The Unnamed Tribute: A Hunger Games Blog

(Above and Below) See the similarity?

   When one thinks of the Hunger Games, they imagine the groups of emaciated children forced into an arena to fight to the death for the entertainment of the Capitol, and to remind the districts of Panem that the power of the Capitol is supreme. There is; however, more than meets the eye. Collins drew her inspiration from multiple places, not just gladiators within an arena or dystopian masterpieces by previous authors. One of which was Greek Mythology. More specifically, Theseus and the Minotaur.

   The story of Theseus starts with the origins of the Minotaur, created when a bull (sent by Zeus) mated with a Greek Queen, then trapped into a winding labyrinth when Minos, the King of Crete (and husband of the Queen) discovered the creature. After Minos captured Athens, he then vowed to destroy the beast. Thus, instead of sacrificing his own men and women, he decided he would sacrifice seven boys and girls from Athens every nine year, who would be thrown into the labyrinth to fight

the minotaur. One time, a young man named Theseus stepped up to offer himself as a tribute, intending to kill the Minotaur. He succeeds, ultimately becoming the King of Athens after a while.

   Does any of this seem familiar? Theseus basically "volunteers as tribute," albeit not to protect his little sister named after a flower. He participates in what is essentially an ancient Greek Hunger Games, where children are forced into an arena in order to fight to the death. Theseus also succeeds, essentially beating the 'Hunger Games,' which mirrors Katniss and her victory over the system within Catching Fire. Theseus and the daughter of Minos also mirror Katniss and Peeta within the arena, minus the fact that Minos' daughter even started genuinely loving Theseus (and that she could not participate within the arena).