The Hunger games

WARNING: This Outline will have plot spoilers.

Until recently I knew nothing about the Hunger Games. All I knew was the film was an adaptation of a popular books series with a growing following in the young teens demographic. At first I was a bit weary of such a story since it sounded an awful lot like Twilight. But When I saw the film I came to realize that the Hunger games was a story far more rich in subject and depth then most films today.

The Hunger games takes place in a future dystopian world of Panem where the former U.S once was. Here rules the highly advanced metropolis simply called the Capitol. This region holds absolute control over the rest of the nation with comprises of 12 surrounding districts. To assert their control, the Capitol holds an annual Hunger Game where one boy and girl from each district are selected to compete in a televised death match where only one person can survive.

The story revolves around sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen. She lives in one of the poorest districts of Panem. When her sister is chosen for the Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and Peeta, the other chosen contestant, are whisked away to the Capitol to be prepared, trained, and compete in the futuristic gladiator games.

Once again as like many heroes, Katniss has an internal and external conflict to resolve. The first more obvious conflict is that she must survive the Hunger Games to return to her family. The more internal emotional conflict Katniss struggles with is retaining her humanity even while she is forced to kill in order to survive.

Ordinary world: The story begins in the poor coal-mining region of District 12. Here Katniss lives with her distraught mother and younger sister, Prim, who she watches over as main caretaker. Katniss is a skilled archer who hunts game to support her struggling family.

Call to Adventure: The time comes for the Capitol to choose its annual Hunger Game contestants from District 12. Katniss and her younger sister, Prim, are put into the lottery. When Prim is chosen for the game, Katniss storms the stage and volunteers.

Crossing the Threshold: Kat boards the train for the Capitol. She leaves behind the poor, dark, colorless world of District 12. There she finds a bountiful feast has been set up for her and her partner Peeta. The food is far more opulent then anything she has been used to back home. The train then arrives in the Capitol which is a beautiful wealthy metropolis inhabited by colorful people.

Mentor: As part of the Hunger Games tradition, the contestants are trained by those who had survived the game. Katniss is instructed by drunken mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, who was the victor of the 50th Hunger Games. At first he is ambivalent that she is worth his time. But he soon sees her potential and works to ready her for the games while drumming up support from the Capitol population.

Training/Road of trails: There are many challenges Katniss must complete through the story. First she must prove her worth to her mentor and then to the people of Capitol city. Without their support she'll have a difficult time surviving the Hunger Games. Then comes the challenges and dangers once she's in the games. Katniss also needs to deal with the fact that Peeta has claimed that he has feelings for her.

First Transformation: In the first stage of her physical transformation, Katniss is cleaned up and dressed up for the game parade where the contestants are shown off to the world. As her training progresses, Katniss undergoes an emotional transformation. She realizes that she needs people to like her in order to survive the games. She becomes more open and personable with others and makes friends with Peeta and wins over the people of the Capitol. These alliances will prove useful in the trials ahead.

Second Threshold: The contestants are loaded into a transport ship and moved to the isolated forest arena. There the games start and Katniss is seemingly on her own to survive.

Shadow figures: There are two forces Katniss must face in the course of her quest. First she must obviously defeat the other contestants of the Hunger Games is she is to be the sole survivor. But Katniss' other more greater foe in the story is the system. The cold calculated forces that control the Hunger games and force kids to kill each other for sport. This enemy is only hinted at in this film but will probably be flushed out further in future films.

Ordeal/Crucifixion&Dismemberment/Rebirth: During the game Katniss is injured many times. These injuries take their tole on her. But every time it seems like the wounds have bested her, her mentor Haymitch sends her supplies to get her going again. She is healed and ready to fight again.

There is also emotional scaring she faces. In the course of the game she befriends a small girl named Rue who reminds Kat of her sister. She tries to protect the young girl but Rue is killed by another contestant.

Belly of the Beast: Katniss and Peeta are reunited again but he is badly hurt. The two resolved to survive together and hide in a deep cave. Katniss tends to his injury and Peeta confronts her about his feelings toward her. There Katniss is confronted with her own feelings for Peeta and accepts them. But are these feeling genuine or is she with Peeta to drum up support from the Capitol audience?

Apotheosis: When the pair exit the cave, they must face their greatest challenge yet. Wild dogs have been released into the arena. Once they escape the beasts, they're confronted by the final contestant. The pair defeat him and seemingly win the game.

Temptation: As Kat and Peeta are the last two contestants of the game, the game announcer orders Kat and Peeta to kill each other. Only one can survive. The pair instead resolve to eat deadly berries rather than kill each other. When the gamemakers realize the two intend to commit suicide, and that two winners are better than none, they announce both Kat and Peeta victors of the Hunger Game.

Ultimate Boon: Kat and Peeta are returned home as allies and heroes. They have overcome the games and, to an extent, the cold unseen shadow figured to control it.