Hunger Games

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

In a futuristic North America, lies a small nation of Panem.  Included in this nation are 12 districts and a Capitol.  The capitol is the ruler of all the outlying districts and they are harsh to their people.  Each year one boy and one girl from each district are forced to compete in the annual Hunger Games.  They can be only twelve but only as old as eighteen to compete.  This is not a fun type of game; they fight to the death.  There can be only one survivor.
Katniss Everdeen is only sixteen years old when her sister's name is drawn out of the drum, so she valiantly steps forward to take her place.  The other from the district is Peeta Mellark. 

Katniss is fairly competent with a bow and arrow.  She manages to acquire one when the girl from District 1 is killed by tracker jackets (a deadly mutant bee).  She teams up with Rue, a tribute from District 11.  They destroy the food supply of the Careers.  Then Rue is discovered and killed.  Katniss is heartbroken and shows her devotion to Rue when they pick her up.  She later finds Peeta, injured, and tries to heal him.  Together they prey on the sympathy of the Districts and Haymitch sends medicine for Peeta.  Katniss has to go to the Cornucopia to pick up what is needed for his recovery.  She is almost killed by  Clove, one of the Career players, but Rue's partner from her district, Thresh, helps her out by crushing Clove's skull.  There are only four players remaining now, Katniss, Peeta, Foxface, and Cato.  The thrilling conclusion is just that.

It is a must read for all adventuresome teens and middle school students.  I couldn't put it down from the get go.

Hunger Games has been on the New York Times bestseller list for more than two years.

Expositon:  Hunger Games is the story of a futuristic place called Panem.  The main characters Katniss Everdeen, her hunting friend Gale, and Peeta Mellark. They live in District 12 aka The Seam, where the inhabitants exist by sheer determination.  The government makes it virtually impossible for anyone in the districts to get ahead.  Those that have money are in high positions.

Conflict:  Each year two people (boy and girl) are chosen from each district to compete in the Hunger Games in a ceremony called the "Reaping".  There are 24 contestants in all.  There can only be one survivor in each game.

Rising Action:  At the onset of the games, 11 people are killed.  Katniss is fortunate enough to have picked up a backpack that has things to keep her from freezing at night.  She knows how to sleep in the trees so that helps to protect her.  Being alone is good but she teams up with Rue from another district.  She and Rue destroy the food stash of the District 1 and 2 competitors but Rue is caught and killed.  Katniss has to kill or be killed.  There is an announcement that two from the same district can compete together and win as a team.

Climax:  Katniss searches for Peeta, not knowing if he is even still alive.  The last time she saw him he was warning her to run away because Cato was returning to the scene of the bee attack.

Falling Action:  After finding Peeta, she has to heal him before they can go on.  They hide out in a cave and are given gifts from the sponsor to keep them alive.  They end up winning as a team but then the announcement is recinded.  Two people cannot win the games.  They go back to the lake where their backpack is waiting for them.  One must die.

Resolution:  They decide to eat poison berries to end both their lives and the officials decide to allow them both to live. 

Literary Elements:

• Cosmic Irony - Katniss and Peeta are in a situation that neither would have chosen had it not been for the unlucky draw.
• Imagery - Description of scenery, the mutated bees, the mockingjay (how Rue and Katniss communicated with each other) you could almost hear it while reading.
• Point of view - third person limited omniscient - We only know what is going on with Katniss through the entire story.