The 21st century has brought on a huge influx of successful young adult dystopian novels that is completely unprecedented in society. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, is the first of many young adult novels centered around a teen protagonist living in a dystopian society. Many novels released after The Hunger Games received similar amounts of critical and commercial success despite the fact that the plotlines are nearly identical. The narrative is usually as follows: teen boy or girl lives in an oppressive society that forces them to either be something they are not or do something that is immoral. The aforementioned teen boy or girl is then thrust into an adventure directly involving said oppressive government and finds a way to rebel against the government and rise above it or take down the entire system. The success of this category of novess has had   a multitude of explanations for this with some top examples being the reaction after the attacks on September 11, 2001, nuclear threats, and other unsettling news that young people are subject to that draws them to read dystopian fiction. It has also been speculated that climate change, the impact of mass media, and a distrust in adults and people of authority have contributed to the recent success of dystopian literature. The success of young adult dystopian novels can be examined through the reason behind the success of The Hunger Games and the infatuation with dystopian societies in fiction as a whole.

The novel The Hunger Games brought on a surge in popularity of dystopian young adult literature in the year 2008. As millions of children and adults flocked to read this novel, critics and researchers frenzied to figure out why the novel The Hunger Games was such a massive success. To discuss the success and impact The Hunger Games has had in society, one must first understand the plot of the novel. The author, Suzanne Collins, chooses to begin her novel focused primarily on the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen. The reader is not specifically told any information about the oppressive government, The Capitol, or the harsh games that the novel is centered around. Instead, the narrative focus is on a sixteen year old girl named Katniss and her life in the poor area of District 12. The reader learns that she is a strong but also flawed protagonist that is simply trying to keep herself and her family alive. The story is not immediately concerned with rebellion; it focuses on a girl who is struggling to survive (Henthorne). Katniss, in the first chapters of the novel, becomes a “very real girl, the kind lacking even a single supernatural gift”(Whited 59). The realism of the protagonist is very compelling for young readers because it allows them to become submerged in the world that is being built in the novel. The focus on the protagonist also allows for readers to relate her situation to similar situations in their own lives. We are introduced to the severity of Katniss’ bleak existence through her first encounter with her best friend, Gale. As they are conversing in the woods, the reader is shown hints of what is to come for these characters in the form of The Hunger Games. Gale tells Katniss “We could do it you know, leave the district. Run off. Live in the woods. You and I, we could make it”(Collins 9). The readers are shown that the obstacle the character’s are facing is less preferable than running away to live in the woods. Another reason for the opulence of this novel is the prospect of what the outcome of climate change could be in the future. The world of The Hunger Games became the dystopian society that it is through pollution and war. The reader is never specifically told what has happened, though, because the story is told through the perspective of one teenage girl who would have no knowledge of the specifics of the history of Panem. By “presenting Katniss’ dystopia on a personal level rather than a political one, Collins is able to help readers imagine what living in a radically degraded environment might be like”(Henthorne). The effects of climate change are simply a part of her life, which allows young readers to identify with her situation considering that most of the damage done to the planet in real time was done by generations before them (Henthorne). Lastly, The Hunger Games is so successful because it appeals to young people’s distrust in authoritative figures and and adults in general. The novel portrays adults as figures who cannot be trusted, and the few who are trustworthy end up being brutally murdered in most cases. Katniss’ mother is not present after suffering trauma and her mentor for the games is a drunken mess who is not particularly helpful to her. One of the single adult figures that she feels she can trust, Cinna, ends up being murdered by capitol officials right in front of her (Penny). The  success of The Hunger Games among young readers is shown through these reasons and more.

The novel The Hunger Games, was not the first dystopian book series to have major success among young adults, but its popularity sparked a multitude of dystopian novels following a similar plotline. The reason behind the success and reproduction of dystopian novels as stated by Susan Collins, is that the books are “ways of acting out anxieties that we have and fears that we have about the future”(Whited 53). The chaotic nature of society in its current climate can become overwhelming for some. A common coping mechanism is to read a story that portrays similar aspects of society in a fictional setting. Young adult dystopian novels  provide a sense of hopefulness for their protagonists that is then instilled in young readers. This is in contrast to dystopia written for adults, which breaks down its characters to portray an important message. This difference is highlighted in The Hunger Games when Katniss is severely burned by the gamemakers and cannot defend herself anymore. All hope seems to be lost as she sits defenseless up in a tree when, at the perfect moment, game sponsors send her medicine for the wound. Katniss thinks to herself “He [Haymitch] has not abandoned me. Not left me to fend entirely for myself”(Collins 188). Even in the most desperate circumstances, Katniss is not without hope and is not completely alone. The protagonist is never completely helpless, and the idea that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel in these novels can be very comforting and inviting for young people who do not know if their own future will resemble the lives of the heroes in the book they are reading.

In conclusion, the success of The Hunger Games and young adult dystopian as a whole can be attributed to a multitude of cultural and psychological factors. Young adults use dystopian literature as a way to gain insight on what their future could look like. These novels are also used as a coping mechanism as a way to deal with the somewhat bleak state of the world today. Another huge factor in the success of dystopian literature is the characters distrust ain authoritative figures and adults. The current generation of children and teengers relates to feeling like adults and people in authority are somehow out to get them or to hurt them. They become more immersed in these novels because of how real the protagonists feel to their own lives. Lastly, dystopian worlds are often plagued with the same environmental consequences that teenagers face in the world today. Novels like The Hunger Games portray a society ravaged by climate change and war. The targeted audience identifies with the idea that society has been and will continue to be affected by war and climate change which makes the novels that much more enthralling to them. These factors and more have contributed to the critical and commercial success of The Hunger Games and dystopian literature as a whole.