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21st-Century American Literature Videos 14 videos
We volunteer you as tribute to watch this video analysis of Katniss in the second book of the Hunger Games series. After the berry suicide attempt...
“Happy Hunger Games!” Or not. Katniss’s Hunger Games experiences left a not-so-happy effect on her. This video will prompt you to ponder if...
If you're anything like us, one cutthroat fight to the death just wasn't enough. Thanks to Suzanne Collins, here's round two!
The Hunger Games 12870 Views
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Description:
We get it: Jennifer Lawrence is awesome. We think so, too. That being said, we wouldn't actually want to see her killing other kids in a bloodthirsty sociopolitical spectacle, so what makes things different in Panem?
Transcript
- 00:05
The Hunger Games, a la Shmoop. Some people walk a thin line between fantasy
- 00:12
and reality. For some, that line is thinner than others.
- 00:16
Isn't that right, Mr. Sheen? But then there are those who lie somewhere
- 00:21
in the middle... ...viewers of reality television.
- 00:37
In The Hunger Games, reality TV is taken to a whole new level.
Full Transcript
- 00:42
Though it may seem to us like our society could never sink to such depths...
- 00:49
...we wonder... could it? We don't exactly have the most refined standards for entertainment
- 00:57
in this country. And when it comes to reality TV... come on--
- 01:12
you know you've watched the stuff. Maybe not hardcore reality programming, like
- 01:17
Mob Wives or Bridalplasty... But the simple truth is that there is some
- 01:24
sick part of us that likes to see someone suffer a complete breakdown.
- 01:28
Because hey, at least it isn't us! Of course, the flip side of that coin is that
- 01:37
we also have a chance to see someone succeed against nearly impossible odds.
- 01:42
We are also big fans of elimination-style competition. Look at any sport's playoff structure...
- 01:52
...or how the winners of a talent show are determined...
- 01:54
...or even how our presidential elections are decided.
- 02:01
It's riveting stuff... ...and it seems that an elimination-style
- 02:07
competition with life-or-death stakes might be right up our alley.
- 02:12
But could we really get over the idea of kids killing kids?
- 02:16
Even the spoiled ones, who could maybe benefit from a couple days in the arena?
- 02:24
Rome had a similar sport played in their Coliseum. Gladiator fights were the entertainment of
- 02:29
their day. ...but that was like thousands of years ago,
- 02:33
right? Well today, we do love many forms of competition
- 02:36
in the US.
- 02:38
...but it's doubtful we as a people would ever go back to those Roman times. Back when
- 02:41
we were willing to string up a bunch of young 'uns just to get our fix.
- 02:46
Right? What's your take? How brutal will reality
- 02:49
television get in the future? Shmoop amongst yourselves.
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