The Hunger Games: In Defense of the Third Novel, Mockingjay
With novels like The Chocolate Wars , A Separate Peace , and Lord of the Flies under its banner, Young Adult literature was never a bastion of sweetness and optimism. Rather, Young Adult literature (or "YA," as it is fashionably called) is used frequently to explore dark themes about ourselves and our society. In fact, one could even argue that YA novels are often darker than adult novels, not only because the events are happening to kids, but also because authors can take advantage of the "kids' novels are safe" misconception to push the envelope. Certainly The Hunger Games trilogy does not shy from darkness. It's a post-Apocalyptic world where North America has been separated into 13 districts, each with its own specialty, while an oppressive Capitol rules over all of them. If you have not read The Hunger Games , or you have only seen the first movie, stop reading now because I will be discussing the first and second novel along with the third i