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Violence and Entertainment in The Hunger Games
Analysing the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' popular young adult novel, MYKE BARTLETT finds that despite (or because of) the controversy surrounding the story of brutality and sensationalism, The Hunger Games can be a valuable catalyst for classroom discussion.
Gary Ross" The Hunger Games 12012], adapted from the first of a bestselling trilogy of books by American writer Suzanne Collins, seems to tick all the necessary boxes for its demographic. There's a love triangle, a dystopian setting, a female protagonist and the threat of bloody violence. Like others before it - most prominently the Twilight and Harry Potter series - this new film franchise is based on an already popular series of novels. And like its precursors, The Hunger Games has attracted censure and controversy - not least, as we'll see, from its own fans.
The story centres on Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a teenager (iving in one of the twelve districts of Panem - the post-apocalyptic ruins of North America. As revenge for a past, failed revolution, each district is annually required to send two 'tributes' to Panem's Capitol, where they will take part in the brutal Hunger Games. In total, twenty-four children will fight to the death on live television, with only one victor emerging alive. When Katniss' younger sister Primrose (Willow Shields) is selected, Katniss volunteers to take her place, knowing she stands a better chance of survival.
Collins was reportedly inspired to write the book after channelhopping between reality TV talent contests and footage from the Iraq War. Its core concept of children murdering one another for the entertainment of a viewing public has rattled moral guardians the world over. What such criticism either ignores or dismisses, though, is the film's strong social commentary. As with its source text, the film tackles issues of propaganda, conformity to social norms and, perhaps most relevant for young viewers, the blurred line between fact and entertainment.
Talent vs celebrity
At its core, The Hunger Games extrapolates on the timeworn notion that an entertained populace is a docile populace. This is fused with the current trend for on-screen talent competitions, such as Australian Idol, in which a nation's youth battle to win the favour of a...