The Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins was inspired by Greek myths and reality TV

Summary

NPR's Book of the Day Summary: “The Hunger Games Author Suzanne Collins Was Inspired by Greek Myths and Reality TV”

Release Date: March 18, 2025

In this episode of NPR's Book of the Day, host Andrew Limbong delves into the creative mind of Suzanne Collins, the acclaimed author behind the globally recognized Hunger Games series. Featuring an archival interview from 2009 with NPR's Lynn Neary, the episode explores the multifaceted inspirations that shaped Collins' dystopian masterpiece, highlighting the intricate blend of Greek mythology, reality television, and contemporary societal issues.

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Background on The Hunger Games and Suzanne Collins

Andrew Limbong opens the discussion by introducing the latest entry in the Hunger Games universe, Sunrise on the Reaping, a prequel that continues to captivate the devoted fan base established over a decade ago. Limbong emphasizes the enduring legacy of Collins' work, which not only spawned a successful film franchise but also maintains significant cultural relevance today. Despite her massive success, Collins remains notably reticent in the media, making past interviews like the one conducted by Lynn Neary particularly insightful.

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Inspirations Behind The Hunger Games

The core of Collins' inspiration stems from classical Greek mythology, specifically the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. In the interview, Lynn Neary recounts Collins' fascination with this myth:

Lynn Neary [02:09]: "Collins was obsessed with Greek mythology, and one of her favorites was the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur."

Collins elaborates on how the brutal punishment inflicted by Crete upon Athens—sending young individuals to be sacrificed to the Minotaur—resonated with her:

Suzanne Collins [02:29]: "And even when I was a child, I was blown away by how Evil that was. It was like Crete was sending this very clear message, which was, if you mess with us, we'll do something worse than kill you. We will kill your children."

This ancient tale parallels the dystopian mechanics of Panem in The Hunger Games, where a totalitarian government enforces annual televised battles to suppress rebellion and maintain control.

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Blending Reality TV and War Coverage

Collins' innovative concept for The Hunger Games emerged from observing modern media trends. She combined elements of reality television with the grim realities of war reporting:

Suzanne Collins [03:12]: "If you take elements of the two types of programming I was watching reality television and war coverage. Competition, fighting to the death, entertainment, violence, audience participation. What you come up with is a gladiator game."

This fusion creates a compelling and horrifying spectacle that serves as both entertainment and a tool of oppression within the narrative.

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Influence of Gladiator Films and Symbolism

Drawing inspiration from iconic gladiator films like Spartacus, Collins infuses her work with themes of rebellion and resistance. An excerpt from Spartacus is featured in the episode:

Spartacus: "I'm Spartacus. I'm Spartacus. I'm Spartacus. I'm Spartacus. I'm Spartacus. I'm Spartacus."

Collins mirrors this sentiment in Catching Fire, the second book of the trilogy, where the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, becomes an inadvertent symbol of rebellion:

Suzanne Collins [04:28]: "What happens next is not an accident. It is too well executed to be spontaneous because it happens in complete unison. Every person in the crowd presses the three middle fingers of their left hand against their lips and extends it to me. It is our sign from District 12."

This symbolic gesture ignites the flames of rebellion across Panem, showcasing Collins' adeptness at weaving classical motifs into modern storytelling.

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Thematic Elements: Violence in Children's Media

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the portrayal of violence in The Hunger Games and its reflection of contemporary societal issues. Collins does not shy away from depicting brutality, arguing that it mirrors the inevitable exposure children have to violence in the real world:

Suzanne Collins [05:29]: "It's this awakening. This is not one who a character who starts out as this hot headed rebel. This is someone who has, you know, rebel status thrust upon her and is not always comfortable with it, did not plan on it, but eventually is able to carry it."

Advising that violence in literature serves as a mirror to cultural realities, Collins ensures her narrative remains relevant and thought-provoking.

Children's Literature Expert Anita Sylvie echoes this sentiment:

Anita Sylvie [05:53]: "Reality TV has gone lower and lower every season. We are sending our young people, you know, over to the other side of the world to kill young people and children and teens are killing each other in schools. When you realize that she has all those elements to throw into the cauldron of story, I don't think it's surprising that a book like the Hunger Games comes out of that."

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Target Audience and Themes of Rebellion

Collins identifies her primary audience as adolescents who are at a pivotal age for questioning authority and societal norms. This demographic is precisely where the themes of rebellion and moral questioning intersect in her work:

Suzanne Collins [06:26]: "They are themselves beginning to question authority, and they are themselves beginning to look at government and situations throughout the world and wonder if they're moral or not. And you have to have that. You have to, at some time in your life, begin to question the environment, the political situation around you and decide whether it's right or not and if it isn't, what part you're going to play in that."

Katniss Everdeen's journey from a reluctant participant to a rebellious symbol encapsulates this transformative process, resonating deeply with young readers navigating their own moral landscapes.

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Conclusion: Ongoing Legacy and Future Works

As the discussion wraps up, it's highlighted that Collins is actively developing the concluding chapters of her trilogy, ensuring that the narrative of rebellion continues to evolve and impact its audience. The enduring popularity and cultural significance of The Hunger Games underscore Collins' profound ability to intertwine classical influences with modern societal commentary.

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This comprehensive exploration of Suzanne Collins' inspirations and thematic choices offers valuable insights into the enduring appeal and profound impact of The Hunger Games series. Whether for longstanding fans or newcomers, the episode provides a deeper appreciation of the intricate layers that define Collins' work.

Transcript

[Andrew Limbong]

Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbong. We've got something special for you on the pod today. So there's a new Hunger Games book out this week titled Sunrise on the Reaping. It's a prequel to the original series, which, if you don't remember, was huge when it first came out more than a decade ago and it remains a big deal today. The books inspired its own franchise of films which rake in millions of dollars, and the Hunger Games fan base remains extremely devoted. Now, Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins is famously press shy. She hasn't done very many interviews since her series blew up. But early on in her career, back in 2009, just before the second Hunger Games book came out, she spoke with NPR's Lynn Neary, which we've pulled from the archive for you today. It's an interesting snapshot into that period of time and it's an examination of the use of violence in children's media that's all the more relatable today. That's after the break.

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[Andrew Limbong]

Okay, if you know nothing about the Hunger Games, here's what you need to know. The original book takes place in the future where 24 young people have to fight each other to the death as part of an annual televised ritual. The premise always reminded me of a mixture of the 1999 Japanese novel Battle Royale by Kushun Takami mixed with the 1980 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie The Running Man. But apparently Suzanne Collins's inspirations go back a lot further than that. Here's NPR's Lynn as a child, Suzanne.

[Lynn Neary]

Collins was obsessed with Greek mythology, and one of her favorites was the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. She was struck by the cruel punishment that Crete had imposed on Athens for being on the wrong side of a war. Every year the Athenians had to send seven young men and seven maidens to be thrown into the labyrinth and and devoured by the Minotaur.

[Suzanne Collins]

And even when I was a child, I was blown away by how Evil that was. It was like Crete was sending this very clear message, which was, if you mess with us, we'll do something worse than kill you. We will kill your children.

[Lynn Neary]

In Collins story, 24 young men and women from 12 districts in what was once North America but is now a country called Panem are sent to the Hunger Games every year as punishment for a war that happened 75 years ago. Collins says her idea for the book began to form one night while she channel surfed. On one channel, she saw images of kids fighting in a real war. On another, young people were competing for money in a reality TV show.

[Suzanne Collins]

If you take elements of the two types of programming I was watching reality television and war coverage. Competition, fighting to the death, entertainment, violence, audience participation. What you come up with is a gladiator game.

[Lynn Neary]

Collins remembered the gladiator movies that were popular when she was young. Most notably Spartacus, the story of a slave who led an unsuccessful but heroic rebellion. One scene in that film has become iconic. The defeated slaves have been told they will not be punished as long as they turn in their leader. As Spartacus stands up to identify himself, the others join in one last act of defiance. Protect him.

[Spartacus]

I'm Spartacus. I'm Spartacus. I'm Spartacus. I'm Spartacus. I'm Spartacus. I'm Spartacus.

[Lynn Neary]

Collins uses a similar image in Catching Fire. The heroine of the trilogy, 16 year old Katniss Everdeen, won the Hunger Games, but she also defied the all powerful government during the competition with symbolic gestures and actions. In doing so, she has inspired the stirrings of rebellion across the country. In this excerpt from the book, Katniss appears before a crowd during a government sponsored victory tour.

[Suzanne Collins]

What happens next is not an accident. It is too well executed to be spontaneous because it happens in complete unison. Every person in the crowd presses the three middle fingers of their left hand against their lips and extends it to me. It is our sign from District 12. The last goodbye I gave Rue in the arena. If I hadn't spoken to President Snow, this gesture might move me to tears. But with his recent orders to calm the districts fresh in my ears, it fills me with dread.

[Lynn Neary]

Only gradually, says Collins, does Katniss begin to understand that she has become a symbol of the spreading rebellion.

[Suzanne Collins]

It's this awakening. This is not one who a character who starts out as this hot headed rebel. This is someone who has, you know, rebel status thrust upon her and is not always comfortable with it, did not plan on it, but eventually is able to carry it.

[Lynn Neary]

Collins lures in young readers of both genders with a suspenseful plot, non stop action and even a love triangle. But she does not hold back on the violence inherent in her story, nor does she apologize for it. Violence, she says, finds its way into young lives whether we like it or not. Children's literature expert Anita Sylvie she says the violence in the books is a reflection of what's happening in the culture.

[Anita Sylvie]

Reality TV has gone lower and lower every season. We are sending our young people, you know, over to the other side of the world to kill young people and children and teens are killing each other in schools. When you realize that she has all those elements to throw into the cauldron of story, I don't think it's surprising that a book like the Hunger Games comes out of that.

[Lynn Neary]

Collins believes her target audience, kids just entering adolescence, is just the right age to take on the challenge that underlies her story.

[Suzanne Collins]

They are themselves beginning to question authority, and they are themselves beginning to look at government and situations throughout the world and wonder if they're moral or not. And you have to have that. You have to, at some time in your life, begin to question the environment, the political situation around you and decide whether it's right or not and if it isn't, what part you're going to play in that.

[Lynn Neary]

The story of the rebellion, which was ignited in the first book and has begun spreading and catching fire, will likely grow more important as the trilogy draws to a close. Collins is already hard at work on that final book, even as her young readers are just cracking open the latest chapter of her story. Lynn Neary, NPR News, Washington.

[Andrew Limbong]

And just a reminder that signing up for Book of the Day plus is a great way to support NPR's book coverage and public media. And you'll get to listen to every episode sponsor free. So please go find out [e-mail] BookOfTheDay.

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