Experiencing the Cityscapes and Rural Landscapes as ‘Citizens’ of The Hunger Games Storyworld

Abstract

In Suzanne Collins’ book series, Hunger Games, the dystopian, futuristic country of Panem is all that remains of a post-apocalyptic ‘North America’. The twelve poverty-stricken Districts contrast the rich and decadent Capitol, presenting a polarised cityscape for the audience to explore, not only in the books but also across the multiple media platforms that make up this popular transmedia franchise. This chapter investigates how the audiences’ experience of the Capitol cityscape and the rural landscapes of the Districts are shaped from one media platform to the next. It proposes that the dystopian themes presented in Hunger Games narrative, and the positioning of the audiences as ‘citizens’ within the storyworld, further invites audiences to build communities around the franchise, and become activists in real-world civil movements.