Response to WTF: What The Feminism? (also Wonky Twilight Fans)

          I have a confession to make. I indeed am a Twilight fan as well. It is especially hard to admit this to a handful of avid readers too because I know most of you will sigh in disbelief and wonder why any person would be a Twilight fan. Indeed they are not the most complex or thought-provoking series, but there is something about the novels that simply drew me in and I had to read them all. Regardless of why I decided to read the Twilight series, the fact that I am a Twilight fan still remains.

          So the question remains—why are people so embarrassed to admit that they are Twilight fans? Marissa addresses this issue and comes up with a valid reason why people are so embarrassed to admit their love for the Twilight fandom.
             People, especially women, tend to be embarrassed to admit that they are Twilight fans because thousands of critics and avid readers claim that the series gives women the wrong impression on how relationships should be. Yet again, people are worried about a problem that has been ongoing since the nineteenth century; people are worried that women who read certain kinds of novels will get the wrong ideas about relationships and men. 

          The discussions about whether women should read certain types of novels has been going on since the nineteenth century when people were concerned about if women should read gothic novels or not. Personally, I find it demeaning that people think women do not have the capabilities to understand the relationships in the Twilight series and even more so that they feel like women should always be the dominant people in relationships. Yes, I am all for feminine equality and having women choose whatever they want and to be in a relationship with whoever they want to be. However, I do not think it is right for people to tell women that the relationship that Bella and Edward are in is wrong.

          Sure, Edward is somewhat controlling and does come off as creepy in the beginning of the series. However, Bella chose to be with Edward and the entire time Edward gave her the options to do whatever she wanted. Edward always wanted what would make Bella happy, even if it meant having to say goodbye to her. Some aspects of their relationship are not ideal of course, but no relationship is perfect. 

          It is possible that the novels may give young girls the wrong impression of what relationships should be like and that every guy should be absolutely perfect. At the same time, most romantic comedies or simply teen movies portray a perfect relationship that has the amazingly handsome guy and the random girl who just so happens to get attention from the attractive guy. The concept of relationships like that of Bella and Edward in Twilight is not anything new and people should not be so harsh on Twilight fans because it seems unlikely that teenage fans will react to the series in a way that will cause harm to any future relationships they may be in.

Why should we listen to Suzanne Collins?

Last week I watched Catching Fire once on the night of its premier and a second time to bring my family with me and make them understand why I am so fascinated with the series as a whole. I wanted my family to know how exciting it is to watch Katniss’ life be played out and how exciting it is to watch the games be played out.

While watching the movie, I constantly was watching my surroundings and my family especially to see what their reactions were like since none of them had read the series before watching either film. I found it interesting how with every move Collins made to make her audience hate President Snow and the concept of the hunger games, each audience member was on the edge of their seat waiting to see what would come next in the annual hunger games.

So my question was can Collins’ warnings be clearly heard? Have people actually become desensitized to violent media images and videos of war and children soldiers or do we just consume them and move on? The answer is no.

Yes you might be wondering why I am so quick to give you the answer. I can tell you this from personal experience and from observation. As I watched Catching Fire and I took careful note of what I was observing in the audience, I came to notice several sniffles and cries even before the actual hunger games began. I looked to my left and my sister Tania had been crying when Katniss gave the eulogy to Rue’s family. Even I, who already knew what was about to come in the movie, felt my eyes water and it was hard to contain my tears. Katniss’ outcry for change and how child violence is heartbreaking could be seen in the audiences’ reactions and everyone’s sad remarks when Katniss gave the eulogy. Even later in the movie when the games had begun, you could see people and their heartbroken reactions when characters like Beete passed away to keep Katniss alive.

To some extent people have become desensitized to violent media images. The youth is used to seeing violent movies in which people are killed all the time. Furthermore, teenagers and young adults participate in playing violent video games such as Call of Duty or Halo in which they are trained to become mass killers. However, when it comes to child soldiers and kids killing other kids, there is a generally different and more sympathetic reaction among all audiences. Both kids and adults can’t fathom a world in which children kill other children, and seeing them play out on the big screen is as frightening as it is heartbreaking.

The Hunger Games movies show people and real-life violent media images, but they allow people to care about the characters that died in the series. This concept of making the audience be sympathetic to what is going on in the novels is a form of resensitization and is a part of why Collins’ warnings are relevant today. Collins’ warnings are heard throughout her portrayal of a sympathetic and affected Katniss after going through the annual hunger games. Even other victors portray Collins’ warnings of extreme, violent media consumerism by showing them uniting and fighting against the corrupt government of President Snow. Although Collins’ warnings have made an impact regarding child violence, hopefully people will understand that not only child violence, but any form of violent media consumerism should be decreased in order to re-sensitize the worlds’ audiences. If violent media consumerism makes stories so that the victims seem more real to the public, as Collins does in The Hunger Games, then a form of resensitization could occur. 

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!