The Hunger Games: Books/Movies

Oh my yes. I can't tell you how long I stayed awake last night, running over and over the movie in my head. I'm not sure if it was the violence against children, or if it was the really serious message that was given, but I laid awake last night thinking about it a bunch.

I'm sure some people will ask me if I'm for Peeta or Gale...but truthfully, I can't determine that yet. Gale was only on screen for maybe 5 minutes. Peeta we got to know. I would have liked it better if Gale's character was more fleshed out, even if it detracted from the book some. That's probably my third complaint. ;) But I'm glad to hear your thoughts on the movie vs. the book. I asked one of my classmates (who is a big fan of the books) how close it was, and she said, "It was close enough". Didn't really answer my question, but that's probably relative to the person. :p
 
I thought it was very close to the book. To me it captured the anticipation and eagerness of what was going to happen next. Just like how it was when I read the book. I really loved Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss and all the rest of the cast was brilliant too. It's number one, beat the Twilight movies and they are making the other two books into movies. The Hunger Games is such a better series of books than Twilight. I like that Jennifer Lawrence loves the books too, and that she wanted to do justice to it and the character of Katniss.
 
Anything is better than Twilight, if you get down to the core. Twilight is a terrible romance story where the males the girl gets herself in relationships with are borderline abusive (or stalkerish). I think the thing that ticked me off the most about the books was the way she got all depressed and coma-ish over one high school crush. It was disgusting to me on some level.

However, I won't deny it was an interesting storyline, that much is true and that's the most important part about a book is being able to enjoy the storyline.

The Hunger Games FAR exceeds it, by all standards.
 
Well I saw the movie and I have to say it's one of the finest book to film adaptations to date.

Spoilers ahead highlight if you dare!

Katniss has officially become one of my favorite female heroines right alongside Xena the warrior princess, Buffy the vampire slayer and Neytiri herself to name a few. Hell Katniss could have easily been an a Na'vi with her hunting and tree climbing skills

Am I the only one that cried when little Rue died?:(

Often we take our freedoms for granted I hope this movie reminds people how precious freedom is.

I cannot wait for the sequel and when the evil overlords that rule over those 12 districts in that dystopian future fall and hard.
 
Anything is better than Twilight, if you get down to the core. Twilight is a terrible romance story where the males the girl gets herself in relationships with are borderline abusive (or stalkerish). I think the thing that ticked me off the most about the books was the way she got all depressed and coma-ish over one high school crush. It was disgusting to me on some level.

Personally, the other big turn off for me regarding Twilight is horrible acting and dialogue. If I want to see a badly acted film...I'll see any of the Star Wars prequels (at least they're entertaining).

I've ordered the first book, and it should be here sometime this week. I couldn't afford the other two though, so I'll have to wait on them. :/
 
Well I saw the movie and I have to say it's one of the finest book to film adaptations to date.

Spoilers ahead highlight if you dare!

I'm glad that you think it is too! I loved every second of it and they did such a wonderful job adapting it. Katniss rules! I'm re-reading the series again. I have to say that The Hunger Games triology is becoming my favorite book series.
 
Sooooo what I am getting from all this adulation of the movie is that it's OK for children to kill other children as long as they were forced to, and if you are forced to do it, you will be a hero for doing it, and you'll get the love you desire, make a difference in your world and not be traumatized by the horror of what has happened to you?

I don't buy it. Children who are forced to kill are horribly traumatized, and if they recover at all, it's with loads of therapy. I think making this boy and girl heroes and making it as if they aren't irrevocably changed by what's been done to them ... it's a very bad messsage to give other young people.

Right now there are real child soldiers who are forced to kill, and their lives are ruined. I can't see that they would find this sort of myth about how exciting it is and how heroic you can be sort of hogwash. :(

And I say this knowing, based on what I've read here, that if I saw the movie, I would probably like it. But isn't that exactly what makes propaganda so dangerous?
 
ink, I respect each and every person's right to express their opinion here, regardless of how much I dislike it. But, I'm finding your arguments really tiring. I understand you are making a point, and that's fine. But you keep saying the same thing over and over again: you aren't for THG. I think 5 posts are plenty, and I think we all get it now. I'm not asking you to stop posting here whatsoever...but I personally would like to be able to discuss this movie with people here without feeling judged or feeling the need to defend myself against people who hate the books. If you want to take this onto a more serious discussion, then make a thread for it. I would like to be able to come into this thread and be able to have a fun discussion with fellow members. I don't think I've ever gone into Twilight threads (particularly the one for discussion) saying over and over again how much I hate them. I mention it in passing should the subject come up in a thread. And I imagine fans would hate me pretty quickly if all I did in their discussion thread for Twilight was to harp on how evil I think it is or how much I hate Twilight mania. I'd get very unpopular very quickly.
 
In response to Inky, with book#1 spoilers

Not sure if these qualify as spoilers, but still, better safe than sorry. ;)

The book (I've only read the first one), or movie doesn't justify killing, and its audience knows well that is exactly what makes the system so horrible. The very fact that any system would put children in an arena is sickening.

But as Peeta says, even in such circumstances, he wants to keep something of himself. He wants to show the system that, even though they put him in an arena to kill, he's not going to change to please the powers that be. In the first book she only killed twice, firstly in a fit rage when she saw Rue wounded (fatally) by another competitor, and the second time she kills Cato out of mercy. In the first time it is instinct, and self defense, and honestly, I can't say I wouldn't do the same. Not that it wasn't terrible, but that it was human. And the second time, as tragic as it is, it qualifies as neither evil nor twisted.

I think what's so powerful about this book is that, even though the world they live in is very messed up, the main characters struggle to cling to humanity. For example, even though she knows that only one survivor would be left, Katniss still builds a genuine friendship with Rue.

As for being popular (since you mentioned it in passing), Katniss does indeed cater to the audience of the games, but not because she wants to be popular or because she likes the attention. She does it purely to stay alive.
In a less extreme case, I tend to keep my mouth shut around those who are attempting to shove their political views down my throat, not because I fear being disliked by them, but I'm not one to cause meaningless trouble. I might even nod and smile if I thought that would get me out of the room sooner.
If it were a matter of life and death, I might even be willing to go further than merely nodding and smiling (depending on the situation). Would I be catering to an audience? Yes. Am I trying to be popular? I assure you, no.



Admittedly, the book is pretty dark, and I was initially worried about the morbid concepts behind it. But I thought the author handled it very well, and it is a very human book. Not everyone can read something like this, just as not everyone enjoys action movies, or horror stories. But that does not mean it is not a good book. It is not good for the fact of putting children in an arena of death, it is good because the children strive to be human even in such circumstances. The book does not pardon these circumstances, but condemns them.

As for the trauma that such circumstances cause, I have not read the last two books, so I wouldn't know how well the author handles it. However, in her defense, Katniss is a hunter, and therefore more used to bloodshed. Naturally, humans and animals are on completely different levels, but years of hunting would serve to ... numb her senses. And years of watching the games also. It's a very cynical world they live in, and genuine emotions are a luxury too many cannot afford. But as I've said before, the author does not endorse this world, but condemns it.
Furthermore, emotionally crippling the main character would severely limit the development of the second and third books. ;)



To summarize (and repeat), the books do depict a very dark and very messed up world. But its merit is that the characters remain very human even in such a twisted world, and they still strive to cling to what is right and admirable and beautiful. That's why it's so powerful.

If we cannot admire a book for the fact that it is set in a completely messed up world, I would say that we would be hard pushed to admire any book, since the very world we live in is completely upside down.

And as Mr. Whittaker Chambers said in his autobiography Witness (I love Chambers and I jump on any chance to quote him :p), "Crime, violence, infamy are not tragedy. Tragedy occurs when a human soul awakes and seeks, in suffering and pain, to free itself from crime, violence, infamy, even at the cost of life. The struggle is the tragedy - not defeat or death."

I don't know the ending to the books, as I've only read the first one. But I do know that the books are not about "crime, violence, and infamy," but about the human struggle.



P.S. Forgive such a long rant. I haven't been able to really talk about the movie till now, so pent up thoughts spilled over... :p
 
*applauds* That was an excellent post! Thanks for expressing so well everything that I wanted to say and couldn't figure out how. :p I gave you reputation.

The author's inspiration to write the book was not found in thinking that killing was cool. It was more political forecasting: could this happen in our lifetime? After all, it's not like this sort of thing has never happened before. Look back at history! In Rome, people went to the Colosseum and watched people kill each other for entertainment. We've come so far from that, right? And yet millions of innocent children are killed each year through abortion. (I'm not trying to open up a debate, because I know we're not allowed to discuss it here, but this is the best analogy I can come up with.)

If killing for convenience is okay, then how far are we from killing for entertainment? In so-called reality TV, bad behavior is glorified. How far are we from watching teens kill teens for sport? At the rate that we're giving up our liberties and lowering our moral standards, this could happen in my life time. That's not a pleasant thought!

The book is a sobering, thought-provoking commentary on culture. Yes, some people might go see the movie and think that the violence is cool. However, that was not the author's intent. I understand that you find the themes in the book to be disturbing. They are. But like Lossy said, "the books are not about "crime, violence, and infamy," but about the human struggle."
 
I guess I think it's wrong to make a movie about children killing children (or anyone). We don't discuss abortion here on TDL for the same reason we don't discuss killing puppies or 2-year-olds: killing is wrong. Sorry if it makes people uncomfortable to recognize that this wrong thing is what TGH is about, and if the fact that there's a moral rapped up in a wrong thing is enough to make you enjoy the thrill of the books and film, I'll leave you to it.

And, next time anyone feels like someone isn't allowing you to express your opinion on a thread here, please remember my gracious withdrawal here and let it go. I get it that everyone loves the film and books and my continuing questions is bringing you down, so, I'm out.
 
I hope you're not offended, because I was not at all put off by anything you said. I completely understand your point of view. I struggle with the complex moral and ethical issues of the book, and know where you're coming from.
 
Sooooo what I am getting from all this adulation of the movie is that it's OK for children to kill other children as long as they were forced to, and if you are forced to do it, you will be a hero for doing it, and you'll get the love you desire, make a difference in your world and not be traumatized by the horror of what has happened to you?

I don't buy it. Children who are forced to kill are horribly traumatized, and if they recover at all, it's with loads of therapy. I think making this boy and girl heroes and making it as if they aren't irrevocably changed by what's been done to them ... it's a very bad messsage to give other young people.

Right now there are real child soldiers who are forced to kill, and their lives are ruined. I can't see that they would find this sort of myth about how exciting it is and how heroic you can be sort of hogwash. :(

And I say this knowing, based on what I've read here, that if I saw the movie, I would probably like it. But isn't that exactly what makes propaganda so dangerous?


First of all the novels are about a post apocalyptic tyrannical regime that forces children to slaughter each other a la Roman coliseum gladiators and just like Ancient Rome it uses those games as intimidation and reminder of their power over the vanquished. It does not condone anything of what you say in fact the main characters end up rebelling against this just as Ancient Spartacus did.
 
Inky, I'm not offended by anything you've said so far. Your concerns are valid and important, and they definitely have a place in this thread. I don't understand the need to keep everything positive on a thread dedicated to a particular series. Seeing as you've read the book, I think you have just as much of a right to express your opinions as anyone else here. :)

From this point on, I am issuing a spoiler alert, because I might be talking about stuff from books 2-3.

After reading all the books, the conclusion I'VE come to is that this series is not about whether killing is right or wrong. I think in Suzanne Collins' eyes, murdering another human being is never justified. What the story IS about is life in a society where killing is commonplace... and how this practice is questioned, disputed, and ultimately defeated. Katniss and Peeta achieve their fame not because they are the victors, but because they challenge the system. In Catching Fire and Mockingjay, Katniss becomes the face of the revolution against the Capitol. She is admired because she resists. She attains her status because she, unlike previous tributes, has a respect for human life.

I understand that Katniss DID kill people and that there is no excuse for this. But she is programmed to think it's OK. Her redeeming action is her realization that this killing for entertainment is wrong. I pulled some quotes from the book that support this:

"To the everlasting credit of the people of District 12, not one person claps. Not even the ones holding betting slips, the ones who are usually beyond caring. Possibly because they know me from the Hob, or knew my father, or have encountered Prim, who no one can help loving. So instead of acknowledging applause, I stand there unmoving while they take part in the boldest form of dissent they can manage. Silence. Which says we do not agree. We do not condone. All of this is wrong" (Pages 24-25).

"...I know if I was watching I'd loathe any tribute who didn't immediately ally with their district partner" (Page 247).

"I don't want Cato to kill Thresh at all. I don't want anyone else to die. But this is absolutely not the kind of thing that victors go around saying in the arena. Despite my best efforts, I can feel tears starting to pool in my eyes" (Page 293).

I think books like this use extreme circumstances to convey a message relevant to our own society. We don't have anything like the Hunger Games today, but there are certainly some aspects of our society that resemble those ideals. Again, I don't think this series is trying to communicate a message about murder. It's about taking a stand and having the courage to say no to things that are blatantly unjust.
 
We don't discuss abortion here on TDL for the same reason we don't discuss killing puppies or 2-year-olds: killing is wrong.

Then if discussing it is so wrong, why is a thread like THG even allowed? I mean, to your eyes, we're condoning murder/killing children. In this vein of argument, we're discussing the very thing TDL is apparently against, so maybe the thread should be locked/deleted if that's the case. So if a rule will apply to one, it should apply to all. Just saying.

Lila: are those from the first book? I ordered it from Wal-Mart and I'm hoping I get it before the weekend so I *might* get a chance to read it over the weekend. Too bad the sequels are more expensive than $5!
 
Lila: are those from the first book? I ordered it from Wal-Mart and I'm hoping I get it before the weekend so I *might* get a chance to read it over the weekend. Too bad the sequels are more expensive than $5!

Oh, I'm so excited you're reading it! Yeah, the quotes are from the first book. Hopefully you'll find a way to read the other two if you like the first one - maybe a friend could lend you them? :)
 
Lila, I agree with your post. Well-said! I gave you reputation as well. :)

Then if discussing it is so wrong, why is a thread like THG even allowed? I mean, to your eyes, we're condoning murder/killing children. In this vein of argument, we're discussing the very thing TDL is apparently against, so maybe the thread should be locked/deleted if that's the case. So if a rule will apply to one, it should apply to all. Just saying.

My understanding of the reason we don't discuss abortion is because it is such a divisive issue, not entirely just because it's about killing.

I hope you enjoy the book! :D
 
Oh, I'm so excited you're reading it! Yeah, the quotes are from the first book. Hopefully you'll find a way to read the other two if you like the first one - maybe a friend could lend you them? :)

I'm looking for people willing to part with them for a couple of weeks. :p I'm just afraid that, if I borrow them, I'll neglect my homework (which right now would be a really bad thing!). My sister wants to borrow the first book when I'm done, so if they aren't super long, I plan on finishing it this weekend if I can. ;)
 
I guess I think it's wrong to make a movie about children killing children (or anyone). We don't discuss abortion here on TDL for the same reason we don't discuss killing puppies or 2-year-olds: killing is wrong. Sorry if it makes people uncomfortable to recognize that this wrong thing is what TGH is about, and if the fact that there's a moral rapped up in a wrong thing is enough to make you enjoy the thrill of the books and film, I'll leave you to it.

In which case we might similarly refuse to discuss racism, or slavery, or dictatorships, or child soldiers. In fact, we probably should condemn the movie Amazing Grace because the main character lives in a world where slavery thrives, even if he does fight against it. :rolleyes:

Personally I don't mind you're questions. And I think they are important questions, though I see why fans in a fan thread may not be too happy... which is why... http://narniafans.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2107559#post2107559


(And thanks for the reputation, D. :D)
 
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