How does feminism deepen the understanding of themes in The Hunger Games?

Feminism seeks to advocate for women based on beliefs in an equality of the sexes.

In The Hunger Games, we find a female protagonist who does indeed break all of the general stereotypes about women. Katniss is a fierce hunter, more skilled with a bow than anyone else in the competition. She takes charge of her family's well-being after her father's death leaves her mother emotionally depleted and unable to do so. When the Careers are about to kill her, she scales a tree that no one else is able to climb and avoids certain death. She is such a fierce mental competitor, analyzing her constantly evolving situation in the Games with incredible clarity, that she wins the entire competition.

Yet to point out only the ways Katniss breaks the traditional roles of feminine behavior would be to imply that she follows a masculine role. Katniss doesn't win the games because she behaves in traditionally male ways. Instead, she wins because she also capitalizes on her unique feminine strengths. This is best demonstrated in the relationship she cultivates with Rue. Katniss is instantly drawn to her in a protective and nurturing way, and in Rue's death, Katniss shows a maternal sense of devotion in the care and respect she gives to the young girl.

Examining Katniss through a feminist lens is crucial to understanding themes of the novel such as loyalty, sacrifice, and oppression. Katniss is fiercely loyal, understands the importance and difficulty in sacrifice, and feels the heavy implications of the Capitol's oppression, particularly because of her position as a woman in this society.

What feminist theories are present in The Hunger Games?

The Hunger Games series has been subjected to a fair amount of critical analysis, much of it from feminist scholars and literary critics. Some have argued that the books that make up the series show clear signs of feminist intent on the part of their author, Suzanne Collins. They point to the strong female character at the center of the stories, Katniss Everdeen, as a prime example of a feminist role model.

Other critics are not so sure. They see Collins as reinforcing patriarchy through the validation of traditionally male characteristics, such as physical strength and athleticism. In some respects, this is a prime example of what the French literary theorist and feminist Helene Cixious has called écriture féminine.

This is the notion that language has traditionally been written by men for men and has therefore embodied men’s ideas and concerns. That being the case, women writers find it challenging to use language as a means of narrating a story from a female perspective. And using Cixous’s analysis, one could argue that this is what can be observed in The Hunger Games, where Collins uses masculine language and themes, even as she makes her protagonist a strong, independent, resourceful young woman.