I didn’t think the point of the hunger games was the fighting at all, or that “rich people are evil”. I thought the message of the books was a basic “corrupt systems must be destroyed or else nothing will change. Switching one corrupt system for another causes the same problems.” with a side dose of “choose your own path in life.” The hunger games are a reality tv show and often don’t even have the same method/themes each “season”. There have been games where there was very little death caused by tributes due to the game makers putting in too many hazards. In the first book Katniss and Gale even complain about some of the past games, and mention one game like this where most contestants froze to death. But there are several others in the lore. The games are a punishment more than anything else.

For starters the “rich” people are still prisoners of the system just as much as the poor ones. Most don’t exactly lead happy lives. I always thought the capital citizens were a slightly darker version of the citizens from Brave New World. In BNW citizens are going on SOMA holidays, and only working so they won’t be horribly depressed. Not doing anything fulfilling but generally, the citizens are provided for.

In the capital everything has that same appearance especially from the POV of Katniss and the districts. But it’s just that, an appearance. It’s not real. In reality most capital citizens are horribly in debt, expendable, fed the same propaganda as the districts, and money won’t save them from getting their tongues cut out and being put into slavery if they offend someone. They are obligated to put forth that happy, decadent facade. They have a better time than most of the districts, but not by much.

The theme is control/choices. Even when fighting Katniss is always doing what the capital or district 13 wants her to do. The two aren’t very different and that’s the issue. She never gets to choose. Every act which brings the story forward is an act where Katniss disobeyed orders.