Hunger Games

To be honest I could not put this book down!  The whole time I was reading I kept imaging what it would be like to live in this society; where each year someone’s child was put onto a television show to fight other children to the death and the rest of the year families were fighting starvation.  I was also very interested in how mature Katniss was for her age, and how much stress she had to handle each day. 

Like Feed, this book was a glimpse into a future that seems so far away at first glance, but so close when you take a moment to think outside the box.  Feed portrayed a future where the Internet and computers have become so necessary they are actually a part of the human body.  Like today, the tendency of turning a blind eye to real issues leads to the degradation of human bodies and corporations ruling the world.  Hunger Games relates to this because the thought of finding entertainment in children killing each other seems like pure fantasy, but look at what we find to be entertaining.  Ronnie and Sam on the Jersey Shore are miserable and yet so many people find entertainment in their arguing.  By supporting this we not only make these “real” people into characters but we reinforce their behavior.  Also, the people in the Capitol were captivated by the star crossed lovers aspect of the games and even supported two tributes winning the games so they could be together.  Maybe that’s why we keep watching Ronnie and Sam, we want a happy ending even if the process is torture.

1984 portrayed a future where Big Brother is always watching.  Our presentation highlighted many different “Big Brothers” in today’s society.  Not only are the Capitol and peacekeepers always watching the people of Panem, but also much like government in 1984 those higher up reap many benefits that the citizens have long forgotten could exist.  I found it very interesting and disturbing that the Tributes were dressed up and fed so well before the games so the people in the Capitol would not even have to recognize the horrible conditions that these children are living in.  For the tributes it’s like a bit of paradise before the worst and possibly last experience of their lives.

Although this book paints a very complex picture of what our future could look like that also in many ways mirrors aspects of our society today, I couldn’t help myself from focusing on the complex relationship between Katniss and Peeta.  I really believed throughout that Peeta was really in love with Katniss.  I was shocked when he allied with the careers but still thought in the back of my mind that it was in some way to help Katniss.  I was so excited when Katniss started to develop feelings for Peeta and freaked out when they were separated right after the games.  I will definitely be reading the other two books in hopes of the pair getting together by the end!