Mockery of the Mockingjay

Analysis on “Hunger Games” popularity, meaning, themes

Emerson Elledge elledeme000@hsestudents.org

described within the novels. When this freedom was finally allowed, the experience shocked me. I had never read a book that felt so immersive, and I wanted more. I quickly devoured the series, and though it left a mark on me, I did not think deeply who get to benefit from the hard work of the majority.

In Panem, one boy and girl from each district are selected every year to fight to the death, in a tradition known as ‘The Hunger Games.’ The series follows Katniss, one of districts have no basic human rights, are treated as slave labor, and are subjected to the Hunger Games annually. I believe the majority of today’s audience would define that as grounds for revolution. They have just cause but the nature of the conflict raises a lot of questions… When a powder keg and Katniss the Although this story might be seen as a rather overt vessel for a think piece on ‘just war’ and the negative effects that our current society could have on the future, that is not how the story tends to to duplicate it, to create the next ‘Hunger Games.’ popular, first with the Twilight highlighting the phenomenon. quickly [into writing the story] because of his experiences and violent remedies. Peeta’s natural inclination is toward diplomacy. Katniss isn’t just deciding on a partner; she’s figuring out her

When later authors attempted to replicate the success of the series, they immediately turned to the basic pieces in the Hunger Games formula: a love triangle, a girl in her mid-teens who by all definitions was perfectly average except for one skill and a corrupt government with a sorting system as a way of dividing the country based on some minor skill or attribute. In following this formula, or a variation of it, these authors believed that their novels, whatever they may be about, would have the same success. Examples of this are Veronica Roth’s “Divergent” series, Kiera Cass’ “Selection” series, Neil Schusterman’s “Scythe” series and Allie Condie’s “Matched” series, all with varying levels of critical success.

The Hunger Games trilogy and later movie series were immensely popular, with the novels winning 77 awards and selling over 100 million copies globally and the movies making over $3 billion combined at the global box office. This success was envied, and authors wanted

What these authors failed to recognize was the reason that the Hunger Games truly found success: the reality that the books offered with displaying an alternative future with similar social struggles as its readers, as opposed to a fantasy novel filled with werewolves and vampires.

The Hunger Games offered a critique on the current society, and all that could occur because of it, as well as offering a more palatable way to investigate political philosophies, while still entertaining its primary audience, ultimately displaying the reason why the series gained popularity in the first place and why it is not surprising that the series has yet again swept pop culture by storm.