In The Hunger Games,
Suzanne Collins makes several comparisons between the dystopian society that
Katniss lives in and our world today. Through the novel, Collins offers an in-depth
analysis on the effects of reality TV in the contemporary world. Collins draws
several parallels between the televised Hunger Games and the reality TV that we
see today. Similar to reality TV, the Hunger Games is heavily staged.
By staging the games, the Gamemakers (or in the contemporary
world- producers) hold massive power in determining what the audience sees and feels.
For example, at one point in the games,
the Gamemakers start throwing fireballs at the tributes because, “the audience
in the Capitol will be getting bored, claiming that these games are verging on
dullness” (173). By throwing fireballs at the tributes, the Gamemakers hold the
power to incite excitement among the audience. Similarly, in the contemporary
world, the producers can stage a scene among reality TV stars to draw more
viewership and increase interest.
However, often in the novel, Collins emphasizes that the
tributes also have a lot of power in effecting the audience. For example,
during the games, Katniss tries to heal Peeta so that they can both win the
games. While Katniss takes care of Peeta, she starts pretending to be in love
with him so that they can get more supplies from Haymitch and the sponsors. She
states, “If I want to keep Peeta alive, I’ve got to give the audience something
more to care about. Star-crossed lovers desperate to get home together” (251).
Katniss pretends to be in love with Peeta in order to get more support from the
audience and the sponsors. In this part of the novel, Katniss holds immense
power in what the audience sees or feels.
By analyzing the effects of reality TV in The Hunger Games, Collins incites an
interesting debate on who holds the most power in what the audience sees. In
both reality TV and The Hunger Games,
there are times when the producers/Gamemakers hold the most power. But, there
are other times when the stars/tributes hold the most power. Though the balance
of power is debatable, it is important to realize that both parties hold
massive power in shaping what the audience sees and feels.
It is indisputable that Suzanne Collins is trying to provide commentary on modern reality television throughout The Hunger Games, but I think the role of the audience is the most interesting aspect of this comparison. Before the games even begin, Katniss’s team is only interested in making sure Katniss can grab the attention from the audience in the Capitol. For the opening ceremonies, the District 12 stylists Portia and Cinna decide to put the tributes in flaming outfits because they, “both see it as our job to make the District Twelve tributes unforgettable” (Collins 66). The stylists along with Haymitch and Effie know that when in the arena it is very important to have sponsors who can send medical supplies or food at the drop of the hat. Everything the team does before the games is in order to give the tributes the best hopes possible of securing these sponsors. This sort of staging is very common in Reality TV. In a show like The Bachelor, the producers go through and select contestants that will hold the attention of the viewers and make them come back and watch each week.
ReplyDeleteThe presence of the audience also has a direct impact on the way Katniss behaves in the arena. She is always aware of when the cameras can see her and when she needs to appear stoic. After she burns her calf, she goes to evaluate her wounds. She knows that she, “can’t show weakness at this injury. Not if I want help” (Collins 179). Katniss modifies her behavior in order to be more appealing to the audience. The omnipresence of the people in the capital watching her and evaluating her makes Katniss act like an extreme version of herself. This is similar to how a contestant on American Idol, will dress very innocently in order to gain the support of those that look at her as a child.
I like your point that there is a power struggle between the gamemakers and tributes that parallels the struggle between reality stars and producers, and I think it is important to look at what power the audience has as a result. In our world, the audience plays a huge role in what shows get picked up or who gets to stay on franchise shows (such as the Real Housewives series). If the audience does not like the show, the ratings will fall and the show will be cancelled. Likewise, if a star is hated by viewers, producers may pull that person from the show to retain viewership. The gamemakers do not have to worry about viewership in the districts, as viewing is required, and the citizens of the Capitol are so interested in the games that the ratings are guaranteed. The real power that the viewers of the Hunger Games have is their money. For the people of the Capitol, the games are a huge gambling attraction as Katniss says after escaping the bloodshed at the cornucopia: “One of the heaviest days of betting id the opening, when the initial casualties come in. But that can’t compare to what happens when the field shrinks to a handful of players” (152). The viewers also possess monetary power over the tributes as they can choose to spend copious amounts of money to send gifts that will aid the tributes. At the end of the day, the gamemakers/producers and tributes/stars may control the flow of information, but the audience has a certain power over both.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ally that Suzanne Collins uses The Hunger Games as a comparison to the reality TV millions of people watch. There is a power distance between what the audience sees from the producers versus the “actors”. In the reality shows that are on TV today, I think that the producers have the power. The scenes get filmed and people can do whatever they want in those scenes, but the producers decide what the world sees. The Hunger Game is different. The Gamemakers (producers) have the power to make situations in which the audience will react and become less bored, but I think it is the players (actors) that hold the true power.
ReplyDeleteThe Hunger Games is a live event that is constantly playing on the screens in the districts and the Capitol. “At home, we would be watching full coverage of each and every killing” (156). While the Gamemakers can replay scenes over and over again like the deaths, and can choose who the camera is focused on in the moment, the power shifts when the players use this moment. In the end, when it is only Peeta and Katniss left, the camera has nowhere else to face, it’s just them. When they make the plan to both eat the berries, the Gamemakers cannot stop shooting the scene and say “cut, we don’t like this idea, we need one of you to kill the other.”
I think it is also interesting to note that even though the players are the ones in the games, they have the least idea of what is going on with the only indication of if they are “successful” (other than killing someone else) is looking in the sky at night to see the faces of the others that have been killed off. Katniss states “here in the arena, all we see are the same photographs they showed when they televised our training scores” (156). The actors on the reality shows that are on TV today probably know much of what is happening, when it happens unlike the players in The Hunger Games.
The reality-TV aspects of the Hunger Games go much darker than "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." There is a constant power struggle between the contestants and the Gamemakers. Every contestant is racing to learn the system without getting killed -- there's a steep learning curve. Katniss realizes that she can use her relationship with Peeta to her advantage: "The star-crossed lovers…Peeta must have been playing that angle all along. Why else would the Gamemakers have made this unprecedented change in the rules? For two tributes to have a shot at winning, our “romance” must be so popular with the audience that condemning it would jeopardize the success of the Games. No thanks to me. All I’ve done is managed not to kill Peeta. But whatever he’s done in the arena, he must have the audience convinced it was to keep me alive" (130) Katniss holds the power during her romantic moments with Peeta, as she knows she's influencing the audience and capturing their hearts. This comes to a climax at the end of the games when she and Peeta attempt to eat poisonous berries as a symbol of their devotion to one another. They have become so dedicated in their version of reality that they successfully manipulated the Gamemakers into letting them go. I agree that the balance of power shifts constantly during the book, and that the Gamemakers are not pleased that Katniss and Peeta win in the end.
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