The Hunger Games- Part One "The Tributes"

After Chapter One

Twenty pages in and hooked like a caught fish.

        The novel The Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins immediately captured my attention as a reader and has put me in the position where I don't want to put the book down. Collins introduces the main character, 16 year-old Katniss Everdeen, and the brutal reality of her life. Katniss resides in District 12 with her mother and 12 year-old sister Primrose Everdeen.

        District 12 is in Panem, a nation of ruins that was once known as North America.District 12 is one of the poorest Districts and according to Katniss everyone dies of starvation, or of illness because of the lack of food. The District however is known for their coal mining, which employs many of the men and women in District 12. Katniss' father was a coal miner, and a mine explosion killed him.Fortunately, before Katniss' father passed on, he taught Katniss how to hunt.

        Now hunting and killing animals in District 12 is illegal and if Katniss was ever caught she would be publicly hung, but she needs to kill in order to live.She refers to that things she kills as "her game" and her game keeps her family alive.Katniss kills anything the wilderness presents her with; fish, squirrels, rabbits, wild dog if lucky,  birds etc... She also collects wild berries, greens, and vegetables. Katniss' weapon of choice- bow and arrow. Now she isn't alone when she's in the woods, she has her hunting partner, Gale. Gale is 18 and he also provides for his family.

        To make a long description short, Katniss and Gale spend their mornings risking their lives, hunting. When they are done hunting they take their game to the Hob. The Hob is like a black market, they can take their game there and trade it for other things they need like bread and salt. Katniss returns home in time to cook dinner with whatever she comes home with, eat, sleep, wake up and begin again.

        To end off the chapter we learn about the novel's title, the Hunger Games.

       Once every year a reaping is held in every district (there are 12) and two names, one boy and one girl, are drawn. Every child from the age of 12 to 18 is entered for the draw and if their name is picked, they become a tribute in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a  barbaric competition held by the Capitol. I say barbaric because once in the arena, it is everyone for themselves, the last one living wins. The prize, fame and fortune.

        Katniss has her name entered twenty times in reaping, where her sister Prim will be entered once since this is the first year she is of age. Effie Trinket, the escort for District 12 does the honours of drawing a name and to Katniss' utter disbelief the name drawn is Primrose Everdeen.

END OF CHAPTER ONE.

To reflect back on the first chapter of this novel I can say I have learned a lot about the life in District Twelve. It is very different then what we are used to. What I noticed is the huge influence the government had on the District. There were a lot of rules all make by this place called the Capitol and enforced by the Mayor and the Peacekeepers, (Peacekeepers come from the Capitol). The novel is set in a futuristic society where this overpowering government is in control of life and resources in all of the twelve different districts of Panem. It is because of this government that I believe we can classify this book as a science fiction, dystopian novel. However there is much more reading to be done and this analysis may not be the most accurate.