The Hunger Games And Their Appeal In Adolescence
The Hunger Games has been one of the most successful stories of recent times. First in book form and later as film, it amassed millions of fans around the world and raised a vast sum of money.
It is a mixture of futurism and classical mythology, to show what the worst facets of the human race are and to call attention to today’s society.
The Hunger Games Book
It is the first in a trilogy with the same name. Its author is Suzanne Collins, she was based on the Greek myth of the Minotaur to write it.
Legend has it that the Greeks had to sacrifice seven maidens and seven young men to pay tribute to King Minos of Crete; and they did so by throwing them into a labyrinth to be eaten by the Minotaur.
Theseus is the one who put an end to this practice, when he himself murdered the evil monster. In a more futuristic context, Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of The Hunger Games, represents Theseus in this story.
Argument
The story takes place in Panem in a post-apocalyptic time, where it used to be North America. After a rebellion of one of the 13 states against El Capitolio, the Government of Panem decides to pay a tribute annually to avoid future revolts and to remember that it is this one who has all the authority.
So each state is forced to send a young man and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to fight, to the death, in an arena while the whole country watches them on television.
Katniss’s sister Prim was originally chosen as a tribute, but she decides to take her place to protect her. The male chosen for District 12, the poorest, is Peeta Mellark.
This is how they begin their adventures in the sand, which this year consists of a forest with a river running through it. The actions that take place from now on are plagued by moments of tension, betrayals, loyalties, alliances and fights to the death.
Katniss meets Rue, a female tribute from District 11 who had assisted her when a group of contestants hunted her down to assassinate her. Furthermore, he subsequently joins Peeta and they face the competition together. However, at the end of The Games and after many battles, they must face a difficult decision.
The movie
The audiovisual version of this story, produced by Lions Gate Entertainments and released in 2012, is based on the Collins books. It had a first-rate production and a budget of 78 million dollars and raised more than 690 million of the same currency.
However, it does not lose the essence of the first installment of the trilogy and, in fact, its objective of reaching a mass audience was perfectly fulfilled. It broke all box office records set up to that point and the reviews were more than positive.
In addition, he won many awards and the possibility of releasing the other two parts of the trilogy: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay (Part 1 and 2).
Why do they attract the attention of teenagers?
The Hunger Games has garnered, in all its versions, millions of fans around the world. Why is so successful? We could list five fundamental reasons to explain it:
A lot of action
The vast majority of teenagers are drawn to stories of war, struggles, and life-and-death treats. In addition, The Hunger Games also combines other highly attractive elements for this stage of life: the sense of belonging, loyalty, friendship and rebellion against the oppression of the most powerful towards young people. An infallible combo.
Deep themes
The plot includes facts and reflections on matters of great relevance, such as poverty, hunger, war and the cruelty of the powerful. The Hunger Games shows how rulers dispose of the lives of the inhabitants of a nation at will.
Present
Far from being set in distant times, this story is set in reverse. The future is the place where events take place, which invites us to think that this “could happen” in hundreds or thousands of years. It appeals to the imagination of readers, something that is highly valued in adolescence.
Participation of the media
Katniss’s adventures are televised throughout Panem in real time and this audience reacts to her actions. This leads teens to think:
What role do we play in the reality shows that we see every day? Are we part of the degrading shows that we often see on television?
Love and sacrifice
The Hunger Games demonstrates, through Katniss, two actions of deep love towards her loved ones. First, by offering to replace his sister as a participant, in a gesture of deep love for the little girl.
Later, when her friend Rue dies, Katniss’ compassion and regret provokes displeasure from the event directors. In adolescence, when the reaffirmation of the values of life are at stake, these messages sink deep into the followers of the saga.
Without a doubt, The Hunger Games is one of those stories that will be remembered for many years. It has marked the adolescence of many young people – and also many parents – who to this day continue to enjoy these wonderful stories.
