The Hunger Games Phenomenon

          As I sat in the movie theaters not just once, but twice to see the new Hunger Games Film, Catching Fire, I realized the extent to which the media consumerism in The Hunger Games series has grown. It is incredible how reading and enjoying The Hunger Games films contradict the warnings that Collins is trying to give her readers.
          Two years ago when the first book in The Hunger Games series came out, I remember hearing everyone at school talk about the novels and come together in excitement for the release of the first Hunger Games film. I was a curious and avid reader who, when any book phenomenon comes around, always find myself reading such books and taking on the excitement of the series myself. Naturally, I read the entire Hunger Games series in about two weeks and was eager to see how filmmakers would translate the novel into a movie.
          Two years later and much wiser, I came to the realization of what Suzanne Collins’ series really meant and why her series was extremely popular among all age groups. As I researched The Hunger Games series, I found out that Suzanne Collins’ novels made social critiques and warnings on consumerism and specifically extreme media consumerism. This extreme media consumerism surged from Panem’s main form of entertainment—the annual hunger games. Panem and its twelve districts were forced to watch the annual hunger games in which children were forced to become killers in order to survive. However, one part of Panem watched the hunger games for pleasure and entertainment, and the raw, violent media that the hunger games portrayed captivated them. These Capitol people loved seeing how each hunger games played out and who remained as the victor. Collins warns readers about the dangers of extreme media consumerism because modern American societies already are fascinated by violent televised competitions that put people to fight either physically or emotionally.
          Last week I found myself going to and watching the premier of Catching Fire. As I watched in excitement how the director portrayed the second novel of The Hunger Games series, I realized I was one of the target audiences that Collins’ warning goes out to. Indeed I understand the importance of how extreme media consumerism can desensitize people and cause them to be less affected by violent images. And yet, I find myself going to the premier of a rather violent film that condemns extreme media consumerism, and I can’t seem to contain my excitement and eagerness to see how the games are played out.
          So how exactly can one listen to the warnings Collins gives in the series when one can’t even contain their excitement to see every step of The Hunger Games series? Is it possible that it is already too late to change the lifestyles of teenagers and coming generations due to the fact that the media plays such a huge role in the lives of younger generations? Stay tuned to find out more!