THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
REACTION PAPER
Her hawk-like eyes scanned the
surroundings for any signs of movement or activity of animals. With her bow and
arrows, she looks dangerous and ready to kill the first animal she sees in the
vicinity. It was a cold winter morning, and the forest is eerily silent, with
almost no traces of life. This huntress patiently awaited her prey, always
ready to shoot when it is in her light of sight. Katniss Everdeen, the latest
victor of the 74th Hunger Games of the city of Panem, the ‘girl on
fire’, looks like a formidable being in the sight of those who see her. Things
were supposed to be looking up after the games, and the ‘love story’ that she
and Peetah shared was supposed to bloom into something greater, but what
happened was the opposite. And after a year, they were to face yet another huge
challenge, the 75th Hunger Games. But this time, it is going to be
very different, because the tributes will be the former victors. It turns out
that a special twist called the Quarter Quell, which happens every 25 years,
gathers all the victors from each district and select who will represent their
district. Of course, Katniss and Peeta were the tribute of District 12. Upon
arrival at the capital, they met their opponents, both strong and weak, all
veterans and experts of the games. Pres. Snow prepared such an elaborate arena,
saving no expense for the sake of making it more interesting. And so, the
tribute victors were once again thrown inside the arena, not knowing the fate
that belies in their future. Equipped with the most advanced technology in
order to make it more exciting, the game master signalled for the games to
begin. And that is the start of Katniss’ and Peeta’s another adventure.
Yes,
the movie was a science fiction that projects a futuristic society with
impressive technology, and somehow developed a weird sense of fashion and style
among the elites in the capital of Panem. But, upon careful observation, one
will notice that the whole of Panem is under military rule, and is somewhat
similar to the Roman Empire. Despite the many technological advancements and
lavish lifestyle in the capital, the living conditions of the citizens in all
twelve districts seemed to be far from the glitter and glamour in the big city.
In fact, I have noticed that it is very similar to the Romans in terms of
culture and government. It incorporates traditions such as the hunger games
similar to the fights held in coliseums in Rome; like the fights between
gladiators that the Roman love so much back in the olden days. The people in
each district portrayed a life full of hardships and misery. It all seemed too
familiar to me. It’s like Adolf Hitler all over again, but instead of a German
lunatic ruling over Panem, it’s Pres. Snow, another power hungry leader and a
great control freak. They are just a few levels higher from a primitive
lifestyle.
If you think about it, what is happening to Panem is
beginning to happen to us now and will be fulfilled in the near future of the
current state of this nation continues to be as it is now. The number of
starving individuals in every region continues to grow day by day, while the
wealth of the upper class continues to expand further. Already, the citizens
are beginning to hold uprisings against the corrupt system, demanding change
from the government and further actions to immediate problems.
As the story progresses, we could see that science,
technology, and the society failed to succeed in the world of the thirteen
districts in terms of suppressing their need for change and desire to start a
revolution to overthrow the current system. There are certain things that
science and technology can never overpower, such as the need for freedom and security
in all aspects of life. Even the society cannot stop the uprising because this
was already expected, given the fact that the citizens from these districts
have been living in constant fear and wanted a change badly. Science,
technology and society failed to extinguish the beacon of hope that they saw in
Katniss Everdeen, something that we in the real world should also copy. We
shouldn’t let anything and anybody overcome us with fear and uncertainties,
especially when fighting for the rights that we should be having as citizens.
Something that all of us deserves as human beings.
Kay Noreene P. Dula
2013-68905
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