饥饿游戏

The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins is one of the latest bestsellers in young adult literature. Unlike its blockbuster predecessors, such as J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series (1997 - 2007) and Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series (2005 - 2008), Collins' trilogy is not rooted in the paranormal – no magic, no vampires – but instead resides firmly in the science fiction dystopian impulse. Katniss is an ordinary person; however, she has bravery and resilience, which fosters her will to resist and to question known truths about her society. She is, in essence, the classic dystopian young adult hero; she is the ray of hope in an otherwise bleak, dark world. As in texts by Huxley and Orwell, the distinct lack of, or restriction from, interaction with nature in the dystopia is central in the awakening of Katniss to the realization that she is living in a dystopian society. Recalling its literary dystopian predecessors, The Hunger Games presents an interesting blend of 1984 and Brave New World. The districts live in an Orwellian dystopia while the Capitol exists in a world that strongly resembles that of Brave New World—many Capitol citizens don't seem to notice that they are living in a controlled society or recognize the cruelties their government commits in order to maintain this lifestyle. Most district citizens, on the other hand, are too preoccupied with daily survival and too frightened of the Capitol to act against it. One element that ties these two worlds together, however, is Panem's institution of the Hunger Games. All of Panem revolves around the annual Hunger Games. The Capitol prepares for it all year, and, ironically, by supplying the Capitol with resources and tributes, so do the districts. While it is touted as the reconciliation for the revolution of 74 years before, it has really become an institution that keeps the Capitol in power. In addition, it is Panem's primary consumer product. It is televised and distributed throughout the country: a sport to the Capitol and mandatory viewing for the districts.

Along with climate change, genetic modification, oversaturation of media and Hollywood aesthetics, increasing global reliance on consumerism, and technological development, dystopias are including a new element of increasing relevance: a concern for not only the natural, but how the natural interacts and blends with the technological, the political; and the human. While The Hunger Games series of books and films has received criticism for what some consider unnecessary violence—children killing children is as unsavory to us as cannibalism is to the Capitol—I would argue that the graphic content is not needlessly gratuitous but instead a reflection of our own world. Collins is often quoted as saying that she was motivated to write the novels after watching footage of the invasion of Iraq amidst reality T.V. (Margolis). Juxtaposing the ruthless realities of the war on Iraq, regardless of political affiliation, brings to the fore the frivolity of the manipulated "reality" of the T.V. competitions for money and fame. Collins is criticizing a culture that prefers "reality T.V." and does not question its verity. Indeed, rather than criticizing the novels for gratuitous violence, a more critical gaze should be cast on the blockbuster movie, true to the violence of the texts, and its box office profits. The film, directed by Gary Ross (2010), is faithful to the horrors of the text, depicting child tributes in bloody battle for survival, and that is what the audience has paid to see. Indeed, it is ironic that the first film alone earned over 152.5 million dollars in its opening weekend ("Biggest Opening Weekend"). The film’s dialogue even reflects this irony: GALE: What if they did? Just one year. What if everyone just stopped watching?

KATNISS: They won't, Gale.

GALE: What if they did? What if we did.