When you see the trailer for The Hunger Games you immediately
think---“This story line resembles The Lottery.” In actuality…it does…to a
point. The Hunger Games takes place after the destruction of North America by some unknown “apocalyptic” event. North America
is now known as Panem. Panem consists of a wealthy Capitol and twelve
surrounding, poorer districts. As
punishment for a previous rebellion against the Capitol in which the 13th
district was destroyed, one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from
each district are selected by annual lottery to participate in the Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games an event in which the participants or
"tributes" must fight in an outdoor arena controlled by the Capitol,
until only one remains. The movie follows a 16-year-old girl from District 12 Katniss Everdeen who volunteers
for the 74th annual Hunger Games in place of her younger sister, Primrose. Also selected from District 12 is Peeta Mellark, a baker's son whom Katniss knows from school.
Needless to say that if you read the book and if you have not…it is already
quite obvious that Katniss and Peesta eventually become “star-crossed” lovers.
First off let me inform you I do not really like movies
that involved killing as a sport, which is your basic medieval themed movie of
killing regardless of how “into the future” the movie is set. Therefore I am
not going to say anything negative about The Hunger Games. However, the movie
was thick in plot and the dialogue did support the theme of the movie. For
someone who does not like these kind of movies…The Hunger Games does grab your
attention from beginning to finish and yes a little part of me is sort of
waiting for the second book to be turned into a movie.
Lastly I do recommend you reading the book at some point
if you had not before you see the film. Like so many books that see the ill
fate of being turned into a movie…The Hunger Games leave so many things and
unanswered questions the movie that was left out that you will find in the
book. Unless the screen writers plan on answering some of the things that were
left out later in the future films.
The Hunger Games is a young adult novel written
by Suzanne Collins.
Collins who says got the idea for the story line by simply channel surfing… On one channel she observed people competing on a
reality show and on another she saw footage of the invasion
of Iraq. The two "began to blur in this very
unsettling way" and the idea for the book was formed. The Greek myth of Theseus served as basis for the story, with Collins describing
Katniss as a futuristic Theseus, and that Roman gladiatorial games formed the
framework.
The Hunger Games received a number of awards and honors. It was named one of Publishers Weekly's "Best Books of the Year" in 2008 and
a The New York Times "Notable
Children's Book of 2008". It was the 2009 winner of the Golden Duck
Award in the Young Adult Fiction Category The Hunger Games was also a "2008 Cybil
Winner" for fantasy and science-fiction books along with The Graveyard Book. It also one of School Library Journal's "Best Books 2008"[ and a "Booklist Editors'
Choice" in 2008. In 2011,
the book won the California Young Reader Medal.
In the 2012 edition of Scholastic's Parent and Child magazine, The Hunger Games was
listed as the 33rd best book for children, with the award for "Most
Exciting Ending".
