Science fiction often uses a futuristic setting to comment on the present day. What does The Hunger Games suggest about the present day United States?

The Hunger Games is a novel that embodies two genres very well: science fiction and speculative fiction. Speculative fiction, unlike science fiction, does not necessarily utilize science or technology in its portrayal of a future setting. This explains why many science fiction stories include dramatic usage of space travel. The technological capabilities present in the world of The Hunger Gamesare good indicators of its status as science fiction. But as a speculative fiction, the...

The Hunger Games is a novel that embodies two genres very well: science fiction and speculative fiction. Speculative fiction, unlike science fiction, does not necessarily utilize science or technology in its portrayal of a future setting. This explains why many science fiction stories include dramatic usage of space travel. The technological capabilities present in the world of The Hunger Games are good indicators of its status as science fiction. But as a speculative fiction, the story imagines what kind of social conditions might exist if certain current trends were to follow their logical trajectory.

One way in which the story parallels life in the United States today is the emphasis upon technology used for surveillance in everyday life. The use of electronic surveillance is currently a controversial topic in American culture, as indicated by the outpouring of support for whistleblower Edward Snowden, who exposed the depth of privacy invasion practiced by the federal government. The use of surveillance in The Hunger Games occurs on several levels; it allows the citizens to view the Games themselves, which are broadcast as they are happening as a kind of entertaining athletic contest. Surveillance also allows the government to spy upon Katniss and other participants in the Games to determine whether their activities are rebellious. 

Another parallel to current life in the United States is the novel's emphasis on the division of wealth and class. The majority of the citizens in The Hunger Games are literally starving, while an elite minority enjoys wealth and abundance. This parallels the growing divide between rich and poor and the struggles of the working classes in the United States, in particular the huge gap between CEO salaries and the wages of workers.