Suzanne Collins' novel, "The Hunger Games," is one of the most intriguing and contradictory works in recent literature. "The Hunger Games" tells the story of a young girl by the name of Katniss Everdeen who lives in a dystopian nation called Panem. Panem is split into twelve districts and run by a totalitarian government called the Capitol. The text depicts a visual of violence as Katniss states, "Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch" (Suzanne Collins pg. 18). However, the biblical parallels and allusions creates a change of reader's perspectives. Collins uses symbolism and characterization to emphasize the allegory in the novel as well as reveal the multiple definitions of poverty.
Poverty can be defined as the state of being extremely poor. To demonstrate the Capitol's dominance, they require one boy and one girl chosen by lottery from each district to compete in "The Hunger Games." Individuals may enter their name once for themselves and once for each of their family members in exchange for tesserae. "Each tessera is worth a meager year's supply of grain and oil for one person" (Collins pg. 13). Katniss has no choice but to enter her name as many times as possible due to how prominent the poverty is in District 12. In relation to both the Old and New Testament, poverty is described through societal terms, just as in "The Hunger Games." As a part of the lower class, Katniss states "District 12. Where you can starve to death in safety" (Collins pg. 6). This excerpt reveals that they are ruled and dictated by the Capitol who view them as being less than just as the lower classes in the Holy Bible did.
Poverty can also be defined as a state of being inferior to. Poverty in this sense is revealed when Katniss saves her sister's life by offering to die in place of another. Katniss knows that Prim is at a disadvantage compared to the other tributes when her name is drawn at the lottery.