Suzanne Collins

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The Hunger Games

• Suzanne Collins

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• Author

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Aims of Novel Study

• Why study a novel?
• To develop detailed understanding of the
  distinctive features of the novel, e.g
  vocabulary, imagery, narrative technique etc.
• To understand how the above contribute to
  meaning, implications and effects.
• To discuss, interpret and evaluate the context,
  themes and authors purpose.
• To present well researched, supported information
  in essay form.
• To analyse and appreciate written language
  features and the authors style.

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What do you know?

• George Orwells 1984
• Dystopia
• Lord of the Flies
• Inspired by ???? What country?
• Panem? Once was ???
• How many districts?
• What is District 13?
• What are the Hunger Games?
• Mockingjays?
• Avox?
• How far into the future?

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A Novel

• A novel is an extended piece of prose fiction.
  It is created or fashioned by a writer from
  experience or imagination.
• The novel arose from the demand of those to be
  entertained by reading. They provide emotional
  attachment to characters, experiences we can or
  cannot relate to, interesting personalities, pose
  us with the problems and perversities of life,
  and insight into our own society.

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The Elements of Fiction
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PLOT

• should build up to a climax which is the highest
  point of tension in the film and usually occurs
  at or near the end.
• Situation
• conflict
• crisis point
• resolution

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Subplot

• Sometimes there is a subplot which runs side by
  side to the main plot. Sub plots add depth and
  complexity to a story as well as emphasising some
  of the main ideas.

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Setting

• The setting involves the time (period,
  background to that period) and place (physical
  location, often one major and one minor) and the
  social climate (social, political, religious,
  economic conditions, attitudes, beliefs)
  inhabited by the characters.

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Characters

• The world of the novel must be peopled with
  characters to take the main stage and dominate
  the action, characters to provide background or
  fulfil one or more roles. Every character has a
  specific role to play.

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Characterisation

• One way of describing characterisation is
  indirect or direct. If it is direct, the author
  or the narrator or another character will tell us
  about the characters. If it is indirect, we are
  left to find out for ourselves from their
  behaviour.

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As in life

• Through their speech and action.
• Through their dress and background.
• Through their associations.
• Through what others say about them.
• How others react to them.
• By externals (physical appearance, tastes,
  education)
• What they fail to do and do
• Their feelings, thoughts, opinions, social level
• Revelation of thought, mental analysis, interior
  monologue, stream of consciousness.

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Rounded or Flat

• The characters in a text are often described as
  being
• Round
• Curved or slighty curved
• Flat

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What does this mean?

• A rounded character
• grows, develops and is capable of surprising the
  reader. This character is detailed and complex.
  E.g Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice.
• Most novels have only one or two fully rounded
  characters capable of development. The rest of
  the characters are there for a purpose.
• State 2 rounded characters from A thousand
  splendid suns

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• Curved Characters
• Develop and grow a bit, enough to fufil their
  role in the text.
• They are not as complicated as rounded
  characters and we dont know as much about them.
• Who are curved or slightly curved characters
  from the novel?

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• Flat Characters
• They arrive complete in every detail and never
  change. They are predictable and the reader does
  not get to know them very well. E.g Mr Collins
  in Pride and Prejudice.
• Name two flat characters from the novel.

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• Most novels have only one or two fully rounded
  characters capable of development. The rest of
  the characters are there for a purpose.
• to play a role
• To expose a foible
• To act as a foil
• To act as a hinderer
• To exemplify a quality

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In groups of 3-4

• You will be given a character to discuss.
• Using the character notes (next), brainstorm
  notes on each topic and quotations from the text
  to support your points.
• You have one lesson to have this task done. All
  of your notes will be put together in a booklet
  for study.

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Notes on Character

• Physical description
• Personality
• Role in the novel
• Themes they highlight
• 8 important quotes, one for each of the above at
  least.

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Narrative Point of View

• To find the point of view, ask through whose
  eyes is the story being told? This is called the
  angle of narration.
• This is where the narrator stands in relation to
  the world of the novel.

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• The angle of narration is important because it
  shapes our view of the world of the novel and the
  characters who inhabit this world.

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Symbols

• Something which is representative of something
  else, other than the literal meaning.
• A motif is a recurring symbol in a text.
• What symbols and allusions can you think of from
  the text?

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Foreshadowing

• Foreshadowing is a technique used by authors to
  provide clues for the reader to be able to
  predict what might occur later in the story. In
  other words, it is a literary device in which an
  author drops subtle hints about plot developments
  to come later in the story.

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Themes

• This is what the novel is really about. It is not
  the subject but the significance of the subject.
  There can be more than one theme in a novel.
• A theme may be explicit or implicit.
• The key to finding a theme is the word
  significance.
• Theme is the working together of symbols and
  motifs, characters, conflicts and resolutions and
  setting.

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• A theme is a message that the author wants us to
  receive.
• We must ask ourselves
• What is the author telling us?
• What view or perception about people,
  relationships or the world does he/she represent?
  
• We need to look at the authors background and
  their attitude towards the subjects to understand
  this.
• Make sure you read a biography of Khalid and
  watch some of his interviews on Youtube so you
  understand his purpose and attitude.

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An Authors style?

• When commenting on an authors style, this means
  looking closely at their choice of
• plot
• structure
• characters
• setting
• narrative style

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Most important is..

• sentence types
• vocabulary used
• distinctive language use
• symbolism
• figurative language
• tone
• language register (.eg slang, collaquial, formal
  etc)
• Allusions, images

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Quiz

• What do we know about the Capitol?
• They speak in funny accents, value surface
  appearances, plastic surgery and entertainment.
  Very shallow people.
• What do we know of District 12?
• Poor coal mining district located in the region
  formerly known as Appalachia. Katniss and her
  family live in the poor section of District 12,
  the Seam.
• What is the hob?
• The black market
• What surrounds District 12?
• Electrified fences

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• The uprising of the districts is known as the
• Dark days
• After the destruction of District 13, the
  conflict was ended by the signing of
• The treaty of treason.
• Panem is supposed to be like
• Ancient Rome
• Panem et Circenses means
• Bread and circuses.
• What does this mean?
• The Roman empire tried to keep the masses happy
  and docile by keeping their bellies full and
  their minds entertained.

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• What is the style of narration?
• First person limited
• Shmoop quizzes

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Group discussion

• How do Peeta and Katniss feel about Panem?
• How does the fact that the tributes are filmed
  affect their behaviour?
• Does this make it easier for them to accept their
  fate?
• Why are the tributes given stylists?
• What other ceremonies can you relate the tribute
  ceremony to?
• Did Haymitch create the star crossed lovers
  story?
• Why do they need to impress sponsors?
• How does Katnisss relationship with her Mum,
  Primrose and Gale affect who she is?
• What does Peeta fear more than death? Is he able
  to stay true to himself?
• What qualities keep Katniss going? Her capacity
  for love, intelligence, self control?

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Short Answers

• WHY DO YOU THINK THE HUNGER GAMES IS A BEST
  SELLER?
• WHAT CHARACTER CAN YOU RELATE TO THE MOST?
• DOES A TRIBUTE EVER REALLY WIN THE HUNGER GAMES?
• WAS IT WRONG OF KATNISS TO ACT LIKE SHE WAS IN
  LOVE WITH PEETA IF SHE WAS NOT SURE?
• WHEN IS VIOLENCE ENTERTAINMENT?
• WHEN IS VIOLENCE JUST VIOLENCE?
• HOW DOES OUR FAMILY BACKGROUND, OUR CLASS, OR OUR
  OCCUPATION CHANGE THE WAY WE SEE THE WORLD?
• WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE REALITY TV SHOW? WHY?
• HOW MUCH IS ACTUALLY REALITY OR ARE THEY JUST
  ACTING FOR THE AUDIENCE?

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• What do you think is the cruellest part of the
  Hunger Games?
• Can you see parallels between the games and the
  society who condone them?
• When does Katniss first realise her feelings for
  Peeta?
• What makes Katniss and Peeta trust each other to
  become partners?
• Why do groups form in the beginning when they
  know only one of them will be able to survive?
• The history of all hitherto existing society is
  the history of class struggles. Karl Marx
  Discuss?
• What class struggles do we have in NZ? World? Do
  you think we will ever eradicate class struggles
  in the future?What other aspects of our popular
  culture do you see reflected in the Hunger Games?
  (apart from reality tv)

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The Hunger games figuratively

• To think above or beyond the word surface
  meaning.
• What is the other Hunger Games going on in the
  book?
• Katnisss life in District 12 is pretty much a
  competition to survive against poverty and
  starvation and hunger.
• There are no tvs, cameras or winners or losers
  so its not literally a game.
• How is District 12 alike the arena?
• The cruel government controls Katniss and the
  people of District 12 the same way that the game
  makers control her in the arena.

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Historical parallel

• During the colonial period, a huge chunk of North
  America was also split into thirteen colonies.
• These regions reported to the fancy pants British
  as that region of the North America was then
  considered part of the domain of the British
  Empire.
• Just as in the Hunger Games, colonists in North
  America supplied folks back in England with goods
  such as cotton and tobacco and much like the
  capitol, the British government often imposed
  rules, laws, and restrictions on the colonies
  that the people living there felt to be unfair.
• The colonists eventually decided it was time for
  liberty or death so this is how the Revolutionary
  war began. Figures like George Washington came on
  the scene to fight the red coats (British).

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SO!

• What does this all mean?

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In Short

• The 13 districts of Panem are in a very similar
  position as the original North American colonies.
• Both have fallen under the rule of a tyrannical
  system of government. Unlike the original
  colonies, whose story we can read about in
  American history books, we dont yet know the
  fate of the 13 colonies of Panem.
• For homework, find other examples of tyrannical
  countries/regimes that were defeated.