy the will of a thousand people.

The twelfth district is the poorest, but they are kept there for a reason. They are designed to be the

workforce so that the rich can continue to live with lavish spreads of food and lifestyle. When Katniss

and Peeta are the first pair to survive the Hunger Games together, they set a precedent that people

have the ability to break from their mold and shell to break preconceived notions about them. This gives

children the idea that whatever the world may confine a person to, there is always hope to break away

from that image. Kids who have dreams should take whatever steps they can to achieve them. When life

brings a person down or causes obstacles, its up to them to keep fighting, make friends, beat all odds,

and not be held down by what society says.

Conclusion

On the outside, the Hunger Games is a book about a girl that had the courage to do whatever it

takes to stay alive. Against all odds, she managed to survive and bring hope to an entire nation. The

Hunger Games series reinforces how money and social classes are intertwined and unjust. However, it

also allows children to see how courage and perseverance can change all of that. The children are our

future and its up to them to determine how the world will be for generations to come.


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References

Collins, S. (2008). The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press.


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Petracca, M., & Sorapure, M. (2001). Common culture: reading and writing about American

popular culture(3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

Documents

University of Phoenix SOC105 Hunger Games and Society