With many different pieces of work one could find a connection can be found between the works. If the connection is good enough, then one could easily see a conversation of sorts taking place between the two-different works. Two pieces of work that have a detailed and surprising conversation and with one another are Suzanne Collins “The Hunger Games” series, and “The Black Male Handbook” by Kevin Powell. Imagine the two of these authors of stunning work sitting at a table discussing the aspects of helping African Americans’ lives! The two would work to get African Americans to make positive strides within themselves and their communities to overcome the hardships that they face. 

The main question being asked to one another being, “How can we figure out a way for African Americans to help themselves?” If Kevin Powell were to speak first he would say something along the lines of “My goal is to help African Americans by providing them a basis for overcoming their common issues in society.” While Suzanne Collins would ask “What are the issues that you see, and why do you attack these issues?” How would Kevin use the handbook to respond to such a question?

He would start by talking about how multiple studies have showed the impact that stigmas could have on the minds of those hit by them. (Gaspard 1) Showing how the negative effects of these stigmas often lead to African Americans making poor decisions such as smoking weed, skipping important events, or committing crimes. By overcoming these stereotypes there should essentially be a decline in the number negative effects seen that are caused by the stereotypes. Next, Kevin using the handbook would tell about how someone properly presenting themselves helps gets them what they want or need. By showing up to an interview looking sharp one is already making a better first impression than someone who does not. Also, it would obviously be easier to attract females in a state of good hygiene, with nice cologne on top of that. After showing the issues that many of the African American males’ experience Powell would say “and here is how I plan to fix these issues.” Next Powell would use his work as a basis to be used for fixing these issues by telling about being clean and dressing for the occasion, finding spiritual bases, and other tips like the ones listed on overcoming what holds them back. 

After nodding in agreement with the Kevin Powell, Suzanne Collins would then begin to tell her vision of how to help the African American community. Starting off by saying “Well have you seen the movies or the books that I have created? It is about how a government single handedly destroys communities, doesn’t take credit for it or accept justice and then in result the community revolts.” Hearing this would cause Powell to inquire about how this series and African American’s lives can possibly be related. Which in turn would cause Suzanne to bring up Sonia Saraiya’s work to explain the connection that they share. The essay that Sonia Saraiya has a “look into real life and tell me what you see” kind of vibe to it. Pointing out the murders that have been taking place by the people who are supposed to be protecting the communities and lack of punishment they receive for abusing their powers. Then drawing comparisons to how the government is going about trying to “fix” the issue by doing absolutely nothing in both the actual series and the real world. So, the next thing to be brought up would be how strikingly similar the police in real life seem like the force from the games in the Ferguson riot photos. Citing the amount of smoke, destruction, police artillery, and even a direct hunger games quote in “We burn, you burn with us.” This was clearly put by someone in the community who had a deep enough connection with the movie to feel that they were in a similar situation. In one of these photos it shows one African American standing alone with their hands up against a platoon of police officers heavily armored and aiming their guns at the individual. You can see how the community seems helpless in its ability to stand up to the government in the photo, and think of how the community in the hunger games is equally helpless. The community in the hunger games is living in poverty (which unfortunately many people in the US are also facing) and is having the rules violently enforced upon them. The violence however, does differ as in the series they are flogged, arrested, and shot, while in real life they are tear gassed, wrongfully arrested, and shot as well.  It is near impossible to not see the similarities between the two. Especially when you look at the incidents where the government infiltrates district 12 and imposes their power upon them with force. Another unfortunate thing that the hunger games and real life share is that many the causalities are the younger ones of the generation. As often times when an African American male is killed by a police officer they still have a grand majority of their lives to live still. 

Then after explain African American’s real life problems and relating them to The Hunger Games, Suzanne would tell how she feels that her series helps the community. By seeing the way that the districts overthrew the government of Panem, the people in the united states can essentially do the same. This can be done by taking action! A good example of the ideas being presented can be seen in the civil rights activists Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr. They believed that taking action would get them where they wanted to be as a race. These actions could come in many forms such as marches, strikes, and petitions. The hope is that The Hunger Games will inspire the people to take a stand and act against the government to get what they feel that they deserve. As “The Hunger Games” movie so clearly shows how doing nothing as a people leads to no change. Simply being upset is not the answer. The hope of the essay is that today’s generation would not only use social media but actually get off of their couch and do something to stop what is going on around them. 

After the two of these authors explained themselves to each other they would wind up finding that they are both alike and different. With each side realizing how the other also works to helping the African American community to better themselves. Meanwhile, also noting that they both attack different issues and for different reasons. The hope being that neither finds themselves more important than the other, but rather that they come to see that they are equally important. As with taking action against the government, the wrong kind of action could lead to destruction, whereas constructive retaliation in the proper manner (think about how Powell’s stance of etiquette works along here) would make the entire ordeal a smoother transition. Meanwhile, simply complying to how others want you to be won’t be the way to accomplishing your goals. It will help to get you heard, but you will still have to take action, make changes, things along that nature. 

The tying of the two of these works together works for the best affect. The reasoning behind that is their individual ideas. It is almost like making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with the ideas. The contrast, but compatibility work together in harmony to form something completely new to either side alone.
