Fiction Book Assignment

        The book "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins is about a future society where there is an all powerful Capitol and less powerful Districts. The Capitol controls all the money and power while the Districts have to pay the Capitol by producing certain products. This book is a perfect example of what the United States might turn into if there is not tax reform. In the United States tax system the rich are paying less and less while the middle class pays more to make up for the shortages. If this cycle continues, the United States will likely turn into a country similar to the one depicted in the book "The Hunger Games", where there is one group of people that have complete control. The book reveals a very severe case of social inequality, but this is important because it shows what could happen without reform. It is very possible that one group of people, the rich, will eventually have total control because of the amount of money they have. It may not be as bad as "The Hunger Games" depicts, but something close will likely occur without some changes in tax policy.

        What if? That is the question that scares every American in some way. What if my house burns down? What if I lose my job? But the most important what if is the one many people overlook, what if taxes spiral out of control? Taxes are on every body's minds, people know that tax rates are rising, but do they know why. The government has increased its spending and, even with tax hikes, cannot keep up with the growing debt of the Untied States. The book "The Hunger Games" explores a type of world that is unlike any reality. The book depicts a society where the rich control everyone and everything. That lifestyle may not be as far fetched as people use to think. Over the years taxes have been rising on everyone, except the rich. While the blue-collar Americans have had to cut back on spending the rich have been receiving huge government paid subsides and tax deductions. If the tax system continues to make the rich richer and middle class poorer then a society like "The Hunger Games" may be in the United States' close future.

Annotated Bibliography

        "The Hunger Games" depicts a society where the richest of people have complete control over all of the working class people. This story is about a lot more than that, but I am only going to focus on societal inequality. In the book there are 12 Districts which are controlled by the Capitol, where the richest people live. All the Districts have a certain job to do, each District gives necessary products to the Capitol. The Districts are very poor communities where people are starving and die often. The Capitol is very luxurious and everyone has plenty of food. The social inequality depicted in this book is substantial, but it is important because it shows an extreme case of what could happen if something in the United States tax system doesn't change. This book would help my research by giving an example of what could happen to the United States without tax reform. Using this text, my project will grab peoples attention because of how shocking a society like "The Hunger Games" sounds. This book grasps the main idea of my research and makes people realize the impact tax reform has on the future.

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, 2008. Print.