Modern Day Warning

The Hunger Games is written in a completely different time period, with seemingly impossible events. However, I think that Suzanne Collins wrote her novel to make a social statement and warning. The entire premise of The Hunger Games is centered around extreme events that are seemingly impossible to us, however I think Collins writes such an extreme novel to get her message across, her messaging being that it is imperative that as a society we allow differing views. The Hunger Games started because districts had differing views than the Capitol. As a demonstration, the Capitol began the games as a way to ensure that there are no differing views. However, even in the games the reader can see how differing views are still not allowed. This point is very clearly seen at the end of the novel. Katniss and Peeta were going to end their lives instead of succumbing to the Capitol’s wants. Although they survived the games and planned suicide, it is clear that the Capitol is extremely unhappy with their defiance and differing views. When Katniss returns from the games, Haymitch states, “’Listen up. You’re in trouble. Word is the Capitol’s furious about you showing them up in the arena’” (356). Although Katniss survived what seemed like the most dangerous part of her life, it is clear that this is not true. Her and Peeta had differing views than the Capitol, and now they will live their lives in fear. I believe that Suzanne Collins chose to add this topic of differing views from the very beginning, where the districts opposed the Capitol, to the end, where Peeta and Katniss had a differing view on the ending of the Hunger Games. Collins has shown how intolerance leads to violence and problems from the beginning to the end of her novel. She used a gruesome and extreme example to grab the attention of the audience, and she subtly included this warning in the novel. Suzanne Collins has not just created an entertaining novel, but she has created a complex novel that includes warnings of potential dangers in society.