The Hunger Games: Reflecting & Challenging Societal Expectations of Girls

By: Zaria Boyd

The Hunger Games series, including Suzanne Collin’s novels and their film adaptations, has become one of the most influential cultural phenomena of the 21st century. Set in a dystopian world, the story follows Katniss Everdeen, a teenage girl who volunteers to take her sister's place in a deadly survival competition. Katniss is a reluctant hero who challenges oppressive systems while navigating rebellion, survival, and identity. The series resonates deeply with young audiences, particularly teenage girls because it portrays a strong, multifaceted female protagonist who defies traditional gender roles.

This project explores how The Hunger Games reflects and challenges societal expectations of girls through Katniss Everdeen’s character. The guiding research questions are: How does The Hunger Games reflect or challenge societal expectations of girls? In what ways does Katniss subvert traditional gender roles? How has the series influenced teenage girls’ understanding of identity and empowerment? This paper argues that The Hunger Games redefines female empowerment by presenting a multidimensional version of girlhood, blending strength, vulnerability, and resilience.

Katniss’s transformation from a vulnerable survivor to a revolutionary leader challenges the portrayal of girls as passive or dependent, offering a fresh model of empowerment. While critiquing societal gender norms, the franchise also reflects the pressures placed on girls to conform to traditional femininity. By balancing resistance and vulnerability, Katniss’s story provides an inspiring and complex portrayal of girlhood that continues to resonate with audiences. The franchisee’s portrayal of strength, vulnerability, and resistance offers a fresh, empowering model of girlhood. This analysis will show how The Hunger Games resonates with its audience by providing a more complex and inspiring portrayal of girlhood.

The Hunger Games was first published in 2008 by Suzanne Collins, a period when young adult dystopian fiction was rising in popularity alongside growing cultural conversations about gender roles and equality. The series introduces Katniss Everdeen, a teenage girl living in a dystopian world where children are forced to compete in a brutal, government-mandated survival competition. At the time, discussions around gender equality were amplified by the increased representation of women in politics, media, and literature (Helgren, 2020). Media, as Helgren (2020) emphasizes, shapes perceptions of girlhood by "reflecting the cultural and historical context in which it exists” (p. 842). Released within this context, The Hunger Games mirrors societal concerns about women’s empowerment while offering a fresh portrayal of girlhood that balances strength, vulnerability, and rebellion.

The series also reflects broader cultural anxieties of its time, particularly around social justice and systemic oppression. Katniss is not a passive figure reacting to her circumstances; she actively shapes the narrative by defying societal norms and becoming a revolutionary leader. LooBeek (2014) describes her as "a unique representation of girlhood who blends feminine and masculine traits to challenge, traditional, gender roles” (p. 4). This blending of qualities allows Katniss to resonate with diverse audiences, making The Hunger Games a key artifact for understanding contemporary shifts in portrayals of femininity and empowerment. The cultural significance of The Hunger Games lies not only in its gripping storyline but also in its ability to challenge societal expectations of girlhood while providing a new lens for empowerment.

Katniss Everdeen stands out as a complex and multidimensional character who both reflects and challenges societal expectations of girls. She is resourceful, independent, and physically strong—qualities traditionally associated with masculinity—while also embodying traits like vulnerability, empathy, and loyalty to her family. This duality allows Katniss to subvertstereotypical portrayals of girls as passive or dependent. According to Gonick (2020), “Girlhood is often portrayed as a site of negotiation, where societal ideals and individual identities intersect” (p. 853). Katniss’s ability to navigate these ideals redefines strength and creates a protagonist that resonates deeply with audiences. Katniss volunteers for her sister Prim in the reaping scene, embodying loyalty and courage.

The feminist themes in The Hunger Games align closely with third-wave feminism, which emphasizes intersectionality and the diversity of women’s experiences. Unlike first-wave feminism, which focused on legal rights like voting, and second-wave feminism, which addressed broader issues like workplace equality, third-wave feminism critiques rigid gender norms and celebrates the blending of masculinity and femininity. Loobeek (2014) highlights this by arguing that Katniss “embodies characteristics of all three waves of feminism, but especially third-wave feminism, by blending feminity and masculinity in ways that challenge traditional gender roles” (p. 8). This blending allows Katniss to offer teenage girls a more nuanced model of empowerment—one where strength and vulnerability coexist.

At the same time, Katniss’s character reflects the societal pressures on girls to conform to gendered expectations. Her identity as the “girl on fire” demonstrates this tension: while she defies the Capitol, her image is shaped by public demand for a feminized symbol of rebellion. Brown (2019) explains that “the naturalization of her femininity occurs through a refusal to perform gender rituals: the non-performance is the feminine gender ritual” (p. 736). This insight reveals that even as Katniss resists gender norms, her narrative remains tied to cultural expectations of femininity.

Katniss’s role also intersects with her class, highlighting how societal pressures compound individuals with overlapping identities. Kimberlé Crenshaw’s concept of intersectionality emphasizes that aspects like gender and class shape unique experiences of oppression and privilege (Crenshaw, 2016). Katniss’s status as a poor girl from District 12 underscores her vulnerability, yet this same identity becomes a source of strength, enabling her to rise as a symbol of rebellion. By embracing both her strength and her struggles, Katniss redefines girlhood in ways that inspire audiences to see themselves reflected in her complexity.

The cultural impact of The Hunger Games on teenage girls has been profound, as the series reshapes societal expectations of girls through Katniss Everdeen’s character. Her journey from a reluctant survivor to a revolutionary leader inspires young women to see themselves as capable of both strength and resilience. Martín (2021) emphasizes that Katniss represents “a new form of activism that combines leadership and intersectionality to challenge oppressive systems” (p. 92). While Martín applies intersectionality broadly, Kimberlé Crenshaw (2016) defines it as the overlapping of systemic oppressions—such as race, class, and gender—that shape individual experiences. Katniss’s struggles as a poor girl from District 12 align with Crenshaw’s framework, as her identity as both a female and a member of a marginalized class influences her journey and societal perception.

Through Katniss’s story, teenage girls are encouraged to explore their own identities and reject one-dimensional portrayals of femininity. Gonick (2020) explains that girlhood is often framed as a dichotomy, with girls depicted as either passive victims or powerful agents of change. Katniss challenges this binary by embodying both strength and empathy, showing that these qualities are not mutually exclusive.

This complexity makes her relatable to teenage girls, as they see their struggles with societal expectations reflected in her story. As Kustatscher (2020) notes, “Gender is not simply a biological fact but a social construct that is constantly negotiated and redefined through interactions and cultural narratives” (p. 3). Katniss’s ability to challenge and redefine these constructs offers teenage girls a new understanding of femininity—one that aligns with their lived experiences and empowers them to shape their identities.

The influence of The Hunger Games also extends into fan spaces, where young audiences engage deeply with the series’ themes of rebellion and social justice. Helgren (2020) notes that cultural artifacts like The Hunger Games shape not only how girls see themselves but also how they interact with the world around them. Fans of the franchise have used it as a platform to discuss gender inequality, activism, and self-expression, demonstrating the series’ lasting impact on youth culture. This engagement shows how The Hunger Games moves beyond fiction to inspire cultural conversations about empowerment and girlhood.

The Hunger Games has solidified its place as a cultural artifact that both challenges and redefines societal expectations of girls. Through Katniss Everdeen, the series offers a multidimensional portrayal of girlhood, blending strength, vulnerability, and resilience in ways that resonate deeply with audiences. Katniss’s ability to subvert traditional gender roles reflects evolving media narratives, while her struggles with class oppression highlight Kimberlé Crenshaw’s concept of intersectionality. By embracing these complexities, the franchise provides young audiences, particularly teenage girls, with a model of empowerment that is both relatable and aspirational.

The cultural impact of The Hunger Games extends beyond its narrative. It has sparked cultural conversations about gender, power, and social justice, transforming a dystopian story into a platform for critiquing societal norms. Fans of the franchise have used it as a platform to critique societal norms and advocate for change, demonstrating its lasting relevance in shaping youth culture. As feminism continues to evolve, The Hunger Games stands as a powerful example of how media can inspire audiences to redefine their identities and envision a more equitable future.

References

Brown, H. (2019). Postfeminist Re-essentialism in The Hunger Games and The SelectionTrilogies. Women’s Studies, 48(7), 735–754. https://doi.org/10.1080/00497878.2019.1665044

Crenshaw, K. (2016). Kimberlé Crenshaw: What is Intersectionality? TEDx Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/kimberle_crenshaw_the_urgency_of_intersectionality

Gonick, Marnina. “Girls.” In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood Studies, edited by Daniel Thomas Cook, 852-855. Sage, 2020.

Helgren, Jennifer. “Girlhood.” In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood Studies, edited by Daniel Thomas Cook, 841-845. Sage, 2020.

Kustatscher, Marlies. “Gender.” In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood Studies, edited by Daniel Thomas Cook, 1–6. Sage, 2020.

Loobeek, K. (2014). A Feminist Analysis of the Film “The Hunger Games.” Concordia Journal of Communication Research, 1(3), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.54416/gjgs4165

Martín, M. (2021). Time’s Up for a Change of Political Focus: Katniss Everdeen’s Ecofeminist Leadership in The Hunger Games Film Series. Atlantis, 43(1), 89–109