Peeta or Gale

I have now read "Hunger Games" 4 times.  I have read "Catching Fire" twice and "Mockingjay" once.  I am obsessed with the series "The Hunger Games".  Suzanne Collins does a wonderful job with this series.  I think what I love most about it, is that every time I read one of the books, I pick up on different symbolism and meaning.  I do not know if what I find meaning in was meant to be taken that way.  But the symbolism is incredible.  I love to write and I love to incorporate symbolism.  It allows the reader to make their own assumptions, connections, ideas. 
While reading the Hunger Games I cannot help but to think that our society is not to far off from the one Collins creates in her series.  Now, obviously if you read it at a surface level, then we are really far off.  But take a deeper look and I believe you will find some eerie similarities.  I will not ruin the books for anyone. But I will point a few connections I made.

• Our obsession with reality tv.  America loves it.  Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, the Real World, Survivor.  We love this crap, we beg for more and when a season ends, we watch the post show interviews and cannot wait until the next season...  We often delight in the reality stars pain and suffering, whether emotional or physical.
• Our willingness to spoil ourselves with material items.  To indulge in natural resources that are dwindling.  That we live in a culture that lives for today, for instant satisfaction.  That we care very little about the people who do not have what we have, the people who are practically slaves in other nations to provide our crap.  
• And finally, and this one I will leave very vague in case my awesome readers have not read past the first book.  But our willingness to jump behind a cause, or a leader, without really examining motives and thinking about the future.  Everyone loved when Egypt was "freed" but the people who helped "free" them are running things very similar to how it was ran before... We love a revolution, idolize those leaders, but do not fully inspect their motives...

I could go on and on.  Especially conspiracy theories I have derived after reading the series.  Simply tho, read the books.  And really think about what you are reading... A shallow reader is one who will always miss the good stuff.
Happy Hunger Games
Oph