Comments | eldritchhobbit: The Hunger Games and the Science Fiction Tradition

eldritchhobbit

The Hunger Games and the Science Fiction Tradition

Jul 09, 2012 13:51

StarShipSofa has invited me back to do another live lecture event in the HoloDeck Workshop Series. I'm really looking forward to it!

The Hunger Games and the Science Fiction TraditionHow does the story of Katniss Everdeen - the District 12 tribute, the Girl on Fire, the Mockingjay -- fit into the genre tradition? Join award-winning scholar Amy H. ( Read more... )

hunger games, sf, appearances

Comments 10

cookiefleck July 9 2012, 23:27:36 UTC

Go you! (cute photo!)

eldritchhobbit July 15 2012, 00:08:57 UTC

Aw, thank you so much! :D

wellinghall July 10 2012, 06:46:33 UTC

Have you seen this?

http://d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/4723162_460s.jpg

eldritchhobbit July 15 2012, 00:09:19 UTC

No, I hadn't? Ha! Brilliant! Thank you for this. :)

belleferret July 10 2012, 11:32:05 UTC

Cool!!

Did I read that the village was up for sale?? You should buy it! ;-)

eldritchhobbit July 15 2012, 00:10:00 UTC

Thanks!

It is indeed. If only I could find that $1.4 million I tucked aside for a rainy day... LOL. Wouldn't it be fun?

whswhs July 10 2012, 14:06:01 UTC

I've not read the book (though chorale has), but in seeing the film, I was repeatedly struck by how strongly it evoked Roman themes in its imagery. In particular, there seemed to be a lot about the ancient Roman idea of sacrifice-especially the idea that for a proper sacrifice the victim had to "consent," which was carefully engineered by trying to avoid doing anything that would frighten an animal as it was led to the altar. Of course Katniss is exceptionally, possibly uniquely "consenting" in that she was a volunteer, not a selectee, and her motives for volunteering were "pure"-she did it to save her sister, not to win fame for herself.

The "sacrifice" theme isn't all that strange a fit to the rest of the story; apparently Roman gladiatorial contests started out as religious rites of self-offering, which is why gladiators weren't in full armor. Though no doubt many gladiators' "consent" was as engineered as the consent in the Hunger Games.

eldritchhobbit July 19 2012, 14:32:43 UTC

Oh, this is wonderfully thought-provoking! The image of "trying to avoid doing anything that would frighten an animal as it was led to the altar" is particularly haunting.

This fits very well my understanding of Collins's inspirations; her use of the chariots and such emphasizes your comparison to gladiatorial sports. (As does the name Panem, from "panem et circenses.")

I know she also drew quite consciously on the Greek myth of King Minos demanding the tribute of children to feed the Minotaur. No doubt the tributes' "consent" was engineered to a degree, as well.

Thanks so much for this fruitful line of thought!

ext_76586 July 11 2012, 05:27:17 UTC

Oh neat! Sound interesting.

Why are you so cute.

eldritchhobbit July 19 2012, 14:38:05 UTC

Oh, thanks so much! I'm really tickled you think so.

Aw, thanks! I think it's far less cuteness than having my sweetheart serve as photographer. He's good luck for "photo shoots"! And he's resigned to the fact he has to keep taking more pictures until I'm satisfied with at least one. LOL.