22
votes
Accepted
What did Suzanne Collins base the Hunger Games on?
She was inspired by a combination of the classic myth of Theseus (in which Athens similarly sends a selection of young men and women to Crete as a 'tribute', the difference being that none of them ...
- 71k
17
votes
Accepted
Moral of the Hunger Games Trilogy
You've misunderstood a few minor aspects and one whopping big major aspect of the ending and moral of the Hunger Games series. I'll get the most important point out of the way first.
The 76th Hunger ...
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14
votes
Accepted
Is it reasonable to use the movie version of a book to interpret the book when the same author wrote both?
Regarding authorial intent after the fact, a number of complaints from readers boil down to "If the author wanted to include that bit, it should have been included in the books to begin with." These ...
12
votes
Meaning of President "Coin" in the Hunger Games books?
Warning: major spoilers follow.
Coin ~ money
There are a few ways in which the District 13 leader could be symbolised by the idea of money.
Power. Money can be used to buy power, or as a ...
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8
votes
Accepted
How did they plan the conspiracy against the Capitol given mass surveilance?
We don't know for sure because the books are filtered through Katniss's first person POV and she doesn't know about the conspiracy until later. We do know that Beetee is a tech genius who is shown to ...
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8
votes
Accepted
Did Plutarch Heavensbee actually not know the details of the Quarter Quell?
He didn't know about it way back during the Victory Tour, only later on.
The quote you're thinking of is from the final chapter of Catching Fire:
“Neither you nor Peeta were told. We couldn't risk it,...
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7
votes
Is it reasonable to use the movie version of a book to interpret the book when the same author wrote both?
When trying to determine authorial intent, it is reasonable to use any source from that author, as long as it is not contradicted by a more direct source. The only problem with using movies in which ...
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6
votes
What can we learn from this character's death in "Mockingjay", out of universe?
This death is probably the single most significant event in the entire series, with the possible exception of "I volunteer as tribute!" in book one. It completely changes every single aspect of the ...
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6
votes
How does Effie Trinket's name relate to how she is portrayed throughout the series?
I tend to think of the word trinket as suggesting not only small size and low value, but a small-minded owner, one who obsesses over possessions and ascribes them more value than they really have: the ...
- 71k
5
votes
Accepted
Are Tigris in The Hunger Games and Tigris in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes the same person?
Below is my interpretation of the relationship between the two people. I also asked this question in another account but copied my own answer here.
Duplicate
Their professions.
Ballad of Songbirds and ...
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3
votes
Accepted
Does Suzanne Collins intend to write additional fiction?
This answer is rather after the fact, but hopefully the information about other authors with long gaps makes it worthwhile.
Suzanne Collins's The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was published in May ...
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3
votes
Does Gale have a sadistic streak, or is he merely willing to be ruthless?
Warning: contains unmarked spoilers for the entirety of Mockingjay.
Let's consider Gale's role in the plot of Mockingjay, analysing his character in depth.
Gale equated with District 13
Gale is a ...
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3
votes
Accepted
Does Gale have a sadistic streak, or is he merely willing to be ruthless?
Ruthlessness for sure.
Ruthlessness can appear sadistic, but with sadism, the intent is to cause suffering for the purpose of pleasure/satisfaction. With ruthlessness, the goal is to achieve an ...
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3
votes
Is it reasonable to use the movie version of a book to interpret the book when the same author wrote both?
It is generally a bad idea to assume that the movie is the same as the book. Even when the author is a stickler for control, and manages to get his or her own way, things must be adapted for the ...
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3
votes
Are Tigris in The Hunger Games and Tigris in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes the same person?
I think that they are the same person as well. Snow mentions that his cousin prefers her meat raw and that the Grandma'am is always stopping her from eating it that way. In Mockingjay, Tigris says ...
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2
votes
Accepted
Does the Capitol's influence extend beyond the United States?
In this post-apocalyptic future, the "known world" seems restricted to North America.
See also Are there other governments in The Hunger Games world?, a question on another SE site. ...
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2
votes
Accepted
Does "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" present Coriolanus Snow as a narcissist?
No, I don't believe so. At the start of the story, I almost wondered if I had started to read the wrong book - Snow was so normal, unlike his evil self in The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and ...
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2
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What can we learn from this character's death in "Mockingjay", out of universe?
I quite like Rand al'Thor's comprehensive answer and will only add that the simple answer may be:
The senselessness of war
Not in terms of what might incite the sub-optimal condition of war, which, ...
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