Powell Branch Library Book Discussion discussion
"The Hunger Games" Discussion
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Kimberly Ann
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May 28, 2010 10:40AM
I'm about to leave for vacation too but I wanted to post how much I loved this book! For a Young adult novel , I though it sure had a lot of ideas worth thinking about. Would you say it's a bit of a satire? I mean in our society now, we routinely pay to go see violent films, watch shows on television that are violent, and even many sports have an element of violence to them. What a great book!
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I think if they ever turn "Survivor" into a fight to the death we'd have the Hunger Games. It seems as a society we are determined to live out our lives under the "survival of the fittest" rule, and truly unable to not be fascinated as a nation by the demise of one of its citizens. We immortalize starlets and rock stars because we feel the wasted potential as if we really knew them in our daily lives. Is it such a distant leap to placing the winner in their own little village and dragging them back out into society every year to worship them anew? Think Graceland...
I had a hard time at first getting into the book, but once I finally said I needed to finish, I absolutely LOVED the book. Can't wait to see what they do with the movie
I still think of this book quite often. I really enjoyed the others, also but not as much. I got tired of Kat's constant teenage angst. I was so captivated by the overall theme of these books, though. The author did such an excellent job of putting out a message in a readable, enjoyable novel.
I loved this book...I wanted to believe that it would never really happen. I wanted to believe that people would just not kill each other even if it was expected if put in this setting, but I am not sure that we wouldn't. I like the "Survivor" analogy. People will lie, cheat and steal to get ahead...just for cash. If their lives were on the line, just think what they would do! Actually, I can see a mockery of all reality tv in this book. We all love to watch as people get pushed to their limits physically, mentally and emotionally...and we either idolize them or criticize them for their actions. We love to see the fights, romance and treachery involved in the shows...makes for good tv. What is this book really saying about us and what we (as a society) value...the person or the drama?
I think Paula is dead on. I think the the mockery extends to any media though, not just reality TV. There are so many violent and explicit shows, movies and books out there and people must be watching or reading or they wouldn't keep producing them.
Great insight, Paula! For me it wasn't only how the mockery extended to the media, but also to the government. There are so many parallels in the Hunger Games related to both our popular culture and government, I'll be really interested to see how they approach that in a film. One of my favorite things about these books was seeing how the kids (can we call them that?) stood up for their ideals and how they understood the "wrong" behind the games...It was fascinating to watch how they understood, but at the same time didn't see what affect their actions had on others.
The Hunger Games made me think a little about the short story "The Lottery" written by Shirley Jackson. Shirley got a bad reaction to her short story. Shirley Jackson responded in the San Francisco Chronicle (July 22, 1948):
"Explaining just what I had hoped the story to say is very difficult. I suppose, I hoped, by setting a particularly brutal ancient rite in the present and in my own village to shock the story's readers with a graphic dramatization of the pointless violence and general inhumanity in their own lives."
Now I am intrigued to read that short story! Thanks for the connection!
Thanks Spiderhyde for an interesting connection to a classic short story!
How many of you have seen the movie? I read all three books before I went to the theater. Do you think Hollywood did a good job retelling the book?Do you think the making ordinary people into stars with all the glamour and beautification before they are sent into the games is a view into our society today?
Saw the movie. It was done very well. There is definitely a wider socio-economic gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots". The Hunger Games series is a mirror held up to a society that worships entertainment value above all else. Political figures, movie stars, and athletes all make much more money if they are pretty/handsome. Endorsements fuel the success meter.
So basically it is the American society today?
I don't think it's our society exactly but a satirical view of how we worship looks, revel in violence and basically offer our children up to be hurt or killed in a variety of ways. I really thought the movie did an excellent job of portraying the book's violence without being too violent if that makes any sense. I haven't seen any major shifts in society since it came out though so I guess it's business as usual...
I think it is a total reflection of our society... -reality television
-definition of "beauty"
-wealth/money (big companies) vs. poor (the individual)
-violence is becoming more acceptable (or we are going "numb" to the violence because of the media and video games)
-people not thinking for themselves, rather being told what to think or persuaded to think a certain way... especially by "them" and or the government or other people around them
I hope this book can be an example and help people realize things about where the a society can be lead.
People have followed many leaders into war based on their beliefs, for both good and bad reasons.
I think major shifts in society start out as shocking or unheard of or very controversial. If you look at the past, civil rights movements where happening (1964) and interracial marriage was the controversial issue (1967). I look back today and wonder what the big deal was, but I was not part of that generation and do not understand it completely. Today, It is about "gay" rights and marriage. (I am not trying to start a debate about gay marriage, just using it as an example.) Will the next generation look back and wonder what the big deal was?
Maggie wrote: "Saw the movie. It was done very well. There is definitely a wider socio-economic gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots". The Hunger Games series is a mirror held up to a society that worshi...""Edorsments fuel the success.."! Exactly! I heard on the radio this morning that Kristen Stewart is currently the highest paid actress in hollywood after the Twilight movies, can you beleive that?! I love that the Hunger Games holds this mirror up to us!
Brandi wrote: "I think it is a total reflection of our society... -reality television
-definition of "beauty"
-wealth/money (big companies) vs. poor (the individual)
-violence is becoming more acceptable (or we..."
Reflections/mirrors what great ways to describe The Hunger Games Maggie & Brandi! The social commentary is what I love about these books (it was the stand-out feature completely for me)....it's not blatant to me, but I love that too. I find it so hopeful that Suzanne Collins explores the fact that the youth of a culture are more aware of the deterioration of their society than the adults (in some cases anyway)...what a great message for our youth---they can affect change for good! They can stand up for themselves against bullies, and government, etc.
In terms of the movie, I found that the social commentary aspects were somewhat lost on those who hadn't read the books first. At least for some people I know. I liked the movie, so can't decide whether it really did to a good job, or whether I'm just filling in the blanks myself...?
Kimberly, I agree that the movie did a good job of handling the violence...it makes sense to me :)
okay this isn't about the book but the movie and not a literary comment per se but maybe so- Hamish was not at all what I had pictured and someone else said the same thing. Do any of you have this problem often? Did you have that problem with Hamish? (and I can't remember if that's how you spell his name...)
Haymitch (or Hamish) was one of my favorite characters in the book. I pictured him similar to Woody Harrelson. I think he did a great job portraying Haymitch in the movie. There was just something about him that made me smile or chuckle to myself. He seemed to be the only "real" character to me when I was reading the book. He was who he was and made no excuses for it. After all, he was victor of the games...Another on-line discussion question, "When Peeta declares his love for Katniss in the interview, does he really mean it or did Haymitch create the “star-crossed lovers” story? What does Haymitch mean when he says, “It’s all a big show. It’s all how you’re perceived.” Why do they need to impress sponsors and what are those sponsors looking for when they are watching the Games?"
