Science Fiction – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games is part of a science fiction trilogy, set in the future in once was North America, but now called Panem and is filled with inventive technology, adventure; and survival.

Ruled by the iron fist of The Capitol, who is harsh and cruel, they devised a plan to keep districts in line by making them send one boy and one girl ranging in ages of twelve to eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal competition composed of murder and survival, which is broadcasted all over the country on their TV’s. The main character, Katniss Everdeen is a young woman who lives with her mother and sister, and becomes a volunteer when her little sister is drawn to compete in the games. Strong and stubborn, Katniss becomes a contender in the games but must make choices that will weigh against love, humanity, and survival (Collins, 2008).

The novel falls into the science fiction category because it features inventions and technology that do not exist, while making them appear realistic during the story. Main themes of life in the future, survival, mind control and technology are present in the book, all of which are typically seen in the science fiction genre.  The Hunger Games fits criteria in quality science fiction because it is an excellent example of narrative fiction, the world is detailed and believable, the events are imaginative, but logical and consistent within the world; it features multidimensional characters; the writing is believable and rich and it leads readers to think about life (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, 2010, p. 209).

Questions to ask the readers could include, “Which character do you relate to the most? Katniss or Peta?” “Do you think you would volunteer yourself to go into the games if your younger sibling was chosen, especially with the knowledge that you could die?” “Would you do anything different during the games?” When considering response- centered project ideas, there are a couple that would fit well with this particular novel. The first would be a present for a character, and since in the book, the characters receive random presents based on their sponsors and needs, this project would be interesting for readers to make because they could decide on what would be valuable to give to the characters. They would write a short essay explaining the gift and why it would be important to the character. Next, I would have them create a theme song for the book, including at least three stanza and a refrain. They could use the theme song from the movie that is associated with this novel or create a new one. Upon completion of the song, they would write an essay explaining why they chose the tune and why they chose the particularities of the words to include (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, 2010, p. 351).

I personally adore this trilogy. I read it before the movie came out and bought the series for my sixth graders, who love them as well. They are creatively written, unique stories that are destined to be a favorite for many people in the years to come. The story captivates even the most negative critic, making you root for characters and mourn others.

References

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

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the Child. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cenage Learning.