The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, is set in the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem1, where
North America once existed. Panem consists of 12 Districts that are controlled by the wealthy
Capitol metropolis. To punish the Districts for a past rebellion against the Capitol, in which
District 13 was destroyed, one boy and one girl between 12 and 18 from each District (the
tributes) are selected by lottery each year to participate in the Hunger Games. The Games are
a televised fight to the death until the last survivor and take place in an outdoor realityengineered arena that is controlled by the Capitols Gamemaker and his subordinates. The
winner is rewarded with fame, wealth, and favors for his or her District. Katniss2 Everdeen, the
narrator, is a 16-year-old tribute from the poor mining District 12 who volunteers for the 74th
Games when her younger sister Primrose is selected in the Reaping lottery. The male tribute is
Peeta Mellark, a former schoolmate of Katniss, who once saved her life when she was starving
by giving her bread from his familys bakery.
After their arrival at the Capitol, Katniss and Peeta are advised by their drunken mentor, the 50th
Games winner Haymitch Abernathy, to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the other
tributes. The Career tributes who have trained since birth to participate in the Games are
particularly skilled and threatening. After the tribute parade before the Capitol audience, Katniss
and Peeta are interviewed by television host Caesar Flickerman. Peeta confesses his longtime
unrequited crush on Katniss but she is furious with him, thinking that it is just a ploy to win
audience support from wealthy audience members that might act as sponsors, sending food,
medicine, tools, and other items that might help a favored tribute survive.
Nearly half of the tributes are killed on the first day of the Games but Katniss uses her archery,
other hunting and survival skills to remain concealed from the other tributes. Peeta forms an
inexplicable alliance with the Careers, including Cato, Clove, Marvel, and Glimmer. Meanwhile,
Katniss has developed a fondness for Rue, a 12-year-old girl from District 11 that reminds her of
Primrose. When the Careers corner Katniss in the woods and she is forced to spend the night in
a tree, Rue appears and points out a tracker jacker3 nest that Katniss saws down to drop on the
Careers, killing Glimmer. Rue takes care of Katniss while she recovers from her own tracker
1 Collins drew Panems name from the Roman governing technique panem et
circenses or bread and circuses.
2 Katniss is named for an edible plant that has arrow-shaped leaves.

jacker stings, but their alliance ends when Rue is killed by Marvel. Katniss sings to Rue while
she dies and then covers her with flowers afterwards. The televised coverage inspires a riot in
District 11 because of this occurrence.
Midway through the games, presumably because the Capitol audience is fascinated with
Katniss and Peeta as star-crossed lovers, the Gamemaker announces a rule change that would
allow two tributes from the same district to win as a pair. Hearing this, Katniss searches for
Peeta and finds him wounded by Cato and hiding in camouflage. She nurses him back to health
and acts as though she is falling in love with him in order to encourage gifts of food and
medicine from the sponsors. When Katniss tries to retrieve medicine for Peeta, Clove attacks
her. Thresh appears and kills Clove because of what Katniss had done for his fellow district
tribute Rue. Foxface, another tribute, dies from eating nightlock berries stolen from Peeta, who
did not know they were highly poisonous. Finally, a pack of mutations (vicious hound-like
creatures) are released, killing Thresh and herding Katniss and Peeta towards the Cornucopia,
where they encounter Cato. After a brutal fight, Katniss shoots at Cato. He falls, the muttations
pounce on him, and Katniss shoots Cato to spare him being mauled to death. When only
Katniss and Peeta remain, the Gamemaker reverses his rule change to try to force the pair to
fight. However, Katniss offers poisonous nightlock berries to Peeta and asks him to trust her.
The Gamemakers hand is forced by the fear that the pair will commit suicide and he announces
that both will win the 74th Games.
Although Katniss and Peeta are cheered when they return to the Capitol, Haymitch warns
Katniss that she has become a political liability after having so publicly defied the Capitol
leadership. Peeta also is upset when he is informed that Katniss was only acting in love but
Katniss herself is unsure of her feelings and dreads being parted from Peeta. Finally, the
scheming President Snow wonders what he can do about the winning pair and any rebellious
leanings they may have inspired.
Collins has stated that her primary sources of inspiration for the Hunger Games were the Greek
myth of Theseus, who faced challenges at six entrances to the underworld in his quest to slay
3 Tracker jackers are wasps that have been genetically modified by the Capitol and
have highly toxic hallucinatory venom. They also have the ability to track an
attacker a long distance from their nest. Few can survive even a small number of
stings; most die immediately.

the Minotaur4, and the similarity of some contemporary reality games to war-like conditions in
Iraq. The theme of the Roman gladiatorial games, with their fights to the death as public
entertainment, also had an influence on her. Many critics also have noted the trilogys parallels
with Shakespearean theatre themes of power and downfall, while others compare the arbitrary
nature of the Hunger Game rules and the brutal hierarchy of rich, good-looking and athletic
favorites to an extreme version of the adolescent high school experience. Still others speak to
Christian themes such as the self-sacrifice that Katniss makes for her sister. One critic argued
that the screenplay is a little bit of the TV series Survivor, a little bit of the Bachelorette and
partly the American short story The Lottery! The main character of Katniss also has been
compared with Bella of the Twilight series both are female protagonists but Katniss, unlike
Bella, rescues herself with resourcefulness, guts and true aim.
When it came to designing the costumes and set, director Gary Ross worked with production
designer Phil Messina and costume designer Judianna Makovsky. To design the Capitol
architecture, Messina drew on buildings that were symbols of political power, such as those in
Tiananmen and Red Square. He also considered the buildings of the 1939 New York Worlds
Fair. He wanted something that would look indulgent and decadent but also would have power
behind it. Some sets, such as the Gamemakers control center, had to be developed as
locations even though Katniss could only have had mental images of them in the novel.
Because so much of the action in the movie happens in the wilderness, director Ross wanted a
futuristic and antiseptic feeling in the room like a science fiction movie. For her part, Judianna
was inspired by elaborate couture fashion when dressing Effie Trinket and Katniss for her
interview, but also relied on her previous experience with the X-Men franchise to come up with
the sleek flaming jumpsuits that Katniss and Peeta wore in the tribute parade. The costumes
worn by those in District 12 were inspired by clothing worn in the late nineteenth century right up
until the 1960s in Appalachia.
How was The Hunger Games Received?
The book received mostly positive feedback from major reviewers and authors, including author
Stephen King. The Hunger Games won a California Young Reader Medal and also was
acclaimed as one of the Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year in 2008. Despite its violent
4 To punish Athens for past crimes, Minos forces Athens to sacrifice seven youths
and seven maidens to the Minotaur, who kills them in a vast labyrinth. There are
obvious parallels between the Athenian youths and the District tributes.

content, the Hunger Games won a New York Times Notable Childrens Book and a School
Library Journal Best Book Award. Nevertheless, the novel also has been ranked in 5th place on
the American Library Association list of frequently challenged books for 2012 because of the socalled sexual content and the violence that was seen as unsuitable for children. Even those who
praised the book differed in their opinion of its suitability for young audiences. For example, the
School Library Journal felt that it was suitable for Grades 7 and up while Booklist thought it
should wait until readers were in Grade 9. Some parental advisory groups also have expressed
concerns about the child-on-child violence and have tried to persuade others on both an official
and unofficial basis that children should not be exposed to the books or the movie. A typical
comment would be No decent parent would allow their child to read or watch this kind of
violence.
The film of the first book also has attracted some negative attention, even though Lionsgate cut
or digitally modified stretches of film that were seen as unduly violent and disturbing. Lionsgate
had to make these changes in order to receive a PG-13 rating in North America (parental
guidance strongly cautioned for those under 13). Time critic Mary Pols thought that the film was
too violent for young children even though she noted that the movie was less violent than the
novel. Lionsgate did try to ensure that they were sensitive to the child violence in their
marketing. They made a rule that they never would say 23 kids get killed but that only one
wins.
Overall, the film was an unqualified success. Rotten Tomatoes gave it an 85% Certified Fresh
rating and an average score of 7.3 out of 10. The film also has been compared favorably with
Harry Potter by Justin Craig of Fox News (Move over Harry Potter. A darker, more mature
franchise has come to claim your throne) while Rafer Guzman of Newsday thought that the
Hunger Games was more sophisticated than Twilight. Roger Ebert also gave the film three stars
out of four and especially liked Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen.
By the time the movie was released, over 50 million books of The Hunger Games and its
sequels Catching Fire and Mockingjay5 were in print. The first two books both were best-sellers
5 Mockingjays are a crossbreed bird born from female mockingbirds and the
genetically engineered male jabberjays that the Capitol used to spy on the Districts.
Jabberjays had the ability to memorize and repeat back conversation but when the
Capitol realized the Districts were using them to feed misinformation, they left the
birds to die. The jabberjays mated with mockingbirds and their offspring could
memorize and repeat human tunes. They became a symbol of the Districts survival

but Mockingjay topped all US bestsellers lists upon its release. In fact, the series was bested
only by Harry Potter in a poll of the top ten favorite Young Adult Books. The movie, released in
February 2012, broke the record for first-day advanced ticket sales, and in North America, is the
twelfth highest-grossing film and the highest-grossing film released outside the summer or
holiday period. It remained in first place at the North American box office for four consecutive
weekends, becoming the first film since Avatar to achieve this status.
The Hunger Games movie release also has been heralded as a game-changer in movie
promotion. Pulling over $155 million in North America on its opening weekend, the most ever for
a non-sequel movie, the campaign was described as having supercharged the standard social
media approach. Lionsgate marketers acknowledge that their campaign began a year-and-ahalf before the movie was released. They were looking to take advantage of the core group of
fans and let them grow the fan base for the movie. First, they started to connect with fans where
they were already gathering on Facebook and Twitter. Die-hard fans were invited for exclusive
visits to the set of the movie, also via Facebook, in order to develop a direct connection and
dialogue with this committed group. Lionsgate also became aware of the user-generated
content fans were creating and started highlighting their great work on Fan Fridays.
Lionsgates first studio launch was the TheCapitol.pn website, where fans could submit a photo
and register for a District Identification Pass (DIP) that would register you as a citizen of Panem
and assign a District, an occupation and citizen number. The DIP also contained a QR code that
scanned back to the Capitol website. Depending on the fans level of engagement, he or she
might decide to download the DIP as a wallpaper image or might go so far as to order a physical
DIP through Facebook. By going through the registration process, a fan would be part of the
community right away and could start to merge their own experiences with the Games
characters. New layers were added constantly to keep the momentum going. They had a
mayoral race for each district and had 13 different Facebook pages so that each District had its
own identity. All of this Web activity spurred even more user-generated content that further
fanned the flames. People started Facebook pages for their own mayoral campaigns, blogs for
behind-the-scenes photos and gossip, and even a name-generating site that assigned Hunger
Games-style names to visitors. Rather than choosing to separate the community of fans into
Team Peeta and Team Gale, playing up the love triangle as the Twilight franchise did with
and eventual rebellion.

Edward and Jacob, they avoided the teenage girl focus and also worked on attracting male fans
with online activities like training for the Games. The Capitol regime tweeted in character from
their Twitter account with information about what was going on in the metropolis while the crazy
couture fashion of the Capitol was featured on a Tumblr blog. Three days before the movie
premiere, Lionsgate launched one last site with a detailed interactive tour of the Capitol that
could be accessed through Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. During its opening weekend, The
Hunger Games generated more than three million conversations on the social web.
The Lionsgate marketers also noted that timing was critical to their success. They had elaborate
Gant timeline charts that detailed when each communication piece would be released
(sometimes down to a day-by-day, minute-by-minute basis). Every campaign event had its own
Twitter hashtag so that each milestone had its own identity and fans could see it trending. For
example: a 74 days until the Hunger Games tweet reminded fans that this was the 74th version
of the Games. They also made sure that they did not give away too much the Games
themselves were never shown. If you wanted to see the Games, you had to buy a movie ticket.
Their other significant innovation was that they created interactive and customizable content
going far beyond online trailers and movie content that let fans immerse themselves on their
own terms. The movie attracted more than 6 million followers across the various platforms.
The Hunger Games movie also has been a rare example of a four-quadrant hit, meaning that
both men and women and both the over-25 and under-25 age cohorts have come out in
droves. While a man over 25 would probably roll his eyes either in resignation or incredulity if
asked about his interest in the Twilight franchise, 48% of young men surveyed said they were
interested in seeing the show. The compelling story appealed to males because of the thrilling
action and to females because of the romantic appeal but also because of the strong female
protagonist. Unusually for a female lead, Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss is taller than her screen
counterpart Josh Hutcherson (Peeta) and she plays a resourceful and capable albeit reluctant
hero. Hungerlings also are older than their Twilight counterparts with exit polls indicating that
56% of the audience is 25 or older. For younger audiences, the hook may be teenagers liking
big emotion and blaming a disintegrating world on adults, whereas older viewers may see the
trilogy as a dystopian theme with an enthralling plot that transports viewers to an alternate
world. To reach the over-25 crowd, which relies more on traditional media messages, Lionsgate
did spend on the usual stand-by media including TV spots, posters, and trailers. However, they

relied on immersive, innovative experiences across all of the platforms that young adults use in
order to reach the under-25 audience.
The Hunger Games movie release seems to have further fuelled fans interest. Before the
movie, not quite 10 million copies of the trilogy books had been sold; now, there are more than
24 million in just the United States. Suzanne Collins also has come out with a new book entitled
The World of the Hunger Games. Described as a must-have for fans of the books and the film,
the book is a full-color illustrated guide to all of the Districts of Panem, all of the participants in
the Hunger Games, and includes additional information about Katniss, her life and home.
Collins also collaborated on The Hunger Games: The Tribute Guide, which provides exclusive
information about the Tributes strengths, weaknesses, preferred weapons, and their lives before
entering the Games. Finally, unofficial and unauthorized guides and companions, including
biographical information about the series author, also have been popular sellers. And of course,
theres a very active Wiki site where you can always head to look up information that you may
not be familiar with or may have forgotten since you read the books.
Katniss skill with the bow and arrow also has contributed to a resurgence of interest in archery.
Top-of-the-line bows for those who are serious about the sport can easily cost over $1000.
However, Junior Archer bow and arrow sets suitable for children also are available at Canadian
Tire for approximately $30. North Carolina, where the Hunger Games was filmed, is getting
ready for an onslaught of film tourism. One tour company offers visitors the chance to re-enact
some of the scenes, eat food described in the story, and learn survival skills such as archery,
camouflage and fire-building. In addition, fans can acquire a mockingjay pin like the one Katniss
wore, a Katniss Barbie doll, Hunger Games board and electronic games or female fans can
head off to the salon for Katniss braids. Dedicated fans can even purchase a Hunger Games
cookbook with recipes for Katniss favorite lamb stew and Peetas walnut bread!
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games
http://thehungergames.wikia.com/wiki/The_Hunger_Games_Wiki
http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/9/2937282/hunger-games-marketing-social-media
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57402944-93/hunger-games-marketing-efforts-aim-tosatiate-fans/

http://www.business2community.com/marketing/marketing-the-hunger-games-0156118
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/19/business/media/how-hunger-games-built-up-must-seefever.html?pagewanted=all
http://www.forbes.com/sites/siliconangle/2012/03/25/how-a-startup-powered-hunger-gamesinto-a-global-social-phenomenon-a-money-machine/
http://www.ignitesocialmedia.com/social-media-examples/hunger-games-social-mediamarketing/
http://www.fastcocreate.com/1680467/inside-the-hunger-games-social-media-machine#1
http://movieline.com/2012/02/27/adventures-in-hunger-games-marketing-effie-trinket-style-icon/
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2012/0327/How-The-Hunger-Games-scored-a-marketingwin
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/25/entertainment-us-boxofficeidUSBRE82O0AS20120325

Case Questions
1) What evidence do you see that Suzanne Collins and the movie production team have
adapted, reconfigured or been inspired by past cultural products? (20 marks)
2) How have formal cultural gatekeepers affected interest in or reaction to both the Hunger
Games books and the first movie? You should consider both positive and negative
effects. ( 20 marks)
3) How have age and gender affected interest in the first movie, as well as the strategies
used to reach different cohorts? You do not need to refer to the specific characteristics of
age cohorts identified in your PPT notes; just use the evidence in the case. (30 marks)
4) What evidence do you see that there is a consumption subculture around the Hunger
Games? You should consider all three characteristics of consumption subcultures found
in your PPT notes for Chapter 11. However, because there is considerable overlap
between the three sets of characteristics, you are not required to group your evidence
into three separate categories. (30 marks)
Assignment Instructions
This assignment is to be done on an individual basis without discussion among your
classmates. Any discussion either online or offline about the assignment will be
considered a case of academic dishonesty. If you need clarification about anything on the
assignment, you should direct your questions to me.

You can use either complete sentences or bullet points to answer the questions. You do not
need to provide standard introductions and conclusions but only need to answer the questions
as posed. You also do not need to provide any kind of reference list or citation for your PPT
notes. Rely only on the information that is provided in the case. You may be a Hunger Games
fan and think that you have some more facts that you could add, but you will not get marks for
material that is not covered in the case reading.
You are restricted to three single-spaced pages in twelve-point font with one-inch margins but
should not need to use quite that much space. You will be allowed to go over your limit by
page without penalty. After that point, extra material will not be read and marked. Please doublespace between each question clearly identifying where your answer for one question ends and
the next begins.
Finally, identify the case and provide both your ID number and name at the top of your first
page. Please DO NOT include a cover sheet.
Your assignment should be submitted to the Avenue DropBox by 4:30 pm on Friday October 9.
To do this, go to the Assessments menu. Choose DropBox and then select the Hunger Games
option. Next, click Add a File, locate the file on your computer using the browser pop-up and
then click Select Item to choose that file. Finally, click on Submit. Late submissions without
appropriate documentation will receive a 20% per day deduction.
Getting a Good Mark
The best way to do well on this assignment is to find as much evidence as you can to support
your answer. Simply picking out a piece or two of evidence and elaborating around it will not
earn you a good mark. I do not expect you to find every point that applies to each question but I
do expect you to identify most of the relevant facts to support your answer. Be very precise and
concise. Look at the mark allocation for each question to get an idea of how much I am
expecting to see you write for each question. To get an idea of the kinds of answers I am
expecting to see, take a look at the Frogbox sample case that I have posted on Avenue.