This blog contains spoilers for Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.
Suzanne Collins has long used The Hunger Games series to explore the intersection of power, media, and resistance. With Sunrise on the Reaping, she once again returns to Panem’s dystopian world, offering a new lens on how propaganda shapes societies. This latest installment takes us back to the origin of Haymitch Abernathy’s Games, highlighting the mechanisms by which oppressive regimes use media to control narratives, manipulate emotions, and cement their authority. As we unpack Collins’ critique, we find striking parallels to the United States’ current media landscape, where propaganda and misinformation continue to shape political and social realities.
Propaganda in Sunrise on the Reaping
Set before Katniss’ story in The Hunger Games, Sunrise on the Reaping provides a closer look at how the Capitol constructed a narrative to justify its cruelty. By controlling the historical record and using the Games as a spectacle, the Capitol ensures that its version of events is the only one that matters. The Games are framed not as a punishment, but as a necessary sacrifice for peace—a classic example of how propaganda recasts oppression as order.
Collins portrays the Capitol’s messaging as a sophisticated and relentless force. The tributes are not just competitors but characters in a carefully crafted story designed to distract, entertain, and, most importantly, remind the districts of their subjugation. The transformation of brutal violence into a national event serves a dual purpose: it suppresses dissent while reinforcing the Capitol’s omnipotence.
Evidence of this is highlighted even in the beginning of Sunrise on the Reaping, just after Haymitch becomes Woodbine Chance’s replacement in the Games. Sequences are filmed again and regarded as truth, identifying Haymitch as the original and official choice of the Games versus Woodbine, who attempted to flee and was killed.
The book also delves into the ways in which individuals either succumb to or resist propaganda. Some characters internalize the Capitol’s messaging, believing that the Games are justified, while others recognize the manipulation at play. This tension mirrors real-world struggles over media literacy and the ability to distinguish truth from manufactured narratives.
Echoes in the U.S. Media Landscape
The U.S. today is no stranger to the power of propaganda. Political actors, corporations, and media outlets engage in narrative warfare, shaping public perception through selective framing, emotional appeals, and outright misinformation. The rise of social media has only intensified this dynamic, creating echo chambers where individuals are fed tailored messages that reinforce pre-existing beliefs.
Consider how modern political campaigns utilize fear-based messaging to rally support or how major news networks shape coverage to fit ideological perspectives. The January 6th Capitol riot, for instance, was framed in drastically different ways depending on the media source—some portrayed it as a patriotic uprising, while others as an attempted coup. Much like in Sunrise on the Reaping, those in power craft the narratives that best serve their interests, often at the expense of truth.
“Nothing appears more surprising to those, who consider human affairs with a philosophical eye, than the easiness with which the man are governed by the few; and the implicit submission, with which men resign their own sentiments and passions to those of their rulers. When we enquire by what means this wonder is effected, we shall find, that, as Force is always on the side of the governed, the governors have nothing to support them but opinion. It is therefore, on opinion only that government is founded; and this maxim extends to the most despotic and most military governments, as well as to the most free and most popular.” – David Hume
Furthermore, the commodification of tragedy in American media echoes the Hunger Games’ treatment of violence as entertainment. Mass shootings, for example, are often reduced to media spectacles, with rolling coverage and sensationalist headlines driving engagement rather than serious policy discussion. The Capitol’s use of the Games as both a warning and a distraction finds eerie parallels in how crises are covered in a way that reinforces systemic issues rather than challenging them.
Suzanne Collins once said that she wouldn’t write another Hunger Games book unless she had something to say, and Sunrise on the Reaping couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.
The Fight Against Manipulation
In Sunrise on the Reaping, acts of defiance against propaganda—such as tributes refusing to play their expected roles—pose a significant threat to the Capitol’s authority. This mirrors the importance of media literacy and resistance in today’s world. Grassroots journalism, fact-checking organizations, and independent reporting serve as crucial counterbalances to state and corporate-controlled narratives.
Collins’ message is clear: those in power will always seek to control the story. Whether in Panem or in the U.S., the battle over information determines the future. Understanding how propaganda operates—and resisting it—remains one of the most critical fights of our time.