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21st-Century American Literature Videos 15 videos
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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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