Imagine two worlds, much like our own, that harbor secrets that could mar the faces of their so-called evolved societies. Worlds where the power of the few outweighs the lives of many and the need for order can result in a death count. These are the types of worlds that authors Susanne Collins and Veronica Roth have created in their respective trilogies. The Hunger Games and Divergent paint separate pictures that both express the story of young heroines stepping up to the threshold of rebellion. Each heroine faces their challenges all whilst trying to grow and thrive in a world that wants them dead. However, within the pages of these books, when the blood and bone has been stripped away, the reader can trace the threads of similarities. These similarities exist between the two novels and also between their dystopian settings and the real world. Katniss Everdeen and Beatrice Prior are not only two rebels fighting for a cause, but are also two young women who face everyday hardships beyond their respective wars. They have the ability to teach the reader far more about life than is seemingly possible; lessons that are relatable and useful to just about anyone, regardless of age. Knowing what one stands for and residing in that truth, understanding that what is broken can be mended, and believing that gender does not define one’s abilities are three of the most important messages aimed at young adults in The Hunger Games and Divergent trilogies.

Katniss Everdeen and Beatrice (Tris) Prior are both sixteen year old girls who have lost themselves within their respective worlds. At one point in both series the heroines are unsure of themselves and the causes for which they fight. Katniss, the heroine of the Hunger Games series, begins to lose herself just after she escapes the Games. She finds herself questioning her own existence and needs to remind herself daily of just who she is. “My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am seventeen years old. My home is District 12. There is no District 12. I am the Mockingjay.” (Collins, Mockingjay) In Divergent, Tris struggles with the decision she made at the faction choosing ceremony. It becomes a delicate balance between her Abnegation roots and her new Dauntless way of life. She knows that she is brave and strong and willful, but she also feels the need to be selfless and kind. “Beatrice was a girl I saw in stolen moments at the mirror, who kept quiet at the dinner table. This is someone whose eyes claim mine and don’t release me; this is Tris.” (Roth, Divergent 87) Both characters go on long journeys to find the balance between their personal lives and the lives they lead as revolutionaries. They struggle with love and friendship and family and loss. These problems ring true with so many young adults that it is hard not to pick out the relatable circumstances. These two strong women teach the reader that growth is a journey and is not something that occurs overnight. In their growth, they begin to find who they are and what they stand for. “I feel like someone breathed new air into my lungs. I am not Abnegation. I am not Dauntless. I am Divergent.” (Roth, Divergent 442) Both Katniss and Tris find strength in their revelations and use this to push forward in the pursuits of peace and justice. The Hunger Games and Divergent not only teaches the reader about the importance of standing in one’s truth, but that what is broken can also be mended.

The authors focus on very similar themes, including betrayal, love and death. Each aspect of the stories eats away at their respective heroines, causing mental and physical wounds that bring a question to the surface: can they be mended? Can Katniss and Tris come back from the decisions they’ve made, the people they’ve killed, the ones they lost? “I killed you…And you. And you.” (Collins, Mockingjay 5) Katniss has been forced to kill in the Hunger Games, to watch other children die for the Capitol’s pleasure. At night when she sleeps, she can see the faces of those she watched die, and the hounds they sent after her and Peeta bark in her nightmares. As for Tris, the body count climbs, eventually leading to the death of her best friend at her own hands. Her grief and horror leads to a fear of guns and conflict, rendering her useless in battle. “I have done bad things. I can't take them back, and they are part of who I am. Most of the time, they seem like the only thing I am.” (Roth, Insurgent) Furthermore, the death of both of Tris’ parents leads her down a path of recklessness and the possession of a serious death wish. In both series, the heroines travel down these dark paths that remind readers of their own personal struggles. Whether it is the death of a loved one or the weight of guilt, their situations are relatable. In the end, both characters find that they can mend, they can be forgiven for what they have done and they came come out alright. “What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again.” (Collins, MockingJay 338) Even after losing what seems like everything, the characters find ways to move on, to make it alright and to heal. Some do so by holding the hand of a loved one, like Katniss and Peeta. Others use the hope of a better tomorrow to fight onwards toward it. “Since I was young, I have always known this: Life damages us, every one. We can’t escape that damage. But now, I am also learning this: We can be mended. We can mend each other.” (Roth, Allegiant 329) It is in this damage that the characters are able to grow and endure, no matter who they are.

In today’s society, it is beneficial to depict females as strong, capable leaders, especially to teenagers and young adults. This is something that both the Hunger Games and Divergent do excellently. Neither book necessarily expresses gender roles; for instance, Katniss hunts for her family, a job normally assigned to men according to typical gender roles. In Divergent, Beatrice is entrusted with a gun just as much as her male transfers are, getting the same training and trials. What creates the strength and importance of the roles is how both girls are perceived as equal to their male counterparts. They become just as tough and important as anyone else and this is what creates the lesson. Both characters are leaders. “Power. I have a kind of power I never knew I possessed.” (Collins, Mockingjay 91) They lead their revolutions with friends by their side and accept when they cannot bear the weight alone. Both Katniss and Tris have emotional vulnerabilities that make them real and relatable, but these also make them brave. “I never knew I would need bravery in the smallest parts of my life. I do.” (Roth, Divergent) They are able to battle through their struggles and come out on the other end the victor. Their shared strong traits: courage, loyalty, persistence, and so much more, mold them into wonderful female role-models. They break the mold of side-kicks and eye candy by taking the reins and charging ahead whether their knight in shining armor is there with them or not. “She taught me all about real sacrifice. That it should be done from love... That it should be done from necessity, not without exhausting all other options. That it should be done for people who need your strength because they don't have enough of their own.” (Roth, Allegiant) In the end, both characters grew into strong, beautiful role models that readers can truly learn and grow from.

The Hunger Games and Divergent are full of war and death, secrets and betrayal. They are overflowing with topics and scenarios that might hit a little too close to home. It leaves the reader asking, what if this was our society? As people, what decisions would be made? The reader can put themselves in the shoes of Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire and Beatrice Prior, the Divergent. They can walk their lives and make the decisions with them. But when the book is over and there are no pages left to turn, what does the reader get to take away from these series? Is it only the love of two very similar characters? Is it the new-found enjoyment of dystopian futures? Or is it the similar lessons that these trilogies set out to teach their readers? Lessons of love, lessons of truth, lessons of healing and growth. It is the lessons that there is power in knowing who you are, that everyone has the ability to heal from all wounds, and that who you are is not determined by your gender, but by the words you speak and the actions you take.