The Hunger Games Themes
Power
Who has the power? Well, the main source of power in The Hunger Games is clear: the totalitarian government of the Capitol. Because the Capitol holds most of the country of Panem’s wealth, the go...
Versions of Reality
Ah, reality television: The Bachelor, The Biggest Loser, Jersey Shore. Don’t we just love it? The people of Panem, the fictional country of The Hunger Games, also watch lots of reality television...
Identity
Before the Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen was a hunter and gatherer in District 12 in the country of Panem. She didn’t much like cats, though she loved her sister very much. Her main goal was alw...
Society and Class
The Hunger Games is a novel about the "haves" and the "have nots" – that is, the people who have money and the people who don't. The Capitol has money. Gobs of it. While the Capitol is wealthier...
Love
Hey, everyone. Meet Katniss: the girl who cannot love. Katniss has spent her whole life just trying to survive and because of that she does not, repeat, does not get attached to people. There is th...
Strength and Skill
In the Hunger Games, each candidate has his or her own set of skills and strengths. There's Cato, who has a crazy temper and can snap someone's neck with his bare hands. There's Foxface, the crafti...
Appearances
Welcome to the Hunger Games, a world of celebrity where image is everything. A former hayseed, Katniss must now be concerned with how people in the cosmopolitan Capitol perceive her. Katniss will l...
Politics
The government of Panem is a totalitarian one, which means that it has absolute power over its people. (Nazi Germany is a good example of a totalitarian government.) Yup, that's right. The governme...
Competition
OK, quick: think of a game. Got one? Good. What'd you come up with? Baseball? Tennis? Monopoly? World of Warcraft? Well, the Hunger Games are a totally different kind of competition – one of life...
Sacrifice
The Hunger Games are just full of sacrifices. Katniss makes a huge personal sacrifice when she takes her sister's place in the Hunger Games. She and Peeta sacrifice themselves for each other at the...