Suzanne Collins, famous author of the Hunger Games, is known for only writing when she has something significant to convey. This makes her newest novel, Sunrise on the Reaping, particularly special considering her last novel was published in 2020. Readers are curious as to what topics Collins will dive into this time around. The release will allow readers to go further in depth with not only the character, but with themes of propaganda, power, and the past of the games.
The novel is the second prequel to The Hunger Games, featuring Haymitch Abernathy’s game. This game is particularly deadly considering that forty-eight tributes compete to the death instead of twenty-four. In the trilogy, Haymitch is seen as someone who understands the system put in place, but isn’t taken seriously at times due to his drunkenness. The government of Panem carefully tries to protect its system, censoring any hints of rebellion and carefully cutting television to keep citizens in the dark.
In the past, Collins has written her novels based on themes such as oppression, the effects of war, appearances, and poverty. Haymitch himself shows the effects an oppressive system can have on people. We often see people speak up about ways they’ve been affected by systems on social media. However, Haymitch wasn’t able to speak up. He became a drunk who lost care for what goes on because he saw no point in fighting against them. The system places different districts against each other somewhat reflecting how political parties stand against each other instead of together.
The dystopian genre was relevant in the 1900s around the time of the Great Depression. In novels such as Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Swastika Night by Katharine Burdekin, and It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis, authors were able to explore possibilities for the future that stemmed from the events they were going through. It regained popularity around the time the Hunger Games was first released in the 2000s. The series was popular enough to spark an interest in the genre. Part of the generation who read it grew up with events such as 9/11, and other bombings possibly resonating with parts of war in the trilogy. Younger readers were able to read about the power a government has over its people but also how strong acts of rebellion can be. When politics are involved it can be difficult for the younger audience to understand, but the series is written in such a way that it’s understood by adolescents and can be understood with more depth later on. The original release of the novel increased the genre’s popularity. Some people consider it to be fictional but the reality is, dystopian books are meant to show a possibility of what could happen in the future.
While it’s been over fifteen years since Collins published her series, the topics manage to stay prevalent as time passes. Oppression has always existed and will continue to go on along with those who fight for their rights. When the Met Gala was going on we witnessed many rich celebrities in extreme outfits. Meanwhile the war with Palestine was going on. While some indulge in luxury, others are suffering. Collin’s books do a great job of going into detail of this problem.
In current times, there’s a bit of censorship in our media as well. AP news has been banned from having access to the White House, journalists have even been quitting, and the White House is selecting specific reporters to give information to. Beyond themes and reflections of the book, there’s also a wonder for what the impact of this novel will be. The Hunger Games has been challenged to be banned for some time now. With the recent censorship, it’s possible that the release will have an effect on authors and their freedom of speech.