I haven’t read the novels, though they sound mostly interesting. I just watched the trailer for the movie which looks good.
Why does the Evil Government choose teenagers to fight to the death? Why not adults?
Because what’s more punishing:
having to fight to the death to save your life
having to watch your child fight to the death to save his/her life?
my cynical answer is because it’s a plot point in books aimed at young adults, who tend to see the world as revolving around them. thus, in many books aimed at kids or ya’s the heros are kids or teenagers (see also Harry Potter). sells better that way.
Full disclosure - thought the books were just ok; wasn’t wild about them like everybody else.
Because the books were loosely inspired by the myth of Theseus, in which King Minos’s victims are adolescent youths and maidens. (Not a WAG – Collins has talked about this in interviews.)
Partially because kids and teens prefer to read about… well, kids and teens. And this is Young Adult fiction, which is popular right now. I know I prefer to read about kids my own age than to read about adults or really little kids.
Also because the government is trying to punish the society for a previous uprising by saying, “look, you can’t even keep your kids alive, then you DEFINITELY can’t overthrow the government, we have all the power, we can murder your children.”
They’re good books, in my opinion, anyway. Worth reading.
Right – 74 years previously, the 13 Districts had risen up in rebellion against the Capital. One District was completely obliterated and the remaining 12 were punished by being forced to send one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 17 to the Hunger Games each year, where they are presented to the crowd, given some training, and then taken to an arena (different each year) to fight and kill each other until only one remained.
The whole process was a way of reminding the Districts who held the power and how helpless they were in the face of it.
I’ve read the books several times over and thoroughly enjoyed them. The first was definitely the best, and I’m greatly anticipating the movie.
Good explanation!
The only thing you’re wrong about is the fact that the SECOND book is the best 
I think we might all agree the third book is NOT the best.
Hear, Hear!
That’s what I was looking for. Thanks!