Brian Burt's Blog: Work in Progress - Posts Tagged "hunger-games"

My family and I just happened to stream The Hunger Games: Catching Fire on Netflix this weekend. It's an excellent movie. Jennifer Lawrence is extraordinary (her facial expressions alone convey more emotional impact that most actors can in an entire scene). The rest of the cast are brilliant as well, transporting the audience into a dark, dystopian vision of the future. But - okay, I admit it - I'm biased. To me, the films are never as engrossing as the books that inspire them. The Hunger Games series is no exception.

I'm sure some of my SF comrades will dismiss these novels as "escapist young adult fiction." Fair enough. Maybe I'm just immature (my wife will vouch for that in a heartbeat ;-). But I'd list two recent "young adult" fiction series among my all-time favorites, and The Hunger Games ranks beside Harry Potter in that category for me. Both are simply tremendous examples of the storyteller's art. Both feature protagonists, antagonists, and supporting casts of characters who grab the reader's imagination and refuse to let go. And I'll make a confession: The Hunger Games is the first trilogy I can remember that hooked me so profoundly that I re-read it, start to finish, as soon as I digested the last line of the last book.

Katniss Everdeen is a remarkable heroine, more so because of the all-too-human blind spots she possesses that make her even more endearing. Katniss is brutally honest about her own shortcomings; she recognizes herself as a survivor, someone who does whatever it takes to persevere in the face of every cruelty the Capitol metes out. She is wholly blind to the fact that she will (and does) sacrifice everything to safeguard the people she loves... and, despite her prickly personality, that love extends much wider than she is willing to admit. She is the perfect reluctant hero, leading by example rather than by eloquent oratory or personal charisma. She cares. In the end, the oppressed people around her sense that, to their core, even when she is incapable of expressing it directly. And - despite her reservations, her sense that she is unworthy - she cannot help becoming the torch that lights the fires of rebellion against the Capitol.

Katniss is forced into the roles of freedom fighter and gladiator as a teenager, so we can understand when the turmoil of her world's politics is mirrored by the turmoil in her personal life. She has strong feelings for two young men, Gale and Peeta, and is unable to choose between them. On some level, she seems to doubt that she deserves the love of either. Until the end, she remains maddeningly ignorant of the power she holds over her would-be suitors as well as over the poor, desperate residents of the districts that have suffered for three-quarters of a century under the boot of the Capitol's repressive regime. Like it or not, she has become their symbol of hope for a better life. No young person should have to bear such a burden. But, time and again, when it matters most, Katniss sacrifices her own welfare for the benefit of others and reveals a strength of character that demonstrates how one person can change everything.

These novels feature many other memorable characters. Peeta is the natural leader of the tale, a selfless young man whose fundamental goodness shines through to Capitol audiences and district crowds alike. President Snow is a captivating villain: cold, calculating, ruthless, but subtle in his evil machinations. Haymitch, Gale, Finnick, Cinna, and Prim all leave a strong impression in the reader's mind. But it is ultimately Katniss who makes this trilogy so unforgettable. The "girl on fire" burns herself into the reader's memory in a way that leaves a lasting impression.

So, by all means, enjoy the movies as this film series reaches its conclusion. Marvel at the acting skills of this excellent cast, the cinematic magic of the CGI, the orchestration of the director. But don't shortchange yourself. Read the novels written by Suzanne Collins so that you can soak up every nuance of the story that inspired the films. The screen may glow brightly, but the pages burst into flame. And some books were meant to burn!

#SFWApro