I just finished reading a YA novel, The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. I was reading a bit of it in advance of my twelve year-old son, and found myself enmeshed in the narrative. It is very readable--addictive even--and it will get the most reluctant middle or high-schooler to read and keep on reading. This dystopian story, set in the not-to-distant future, centers around a fight to the death between twenty-four teenagers, the “tributes” from the twelve Districts of the country of Panem. Panem is what was once the United States; the country is controlled by the wealthy "Capitol" which controls and exploits the surrounding populace. The protagonist is the strong, intelligent Katniss Everdeen from the 12th District (formerly Appalachia). I will stop there with summary--no reason to dilute the suspense.
Collins' style is straightforward and clean; the dialogue is most often in the present tense. This technique is often used to convey a child’s voice, conveying simplicity and immediacy, or is used in the hands of a writer with limited skills. Rather than simplifying the narrative style, however, Collins ramps up the suspense with the present tense; we thus seem to be experiencing events as they happen, feeling the tension of the moment along with Katniss.
What also makes The Hunger Games so interesting is the commentary on contemporary society, providing plenty of food for thought without ever becoming pedantic. The citizens of the Capitol are materialistic and image-obsessed; the acceptance and commodification of violence and the omnipresence of the media are essential components of the story. Katniss, a citizen of the impoverished District 12, is easily able to identify the self-absorption of the prosperous:
It’s funny, because even though they’re rattling on about the Games, it’s all about where they were or what they were doing or how they felt when a specific event occurred. “I was still in bed!” “I had just had my eyebrows dyed!” “I swear I nearly fainted!” Everything is about them, not the dying boys and girls in the arena.
We don’t wallow around in the Games this way in District 12. We grit our teeth and watch because we must and try to get back to business as soon as possible when they’re over…
If I had a criticism here, it would be that the ideas are subsumed by plot…but I cannot really call that a problem.
Given the premise, there is violence, though none of it gratuitous. Collins gracefully shows us the particulars of what Katniss witnesses and experiences through her thoughts and reactions. The violence is not sensationalized; it is not titillating or intended to be pleasurable in anyway. It is a fine balancing act, and Collins does a great job of writing about a horrifying subject without alienating this reader! I am not a fan, for example, of Brett Easton Ellis and don’t at all like graphically violent films. I found much of this story disturbing, yes, but I was not put off but the content. Nonetheless, I am not now giving it to my son to read. Based on content alone I find this book inappropriate for children under thirteen or fourteen, and even at that age, you might consider waiting, depending on your particular child.*
There are nods here to dystopian novels of the past: 1984 and Brave New World come to mind, and I’m sure there are more. The Hunger Games isn’t derivative, though, and it doesn’t end here; Collins has two more novels in this series. I plan on seeing how the rest of the story plays out
Will this novel, clearly steeped in contemporary culture, be relevant in the future? Will The Hunger Games become a classic of dystopian fiction? Hard to say. Read it now.
*I may be in the minority, here, as it seems that even some teachers are recommending this book to fifth graders! I hold firm, though. I am opposed to exposing children to so much so soon, even though it seems to be the fashion. Childhood is fleeting; adulthood is long. I think innocence should be savored and preserved, brief as it is.
