What are some important themes in The Hunger Games?

One of the themes I see in "The Hunger Games" is Power.
Who has the power? Well, the main source of power in The Hunger
Games is clear: the totalitarian government of the Capitol. Because the
Capitol holds most of the country of Panem’s wealth, the government there is able to
control the people in all of the districts across Panem. The Hunger Games, then, are the
ultimate display of the government’s power and were designed to warn the populace
against rebellion. In the Hunger Games, the citizens of Panem become nothing more than
pawns in an elaborate game of life or death. Since only one teenage contestant, or
"tribute," can win, the tributes are forced to kill teens from the other districts and
one from their own district. It's all symbolic of how the Capitol prevents the people in
the districts from joining forces and rebelling – the Games keep the people of the
districts divided and fighting among themselves. Worst of all, the government broadcasts
the event live on television, reinforcing the idea that the
tributes are giving their lives for little more than the entertainment of the
Capitol.

Let’s not forget, though, that this book is also
about ways to resist the kind of power that the Capitol represents. While the people of
Panem might not have the Capitol’s money, they do have other ways of fighting back.
Remember when District 12 gives Katniss their salute? Or when Katniss covers Rue’s dead
body in flowers? These symbolic gestures call attention to the fact that there are
actual people in the Hunger Games – real live humans, not just game pieces. In that
sense, these small moments of defiance can be very powerful.