I think it's so far in the future and with all the disaster and loss of life, religion died out and there was really no one around to start another church or spread His word. Most likely, any effort to start a church was squashed down by the Capitol and President Snow. He was so power-hungry, he couldn't stand the thought of anyone else worshipping anyone other than him, and anyone talking about religion and/or Jesus would be punished. Then religion just fizzled out.
What do you think?
I think the author wrote a book that wasn't about religious and/or have religious overtones. The author wanted to tell a different story.
That's all.
Quoting rfurlongg:
I agree. I actually felt, after reading the trilogy, that the author was making a more social comment about our voyeristic and detached current society. Religion actually did not play into my thoughts at the time.
Quoting TCgirlatheart:
It almost seems that in many dystopian novels the government becomes the religion in them.
Quoting rfurlongg:
Goodness gracious... I do see this as a "Jesus freak" post but rather as a literary discussion.
Op, I have read the books and honestly I had not noticed the lack of religious reference. Often futuristic novel do not reference religion. Your inference maybe true. There is a theoretical line of thinking that proposes that religion will ultimately die out. When Dh and I lived in the UK we frequently heard people say that "religion was bombed out" during the destructive WWs. Of course religion still exists, although not as devoutly as once.
I'm sorry people have reacted so badly to this thread. I think you made some interesting observations and it is definitely a nice change of pace from all the election crap from the last 6 months.
I really enjoyed the series and will probably read it again and with this thread I will probably notice the lack of religion more. :-)
This is the basis of a book becoming "Literature" rather than "just a book." The reason for a lack of religion in this trilogy, especially as compared to other dystopian novels (V for Vendetta, The Giver, Brave New World) easily becomes a valid thesis in order to place all of those novels into our modern American literary canon.
Well done, OP! Were you an English major in college? That's the kind of stuff we discussed all the time.
Did the Hunger Games trilogy *need* religion? Was the religion of the State the Hunger Games themselves? Might Katniss have taken on a Messianic persona as the face of the revloution (or better yet, Prim for her sacrifice)?
Maybe the answer is no. But the discussion is still valid.
Quoting punky3175:
I'm sorry people have reacted so badly to this thread. I think you made some interesting observations and it is definitely a nice change of pace from all the election crap from the last 6 months.
Me too! The title totally caught my attention, and I was sorely disappointed in some of the responses. And I bailed from the group entirely because of election crap.
"I know that something very strange Is happening to my brain.
I'm either feeling very good Or else I am insane.
The seeds of doubt you planted Have started to grow wild
And I feel that I must yield before The wisdom of a child.
And it's love you bring,
No, that I can't deny
With your wings,
I can learn to fly,
Sweet young thing."
--M Nesmith
I think I have read many books beofre where there was no metion of Jesus or no metion of praying.
I think religion only exists because of hope, all religion is a myth to inspire hope.
There is no hope in their world, no one is going to help them, they need to do what they need to do, on their own. They are simply realists.
Not to mention that it is just a book, not everyone's world revolves around their religion, PLUS they are trying to sell books, why choose one religion and alienate others?
Quoting TCgirlatheart:
Yes, the terrible "reality" shows that focus on humiliation in the guise of an "inspirational" story.
Quoting rfurlongg:
I agree. I actually felt, after reading the trilogy, that the author was making a more social comment about our voyeristic and detached current society. Religion actually did not play into my thoughts at the time.
Quoting TCgirlatheart:
It almost seems that in many dystopian novels the government becomes the religion in them.
Quoting rfurlongg:
Goodness gracious... I do see this as a "Jesus freak" post but rather as a literary discussion.
Op, I have read the books and honestly I had not noticed the lack of religious reference. Often futuristic novel do not reference religion. Your inference maybe true. There is a theoretical line of thinking that proposes that religion will ultimately die out. When Dh and I lived in the UK we frequently heard people say that "religion was bombed out" during the destructive WWs. Of course religion still exists, although not as devoutly as once.
President Snow is a communist running a totalitarian government system. The people of the capital worship materialism and in the other districts, it is only about survival- or ass-kissing the Capital. Now District 13 may be your shining beacon of hope OP.
Quoting muslimahpj:
Quoting wickedfiress:
Quoting muslimahpj:I have yet to read the series. I have tried to start it, but, it hasnt grabbed me enough to keep reading.
Honestly, it's slow until you get to the games, which is about the halfway point of the first book. Then after that, you "get" more of Katniss' internal struggle, and what the ramifications of her actions are on everyone, and everything. The sequels are very much about how her one act of defiance started a chain of events that could not be stopped, and how that effects her personally.
See, that's too long for me to have to wait to get 'hooked'. LOL I have too many books on my to read list to wait around for the 'hook' :D
Oh, I believe it. Since we're both friends with Ebook Escobar! LOL
It's amazing how people don't hold themselves to the standards they set for others.
Holder to investigate....Holder
- smtxcowgirl
on Nov. 19, 2012 at 10:10 AM