Come Hell or Low Spirits

The themes of Hunger by Michael Grant are overcoming obstacles, regretting tough decisions, and the weight of responsibility and leadership.

 

“Titanium” by David Guetta ft Sia

This song is about not letting others push you around or get you down and staying strong. It is about always getting back up after you fall down. “Titanium” fits the theme of overcoming obstacles. This relates to the book because the main character, Sam Temple, keeps on facing problems and has to solve them. Sometimes he is hit hard to, either physically or emotionally, but he has to keep going and get back up.

“You shoot me down, but I won’t fall

I am titanium”

“Survivor” by Destiny’s Child

“Survivor” is also about staying strong and not letting others push you down. It is about working hard and not giving up. This song also fits under the theme of overcoming obstacles. This song fits the book because the situation is very dire and there is death in the air, they all have to learn to be strong and survive, especially Sam, who is put in danger day after day.

“I’m a survivor

I’m not gon give up

I’m not gon stop

I’m a survivor

I’m gon make it

I will survive

Keep on surviving”

“Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson

“Stronger is, again, about not letting others hurt you. It is about falling down and then coming back stronger and better than before and never backing down. This is the theme of overcoming obstacles. This song fits the book because Sam has to learn that every time he falls, he has to get up stronger to be able to accomplish his goals and save his friends.

“You didn’t think that I’d come back

I’d come swinging

You try to break me, but you see

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”

Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne

“Keep Holding On” is about always staying hopeful, no matter how hard times are, and, again, never giving up. This is also overcoming obstacles. This applies to the book because Same ends up very stressed out from his leadership role that as forced upon him and (spoiler alert) eventually he hits a point where his breaks down. But he needs to “keep holding on” and stay hopeful that there is still light.

“Keep holding on

‘Cause you know we’ll make it through, we’ll make it through.

Just stay strong

‘Cause you know I’m here for you, I’m here for you”

“Lie” by David Cook

“Lie” is about getting through tough times and always staying positive and hopeful. It fits under the overcoming obstacles theme. This relates to the book because a lot of the time, it seemed that there was no hope but they had to keep reminding each other and possibly lying to each other, saying that it was going to be alright.

“So lie to me and tell me that it’s gonna be alright”

“You’re hiding regret in your smile”

“What I’ve Done” by LINKIN PARK

“What I’ve Done” is about regretting the things that you have done and the decisions you have made and trying to forget all of that and forgive yourself for it. This fits the theme of regretting tough decisions. This fits the book because Sam was the leader and he had to make dozens of very important decisions, some that could result in life or death and it stressed him out and put a lot of pressure on him. Sometimes he would make a wrong decision and it would end up with something bad happening, like a death, which would really weigh him down.

“So let mercy come

And wash away

What I’ve done

I’ll face myself

To cross out what I’ve become

Erase myself

And let go of what I’ve done

Put to rest

What you thought of me

While I clean this slate

With the hands of uncertainty”

“Breathe Me” by Sia

“Breathe Me” is about making mistakes again and again and regretting all the things you have done. It is also about losing yourself to stress and pressure and blaming yourself. This song represents the theme of the book well because Sam made many mistakes again and again and was always blaming himself to the point that he had lost himself and broke.

“Help, I have done it again

I have been here many times before”

“And the worst part is there’s no one else to blame”

“Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found,

Yeah, I think that I might break”

“Numb” by LINKIN PARK

“Numb” is about stress and pressure and about having to live up to someone else’s expectations. It fits the theme of the weight of responsibility of a leader. The role of major was forced upon Sam, and eventually, the stress was too much and he was tired of being leader and being responsible for everything. He was tired of being who everyone wanted him to be.

“I’m tired of being what you want me to be”

“Don’t know what you’re expecting of me”

“Become so tired, so much more aware

I’m becoming this, all I want to do

is be more like me, and less like you”

“Sick Cycle Carousel” by Lifehouse

This song is also about living up to someone else’s standards and having to be somebody who you don’t want  to be or who you thought you would never be. It is also about doing something, expecting one things, and getting something else and wanting to step down, wondering when it will end. This fits the theme of the weight of responsibility and leadership. This relates to Hunger because in this book, Sam is kind of forced into being the leader but it has taken a lot from him and he learns that that isn’t what he wants. All he wants is to step down and be who he was before.

“I tried to climb you steps”

“So when will this end it goes on and on

over and over and over again

keep spinning around I know that it won’t stop

Till I step down from this for good

I never thought I’d end up here

Never thought I’d be standing where I am

I guess I kinda thought it would be easier than this

I guess I was wrong now one more time”