Book Review ~ The Hunger Games

By now I'm sure most everyone has heard of The Hunger Games, either from the trilogy or the recent movie. If you haven't read the book or seen the movie yet and plan to, beware this post will include spoilers! So if you don't want to know what happens, stop reading! Otherwise, carry on.

I didn't know anything about the books until the previews for the movie started hitting tv. I still didn't know that much about it, I guess it just didn't interest me much. Once I discovered the plot, basically kids killing kids, it was something I knew I'd stay away from and keep my kids away from. What changed my mind? One of the speakers at the recent homeschool convention. We attended Robin Finley's workshop, "A Framework for teaching Literature", where she discussed what she calls The Eternal Argument. This description is from her website:

The Eternal Argument is Robin's term for her framework for studying these treasures. In her opinion, western culture is really one big ongoing argument that debates whether man or God is in charge of our lives. Many great works and classics can be interpreted through this "lens" to allow modern readers a deeper, more thorough understanding of this important literature.

 She took us from 476 A.D. to present through literature showing how the pendulum swings between whether man or God is in charge. And what does this have to do with The Hunger Games you ask? One of the parents brought up the book and how instead of letting our kids read anything or censoring them from everything that isn't sweet and rosy, we - as parents - need to use the opportunities as teaching experiences.

That led me to further thinking. Dangerous, I know. I thought back to my high school days, many years ago, and the books I read - either by choice or by assignment. Metamorphosis, A Farewell to Arms, Of Mice and Men, Slaughterhouse-Five, just to name a few. Those books certainly weren't all sugar and sweetness. But did they have literary value? Was I exposed to different writing styles? Was I forced to look beyond the words on the page and think about what the author was trying to get across? Absolutely. The final stage of the Trivium in Classical Education is Logic. A time for teaching our kids to beyond just knowledge to questioning why things are, why things happen, why people act the way they do. Which led to my question, who are the great authors of our time? Who are the modern day writers on the same level as John Locke, Emerson, T.S. Eliot, Hemingway, Steinbeck? I still don't have my answer.

Now you know what led me to read The Hunger Games. Just this morning I finished the first book. It was a fairly easy read and kept me wanting to keep reading. Yes, I found myself not wanting to put it down. The setting is a future United States where the Capitol is in control over the twelve Districts in a way that reminded me of Orwell's 1984. The people were kept poor, hungry and at the mercy of the far off Capitol. As a way to remind the people that rebellion is futile, the Capitol holds the Hunger Games every year. Each district must send two young people, tributes, for a total of 24 players. The players are put into an arena, not a coliseum, think a Survivor type atmosphere in The Truman Show bubble. The Gamemakers can control everything that happens in the arena, including weather, available supplies, etc. The only object of the Games is to be the last one standing. The winner is awarded with riches, food and praise and their District also benefits. The Games are televised to all the Districts so that everyone can watch as the tributes turn on each other in an attempt to be the only one alive at the end. This reminds me of the things I've heard about The Lord of the Flies, although I've never read it myself. The book follows two tributes, Katniss and Peeta, as they fight to survive the Games. It takes readers through adventures of hunting, fighting, constant fear, death, friendship and romance. While Katniss and Peeta grow closer, you become very aware that the Games only have one winner. One. Katniss or Peeta, but not both. I felt Katniss' anger at the Capitol for putting them in such a position, helpless to do anything to stop it. The two portray such a romantic facade, although the love is real for Peeta, that the Capitol allows them to think they have changed the rules to allow two winners, as long as they're from the same District. This dreamed is shattered by the reality that it was all for show, entertainment for the viewers. When all the other tributes are gone and just the two of them are left, the new rule is recanted and once again they are left with the option of kill or be killed. On a last ditch effort to save themselves together, they work out a plan to fake a double suicide, forcing the Gamemakers to stop them by allowing them both to win. It works, they both are declared winners and thus begins the celebrations. The reader breathes a huge sigh of relief that they've both been spared. The book ends as a cliff hanger, begging you to read more. As they return to their District, they're very aware that the Capitol is not happy with their scheme. Peeta is also met with the fact that although his love is quite real, Katniss was mostly playing the part, knowing the romance would benefit them in the Games. True, she developed some feelings, but she's not quite sure how to sort them out. You're left wondering what will happen next. Will the romance be kept alive? How will the Capitol retaliate? And most importantly to me, will the people ever have the chance to overthrow the horrific reality of the Hunger Games?

As I read, I couldn't help but be drawn to Katniss. Her innocence and beauty. And the harsh reality of the human fight to survive. Given the right circumstances, most humans will do anything to survive. Even if it means taking another life. When you strip a person bare of the necessities of life, a feral person comes out with the sole purpose of surviving. The different stages of this are played out well through the friendship Katniss forms with another tribute, her struggle with killing, her anger and rage at the Capitol and her final alliance with Peeta.

While not something I would let my younger children read, I do see the value in having my high-school aged student reading it to explore human reaction towards survival at all cost. In thinking back to The Eternal Argument, without God, would it really matter?

I'll be continuing my reading with Catching Fire and will follow with another review.

A Breath of Fresh Air #homeschooling

My husband and I just returned from a weekend at the annal FPEA Homeschool Convention. We've attended two conventions before, but I had forgotten how refreshing it is to be surrounded by thousands of other homeschoolers. Not to mention the plethora of curriculum available to peruse in the vendor hall. Or the speakers explaining their products or just giving encouragement. And of course there's the time away from the kids for the man and me to enjoy each others company.

After a particularly challenging year of schooling - which is not quite over - this was just what I needed. Something to bring back the joy of schooling. Because let's face it, when the kids are ornery, the work isn't getting done, the house is falling apart all around you, throwing the kids on the nearest school bus sounds inviting. So this weekend was a time of renewal and reigniting the passion. I came home with a renewed desire to teach the four kidlets who call me mommy. And of course, armed with new curriculum.

Over the past few months, we've realized that several things we're using haven't been working. With a few goals in mind, I attended grammar and writing workshops and we perused science books. Imagine my delight when talking with a vendor about science curriculum and hearing him tell the man exactly what I've been trying to tell him. Elementary science is about fun, learning about what interests the kids and not worrying about tests or mastery of facts. I'm absolutely positive that the boys will join my enthusiasm in finishing up their current science books and getting back to a more fun, hands-on approach to science. In fact, I'm so excited, I can't wait to start!

Alas, we do have to finish up this year, mail off report cards and attendance records and put together portfolios. Then there's that pesky summer break my kids are sure to beg for. This week I'm going over work, filing papers, and making end of the year goals. Next week, while relaxing on vacation, I'll be able to start setting up the new planning software that the man so graciously purchased for me. I'm sure he had his own motives, including his hope that it will help tame my wild, unschooling nature and get the kids into a more rigorous schedule. I'm just hoping it will serve as a way to get the kids more independent and self-motivated. After vacation and our church's VBS program, we'll settle back into our work and finish up everything to meet the goals I will set this week.

If you made it all the way through this and are still interested, check back next time for when I'll share our new curriculum choices.

science and history

I finally ordered a curriculum for science and history/geography. It's by Simply Charlotte Mason and I am so excited about it! The science is 106 Days of Creation Studies. It goes through each day of creation expanding on what was created that day. It's obviously very Biblical based and mainly consists of Bible reading, reading other books, and hands-on activities and field trips. No textbooks!


History/Geography will be a similar approach. Using the Bible and other selected books, we'll be studying Genesis through Deuteronomy and Ancient Egypt. No textbooks, just Bible reading, other books and hands-on activities.


The best part of both of these is that because it is real life stuff, the kids won't think of it as school or boring. It will be fun stuff that will encourage their love of reading as well as journaling, drawing, and other activities. And all three children will be participating.

Indian longhouse Diorama

Jacob wanted to build a real longhouse with popsicle sticks, so of course we did. It was a lot of fun, the kids enjoyed putting the whole diorama together.

The Longhouse

This week we're learning about the Iroquois Indians. Little Bear, from The Indian in the Cupboard, is Iroquois so we're tying it in. The kids learned that this tribe didn't live in tepees, but instead lived in what is called a longhouse. We made our own paper longhouse, each child got to color a section of it. Jacob wants to make a bigger one out of popsicle sticks complete with the fencing that would have been around the village of longhouses.

end of the year

Well, it's that time! We have officially ended our school year. Jacob made all A's this year and completed his coursework for 2nd grade. Joshua did very well with kindergarten and is excited about graduation.

While our formal studies have ended, we will continue to do some informal things throughout the summer. Just don't tell the kids it's school, they think it's fun stuff! We're working on finishing up The Indian in the Cupboard then we'll be starting a The Tale Of Despereaux unit study.

We're also taking a trip to MI in June and will use that as a teaching opportunity. Flat Stanley (more to come on him LOL) will be traveling with us and will start our Flat Stanley geography project.

Jacob

Part of Classical learning is narration, listening to something being read and then narrating back what you heard. We're incorporating that into our homeschooling style. In addition, I am having Jacob read and then draw about what he's read. These are two pictures he did after reading a few pages out of one of his nature books. This was done independently during rest time - which means I was laying down. LOL

new stuff

I'm really excited about things lately. We're getting close to the end of our school year. Jacob has mostly phonics and writing review through the end of the year. So we'll be able to use some time to get into some other stuff. In math, he's working on multiplication and division.

Joshua has really come a long way with his reading. He's working on 1st grade level phonics. I'm really proud of the effort he's been putting into it lately. I think he understands the concepts of adding and subtracting, but still needs practice. Partly because he's lazy and doesn't want to think about counting up or down.

Leanna can count objects to five all on her own! She's also working on phonics, learning all the letter sounds. She can almost sing the ABC song all the way through without help.

We just started reading The Chronicles of Narnia. We're going to make kind of a unit study of it and stick some science and social studies in with the literature. The kids are all enjoying the story and Jacob is learning some great new words. We also watched some youtube clips about WWII and got to hear an air raid siren. The kids all designed a map of their own imaginary country. We're also planning on making Turkish delight.

The best part is that Jacob is able to read it on his own, with little to no trouble. He has great reading skills and we're very proud of the level he's at.