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The Hunger Games
I’m reviving this sad excuse of a tumblr because of the upcoming, highly anticipated release of The Hunger Games, but why? I have no good reason for putting off my work, but for the fact that I am unabashedly excited for this movie.
But again, why? Does the book deserve this much publicity and attention? I mean people go NUTS for this series. Yes it is fast paced and incredibly entertaining, but Collins’ creation is a far cry from being a work of art. It is rushed, and at times, poorly written. This book (much less the whole series) will not find a place in the literature hall of fame. So again, why??
Because Suzanne Collins managed to create a PHENOMENON. We see examples of this from time to time, where something so fresh and new comes along and takes our breath away: Jeremy Lin; The Matrix. But Hunger Games is different. It taps into one of the deepest, animalistic instincts that we know: survival. With the exception of Koushun Takami’s Battle Royale, I cannot think of one story in which the driving motive for the characters is survival. Most stories involve some kind of goal or quest, some acquisition of a historical artifact or the destruction of one. But to subject the characters to the most ultimate of all ultimatums, kill or die, brings on a driving force that is beyond intrigue or fascination.
We all know that books are always better than their film adaptation. But this Hunger Games movie can be great if they do one thing well: capture all of Katniss Everdeen. Sure, there will always be the fanboys/girls (I am not one of them btw); there will always be the dreaded “Team Peeta” vs “Team Gale” duel; the darker theme of state sanctioned teenage violence will draw its critics; and the autocratic, North Korea-like, Capitol, led by the enigmatic President Snow definitely makes up a whole conversation on its own. But in the middle of that is Katniss, struggling to be true to herself while playing for the Panem audience, the importance of which is life or death.
She is constantly aware of the keen balance she must strike in making sure things look right with the audience. “How will they perceive this? Will they approve? The Gamemakers? Must sift through it all…” She is shrewdly calculative and sometimes sadistic. The conflict between reality and perception is a constant theme in her internal monologue and is the main reason for why the pages kept on flipping when most of us read this book.
So which Katniss will we, her real audience, see? Will we be put in Panem’s seat, watching the games unfold as they saw it? Or will we be privy to the depth and heartache that drives Katniss Everdeen’s actions to ultimately defy the Capitol? I hope for the latter (but please don’t do it by using stupid voiceovers).
Ooooooooook enough time wasted. Maybe I’ll write again next year.
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my 2011 winter break… lav itt! :o)
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2011
- Entire Bible plan
- 4.0 first semester of law school
- Help the broski
- Wisdom
- 11:11 on 11/11/11
- Gain some weight
- Woogles :)
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The Great Gatsby: poster created using the entire text of the book.
(via postertext)
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Vous entrez dans la Cordillère… - Patagonia, Argentina
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