Mahseredjian1

Mayda Mahseredjian
Professor Lawson
English 113B
8 May 2015
1453
The Deeper Meaning behind The Hunger Games
Violence can be defined as physical or verbal force in todays world and can be used as a
threat to anyone no matter what age they may be. Children are most likely targeted violently
because they are vulnerable and weak. For example, young boys in third world countries are
forced to become soldiers, while young girls are forced to pleasure the male soldiers. The
majority are forced upon such cruelty without any other option, while others commit suicide to
be free. Even though we take this issue seriously, producers, film makers, and authors continue
to create stories with children performing violent scenes. By doing so we tend to fall into the trap
of assuming that none of it is real. On September 14 of 2008, Suzanne Collins published a book
titled The Hunger Games. This book became a series of three novels that includes action-based
scenarios by the main characters, (who are young children) who face deadly battles trying to
overcome the Capitol. Four years later, the film, The Hunger Games, was released. It became
popular worldwide, and many more books were printed, but the reason as to why it was
incredibly popular was obvious. The books setting takes place in a dystopian universe with
different forms of violence, something we believe wont happen for another million years,
therefore we already trust that all the actions that are taking place wont occur. Little do we know
that there are many similarities from the novels violence compared to todays violence.

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The Hunger Games is a series of games set up for 24 tributes to fight for their lives, and
only one winner is announced. It was created in order to show the Districts of Panem that the
Capitol will always be in control. There are twelve districts; each district contributes to the
Capitol by constructing different supplies. Before the games occur, the reaping must take place.
The reaping is when people from the Capitol visit each district and select two tributes: one boy
and one girl, from ages twelve to eighteen to participate in the games. These young children have
no say or control during the reaping. This sounds quite familiar to how the children soldiers are
treated today. In Africa, kids are randomly selected to kill others, including family members, in
order to prove their fortitude. Usually, its the underprivileged who become the main targets. In
The Hunger Games Katniss mentions how the poor children are usually the ones selected to
participate in the games because of the tesserae. Tesserae is a years supply worth of grain and
oil, but every time a name is applied for a tesserae, that same childs name is added an extra time.
Therefore, it gives that individual a higher chance of becoming a tribute. In reality the juvenile
soldiers are drugged in order to kill without any trouble. A 13 year old solider states his horrific
experience and how he had no trouble killing people when he was drugged. He reflected, They
gave me pills that made me crazy. When the craziness got in my head, I beat people on their
heads and hurt them until they bled. When the craziness got out of my head I felt guilty. If I
remembered the person, I went to them and apologized (Pete, Dunigan). The children in Africa
were manipulated just like the children in the Games. In The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Peeta
is captured by the Capitol and tortured by tracker jackers in order to be cajoled that Katniss
should be killed immediately. This is relatively similar to what happened to that young soldier
when he was captured. Katniss shows us great imagery when she states my lips are just forming
his name when his fingers lock around my throat (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Collins 177).

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Not only does he hate me and want to kill me, he no longer believes Im human. It was less
painful being strangled (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Collins 191).
Throughout The Hunger Games novel, Katniss uses her actions to show the Capitol that
they do not own her or any other tribute in the game. A great example would be when one of the
tributes shot an arrow through Rue, one of Katnisss youngest alliances. Katniss grieved over the
innocent child by sending a message. She decorated flowers slowly, one stem at a time.
Covering the ugly wound. Wreathing her face. Weaving her hair with bright colors (The Hunger
Games, Collins 237). Katniss then raises three fingers to the sky and walks away. At this moment
we know that Katniss Everdeen is not with the Capitol but with the people of the Districts who
have watched her and gained her respect. In the Hunger Games, once a child is under the name
tribute, they are considered just another pawn in the games. After a tributes is killed, he or she is
picked up by a hovercraft and is dragged away; this is very similar as to what happens in war
with juvenile soldiers.
Many children escape from these military camps, but most are not lucky enough to
continue living the life they once had. Experiencing any kind of abuse and being trained to kill is
not easy to erase or forget; these are the reasons why these innocent children suffer from mental
illness. In the Hunger Games, a character named Annie, Finnick Odairs girlfriend, was a winner
of the games who now suffers with mental illness because of her experience in the games.
Another example would be Katniss; she suffers from PTSD. Similarly one such boy from Africa
experienced PTSD after escaping the camp. At the age of seven, he was abducted by Lords
Liberation Army but escaped at age fourteen. Once reunited with his family, he wasnt the same
as he hoped he would be. He couldn't sleep at night, and during the day, he'd run around the
village screaming. He was fighting back thoughts of suicide (Singh, Maanv). In The Hunger

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Games, tributes were promised wealth and freedom, but the Capitol also forgot to mention
mental damage that will ruin their lives forever. Amnesty International reports a tragic moment
experienced by a 15-year old soldier named Kalami. He was made to kill a family, to cut up
their bodies and eat them (DRC). He continues explaining how his life is now lost without
anything to live for. As a young adult I look back at all my childhood memories and smile,
knowing that these children will never reminisce those cheerful moments which makes me
question humanity.
Despite all these inhumane situations, The Hunger Games had its advantage over young
viewers and readers. Yes, violent actions were present throughout the novel, but the young
generation can gain a positive message from it. They can learn to never let anyone control them
as well as protecting your loved ones. Looking back and realizing how brave Katniss was, I
thought how I would not be able to volunteer for my sibling the way she did. Knowing what the
games are and knowing your sibling will not make it out alive is hard to take in. I also thought
about how every single person watching this film or reading the novel has a different
perspective. One might take it the wrong way and realize violence is the answer, and another
might relate to this situation and find it easier to cope. Steve Mintz, a history professor, states
how it will continue to positively affect its younger audiences well into adulthood when
atrocities come to mean something else entirely. War is hell, but if youll recall, so is growing
up (Devon Maloney).
We dont live in a perfect world; otherwise something wouldnt sound right. We also tend
to witness issues but push them aside. After reading the books and watching the films, Ive
realized to always look at the deeper meaning behind each story. Maybe Suzanne Collins was
implying that we may think we live in a so-called perfect world now, but what about the

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future? Its not surprising how majority of us dont acknowledge the issue because society has
programmed us into thinking every film or fiction novel cannot occur. However, children
worldwide, even in America, suffer from depression, abuse, violence, and poverty. There are
hundreds of campaigns today that raise money and help educate children and provide all types of
support. Helping a child in need is the most powerful tool we have, especially assisting a child in
healing from any and all traumatic events. It is our responsibility as humans and adults to offer a
helping hand to young people of all ages and present them the opportunity to become exemplary
citizens of this world.