It’s been quite some time since I’ve really gotten into a series like The Hunger Games, but like millions of other people in the world, I find myself completely mesmerized by the world Suzanne Collins has created in these books.

I was talking with some of my students who have read the books yesterday and I have yet to find a soul who didn’t enjoy reading them. While I know that somewhere I won’t be hard pressed to find people who don’t agree, I can’t help but wonder what it is that makes these books so appealing to our society today. The English teacher in me comes out in that I’ve made many connections between this book and am seriously considering doing a lot more research into the inspiration for these books and what they are supposed to represent. From my first reading, here are a few connections that I’ve made. Though, not incredibly profound or heavily researched, they are still worth mentioning.

• There are very obvious connections to Christ sacrificing his own life for the sake of human kind
• This society which seems so fantastical and far-fetched is in fact very possible and a huge threat that we shouldn’t dismiss altogether
• There are leanings towards reality TV shows such as American Idol, Survivor, etc. [i.e. the people vote to choose Katniss’ wedding dress]
• In this book, we see current issues magnified so that we can see them for the dangers that they really are [poverty, starvation, war, government control, gluttony, the way money changes people, etc.]
• Flavius, Cinna, and Caesar are all characters from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

Last night, while reading Catching Fire, I came across some very simple but life-changing words Peeta speaks to Katniss. I found myself reading the words over and over again. I thought about my relationship with Loman and realized that in the state of chaos and utter confusion that we have currently found ourselves in, this is the promise that we will be making to one another in 365 days and I am one hundred percent okay with that.  Nothing like teen fiction to motivate you to write your wedding vows, huh? 🙂

“I just want to spend every possible minute of the rest of my life with you.”

“I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now, and live in it forever.”

 It is also worth mentioning that one of the main songs for the soundtrack of the movie by Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars “Safe and Sound” is remarkable!