The Hunger Games: The Fear and Performance of Survival
Words by Max Nevarez
Edited by Nina Alegre
Warning: MINIMAL SPOILERS AHEAD
Directed by Gary Ross and based on the first book in a series by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games takes us into a technologically advanced, but grounded, dystopian future in which the United States was divided into 12 districts and a war led to an annual event in which two kids from each district participate in a death game. This is publicized as the symbolic price of war, and is our protagonist, Katniss Everdeen’s, main conflict. The story emphasizes the cost of needing to perform to survive, and surviving when the system you’re brought up in does not want you to.
Some differences from the book are added, such as time-saving plot changes, and scenes removed from Katniss’ perspective, which is all we have access to in the book. The series itself encourages standing for what is right against a power that feels all-encompassing, and this first entry kicks off that journey with a girl transitioning from a survivor to an activist.
The games served three purposes: to keep people scared of government retribution, distract them by passing it off as entertainment, and instill distrust in their neighbors, since only one winner was allowed, which all sounds uncomfortably familiar. Personally, it feels like a looming sense of dread, and I know I’m not alone in that fear.
The last several months have been scary, to say the least. It seems, regardless of one’s circumstances, there is a real danger of being abducted. Furthermore, there’s an increase in fear of abduction stemming from current media, like an advertised warning suggesting immigrants leave. Many communities are currently having their rights stripped, here being no exception. When I decided to write this, I was concerned about how hyperbolic I might sound. However, soon after I proposed this, an actual reality show competing for citizenship was publicly pitched.
“The lone victor, bathed in riches, would serve as a reminder of our generosity and our forgiveness.”
President Snow via a recorded propaganda film.
The main characters of The Hunger Games, Peeta and Katniss, exemplify different types of survival. Katniss is self-sufficient and capable, knowing she can usually fix a problem herself, she prefers not to give people that insight, so as not to make herself a target. She has survived and been able to provide by breaking rules and knowing how to hide it. Peeta, on the other hand, has survived most of his life by staying quiet and following the rules, and knows he’s not capable of survival. He tries to save his own life with performative assimilation, understanding the social intricacies of the Game.
Without spoilers, this culminates in the message that, regardless of how, survival is not enough. Katniss starts as just a person who’s doing the best with what she has, but becomes a symbol showing that things can change. Everyone is surviving the best they can, but that all shifts by the end. These two survival tactics, as well as those demonstrated by the adults, such as Haymitch and Effie, are evident in the people around us.
“They train in a special academy until they’re 18, then they volunteer. By that time, they’re pretty deadly.”
“But they don’t receive ANY special treatment…”
Haymitch and Effie Trinket describing the Career kids.
The main shortcomings of this movie are the special effects and some clunky dialogue. However, there are a few instances when these elements distract from the incredible acting, sound design, and visual design that went into the Hunger Games world.
If you have time, energy, money, or anything to spare, please consider supporting the South Texas Equality Project (STEP) and South Texans for Reproductive Justice (STRJ). These are the organizations full of Katniss, and if you can’t be a Katniss, be a Haymitch. Whether engaging in an active fight or rebelling in any way possible, choosing to adhere to your ethics is what can create change.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Nopales
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