The impact of Collins's series on Generation K: What is the argument about the value of the Hunger Games according to this author?
The world depicted in the Hunger Games reflects the experiences of young adults aged 14-21 today much more than you'd initially expect. Both Katniss and “Generation K,” as the author has dubbed them, feel the world they are surrounded by is, in the words of the article, “dystopian, unequal, and harsh.” The youth in today’s modern soiceties face much more anxiety, whether it be about appearance, finances, terrorism, or schoolwork, and distrust, mostly directed at institutions and corporations, than previous generations mostly due to the environment in which they’ve grown up. The interconnectedness of today’s world means immediate access to information about the increasing horrors of terrorism taking place. Yet, these individuals feel more and more desperate for real human connections as opposed to the manufactured, artificial, and airbrushed depictions of life they’re so frequently exposed to. Financial optimism is scraping the bottom of the barrel and most of the world’s youth sees a political and institutional arena that has been tilted in favor of corrupt greater powers. Sound familiar? This, albeit somewhat broad, description of Generation K’s reality reads eerily similar to that of Katniss Everdeen. The value of this series is its ability to reach out to an audiences that is typically portrayed incorrectly or misunderstood. The Hunger Games shows young adults a world that seems similar to their own and a heroine that shares their frustration, distress, and sense of mistrust in the world around her. Importantly, the books show Katniss fighting back against the world order that’s wronged her, a probable desire of the readers, and ultimately seeing success - a source of hope for the disillusioned audience.
















