Most of you agree with me when I say violence is unacceptable. We hate hearing about it on the news, especially when it involves children. A lot of us avoid watching the news because of all the violence and negativity attached. It’s just another reminder that the world is a sick and twisted place.
In our entertainment, however, we love it and we can’t get enough of it. It’s hard to find a movie below a PG rating nowadays, even below PG-13, and most of these movies earn these ratings through language, sexual content, and violence.
Ironically enough, I had to write an essay on this topic in high school and now The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (NOT to be confused with Stephenie Meyer) is forcing me to revisit it and possibly even argue with my fifteen-year-old self.
This novel is set in a futuristic world where North America fell apart and a new country, known as Panem, replaced it with the oppressive Capitol as its…well…capital. The thirteen districts at one point rebelled against the Capitol and failed. As a result, the Capitol destroyed District 13 and punishes the remaining twelve with the Hunger Games, an annual event in which a boy and a girl (ages twelve to eighteen) from each district are forced to fight to the death and everyone is required to watch. It is noted that the Games are highly entertaining for the residents of the Capitol, but, as is understandable, much more traumatizing to the districts whose children are in the arena.
The story revolves around Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers to replace her twelve-year-old sister as District 12’s “tribute.” She certainly thinks the Capitol’s ways are sick and wrong, but once she begins preparation for the Games, she mostly seems to focus on her own survival. To increase her chances, Katniss must win the audience’s favor by playing the love interest of her fellow tribute, Peeta. Because if there’s one thing the audience eats up as much as a good bloodbath, it’s a good love story.
The Hunger Games is a beautifully written story with the exception of several run-on sentences that caused me unnecessary confusion. It sucks you in and then it disturbs you out of your mind—well, almost. Towards the end, it left me demanding the overthrow of this evil, evil Capitol. Only there is no Capitol—or is there?
This disturbing form of government doesn’t exist, at least not yet, and God forbid we ever allow it to. But how much would it take to get there? The problems Collins has presented are nothing new, nor are they all that different from anything in human history. Collins probably just took the twisted, violent human nature to the next level.
Anyone who knows anything about world history knows about public executions and especially the Roman Coliseum, where people watched people die for entertainment. Maybe you’re familiar with the phrase “bread and circuses” in reference to Rome and their “games.” (“Panem” is actually Latin for “bread.”) The phrase refers to the citizens trading their freedom and values for food and entertainment. Popcorn and theaters, anyone?
We watch fake violence. Instead of watching people die, we’re watching people pretend to die. Because visual effects keep getting better and better, there really isn’t a difference anymore, except that our beloved performers are still available to appear at red carpet events after the fact. It’s what sells, so it’s what the movie makers keep giving us. (Along with sappy love stories!)
Alright, the fake violence we watch is morally acceptable compared to the alternative. In fact, I’m glad that if we must see blood, we’ve got a far better option nowadays than literally spilling the blood. Also, as a writer, I understand completely that any good story needs some good conflict, and that usually involves violence. A story just isn’t interesting to read or watch without some amount of it. Violence especially should be written about if you’re Suzanne Collins and you want us to think about the point you’re trying to make.
Unfortunately, the more violence we watch, the more desensitized we become to it. How long will it be before it’s real and we don’t care? Then again, this may already be happening. Only a few years ago, Saddam Hussein’s public execution was broadcasted on the news—and who can forget the death of the child who replicated what he saw? Some might jokingly remark that some dumb genes were removed from the pool, but that doesn't make the situation any less horrific. It doesn’t change the fact that a child died from an idea he got from the television.
Within the last two years, I've watched the news discuss several instances in which kids beat each other up and posted it on the Internet. Disciplinary action was taken each time, but for whatever reason, some other kids thought it was cool and decided to copy the violence or take it to the next level.
Have we already stopped caring?
It seems as though we’re becoming more and more desensitized to violence, especially the younger generations. I’ll admit it’s even happening to me, and I don’t like it. I get very squeamish when it comes to blood, but I’m covering my eyes a little less lately.
Reading The Hunger Games reminded me of when I was forced to watch Gladiator in my high school sophomore history class. I was probably at my most squeamish back then and looked away through most of it, focusing on the emotion behind it more than anything. I took in the pain of these slaves who were forced to fight to the death for everyone else’s entertainment.
This was around the same time I had to write the essay on violence in the media. I concluded that violence could be alright depending on how it is portrayed, remembering my emotional reaction to Gladiator and feeling the movie condemned the violence as entertainment. The writer in me still agrees to an extent. Presentation is key when it comes to morally questionable subjects. How the writer presents such things indicates whether she endorses or condemns them.
However, now I recall most other people in my class relishing every last bit of gore in that movie. Now I wonder—does it really matter how it’s portrayed? Will human bloodlust overlook the true message behind the presentation and cheer for more brutality instead? Does it matter whether Collins wrote her novel to provoke our thoughts about the human condition or just to sell us something? I may never have a good answer to these questions.
Ironically enough, there is a film version of The Hunger Games on its way. Soon, just like the citizens of Panem, we will watch twenty-four teenagers hunt each other to death.
The book itself receives a B from me (the grammatical issues were, sadly, distracting enough to cost it the A). As for our society, I’m still in the middle of grading.
Now it is your turn to ask these questions. It is your turn to decide: Is this acceptable?
The Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins.
And yes, Thena's eye shadow is somewhat of a "tribute" to the Capitol's ridiculous use of makeup + Katniss' fire. :)
And yes, Thena's eye shadow is somewhat of a "tribute" to the Capitol's ridiculous use of makeup + Katniss' fire. :)
