Classical myth and the Hunger Games

I planned to base a mythology lesson on The Hunger Games, although ultimately it did not fit into the schedule. Although I enjoyed the book, and thought there were a lot of general parallels with the classical world, the movie really brought the classical parallels into focus for me.

1. Theseus and the Minotaur
This is the source mentioned on Suzanne Collins's Wikipedia page. I have to say, I mocked Athens quite a bit in class this semester (Hercules murdered his whole family! But then Theseus takes him to Athens where anything can be fixed!). So I have a hard time getting really into this as a source myth. I'm not saying that THG is not a worthy modern interpretation, just that the comparison doesn't fire my imagination.

2. Antigone
This is a parallel the movie brought into focus quite beautifully for me. Covering Rue with flowers and gesturing accomplished in a couple of minutes much of what it took Sophocles hundreds of lines (and one really annoying heroine) to do.

3. The Iliad
Something about the luminous lighting in President Snow's garden (and his revolting detachment from the Games) really suggested the Greek gods to me. Maybe this is the approach the next movie about Greece should take -- skip the togas and just get a really scary white-haired man in a rose garden to play Zeus. Pin It