How the F*CK did I not read The Hunger Games until now? I'm honestly furious with myself for somehow pushing this book series to the side, and I can't believe I went this long! The first book in the trilogy was published in 2008, and now, almost 4 years later, I finally read them. And it's because of a homework assignment! That's right, my homework for grad class this week was to read The Hunger Games (just the first book) and I know, all of you are insanely jealous. What fun homework she has!
Seriously though, brought the book with me to work on Friday night, finished the whole book Friday night when I got home (it was a late night), started the second book on Saturday, and finished the second and third book on Sunday morning.
I just owned up to my nerdiness (is that even a word?) for all the world to see. (Listen, I read the 7th Harry Potter book in just over 3 hours, so I don't think it's a big secret)
Point is, I finally got around to reading a book -- well, 3 books -- that had been suggested to me over and over but I simply hadn't thought much into them. I didn't even know anything about the books, other than that it was a Young Adult novel and it was about a dystopian society (okay, Blogger's spellcheck is off, because I know I spelled that word correctly!). What I didn't know is how engaging and interesting the books would be -- and how many moral, philosophical, ethical, and logical questions the books would raise.
Young Adult literature is an interesting world, and I know I've been beating this idea to death, but since it is the focus of my grad class, it's somewhat unavoidable. Last week we read Of Mice and Men, a classic in the high school canon, but our discussion seemed to focus on how, in the hands of a bad teacher, that book could go horribly wrong. Any book that ends in that way (spoiler alert: don't read ahead!! one of the character kills another, raising the debate on mercy killings) is going to need a true teacher touch to manage the debate at the end. The Hunger Games is in a similar vein, as The Games in the books are actually a fight to the death with 24 children (ages 12-18) being put in a very futuristic, sci-fi based 'arena' and left to fend for themselves until only one remains. The catch? The Gamemaster is in complete control of all things that happen in the arena (weather, predators, etc.) and the entire thing is televised for the population to watch. There's obviously a whole heck of a lot more going on, but it comes down to the basic survival instinct; kill or be killed.
Our main character is also a female, which is rare in novels that are targeted to no specific genre. Most books that are not meant as 'girl books' have a male protagonist because (and this has been studied, this isn't just me pontificating) males have a harder time identifying with a main character who is a different gender than they are; girls have an easier time. There is something to be said about the idea of empathy vs. sympathy. Sorry boys! But honestly, think about it -- of the major popular young adult books that appeal across sex and gender divides, our protagonist is generally what? Now in all fairness, our female lead has very masculine tendencies, as she is the head of her family (her mother isn't capable) and she hunts, trades, and is a volunteer to fight in The Games. Is this a real decision the author made? A female lad, but make her more boy-ish to appeal to the masses?
That aside, I appreciate a YA author who is willing to try and change the way teenagers read books. The protagonist switch is only part of it. She also raises those questions, and, similar to Steinbeck, asks when is it ever okay to kill another human? Would you do it to survive? And how many people does it take to change the way things go? When you see wrong, is it just as bad to say nothing as it is to participate?
With all that's happening in our world today, I think these messages are important for young adults to not only see in literature (and tv and film and music) but to question and consider. So often we read without engaging all of our mind. It might drive me crazy that I can't read even trashy lit without bringing an English major and teacher perspective to the text, but I get more out of what I read when I keep thinking. When the book ends, my analysis does not end. That's why I love book clubs and grad classes; I love to discuss and question and learn more.
So, as a final plug, we're going to be experimenting with an International Book Club over the next few weeks. Our book is One Day, and the next update will outline how it will work. Be sure to join the Facebook Page to add your feedback and keep up with the final plan. And as always, book suggestions are more than welcome :)
No comments:
Post a Comment