The Hunger Games Trilogy Discussion Questions

Questions for our Discussion:

1. How quickly did you read The Hunger Games?
2. Why do you think the courage of a teenager can/cannot make an impact on society?
3. Did your perception of Peeta change over the course of The Hunger Games?
4. Why do you think fire is an appropriate symbol for Katniss?
5. Do you think the glamorization of the Games and the treatments of its stars before they are sent off to die is a reflection of anything in our modern society?
6. What was the most tension-filled moment for you to read in The Hunger Games? Catching Fire?  Mockingjay?
7. What do you think the title Mockingjay foreshadows for the final book in the trilogy?
8. When does Katniss first realize that Peeta does care for her and is trying to keep her alive? When does she realize her own feelings for him? Did Haymitch think all along that he could keep them both alive by stressing the love story? Are they actually in love?
9. What do you think is the cruelest part of the Hunger Games? What kind of people would devise this spectacle for the entertainment of their populace? Can you see parallels between these Games and the society that condones them, and other related events and cultures in the history of the world?
10. Reality TV has been a part of the entertainment world since the early days of television (with shows such as Candid Camera and the Miss America Pageant), but in the 21st century there has been a tremendous growth of competitive shows and survival shows. Discuss this phenomenon with respect to The Hunger Games. What other aspects of our popular culture do you see reflected in this story?
11. Of the three books, which one was your favorite and why?
12. Do you feel the use of Katniss for the war was any different than how Panem used the teenagers in The Hunger Games?
13. Who, in the end, suffered the most? Why?
14. Was the ending of Mockingjay satisfying?