The Hunger Games, words that have not been heard for a few years, yet here comes Suzanne Collins releasing a new book on Mar.18th. This book follows Haymitch and his fellow District 12 tributes, while touching the heart of anyone who reads it also certainly had much to say.
Suzanne Collins is known to only write when she feels inspired by society; this could not be more true for Sunrise on the Reaping. This book has a few main points: one, society is not immune to propaganda and the government should not be trusted under any circumstances, two, people are people and three, trauma is trauma.
In this book Collins immensely stresses that propaganda is everywhere. In the original series the audience fully believes that Haymitch, while being an inspiring mentor and helpful to both Katniss and Peeta, was a jerk. Sure he had his fair share of trauma, but he was constantly condescending and unsupportive. The audience claimed to know what happened with Haymitch’s games, learning about an arena full of poison and not helping his fellow district tributes. However, that belief changes when the perspective shifts to a Haymitch’s perspective. The Capitol was the one to make the videos of the 50th games so Haymitch is not depicted in a positive light. This is not what readers believed when reading the original books because we were taught to believe Katniss’s perspective. But Sunrise on the Reaping shows just how much propaganda is bought into by both the Capitol citizens and the districts. Everything from editing the game recaps to burning books. The Capitol has complete control of the media and is damaging to the entire country.
Collins also makes it known throughout the books that the Capitol is always watching. Every citizen of Panem does not have the ability to leave the eyes of Snow. This is already established in the original three books but the arena in this book is further evidence of this as it is in the shape of an eye.
Another aspect about this book is that every character in this book is a person. No, not every person is a good one and that is exactly what Collins is trying to communicate to audiences and readers. Every single district tribute is a child. They age out of the reaping at 19 so every tribute is a child. They all just want to go home and live their lives in peace. Even the Careers. The character Silka is heard crying at the base of a tree which is unheard of. A Career showing emotion is unthinkable. All Silka wants is to go home. She may be striving for glory, but that is what she wants. When deeply thought about though no one ever gets to live in peace in this country. Despite getting out of the games, characters like Finnick will get trafficked and abused, or like Haymitch who have to forever live with some form of trauma because of the actions of Snow and the Capitol.
The book is a reminder that Snow is not someone to drool and ogle over. Collins’ saw the actions of viewers after watching The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and was most definitely disappointed. Snow does not show mercy, he poisons everything around him, showing what it is like to have something worse than death happen to you. This book is even evidence to the fact that the games are rigged in more ways than one and these ways are not positive. For example, a character named Ampert was reaped as a punishment for his father. The Capitol and the districts believe that these games are completely random and this shows how much the government has control over the narrative.
The characters in Sunrise on the Reaping are written in a fantastic way. Collins’ made sure that we had the ability to connect with each character. Characters like Maysilee, Wyatt, Louella, and Ampert were written so wonderfully that it hurt even more when they left. Even the people of the Capitol were written great so we understood how brainwashed they are. Haymitch has the largest character arc and not just because the story is told through his eyes. He learns to be bold. He faces the biggest of losses when his family and friends are torn from him. He experiences the most trauma since he is the tribute who escaped the arena. Haymitch’s losses are because of actions that Snow took to cruelly punish him. Snow kept him alive just so he could experience something worse than death.
The book is a work of art that has changed my mindset and perception of these books. Collins cleverly wrote this book with captivating descriptions and a variety of metaphors. To notice the facts and details of this book is to show just how expertly crafted it was by its highly beloved and respected author.
