The book series The Hunger Games quickly became some of the most popular books when I was a kid. Looking back, those books are a little dark for middle school ages children to read, but that didn’t stop us. The series is a dystopian series where there are 12 districts and a capitol, which is their government. Before the books were set, there was an uprising against the capitol and, as punishment, each district now has to offer one male and female age 12-19 for the annual Hunger Games. In the games, the tributes are put in an area and fight to the death until there is one victor. The main characters come from District 12, Katniss and Peeta. Right before the games begin, Peeta announces to the whole country that he has a crush on Katniss. The rest of their story is navigating a relationship, that may or may not be real,  in the middle of the Hunger Games.

Relationships are tricky, whether you’re in the middle of a bloodbath or not. They can be full of what-ifs and unknowns. On the flip side, they can be full of fun memories and personal conversations. How can a relationship go from awkward unknowns intimate conversations? The Social Penetration Theory works to explain this pattern in relationships. This theory explains that this process happens in a “gradual and orderly fashion from superficial to intimate levels of exchange” (Griffin 95), This is something that seems obvious but is hard for someone to remember in a new relationship. It takes time to build social intimacy with a person. The best way to “deep social penetration is verbal self-disclosure” (95). Self-disclosure is sharing personal or intimate details of your life to another person. One of the most important parts of self-disclosure in a relationship is that it has to be “reciprocal” in order for the relationship to move forward positively for both people (Griffin 96). What this means is not only do both parties have to be self-disclosing equally, but both have to feel the other is self-disclosing as much as they are. If this is out of balance, the relationship might not work. 

Where do the “star-crossed lovers from District 12” fit into this? They might be in extreme conditions, fighting for their lives and all, but they are still an excellent example of this theory. First of all, throughout the book, Katniss is always thinking about how Peeta is so much better than her at the “relationship stuff.” This “stuff” is in reference to acting and talking like he loves her. Peeta is very good at self-disclosing and Katniss has to learn how. When they reunite in the arena, there is some tension because Peeta is doing more than Katniss is, and she is scared this relationship is coming off as fake to the gamemakers. While she doesn’t realize it, the reason it could be perceived as fake is because she is not self-disclosing to Peeta, making her side of the relationship look superficial. The reciprocity of self-disclosure is not there. Once Katniss figures out how to talk in a relationship, they begin to move forward and, eventually, outsmart the games by both getting out alive. While this is an extreme example, it is a good blueprint for how to navigate imbalance in a relationship using Social Penetration Theory.

For a more detailed summary of book one of The Hunger Games please follow this link

Works cited:

Griffin, E. A., Ledbetter, A., & Sparks, G. G. (2019). A first look at communication theory. McGraw-Hill Education.