the hunger games background information
TRANSCRIPT
The Hunger GamesBy Suzanne Collins
The Hunger GamesBy Suzanne Collins
IntroductionIntroduction
Today’s Objectives
• Essential Question: When is adversity an advantage? What weapons work against ultimate control?
• Students will know: how people who are oppressed overcome their obstacles
• Students will understand: how governments control the oppressed
• Students will be able to do: – analyze and understand the functions of a repressive government
– Define key vocabulary from the Hunger Games– Understand symbolism from the novel, the Hunger Games
Do Now
• Imagine you are standing, in a circle, looking at your fellow tributes and the Hunger Games are about to begin; knowing that only one of you can survive: How are you feeling?
• What special set of skills do you have that would help you survive these games? How does that separate you from everyone else.
Do Now
• Would you be willing to compete in a live televised reality show in which the winnerwinner is showered with gifts such as a new homehome, moneymoney for life, and a careercareer mentoring mentoring new opponents each year? But if you LOSE, You pay with your LIFELIFE?
Summary: Sixteen-year old
Katniss EverdeenKatniss Everdeen finds herself in a no-win
situation:Save her loved ones and
lose her own life…Or save herself, at
their expense.
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are needed to see this picture.
The Hunger The Hunger GamesGames trilogy is written by
Suzanne Collins. She began writing for children’s
television shows before writing
her first novel. She is also the author of The The
Underland Underland ChroniclesChronicles.
She was inspired to write The The Hunger GamesHunger Games after she had been channel surfing between watching live coverage of the Iraq war and a reality TV show .
She was also influenced by
mythologymythology, especially the story of Theseus and the Minotaur.
Roman gladiator Roman gladiator battlesbattles as entertainment for the masses contributed, as well.
Analysis: The SettingAnalysis: The SettingThe story is set many, many years in the futurefuture. The country (in which Katniss lives) is located
in the former North America after natural disasters and the oceans “swallowed up” much of the land.
This new country is called PanemPanem.
The Setting: PanemThe Setting: Panem
The districts
are a dystopian dystopian society and government.
The Capitol is a
utopianutopian city.
Capitol City
Note: The location of each district and outline of Panem is purely speculation.
PanemPanem consists of 12 12 districtsdistricts
surrounding the Capitol City.
The DistrictsThe Districts (smaller red dots)
Analysis:Analysis: Dystopia Dystopia is a
fictional society characterized by human misery, oppression,
disease, and overcrowding. The
government is usually totalitariantotalitarian: one that exercises control over the freedom, will, or thought of others.
UtopiaUtopia is an imaginary place that is ideally perfect: free from
poverty and suffering.
As punishment for the
rebellion against the Capitol, the
district citizens are forced into a
life of poverty, poverty,
starvationstarvation,, and hard hard laborlabor…
…while the Capitol citizens enjoy a life of luxuryluxury and easeease.
The Setting: The Capitol
The Setting: The Capitol
Capitol City
District 13
ruins
The mountain range provided natural
protection for the Capitol from the
district rebels (who could only fight on foot), making it
impossible to overthrow the repressive government.
The Capitol City is
located in
the Rocky Rocky MountainsMountains
.
Each district has its own industryindustry that it provides for the people who
live in the Capitol.
The 13th district13th district was “obliterated” 74 years ago when the district citizens tried to rebel
against the Capitol.
Capitol City
District 13 ruins
Note: The location of each district and outline of Panem is purely speculation.
The Setting: District 12
The Setting: District 12
Capitol City
Katniss, the narrator, lives
in District District 1212, which is located in the
Appalachian Appalachian MountainsMountains.
District 12District 12
The Appalachian Mountain Appalachian Mountain RangeRange is perhaps the world’s oldest mountain range, with its creation dating back approximately 480 million480 million
years ago.
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
District 12’s
industry is coal coal
productioproductionn -
for the Capitol, of course.
Katniss’s father died in
a mine explosion when she was 11 and
her younger sister, PrimPrim,
just eight years old. Her mother
became depressed, leaving Katniss to fend for her family.
She turned to the woodswoods--the forbidden
area outside the district 12 fence--and
began huntinghunting and gatheringgathering in order to
feed her sister, mother, and herself.
To further repress the district citizens, the Capitol required all children aged 12-all children aged 12-1818 to enter their names into a lottery or reapingreaping to see who
will compete in the annual Hunger GamesHunger Games competition.
Each year in the Hunger Games,Hunger Games,twenty-fourtwenty-four
district children enter the arena to fight to the deathdeath.
Only oneone will survive
and be crowned the victorvictor.
The Capitol forces all citizens to watch The The Hunger GamesHunger Games
competition on live TV. It was created by the Capitol
to remind the district citizens of their past
wrongs.
Watching their children diedie is the district citizens’ repentancerepentance for the
rebellion.
Every district
child aged 12 to 18 MUSTMUST
enter their name into
the reaping.
If, however, they wanted food for themselves and
their families, they could sign up for tesseraetesserae
(which provided grain and oil for one person for a
year).
The catch?The catch?
Their names would be entered into the reaping multiple timesmultiple times for each family member who needs
food.
Therefore, the poorest and hungriest children are
most likely to have their names called.
But not always…But not always…
And that is where the story begins…
Activity time!Activity time!
Activity: Symbolism
In Groups (before reading the book), discuss what each symbol could mean.
13 districts/ 12 districtsBirds (later:
Mockingjays)
WaspsMutants
FoodDandelionsFlower WreathsRed RoseWoods/Wooded areas
Themes in “The Hunger Games”PowerPowerRealityRealityIdentityIdentitySociety and ClassSociety and ClassStrength and SkillStrength and SkillLoveLoveAppearancesAppearancesPoliticsPoliticsSacrificeSacrificeMake a list of other films/books that share these themes
Activity:
What does Katniss’s house look like?
Draw it, or write a description of it.Why is it important to think about her dwelling?
Quiz time!Quiz time!
Quiz time!Quiz time!
See Handout. May use a partner, the book, and your notes.
Submit to “Turn In here” when complete