Alexis Reed: Blog Post #5

          The primary text I have selected is "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. The story takes place in the ruins of North America officially known as Panem, or "The Capitol." Before there were 13 districts, but district 13 rebelled against The Capitol and therefore was eliminated. The Capitol, forces the 12 surrounding districts to send one boy and one girl from the ages 12-18, known as a reaping, to fight to the death while the world watches. These fights, known as "Hunger Games" is a way for The Capitol to take and maintain control of the 12 districts. Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year old, lives with her mother and younger sister. When her younger sister is called as one of the tributes, Katniss offers to take her sister's place instead.Along with Peeta Mellark, the boy tribute from District 12, Katniss is shipped off to the Capitol where she will fight to survive and make choices that put survival against humanity and life against love.
          The features that make this story a dystopia is the overwhelming amount of oppression, poverty and most distinguishing feature: misery. As Suzanne Collins describes what the districts look like, it is not hard for the reader to imagine just how desolate and sad each district looks like. The guards are vicious and brutal and are trained to punish any of the people from the districts who break the law. The Capitol uses the reaping as a way to watch the districts to make sure there are no more uprisings. Food is vary scarce and the only way to get more food is to get it through illegal means,or by putting your name in the bowl that is used to pick tributes. But throughout the first half of the novel, the tone and descriptions used convey the misery of the people living in the district.
          I think the theory that would work best with this novel is Marxist Criticism because there is a strong indication of class struggle between The Capitol and the 12 Districts. While researching I haven't found much. I've really only found a book review. Must of the information that I find is centered around the book, the director, and the author. I'm still going to find more information about the book that comes from a scholarly article.