Brooklyn Crawford, Cassidy Daniel-Boulier, Teniyah Harris, Grace Hicks, and Kiara Sams
On September 14, 2008, The Hunger Games was published by Scholastic, changing the face of young adult (YA) literature in the 2010s. No YA dystopian novel that followed would be released without being in conversation with The Hunger Games. Publishers found themselves searching for the “next Hunger Games,” turning out such novels as Divergent, The Maze Runner, The Selection, Cinder, and Red Queen. Each of these novels contains multiple points of interest that either follow the dystopian formula established by The Hunger Games or actively attempt to circumvent its pre-established formula with the goal of emulating its success.
Where each YA dystopian novel strives to set itself apart from the novels that precede them, their success varies, with none being able to completely remove themselves from the influence of The Hunger Games. In the same way that The Lord of the Rings shaped the modern fantasy genre, The Hunger Games was essential in shaping the dystopian genre. As Dan Sinkyin explains in his book Big Fiction, “Del Rey provided a template for would-be authors to follow, taken up by Piers Anthony who used it to write his Xanth series, which frequently landed on the New York Times bestseller lists” (10). Meaning, they try to find ways to write books with basically the same plot but different settings.
We aim to demonstrate the tremendous impact of The Hunger Games series by settling the basic formula for dystopian settings that drew the public’s interest and ultimately created a new meaning for the genre. We examine five books that explore themes relating to survival, rebellion, and power struggles, all of which relate to The Hunger Games. Grace Hicks explores the publication of The Selection, which depicts a dystopian future of the US with a strict class system, harkening back to The Hunger Games with its televised reality show of lottery-picked girls vying for the hand of the prince. Cassidy Daniel-Boulier discusses the novel Cinder, as it features an intergalactic war that is chronicled in the stories of four young girls who are based around beloved fairy tales. Teniyah Harris discusses The Maze Runner, a dystopian science fiction novel. It follows a group of teens who wake up in an unknown maze with no memory of how they arrived, and their way out. Kiara Sams examines Red Queen, a series that follows a young woman navigating a world divided by blood and power. Finally, Brooklyn Crawford analyzes Divergent, a dystopian YA novel about a society that separates everyone into five distinct factions. The success of The Hunger Games series follows an obvious formula that starts from the manuscript to the point of publication. These YA novel series attempted to reproduce the results of this formula in some way. By examining the publishing houses, industry names, and marketing campaigns of The Hunger Games we can articulate the success of the process and the similarities in the YA fiction that followed.
Each essay and novel pair explores important themes, made staples of the YA dystopian genre by The Hunger Games. These themes are represented in all five books. Before The Hunger Games, strong female protagonists were uncommon in the dystopian genre. Classic dystopian science fiction, such as Dune and The Giver predominantly focus on the journeys of male protagonists, with women filling a more supporting role. The Hunger Games set a new precedent for strong-willed female characters. Strong, opinionated female leads are evident in four out of the five novels: Cinder, Divergent, The Red Queen, and The Selection. While The Maze Runner follows a male protagonist, the female lead is portrayed in a manner similar to the female protagonists of 2010s YA dystopian fiction.
These novels also offer a form of escapism for teens. Many of the plots feature young adults navigating oppressive situations controlled by adults, which mirrors the experiences and emotions of many teens as they transition into adulthood. This shift represents a significant departure from classic dystopian novels, where the majority of the protagonists are male, and has attracted a large young female audience that was previously underrepresented in the genre.
There is a common thread among these novels in their depiction of oppressive societies and young heroes who rise against the status quo. These novels showcase immersive, morally ambiguous settings that reflect real-world complexities. In Divergent, society is divided by personality traits, echoing the rigid societal structures of The Hunger Games. In The Maze Runner, teens must navigate a mysterious and dangerous maze, similar to Katniss Everdeen’s deadly challenges. In The Selection, dystopian politics and a class system are intertwined with a romantic competition for a young prince’s hand, which mirror the games and class system of The Hunger Games. The Lunar Chronicles reimagines fairy tales in a dystopian future, blending elements of science fiction and dystopia. Red Queen explores a world divided by blood, where the protagonist’s unique abilities make her a symbol of rebellion, paralleling Katniss’s journey. This thematic focus encourages readers to engage critically with issues like surveillance and class struggle, fostering deeper discussions about the world they live in.
The world we live in is vast. The ways we influence it can stem from something as small as a book cover or the words of a fictional character. These decisions can influence novels for years to come, inform business practices, and establish methods of success that are replicated time and time again. The significance of this collection of essays lies in how we influence the world we live in and the industries that we participate in. Factors like the economy, internet fandoms, and politics all contributed to the rise of Young adult dystopian literature.
Examining the practices developed as a result of The Hunger Games and its success within similar novels is important because it highlights a significant shift in the young adult dystopian genre and reflects the societal anxieties of the 2010s. The practices that emerged from The Hunger Games and similar novels signified more than just a literary trend—they held up a mirror to the cultural and ideological realities of the time. These stories gave authors the opportunity to explore the intersection of their readers’ fears and aspirations, while creating coming-of-age stories that deeply resonated with young people growing up in an increasingly turbulent world.
Works Cited
Aveyard, Victoria. Red Queen. HarperTeen, 2015.
Cass, Kiera. The Selection. HarperTeen, 2013.
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games Trilogy. Scholastic, 2008.
Dashner, James. The Maze Runner. Ember, 2011.
Meyer, Marissa. Cinder. Square Fish, 2013.
Roth, Veronica. Divergent. HarperCollins, 2011.
Sinykin, Dan. “Introduction.” Big Fiction, Columbia UP, 2023, pp. 1–23.