By Akintayo Akinjide

In Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins,
I'm particularly drawn to the theme of 'Radicalism' or ' Breaking rules' portrayed by Suzzane Collins.Her style of infusing radicalism and showing the result was intriguing.
She showed us two ways radicalism were done and their results.

The first type was done by all the 13 districts but had only district 13 becoming a scapegoat. District 13 and the rest went in full fledge against the Capitol and it was destroyed.

The second type was that radicalism had to be done by using one's social intelligence and most of her characters portrayed this.

Katniss and Gale were known by Peacekeepers and the Mayor to be rule breakers but they brought things they needed thereby giving them the chance to remain alive.
Suzanne described that breaking rules should be done for love and even the authorities would be compelled to go in one's favour. Katniss, for example, broke a major rule of volunteering when Prim was chosen. No one had ever volunteered in district 12 and it made the Mayor wave the issue of Protocol raised by Effie.

Another form of radicalism with social intelligence is breaking rules while playing on other's love for pleasure etc. Cinna was able to rebel by making tributes from District 12 hold hands during their glamorous parade. To ensure that the tributes were ready to kill themselves, all tributes were always tutored not to hold hands but Cinna made them do just that. Haymitch called that ' the perfect touch of rebellion'( pg 46)

Also, Radicalism alongside social intelligence is birth by an urge to impress and when done well, attracts gifts. Katniss felt 'upstaged by a pig'( page 59) and shot the Apple in the mouth of the pig to gain the game makers' attention. Her radicalism was birth by her anger 'at being ignored'( page 60-61).

I shouldn't forget Thresh and the people of Agriculture, district 11, as they broke rule to say ' thank you' to Katniss. Their radicalism was birth out of appreciation and was forgiven.

And when the chance to rebel against the system came, she was standing in front of Peeta, who didn't want to be another pawn, who didn't want to consciously kill anybody, who was so much in love and would prefer death to watching Katniss die. They were able to change the rules and play on the Gamekeepers' psychology by feigning being in love. Radicalism is done by knowing the rules and playing on people's psychology.

On a final note, I must commend Suzanne Collins' writing style which was intriguing and say this book is a book that anyone who love to effect a change must learn from. Are you going to Change the world like District 13 or like Katniss Everdeen and her team.



Summary of the story

This story was written from the first person'sa point of view, Katniss Everdeen's, who volunteered to be a tribute after her twelve year old sister ,Prim was chosen to be a tribute in the Hunger games, which was set as a reminder that rebellion against the Capitol was death. The game is meant to see the death of 23 tributes out of 24.
Katniss was chosen alongside Peeta Mellark, who had a crush on her, whom she believed she owed for taking the risk to give her breads when she was dying of hunger at their backyard.

At the game, they were tutored by the always-drunk Haymitch Abernathy, a one-time winner of the game. And she was dressed by first-timer stylist Cinna whom she loved and believed masked his madness with a calm and normal demeanor.

Although she went to the arena with doubt that Peeta was only being kind to make her drop her guard, she later teamed up with him when a new announcement was made and they both killed Cato, a career tribute and both defied the Game makers' rule by trying to eat poisonous Berries when a new rule came in that only one tribute would win.

http://nigerianwritershub.com/2016/04/29/the-right-way-to-break-rules-a-review-of-suzzane-collins-hunger-game/

Hmmm right way to break a rule indeed i think i will put that to practice like coming late to school and crying blaming it on a stranger anyways this is nice. Hunger games i watched the film but did not know it had a novel