Game Changers

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Unlike ordinary action heroes in comic books, The Hunger Games contains heroes that do not have superpowers or originated from another planet. They do not automatically lead rebellions, win, or live happily ever after. On the contrary, a hero willingly defies the odds to beat the injustices that their dystopian government has pitted them against. The heroes may not win their fight, may even die, and may never have a chance to experience a joyful ending like a fairytale. They can have an unfortunate cultural legacy, bad luck, imperfections in their own personal lives, or be female. There might not even be a chance of having a magnificent reward by the time the story ends. Comic book heroes go into battle knowing what could happen if they do not fight evil. They also go into battles confident in themselves and know they will be successful. Suzanne Collins gives her readers an alternate version of a hero that contradicts the iconic hero. She made her book more relatable in doing so. Young adult readers enjoy reading books like The Hunger Games, because unlike traditional action heroes, Katniss and Peeta are the in same age group as the young adult readers. Katniss and Peeta do not go into the Games planning to survive, and when they do win, they do not get the happily ever after that is always expected. Young adult readers also connect to how the characters are under daily pressure in Panem. The Hunger Games distinguishes a new style of heroes for literature by flipping gender roles, revolutionizing aspects of hero journey, and by using average people who are willing to fight against injustices in their dystopian civilization so that the characters of the story are relatable to the modern day teenagers.
(Garcia 2)
Heroes have been prominent figures in fantasies and stories since the times of Ancient Rome and Greece. Hercules, Perseus, and Achilles reined over the

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