In the past half-decade, The Hunger Games has erupted onto the global cultural stage. Some groups praise the inclusion of a strong female role model; others condemn the story of Ms. Everdeen since she is forced to battle other children. From either viewpoint, Katniss Everdeen and her fellow tributes have captured the attention and focus of American culture.
Many have credited the plot to various Greek myths, including the myth of Theseus. In this myth, the King of Crete defeated the city-state of Athens; furthermore, after they were defeated, he demanded an equal number of male and female tributes to be sent into the King of Crete’s labyrinth every year. Inside, they would face the monstrous Minotaur and certain death. While similarities to this myth are undoubtable, a more modern truth reveals itself as the reason behind the use of child sacrifice in Suzanne Collins’s novel. Collins condemns the use of teenagers in warfare.
War is both malicious and eternal; many suffer from it; and it is waged anew shortly after it ends. This is most evident in the modern Middle-Eastern conflicts between both al-Qaeda and now ISIS. Shortly after the al-Qaeda bellwether, Osama bin Laden, was killed, the militaristic group known as ISIS has come to be viewed as the newest icon of global terror. The point is war will never end, but the ones who wage war rarely fight themselves. When President Snow is finally assassinated in the third installment of the Hunger Games trilogy entitled Mockingjay, it is not because he died in battle but because his enemies finally apprehend him. He uses almost all available resources to prevent his death, including the young men and women enlisted in his forces. Osama bin Laden also enlisted the aid of impressionable adolescents to help him rise to and retain power.
The real revelation comes when Americans reflect on how their own military is recruited. Make no mistake, the greatest respect and honor should be given to the American soldiers; however, blame must be given to recruitment officers and generals. Many times, they find wayward and impressionable adolescents to join their ranks. Collins reveals to the American public a truth that has been hiding in plain sight. Children fight every day; it is a shame American culture only responds with such conservative views when the real-life scenarios are placed metaphorically into fictional works.
The Hunger Games provides an allegory to the horrors going on even in our own country. It calls Americans out on their own hypocritical views. This worldwide phenomenon hits close to American hearts and painfully reveals the sacrifice of our young, brave soldiers.
American Cultural Icons 