Dear Suzanne Collins,
Reading your novel, The Hunger Games, has transformed me more than I ever thought a book ever could. As distant as the book seems, literally anyone can relate to its lessons. Before I read this book, I was a naïve kid who had no clue how vicious the world could be. After reading this book, I’ve realized that people will do anything to get to the top; as soon as you stop to rest, another person will be trying to eliminate you from the competition. The ideas of competition, hard work, and the idea of ‘’the underdog’’ can apply to everyday life. They have taught me to work hard, to take nothing for granted, and to strive everyday to be a better person.
One lesson that had a large influence on me was competition. I used to be lazy and watch everyone do the work. I used to rely on my own brains and brawn to get through everyday life. However, after awhile, people started to catch up to me. Characters like the powerful protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, have taught me there will always be people that are less fortunate, but have the willpower and motivation to reach the top of the ladder. I have now joined that group of hardworking individuals – not stopping for anything to reach my goals. The Hunger Games has opened my eyes to the world, and has changed me for the better. I now am assertive and take the initiative to fulfill my dreams. I personally feel like a much better and more useful person now that I put hard work in, whether it comes to basketball, school, or anything in general. This novel has really taught me to work hard and that if you put effort into something, you will succeed.
Another lesson that I have taken from your book is to take nothing from granted. Katniss and Peeta, growing in a small, poor town have learned that nothing comes cheap. It hit me hard when I read the part when Peeta threw the loaf of burned bread on the ground in the rain to Katniss – I realized that so many people are less privileged and I needed to make a change. Now, I have shifted my mentality from throwing out mac and cheese that wasn’t cheesy enough, to finishing every last bit on my plate. I have realized that there is never an excuse to be wasteful, and always to find the positives in life, no matter what circumstance. This is how The Hunger Games has made me a better person when it comes to taking things for granted.
The last major lesson I have learned from your novel is possibly one of the most important in my life: the idea of the underdog. For me, it all started watching college basketball every year, from amazing individual success stories all the way to Cinderella runs by low seeded teams in March. After reading this book, I have learned to have faith however low your odds are. What are the odds that Katniss and Peeta, tributes from the ‘’lowest’’ district would defeat everything put against them. I apply the same theory to basketball. Whenever my AAU team is in a tournament, we are usually not the number 1 seed. As a group of undersized kids, we are usually put against older and larger teams. I learned never to lose confidence, and if we just played our game and believed in ourselves, we could overcome everything. As a result of this, we have won several tournaments and have played together for about 8 years. No matter if we are underdogs or not, we still feel like the number 1 seed if we are focused and put our mind to the task at hand. This is how the novel has made me into a better person.
Thank you for opening my eyes to the world. It is unbelievable how much I have changed since I read The Hunger Games and I will hold on to these lessons for the rest of my life. As far away as the Hunger Games takes place, its lessons are stuck in the present with me and will be carried for a very long time.
Reading your novel, The Hunger Games, has transformed me more than I ever thought a book ever could. As distant as the book seems, literally anyone can relate to its lessons. Before I read this book, I was a naïve kid who had no clue how vicious the world could be. After reading this book, I’ve realized that people will do anything to get to the top; as soon as you stop to rest, another person will be trying to eliminate you from the competition. The ideas of competition, hard work, and the idea of ‘’the underdog’’ can apply to everyday life. They have taught me to work hard, to take nothing for granted, and to strive everyday to be a better person.
One lesson that had a large influence on me was competition. I used to be lazy and watch everyone do the work. I used to rely on my own brains and brawn to get through everyday life. However, after awhile, people started to catch up to me. Characters like the powerful protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, have taught me there will always be people that are less fortunate, but have the willpower and motivation to reach the top of the ladder. I have now joined that group of hardworking individuals – not stopping for anything to reach my goals. The Hunger Games has opened my eyes to the world, and has changed me for the better. I now am assertive and take the initiative to fulfill my dreams. I personally feel like a much better and more useful person now that I put hard work in, whether it comes to basketball, school, or anything in general. This novel has really taught me to work hard and that if you put effort into something, you will succeed.
Another lesson that I have taken from your book is to take nothing from granted. Katniss and Peeta, growing in a small, poor town have learned that nothing comes cheap. It hit me hard when I read the part when Peeta threw the loaf of burned bread on the ground in the rain to Katniss – I realized that so many people are less privileged and I needed to make a change. Now, I have shifted my mentality from throwing out mac and cheese that wasn’t cheesy enough, to finishing every last bit on my plate. I have realized that there is never an excuse to be wasteful, and always to find the positives in life, no matter what circumstance. This is how The Hunger Games has made me a better person when it comes to taking things for granted.
The last major lesson I have learned from your novel is possibly one of the most important in my life: the idea of the underdog. For me, it all started watching college basketball every year, from amazing individual success stories all the way to Cinderella runs by low seeded teams in March. After reading this book, I have learned to have faith however low your odds are. What are the odds that Katniss and Peeta, tributes from the ‘’lowest’’ district would defeat everything put against them. I apply the same theory to basketball. Whenever my AAU team is in a tournament, we are usually not the number 1 seed. As a group of undersized kids, we are usually put against older and larger teams. I learned never to lose confidence, and if we just played our game and believed in ourselves, we could overcome everything. As a result of this, we have won several tournaments and have played together for about 8 years. No matter if we are underdogs or not, we still feel like the number 1 seed if we are focused and put our mind to the task at hand. This is how the novel has made me into a better person.
Thank you for opening my eyes to the world. It is unbelievable how much I have changed since I read The Hunger Games and I will hold on to these lessons for the rest of my life. As far away as the Hunger Games takes place, its lessons are stuck in the present with me and will be carried for a very long time.