A Hunger for Oppression – Some thoughts on The Hunger Games


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

Last night, such as many of you did this week, I went to see The Hunger Games at the movie theatres. I had read the book by Suzanne Collins,  and was pleasantly surprised to see the movie quite closely resembled the book. My aunt had commented after see the movie that she was:

Having a love/hate relationship with “The Hunger Games”. Just loving the depth and interest of the story, but hating the kids dying. I guess that’s the sign of a great book; literature that arouses strong emotions in the reader. Doesn’t help being a parent of kids in that age group either.

And I would tend to think her reaction to The Hunger Games is a common one whether you are a parent or not – what kind of country sends teenagers, still children really, to die as tribute for their ancestors rebellion? In the Hunger Games a corrupt society in Panem, and its capitel city ‘the Capitol,’ has control over 12 districts. Each of these districts has some type of industry that the Capitol needs in order to maintain a lavish lifestyle for their citizens. Every year one male and one female from each district are chosen at the ‘reaping’ to compete against each other to the death in an arena controlled by the Capitol, its president (President Snow), and the ‘gamemakers.’ There are several themes that are predominate in The Hunger Games including the theme of a love triangle, a lavish and fake society, and most importantly the theme of rebellion and subsequent oppression. These themes stir up emotion and create strong feelings in the readers and viewers of The Hunger Games.

The love triangle (between Peeta, Katniss, and Gale in The Hunger Games ) is one of the most common plot lines, found in many movies and books; yet every time the love triangle theme is introduced people seem to become entranced by it, such is the case in The Hunger Games. While Katniss has grown up with with Gale and knows there is love of some kind between them, she must also consider Peeta as a potential partner when he announces his love for her at the interview before the Hunger Game’s competition. She also realizes that in order for her and Peeta to survive in the games she must act las if she loves Peeta even if she does not. I tend to think that Katniss herself, is not sure whether she does or does not love Peeta. The reality of her situation, fighting for her and Peeta’s life in the game, is influenced by the fact that she discovers, Peeta has always loved her, since he wasy a small boy. Still, a part of Katniss is always thinking about Gale her best friend, the guy who takes care of her family so they will not starve, and the guy she is more than friends with. I have not finished all three books yet so I do not know who Katniss eventually chooses – Peeta or Gale, but I think Katniss does find there are two important differences between the boys. While Peeta only wants for Katniss and him to survive the hunger games and not become a part of the Capitol’s decadent, wasteful, and violent lifestyle, Gale (we later learn) has no qualms about fighting back against the capitol’s evil. The same violent and oppressive way the Capitol treats District Twelve and other districts, Gale would act that same way against the capitol; an ‘eye’ for and ‘eye,’ so to speak, even at the cost of other Panemian’s lives. (Though I do agree more with Peeta’s way of seeing the situation, Gale is in my view “hotter” than Peeta so I hope Gale learns some morals before it becomes too late for him, and he loses Katniss).

Another important theme found in The Hunger Games is the theme the of the lavish lifestyle and narrow-minded views taken by the people who live in the Capitol. The people in the Capitol are characterized by Collins as having, colorful costume like clothing, artfully done makeup, and surgically altered bodies, to demonstrate their fakeness. They are empty shells without morals only wanting to be entertained. As long as they can live their expensive lives supplied by goods and services from Panem’s districts, they choose not to acknowledge the violence and inhumanity of sending twenty-four teenagers out to fight to a bloody and horrific death out in the hunger games. The Capitol’s citizens give up their right to govern justly or democratically by overindulging and letting President Snow do as he likes. In fact, the people of the Capital have a hunger for violence and drama at the expense of human lives. They do not understand that Katniss, and Rue, and even Cato, are people just like they are -still human beings. Just because the district citizens toil for resources for the Capitol they are still no different, and should not be treated any differently than the Capitol’s people. Although, I did enjoy the interesting costumes and grooming habits of the people in the Capitol, it made me angry that they would turn a blind eye to the injustice going on around them, particularly, at the hunger games.

Additionally, a life of luxury blinds the citizens of the Capitol to the evil of President Snow, who would stop at nothing to have control over all of Panem, and prevent the districts from standing up for their right to live and do as they please, to have their children survive and not be led to slaughter or overworked in their districts industry. The theme of a lavish lifestyle in the Capitol has a lot to do with the theme of oppression. The playing of the hunger games tapes over and over again for everyone each year, and the promo put together about how Panem was formed, all frighten the districts into following President Snow. Snow also tries to have Katniss killed in the hunger games, since he predicts, she could become a symbol for rebellion early on. Snow’s totalitarian form of governance comes at the cost of people in all the districts, and even in the Capitol. For instance, he has the head gamekeeper forced too kill himself with poisonous berries when both Katniss and Peeta pretend to do the same in the hunger games to survive. Snow also come’s up with the whole idea of the hunger games in the first place, killing teenagers – children – to die so no one will question the firm control he holds over Panem; so no person will try to rebel. Although, Snow thinks he has absolute power, he is wrong; Snow does not count on the voice of some citizens demonstrated by the people who rally around, Katniss and Peeta. So much so, that Katniss becomes the ‘The Mockingjay,” a point of hope and leadership for the districts who eventually try to take back Panem from Snow and his hunger for oppression. As I read the books and the watched the movie The Hunger Games I became more and more disgusted with President Snow. What kind of person could be so corrupt. As my highschool social studies told me, ‘Absolute power, corrupts absolutely.’

So that is my take on The Hunger Games and its major themes – the themes of a love triangle, a lavish society, and a oppressive government. I hope seeing the movie and reading the books helps everyone to consider why we must make sure that we to do not become blind to what is happening in our own government and the effects that oppression can have on people everywhere. Everyone here in Canada and United States at least, have the right to choose are governments and have the responsibility to stay involved in how our country is run. The Hunger Games may only be fiction, but it encourages us to not focus on the pursuits of power or luxury, but to put our faith in and to help, and spend time with ‘people,’ who always matter. We have the moral obligation to care about each other, to not discriminate, and to take off our ‘blinders’ so we know what is going on around us, and have the courage to stop a practice when it is wrong.

In the Quietest Place


Today I wanted to share with you something that is near and dear to me – my belief in God. Now I realize that this is a controversial topic, that many of you will not share my beliefs, might even be opposed to them, but I also believe that is important for me to share these beliefs with you as a freedom of religious expression and something I am called to do. You see, for me God is my strength.

In my last blog, I talked about the possibility of becoming weighed down by the the details in life so much that you can forget the big picture. Sometimes these little details that we can find ourselves bogged down by are the problems of life – by health problems, problems getting along with other people, problems at work, and any other problem you can imagine. In fact, problems, bad things, surround us, can make us feel helpless and opressed. For this reason, God is my strength. I know nothing else that can support me in times of trouble like God can. I would go as far to say that in bad times this is an advantage I have – a solid rock, who will never let me down because he is utterally perfect and all loving. I know many of you find other supports in life friends, family, inner strength, etc. and I think God works through those supports too but when things are at their lowest things that are not perfect themselves fail. Their is only one being in all of Heaven and Earth who will not let you down and that is God. So I hope you can appreciate my belief and perhaps find comfort, that you too can have that support by simply believing in Him.

So where do you find God ? Where can you find healing and strength? Often I think we look for God in big demonstrations in our lives in events we think will change us in large dramatic ways, such as Elijah in the Bible in 1 Kings 19:11-13. God tells Elijah to go out and stand on the mountain and:

 ” [t]hen a great and powerful wind t[a]res the moutains apart and shatter[s] the rocks . . . but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake [and then] …. came fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper . . . [and] [w]hen Elijan heard it [he] went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.”

 For Elijah, God was not in the huge displays of nature such as earthquake and fire but in a gentle whisper, in the quietest place. This is where I find God too, when I can be alone and think. And although God is for certain present in the big events we look for him in, often he is in the most unexpected places, moments in time where we can simply close our eyes and think and if we wish, pray. So I hope this is helpful for some of you, not all my blogs will have this devotional focus but I am hoping that what I find hopeful in times of trouble maybe helpful for some you.

Seeing the Big Picture


I am studying at school to become an interior designer – or at least take a shot at doing a job in that industry. This semester I am taking a course called Products and Finishes. I have noticed that while each topic I study seems relatively finite to begin with, the more you study a topic the more complicated it becomes. Such is the nature of school and classes – starting out broad with the big picture ie. interior Design (the beginner class) and narrowing down into various aspects of that area (Lighting, Color Theory etc). All of these aspects are of the utmost importance and it is hard not to become bogged down by detail. As my instructor always tells us, “Paying attention to detail, is what will set you apart from other designers – your competition;” and although I think that this is very good advice – I also think that it is easy as a designer and in life, to become caught up in the little details; to lose sight of the big picture.

The big picture I am learning about in university is the design concept, my plan to create the perfect room(s) for a potential client according to what they want and what they need, blended with my skills and vision. But If lose sight of that design concept for a room admist all the cotton, granite, and change orders, my potentially beautiful space could become a mess, a hideous wreck without design- a stale or overly vivid space that someone will not enjoy being in.The same thing happens to me in life, if I become weighted down by all the plans that are not going my way, of all my problems that I cannot solve, of all the people I wish I had talked to or had not talked to – I forget to look at the initial plan, or the concept of me as a whole.

Perhaps, my ideas are becoming a little to abstract for some of you but all I am saying is that it is vital to figure out the person you are in the big picture of life, what is important for you, why you are here, and what you are here in life to do. I have found that in many areas of life (and in school) it is prudent to keep your mind open, to learn, and to know, never forgetting that there is a whole world out there, full of people and ideas. So be careful to know when you are limited, from actually seeing; know when the details are preventing you from seeing – a grand design.

Writing, Dull or Brilliant?


So, writing! It’s something that feels quite foreign to me right now. Unusual since I was an English major but 5 years ago. Here I am back at it and the only thing I am having trouble with is a topic. But I think that might form as I go along, so bear with me; after all, the creative process of writing is vital.

What makes the writer write? What influences his or her final written work? It could be anything and everything, any influence – thought, idea, experience. I think for me it has always been an expression of whatever I am feeling on the inside. If I am writing a paper on bamboo, and feeling bland and sort of bored about the topic, well of course, that blandness is going to come through in my writing. But if I write about something I love, I believe you can see that excitement – that brightness – in my writing.

If I am being practical, however, I know that I cannot always base my writing on my feelings. Fact or evidence must support my writing topic. But fact and evidence is still affected by my feelings. On my bamboo paper I tried to write as unbiasedly as possible on the many facets of bamboo flooring but I could not for the life of me put any feeling into that paper; it was just a gathering of facts.

What makes a piece of writing stand out from the crowd – show its brilliance – is that feeling.Stepping away from topic in order that your biases do not affect it is important; but more important is demonstrating your personality through writing. That is what I hope to do on this blog and I hope that in the next few months I will be able to give you that, the usual in my own unique light.