Haymitch was a drop in the bucket.

I finished reading Sun Rise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins this past week. It was gut wrenching. Spoke directly to our world today. There were 24 more years of a power displaying brutally massacred children before the spark lit the fuse and then later a halt came in Haymitch’s life. There were 24 years of

• brutality increasing
• wealth distributions widening
• collective torture and trauma of civilians

It depresses me to think that or longer might be in store for the story of mine.

As a collective world we are Panem. We’re structured a bit differently, but it’s all still there. The top 1% is the Capitol. They aren’t all congregated into one area and protected by physical barriers (though they would if it came to it I’m sure), but they are all connected through wealth and, therefore, power.

I think people tend to mistake what in our world represents the districts and capitol in the Hunger Games. It’s not a direct correlation in my head to an exact people or area, but collective conditions for certain places and people.

This is how I see it:

District 12 represents the people living in present day conditions for Palestine, Congo, Sudan, Yemen, etc. The Capitol is the top 1% of those with wealth & power. Some celebrities might be in there or politicians etc. Space rides? Met Gala? Yeah, you’re Capitol alright. Maybe even District 1 or 2, like Sejanus’ family, for those at different levels of fame or wealth, but you’re up there in the chain. Things like Coachella and F1 races are events where Capitols and Districts 1-5 can collide.

Districts 3-7 that’s probably the majority of the world. Especially, many of those in mainland US or Europe. There’s a few people living the conditions of what would be District 8-11 in those places as well. District 12, though? The Capitol bombed them. Set their things and loved ones on fire.

I guess what I’m saying is you, Rebecca from South Carolina, are not like Katniss. Katniss is the daughter of a Congolese miner, who perhaps is still alive to try to protect her or is no longer physically with her – having survived and lived through unknown horrors. Katniss is friends with the Palestinian child who’s family was blown to bits for being in that hospital “rebels” were seen at. You sitting here reading this are most likely someone in a different level on the district chain, that perhaps will be part of her alliance, but YOU are not from the equivalent of District 12.

Sometimes I just need people to know that.

We live our own version of the hunger games, especially with the internet and social media. Our Katniss isn’t being displayed on a broadcast screen running through an arena. She is uploading videos taken while wading through the rubble that used to be the luminous city of Gaza. Our Peeta might be the young boy whose entire family was massacred as the IOF dropped bombs on the Palestinian bakery. Our Gale is probably a 20 year old man who ran into the flaming tents to pull survivors out – he knows a friend that has a donkey and buggy to help transport those injured.

In our world, our Capitol isn’t forcing us to watch, but it’s perpetuating and allowing the sufferings all the same. There are people in the districts and Capitol that uphold the structure set in place just like in the books. They up hold the belief it is necessary to exploit, bomb, starve entire populations. It’s all just inevitable. But just like Haymitch, Finnick, Maysilee, Beete, Mags and so many others – there’s also those in life that want better. People that want and hope and push for change.

Some of us are just going to be drops in the bucket. Drops that one day might allow that last one to overflow. Haymitch endured 24 more years of the society structure he was in. He took his stand, lost everyone, and saw things get much worse for years. Any variation of the events those characters experienced could very well be what’s in store for the reality of many. We aren’t just characters in a book, though, the sun is still rising on our reaping.

Book Rating: 5/5