Final answer:
Reaping in The Hunger Games is the annual event where children are selected to compete, chosen by the Capital to showcase their control. The use of the term is ironic as reaping usually refers to harvesting and positive outcomes, while in the novel it signifies the loss of lives and freedom.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reaping is a term used in the fictional dystopian novel, The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. In the book, the reaping refers to the annual event where children from the districts are selected to compete in the deadly Hunger Games. The Capital calls it reaping as a way to illustrate their control and dominance over the districts, emphasizing their power to take away the lives of the selected children.
This use of the term is ironic because 'reaping' typically refers to the harvesting or gathering of crops, which imply a bountiful and positive outcome. In The Hunger Games, however, the reaping signifies the opposite - the taking away of lives and the loss of freedom.
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