The Hunger Games: A Reflection of Human Society
The Hunger Games series certainly answers the questions posed with resounding impact. In November 2013, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was released in theaters and I was shocked that it totally took me by surprise. In addition to the wonderful performance of Jennifer Lawrence and her co-actors of hers and her great cinematic effects, there was a certain element of the story that very much engaged my thoughts, my heart and every fiber of my body. Of course, the essence of the revolution and the hunger for profound change really emotionally captivated me because that is historically rooted in my nation and I think the release of the film was at the perfect time. But I think the film tells something of greater meaning and immediacy.
The cultural significance of The Hunger Games
Looking at the current situation in the world, we see that everything is in chaos. Natural calamities are more frequent and much, much more devastating than before (eg, Typhoon Haiyan, or locally known as Typhoon Yolanda, which hit the Philippines more than a month ago). Many world economies are in serious trouble due to the domino effect of the economic recession in America which consequently affected numerous countries in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world. Not to mention the various political riots and upheavals that have occurred in the Middle East, Russia, and Africa, and of course the territorial hostilities and maritime tensions occurring in East and Southeast Asia.
You may want to ask what is the connection of these current events to the “fictional world of Panem”. But like I said, every time you watch a movie or read a book, you should always ask yourself what it says about us as individuals and as a whole because any form of literature is a representation of an individual culture, a society, or even a commentary on the past, present and future of the world seen from the perspective of the author. Literature is directly connected to the society in which we live. That is the reason why we have to pay close attention to the different elements of the stories that we see or read because you may not know it, but it is already saying something very important about you.
The Hunger Games emphasizes the disparity between social classes and the subjugation of the proletariat by the elite or, in other words, the 13 districts of Panem are being controlled by the Capitol, specifically President Snow. We see that people are enslaved under a ‘Big Brother’ society, just as described in Orwell’s 1984, where every thought, word and action is closely monitored through advanced technology, which is another illustration of social disparity. Speaking of advanced technology, I noticed one scene in particular that completely blew me away and that was the injection of the tracking device under the skin of the tributes. I’m not going to explain more, but I just wanted to point it out.
Perhaps the most disturbing element of The Hunger Games series is The Hunger Games, which uses the concept of human sacrifice and torture so that society can continue to prosper. Although the morbidity of tradition is physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually mortifying, it is the most significant aspect of that society. Playing on human psychology and the natural instinct for survival, The Hunger Games in its gladiatorial guise is fueled by fear, frustration, oppression, and ultimately rebellion. The way I see it, The Hunger Games is a war of flesh and blood and no one really wins, they just dwindle in numbers.
Is this the future of the world? With all the things going on, do you think there might be a chance that we live in the world of Panem for real?
Other elements of the film
Now on a much lighter note about the movie. I really admired how Jennifer Lawrence played her character. She was definitely a bombshell on the big screen and a captivating personality. She brought attitude and the right amount of humanity to Katniss, which I thought was just amazing. For an actress her age, I can say that she is way above her age and would definitely be someone to watch. All the other actors did very well too; Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harrelson, in my opinion, gave enough depth to build drama and add emotional impact to the film.
I loved Katniss’s costume change which, to me, signifies, or rather foreshadows, the change she will undergo in the later part of the film. Although I haven’t read the series yet, I felt the execution of the plot twists was excellent and the way they presented the start of the uprising and the characters’ general disgust with the Capitol was amazing.
I also loved the other literary symbols and allusions in the story, like the merging of the blue jay and the mockingbird to form the mockingjay. My personal interpretation of this is that Katniss, being the mockingjay, represents ‘hope’ in the form of the blue jay and ‘innocence’ or ‘justice’ in the form of the mockingbird. The mockingjay, then, is the perfect banner for revolution. Perhaps another bird that Suzanne Collins incorporated into The Hunger Games is the lark, which can represent warmth, light, and life, but that depends on each person’s interpretation of the characters in the story.
Overall, I really loved the movie and was hoping that the last phase of the trilogy could exceed my expectations, but I recommend everyone to watch The Hunger Games series.
