Hunger Games | Pam Webb

Archive for the tag “Hunger Games”

22 Jul 2019

Debatables: LoL

Well, the odds were not in my favor this round.

But then, I knew that funny little kid in the round glasses would no doubt trounce the strong, courageous Katniss, at least in favorable voting. Get him in the Cornucopia? No competition.

I knew Mike had the win when he called Harry Potter. No matter.

I suited up and walked out on the field because I believe in Katniss. Oh sure, she got annoying sometimes with her “which guy?” conundrums, yet, she has pluck and she has been an influence in areas of significance beyond book parties and reading interest.

So-Mike, a win hands down. See you next month at your place.

Here’s a little fun to cap off our debate between Harry Potter and Hunger Games.

Posted in Debatables, Reading, Reflections and tagged Harry Potter, Hunger Games, YA

16 Jul 2019

105 Comments

Debatables: July—YA best (series-ly)

This month’s Debatable gets serious about YA. Mike and I are taking on the great debate of which YA series is the most influential YA in terms of overall impact.

Yep, we are throwing down the quodlibet gauntlet and arguing whether the Harry Potter series bests the Hunger Games series. We are going for overall influence, not just books, but movies, social impact, topic genre–everything, everything. We are going big on this one.

As a reminder, here are the ground rules:

Each debater is allowed one brief argument (fewer than 300 words) on a previously agreed upon topic. These brief arguments will then be followed by a briefer rebuttal (fewer than 150 words).

Mike, that increasingly prolific writer of children’s books and always popular blogmeister, is my Debatable partner. He has chosen the Harry Potter series:

I am nominating the Hunger Games trilogy:

Image result for hunger games trilogy

As the month’s host, I defer to Mike to lead out the argument:

Mike’s opener:
Whether you love Harry Potter or are indifferent to Harry Potter, you gotta admit that Harry Potter changed everything we once thought we knew about kid lit. Before that little wizard showed up, young adult and middle grade fiction novels were relegated to the bookstore ghetto, to live and die as a dog-eared paperbacks.

There have been many pre-Harry YA books of great distinction, of course, The Giver, The Outsiders, and about a jillion others that are far superior to anything J.K. Rowling could’ve ever conjured in her Hogwarty mind. But those novels lack a certain magical something that Harry had in spades: Crossover Appeal.

Harry Potter did to literature what Star Wars did to movies, it found an audience with pretty much everyone. And, man, was that audience rabid. Remember the midnight release parties with lines stretching for blocks? Remember how revealing a spoiler was considered a Crime Against Humanity? Publishers sure do, and they have been attempting to recapture that ol’ HP magic, literally and figuratively, ever since.

Once upon a time, the kid lit center of gravity was in picture books. Harry Potter (and its decade-long listing on the New York Times bestseller list) changed that business model. The big money is now is YA and that’s where publisher resources have gone—and will continue to go—for the foreseeable future.

No, I’m not saying that Twilight or Hunger Games or Miss Peregrine wouldn’t have been published if HP didn’t exist. I’m saying that Twilight and Hunger Games are Miss Peregrine enjoy the popularity they have because HP exists. Without that incredibly influential wizard, they would be unfairly slumming with the latter-day Nancy Drews, ignored and overlooked by the masses.

Cricket’s remarks:
Granted, Harry and his school chums initiated a noticeable interest among middle/YA readers; however, Suzanne Collins made a lasting impact with her Hunger Games trilogy that is still evident today, going well beyond readership.

First off, Katniss is a relatable hero. Flawed, no superpowers, yet passionate in her beliefs, placing others before her needs, transfers into the real world. Several articles on how Katniss is inspirational in her purposeful focus are found on the internet. Hunger Games can be found at the core of curriculums revolving around dystopia and totalitarian governments, sharing time with Antigone and I Am Malala. Wizardry may be entertaining, but standing up for one’s beliefs is riveting, inspiring, and powerful in its ability to influence.

Other aspects of influence include the three-fingered salute from Hunger Games, a gesture that’s become a global symbol of resistance. There is also a resurgence in archery evidenced by Nerf’s crossbow. Hunger Games ushered in other dystopian-themed books/films such as Divergent and Maze Runner. Tricks are for kids; bad government is reality, and Hunger Games has influenced others to take on the reality of tyranny. Saving friends from foes with magical spells doesn’t work in the real world. Courageously standing up for convictions makes a difference.

Katniss has firmly established that a female hero doesn’t have to be seductive or come from another planet to get things done. Hunger Games also has gender and age appeal–AARP members raved about the series. Even Time noted Katniss Everdeen as an influential character

Admittedly, Harry Potter filled some kind of needed hole in middle/YA reading needs, yet a boy wizard can’t compare to the lasting influence of a young woman who started out wanting to save her sister and ended up freeing society from injustice.

Mike’s Rebuttal
First things first: Katniss didn’t use a crossbow. Second, the Nerf crossbow was first released in 1995, a full 12 years before the first Hunger Games book came out.

Now to the meat of your argument: Yes, Katniss is a strong, flawed, relatable, femal hero fighting valiantly against a totalitarian government—but she certainly isn’t the defining voice of today’s “Resistance,” as you suggest. (That would be Offred from The Handmaid’s Tale). And influential dystopian-age books for YA existed long before Katniss ever showed up (again, I reference 1993’s The Giver).

Don’t get me wrong, The Hunger Games is a great, exciting read. In fact, I enjoyed THG trilogy more that Harry Potter.

But this Debatables topic is about which book is more influential. In that particular Harry versus Hunger competition, Katniss wouldn’t even make it to the cornucopia.

Cricket’s Rebuttal

Thanks, Mike for acknowledging how Hunger Games is a better read-points for my argument of HG’s influence. I am not interested in reading Harry Potter.

Why?

Magic is so unrealistic in solving problems compared to tenacity and fortitude in righting wrongs (you did notice the photo?). And while there have been a few unique female heroes such as Ripley and Sarah O’Connor, they were adults and Katniss is a teen. A brave young woman willing to sacrifice for family, friends, and the greater good is more admirable than a bespectacled kid wizard with a scar.

So–maybe HP influenced kids to read more than they used to–can Harry make the claim he has influenced politics or human rights concerns? Katniss and the Hunger Games series is an influence that continues to resonate long after HP’s last spell has dithered away.

Alrighty, readers–time to weight in with votes and comments. Which series is more influential in your opinion: Harry Potter or Hunger Games?

Posted in Books, Debatables, humor, Literature, opinion, Reading, Reflections and tagged Harry Potter, Hunger Games, YA series

13 Sep 2018

3 Comments

Debatables: September

It’s time for Debatables. My partner, whose wit and writing has attracted over 12,000 followers, is Mike Allegra. An amazingly talented doodler, Mike also pens children’s books, and has a new series out: Prince Not So Charming.

This month our topic is almost unbearable in scope: which team would survive the Hunger Games?

I’m backing Paddington and Pooh. Mike believes in the Berenstain Bears.

Check out Mike’s blog and our debate logic here. Don’t forget to weigh in your vote and add in your comments. Our debates get pretty lively–an understatement.

So far our debates stand at one round each. I won the first round on who was the better Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder, of course). Mike took the second round with his choice of Love You Forever being the worst picture book ever.

Who will emerge triumphant in this third round?

Katniss fondly supports the P&P team

Cast your own vote of belief in the two indomitably tough bears whose cuteness is on the cutting edge of survival skills–I’m talking Paddington Bear and Winnie-the-Pooh. Send those sponsor parachutes and votes to Mike’s site.

Go P&P!

Posted in bloggers, humor, Literature, Reflections and tagged Berenstain Bears, Debatables, Hunger Games, Mike Allegra, Paddington Bear, Winnie the Pooh

12 Oct 2015

12 Comments

Second Servings on Hunger Games

I am wrapping up my Hunger Games marathon and I am now anticipating November 20th when Mockingjay Part Two will arrive in theaters. I wonder what the shipment code will be under: Bread and Dead–a play on Panem meaning “bread” from Roman Coliseum days, and it’s no spoiler than there is going to be some heavy warfare going on in the Capitol.

I don’t feel as invested in the Divergent or Maze Runner series, which are both pretty good for dystopian reads. Yet, I fell for Katniss (like so many others). It’s partly due to having read the book before it was discovered. Way back when, I came across a tip from one of my book blogs to check out Hunger Games. Going out of town on a loooong car trip, I listed to HG as an audio book. Just me and Katniss on that long stretch of highway. I even sat in my car to finish out the story. This girl from the Seam, with her simple complexities rang something within me, the need to survive, yet have a strong sense of compassion. A tough cookie with a creamy center.

Brian Unkeless: “So, anyone read this book called The Hunger Games?”

Another back in the day, whilst at a writing conference, I popped into a session about film adaptations. I’m always up for film-from-novel magic. This turned out to be extra special. A rep from Lionsgate (at that time, a smallish company) stood by a cardboard cut out announcing their next movie: Hunger Games. When he asked if anyone had read it, I embarrassed myself and waved my hand like he was asking if anyone wanted the keys to a new Camaro. “Great book. I just read it.” Everyone else in the room looked at me oddly, because 1) My reaction was a bit too enthusiastic 2) isn’t that a YA? Who reads YA?

Apparently, Lionsgate had done well enough with their gamble with bringing Lord of the Rings to the screen (basic understatement), that they had a few bucks to invest. Their Magic 8 Ball must be working overtime. After the session about what it takes to bring a book to the screen, I stayed after and further embarrassed myself and told this up and coming producer that it would be smart to get a reading campaign going as a tie in to the book. I think he was either amused and impressed by my passion. It was hard to tell because he wore black sunglasses (he did apologize to us–something about an eye dilation thing–he didn’t purposely want to appear Hollywood cool).

Since then, I’ve been attached to Katniss and her entourage, and have whipped up interest in my family, dragged them off to the theater and tried not to be obnoxious filling them in on plot tidbits. I think part of this is because JLaw IS Katniss. And Josh IS Peeta and Liam IS Gale. In fact, the cast is perfectly cast. It’s so rare to have a film line up so well in transference.

So now, as I reread the series. Back to back. No having to wait for the next book. I overlay JLaw and the entourage into the pages. I am involved. Ridiculous that I am brought down by a YA series, a college-degree toting English teacher, who is a grandma, to boot. BUT–I know I am not the only one. I remember AARP running an article about how older folk were sneaking Hunger Games reads as if the books were clandestine literary contraband.

How about you? Are you revving up for Part Two? Are you rereading the series in anticipation?

Ready for a Teaser?

Katniss preparing to rain down her wrath on Snow’s reign of terror image: comingsoon.net

Posted in Book Boosters, Books, Films and tagged anticipation, Hunger Games, Lionsgate, movie adaptations, reading

27 Feb 2014

6 Comments

YAy for Dystopian

Once upon time when writers wrote about the world going wrong and trying to make a go of it in the aftermath the novels usually found its way on the college reading list. Ruined landscapes, fragmented governments, odd creatures mucking about, abundance of shortages and the like just wasn’t fit for kiddos. Think about the titles: Brave New World, 1984, Time Machine, Fahrenheit 451, A Clockwork Orange. Right. Yes. Some of them do end up on high school lists, but not when they first came out. There is a reason for that.

Lately, the shelves are full of dystopian novels and those shelves are usually in the YA section. There is a reason for that too.

Back in the once upon a time, the world wasn’t that scary, even with the Cold War, we still had a pretty good idea of feeling on top of the world, so we could poke a bit around the edges of the “what ifs.” Then the world did get scary. AIDS, a couple of wars in a few out-of-the-way places, recession, terrorists, weather disasters, recalls–dystopian became popular among YA because the future is not looking so bright anymore. I’m just saying.

In fact, the adults are now reading the YA list (even though some don’t admit it): The Giver, Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Divergent are some names that pop to the surface.

Is Dystopian bad for teens? I don’t think so. I didn’t get ruined from reading Brave New World in college, although 1984 and Clockwork Orange had me thinking hard at times.

What do you think? Is there a difference between YA dystopian fiction and adult dystopian? Or is a bad world after the fact good reading for both adults and teens?

Posted in Books, Literature, Reading, Reflections, reviews, Writing and tagged blogs, Brave New World, Clockwork Orange, Dystopia, Hunger Games, Literature, reading, writing, YA Books

08 Dec 2013

A Balm for Katniss

The Hunger Games (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As much I relish the Hunger Games series being brought to the big screen, there is one aspect of the story that continues to hamper my true enjoyment the progression of the series: the bleak monotony of despair.
Throughout the books, and in the film, all the main characters live in the clutches of fear. Fear of starvation, punishment, pain, and death all permeate the plot and are the motivators for the characters.
Something is needed to relieve the continual roller-coaster of despair and it isn’t going to come sailing down in a little tinkling parachute.
Prim hits on what’s needed at one point in the plot when she answers Katniss’s inquiry of what’s different now (Catching Fire) than before (Hunger Games): “Hope.”
And this is true–without hope there is despair.
Suzanne Collins creates an atmosphere of despair by utilizing Roman rule elements when she created the setting of the Hunger Games. It’s the plebeians versus the patricians complete with coliseum games as an opiate for the masses. One aspect which is not included in the Hunger Games is that many of the coliseum participants were Christians imprisoned by Roman rule. The emperors were threatened by this new religion because a new King threatened their rule: Jesus of Nazareth. He gave the people hope, something Roman rulers could not.

Jesus of Nazareth (miniseries) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

While hope is offered in the latest installment of the Hunger Games trilogy, there is a missing component which is so vital to completing hope’s salve to the wounds of despair: faith.
There is no religion, no deity, no promise of afterlife in the series, which is why despair and oppression permeate the mood of the story.
If possible, I would send Katniss a balm of hope in order to instill the need of faith that there is a better Way. Psalm 27 seems to be one parachute I could send.

Anyone out there have their own balm of hope they might send?

Movie Review: Catching Fire (2013) (natashastander.wordpress.com)
The Hunger Games (raisingarainbow.wordpress.com)

Posted in Christianity, Movies, Reflections, Uncategorized and tagged faith, hope, Hunger Games, Jesus, Katniss Everdeen | Leave a comment

22 Sep 2012

10 Comments

Burn and Turn: Censored and Challenged Books/BB Week #1

What have To Kill A Mockingbird, The Awakening, Huckleberry Finn, and The Hunger Games all have in common? Easy. Besides making the bestsellers list, they have also made the banned books list. And let’s pause this opening for a bit of clarification. Banned Book Week is actually misleading, since books aren’t technically banned anymore–they are challenged, since we all have, at least in the US of A, the ability to procure what we want to read.

Banned Book Week is the annual emphasis that occurs during the last week of September, and serves as a reminder how society, during given points and times in history, get tweaked about what is available to read. However, it is not only in the United States that books have created ire in the powers of say so. Read Tweak happens around the world. For instance:

Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland: Used to be banned in the province of Hunan, China, beginning in 1931 for its portrayal of anthropomorphized animals acting on the same level of complexity as human beings. The censor General Ho Chien believed that attributing human language to animals was an insult to humans. He feared that the book would teach children to regard humans and animals on the same level, which would be “disastrous.”

Then again sometimes banning is not good enough–let’s just burn the bugger and totally purge society’s ability for intellectual discernment. Burned books would include:

Ulysses, by James Joyce–Burned in the U.S. (1918)
The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck—Burned by the East St. Louis, IL Public Library (1939)
The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway–Burned in Nazi bonfires in Germany (1933)
Slaughterhouse Five, by Kurt Vonnegut–Burned in Drake, ND (1973)

Although there haven’t been any recent burnings, Ray Bradbury (rest in peace, Ray, you are missed) foresaw a day when all books would be burned. Not because of poisoned opinion, offended sensibilities, or societal outrage–no, Ray thought books would be burned due to lack of interest. Intellectual thought via the printed page would be overridden by the quest of Jello entertainment(that ubiquitous substance which has form but no true nutrition and is quite similar to most television programming). In the near future Bradbury believed it would be illegal to own or read books so the government created a mockery out the fireman and had him burn books instead of saving that which would burn. The paradox is stunningly brilliant, which is why Bradbury and his insights will be missed.

The book I refer to is, of course, Fahrenheit 451. The delicious and sad irony is that F451 was censored for its language in order for school districts to allow it on reading lists.

This week I will be posting views, trivia, and insights about banning, censoring, and challenging intellectual matter, because it does matter.

Banned Book Week. Read a book and challenge your brain.

Ray Bradbury (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Banned Books (presurfer.blogspot.com)
Banned Books Week: Celebrate your freedom to read (robbinslibrary.wordpress.com)
Banned Book Week Needs You! Looking for Host Blogs to Celebrate With Me! (bookjourney.wordpress.com)
Banned books week 2012 (moosenoose.com)
Banned (wordsmithsix.wordpress.com)

Posted in Books, creativity, education, Reading, reviews, Uncategorized and tagged American Library Association, Banned Book Week, Hunger Games, John Steinbeck, Literature, Ray Bradbury, To Kill A Mockingbird

01 Mar 2012

6 Comments

Hungering for More Dystopia

Read this?

Then you might want to read this:

Especially if you are needing another dystopian novel read.

Once finishing the Hunger Games trilogy I found myself cruising the library stacks looking for something to fill the void. I needed another Katniss. I craved more page-turning plot. I required a book, make that another series, about individuals standing up against the system. My book booster buddy, “E”, suggested I try out Divergent by Veronica Roth. I put in my library request. And waited. Long wait. Apparently others had discovered Roth’s writing filled their void as well.

The basics:
Sometime in the future and we’ve got some serious Dystopian times. Society is now divided up into five factions and upon turning sixteen a person must decide which faction he or she will choose. This will be a life-changing decision: families will be separated and relationships tried, refined and perhaps broken.

Beatrice chooses a faction other than the one she grew up with and she finds herself in a totally alien environment. She struggles with her identify, as well the values she’s grown up with all her life. She also lives with the fact she hides a secret–one that could get her killed if it is revealed.

What I like:
Sure the plot is similar to Hunger Games, and that’s one reason why I like the book. It has a page-turning plot, a strong and likable protagonist, a government gone wrong, and a love interest brewing in the background. The rich vocabulary is worth mentioning, as well as the restraint on gratuitous violence, sex, and swearing–which is one reason Hunger Games was such a winner in my opinion. Divergent is almost 600 pages. I devoured it in two days. Devouring pages is one of my requirements for a good book.

On the subject of dystopia–why am I, like so many other readers, attracted to stories about societies gone wrong? Personally, I am not a person who appreciates chaos, yet I find myself intrigued by books where the world is on the verge of disorder and disruption. Hmm, some reflection. Am I attracted to what I fear? Am I heartened and relieved that when I put down the book I still have a voice, an identity, and a vote? To get even more analytical here is a quick list of dystopian books from way past to recent read:

College (of course)