Lauren Rule- Hunger Games (Other Topic #5)

Hunger Games is an awesome movie, but I found out recently it took some (arguably a lot) of its plot from another movie/book.  The movie is set in a future world where a totalitarian government runs the nation.  There are twelve nations and every year one boy and one girl from each nation is brought together to battle to the death.  Katniss is from district twelve and forced to volunteer as 'tribute' when her little sister's name is chosen.  The entire nation was thrown into chaos and the townspeople are trying to live normal lives.  District twelve may have finally found a victor in Katniss.  The young girl is resourceful, smart, and wicked with a bow and arrow.  The down trodden townspeople remind me of the people in need of a spiritual leader.  The Capitol, where the government is located, rules over its people with fear rather than compassion.  It is the compassion and forgiveness of Katniss that brings the districts together in the end.  Unlike the others, she does want to kill, she just wants to survive.  In the beginning, Katniss chose to travel alone, but after a timid girl helped her, they teamed up.  The two went after the aggressive and large group of tributes.  The vulnerable girl met her fate and Katniss quickly avenged her.  Katniss only killed to protect her own life, she never instigated any violence.  The underdog district gave hope to the viewing townspeople.  The president of the districts is upset by the reaction Katniss gets from the townspeople, "Why do we have a winner?  I mean if we just wanted to intimidate the districts why not just round up 24 of them at random and then execute them all at once?  It would be a lot faster.  Hope.  It's the only thing stronger than fear.  A little hope is effective, a lot of hope is dangerous.  A spark is fine, as long as it's contained."  Katniss frees the districts from the fear of the Capitol when she stands them up; both her and the boy selected from the district are declared winners when they threaten to commit suicide together.  I have only seen the movie, but I am looking forward to reading the book.