Hunger Games--Is there something else going on?

I finished book 2 of the Hunger Games trilogy on my way to work this morning (I wasn't driving). The two books I've read so far are compelling reads and I will start the last one tonight (I can't wait!).

This trilogy is the Harry Potter series of young people today which has me puzzled and maybe a little concerned. The Harry Potter world was magical and finding children and adults interested in it wasn't a big surprise; the world of fantasy has always intrigued humans. I'd love to have a flying broom like the students had at Hogwarts. Talk about a "green" solution to getting around--no gas to buy and/or exhaust to mess up the air. I suppose if everyone had brooms, there might be broom traffic jams. LOL

However, the world in Hunger Games isn't magical; it could be very real even though it's set in the future. Why are young people so fascinated with this series? Is it just the writing or is there something more? In the books, the people in the 12 districts are generally poor and powerless. They are reminded annually of their powerlessness when they have to send their children off to fight in the games and the fight is to the death. That's a far cry from having kids do some dangerous sports! The Capitol is always present and feared. Is that how our young people see our country today where the rich (and they are the very few) have all the power and the rest of us are pretty powerless? After all, this is what they see and hear in the news and, let's face it, the news is pretty omnipresent; between Fox, MSNBC and who knows how many other avenues are out there, our young people are constantly bombarded with this kind of information. Our prisons are full of the poor, the minorities, etc., and when the wealthy are found guilty of something, there sentence seems to be lifted, reduced or whatever and, since there are so few in this category of wealth, there crimes are much fewer.

Is the fascination and hero-worship of Katniss admiration of her and her self-determination what's appealing to young people or the fact that she defies the Capitol and fights back. In the books, Katniss sees those who she cares about singled out for torture and death. Are the young people of today thinking of this for themselves? Possibly suicide to make a point or bring about change?

These are all things that I have serious concerns about in reading these books. The books are compelling reads but their popularity gives me pause. Thoughts?

Comments

  1. Good blog--very thought provoking. And the part about young people feel disenchanted with government is a true thing. I read on MSNBC or someplace that a larger majority of 20-40 yr olds would volunteer than be interested in polictics--why immediate results. Hmmm

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