The Hunger Games: Violent Voyeurism

If I asked you what games your children play, what would you say?

You might mention your child’s favorite sport or the latest video game he or she loves to play, but if I asked the same question to the parents of Panem they would mention only one game, The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games, which hit theaters last week, describes a futuristic society in which the government demands acts of violence by children against children for a televised event. Every year twenty-four children ages 12-18 fight to the death in a manufactured, manipulated arena. They can kill by any means available: bow and arrow, spear, venomous wasps, and even their bare hands. Yet, there can be only one winner, so in order to survive they must kill by any means necessary.

When I read Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy, I was highly disturbed by the content. Kids killing other kids in any fashion no matter what the circumstance is horrific and being subjected to such an act is unthinkable.

With such powerful and thoughtful themes, reminiscent of Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery, I wanted the movie to awaken me and the audience out of our complacent stupor. There are children in the world today who go to bed hungry and wake up the next day starving to death. There are children in the world today who are abused and forced into slavery. There are children in the world today who are subjected to violent acts against others and themselves.

**Spoiler**

Do the hungry children of the world know we are aware of their horrors and suffering? If so, what are they saying?  I wonder if they echo Katniss Everdeen’s words in Catching Fire (the second book of The Hunger Games trilogy): “Why haven’t they helped us? Why do they leave us to live like this? With the hunger and the killings and the Games? [Why do they] sit by, watching us die. They’re no better than the Capitol.”