Hunger Games Summary

The story of the Hunger Games takes place in future day North America and is run by a very controlling Capitol. The country, now call Panem, is divided into 12 different districts each having their own specialty. The main character, Katniss Everdeen lives in district 12 that is one of the poorest districts and the males have to mine coal. Katniss has to hunt illegally with her friend Gale to provide for both of their families, since both of their fathers died in a mining accident. At only 16 years old, she has to provide for her little sister, Prim, and her mother. The Hunger Games are the way of the Capitol keeping the 12 districts in line and so that they will not cause a rebellion. A boy and girl from each of the 12 districts, from the ages of 12 to 18 years old, are picked at random to be tributes in the Hunger Games. They are then put into an arena and forced to fight to the death on live television with the winner getting fortune and fame. Since Katniss is from the poorest district they have only had two winners, one who died of old age and the other is Haymitch who is always drunk. So being a tribute from district 12 is almost like having the death sentence but for the enjoyment of others. Then at the Reaping for the tributes, the unexpected happens; Prim is chosen to fight in the Hunger Games and Katniss volunteers to take her spot as tribute. She then promises her sister that she will try to win for her, since Prim has hope that Katniss does not have at this point. From then on she is forced to fight for her life against 23 other tributes, while also dealing with the obstacles that the game makers throw at her.