The Review of Suzanne Collins' 'The Hunger Games'
Suzanne Collins is the author of The Hunger Games, a novel released by Scholastic in 2008 with two sequels and film adaptations for the entire series. In this The Hunger Games essay we will review this literature work. Collins explores the theme of government power throughout the novel, and how too much can result in horrible cruelties. Collins shows this importance of the balance of government power by alluding to ancient Rome, and its treatment of slaves. Collins also shows the importance of this through symbolism, which are the avoxes. Violent imagery is the last language technique to be explored that was used in this book.
The Hunger Games uses allusion to show the importance of a balance of government power. This is shown by the Hunger Games where it alludes to Ancient Rome as it has similar aspects to it. The allusions are that the contests are similar to the gladiatorial fights that happened during roman times for entertainment, as well as the fact that both nations use many slaves. The names of the Capitol residents in the book also sound similar to those of roman society, e.g. Claudius Templesmith, Caesar Flickerman and Octavia. These allusions are all linked to ancient Rome and the Romans. Rome showed that if you have a nation that is built on the rich abusing the poor and the use of slaves then it will eventually collapse on itself. Thus comparing it to the possible end of the Capitol. The allusions to ancient Rome are shown throughout the quote “Taking the kids from our districts and forcing them to kill one another while we watch,” as ancient Rome would force slaves from conquered countries to fight to the death. This use of allusion shows the readers that government power should be balanced with the people having power, and too much government power can result in the fall of a nation.
Collins features symbolism that should be mention in “The Hunger Games” essay. In the novel to discuss the importance of balance of government power. In The Hunger Games, the avoxes are used as symbols to show that in nations where there is too much government power, people that speak out against that nation will be punished severely. The avoxes have their tongues cut out of them, forcing them to be silent and making them be slaves for life as well. They also make Katniss have a person that she could’ve helped not be captured as her avox before the games, forcing Katniss to feel guilt about not helping her. “You’re not to speak to one unless it’s giving an order… Of course you don’t really know her,” This quote shows that Avoxes are forced to live in silence with no rights until they are dead, just for trying to escape. Avoxes are a symbol of the cruelties that the Capitol would do to make sure it stays in power and a reason that governments should not have too much power.
The Hunger Games uses violent imagery to show the lengths that the government goes to to stay in power. This is shown as many teenagers that are not bad people are forced to kill each other brutally, and while Katniss is fighting the careers, her real enemy is the Capitol. When Katniss destroys the Tracker Jacker nest and they kill Glimmer, this shows that the Capitol is truly evil, as they will create awful contraptions to violently kill its citizens for fun. This outlines that the Government should not be given this power, or else it will do anything to keep it and care more about itself than its citizens. An example of this is “This girl, so breathtakingly beautiful on the night of her interviews, is unrecognizable. Her features eradicated, her limbs three times the usual size.” This shows that the Capitol is prepared to hurt and kill as many people as it likes, just to make sure its stays in power, and even force someone to kill another brutally and watch it for entertainment.
In conclusion to “The Hunger Game” essay, Collins uses allusions to ancient Rome, avoxes as symbolism and violent imagery to show the sheer power the government holds The Hunger Games explores the theme of government power in it, and why in our world it is important for the people to choose what the country does. If the world lets the governments and a small group of people have too much power, then countries will collapse, people will be hurt and lives will be lost.
