Ms. Robbins' closing thoughts on The Hunger Games

After the break, we will be meeting a few more times to wrap up the book club with some critical thinking and reading.  Until then, here are some questions that have been lingering in my mind after rereading the first book again. Feel free to discuss in the comments, write your own post about them or bring up in our last meetings:

COMPASSION

• In the arena, we are able to see compassion in a number of characters even as they are in the most barbarous fight of their lives.  What do you think this says about humanity? What does it say about them individually? Why do you think Suzanne Collins wanted us to see glimpses of the humanity of characters like Thresh even when we are supposed to hate him? 
• Continuing in that thread, I noticed that I began to have a deeper compassion for all of the characters whose story I got to know more: Thresh, Rue, Peeta and even Cato when he is being mauled by the muttations ("The real nightmare is listening to Cato, moaning, begging and finally just whimpering as the mutts work away at him...all I want is for his suffering to end," page 339). Again, what does this say about humanity? What is Suzanne Collins trying to say? 
• Have you ever unexpectedly had compassion on someone you thought you didn't like? What inspired it? 

SAFETY

•  Katniss says at the end of the book that when she left the arena, she was supposed to feel safe (p. 357). What does the word safety mean? What does her fearfulness say about the state of Panem? The Capitol? What does safety mean to you? Can we ever be truly safe? Do you think this is related to the Capitol's playing on fear? 

STORY 

• The Capitol retells the story of the rebellion and the history of the Hunger Games ever year.  Why do you think they always retell this story? Do you believe story to be powerful in the world? 
• Toward the end of the book, "Now I am determined to avenge her [Rue], to make her loss unforgettable, and I can only do that by winning and thereby making myself unforgettable." (p. 242) Is Katniss crafting a story for people to believe in? 
• At the end of the book, Katniss says that whoever puts together the highlights has to choose what sort of story to tell (page 362).  What does she mean? How does this relate to writing and/or film? How does this make you want to read books (or the world) differently? Do your critical reading skills relate to real life? Where are stories being told to you?