Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Commentary / Reaction Paper

By: Andrew Kevin B. Mayor (09-53399)

I believe that the Hunger Games franchise’s genre, the movie Catching Fire included, is science fiction. I considered it as a science fiction because it met my criteria or rather its congruent to my definition of what it is. In order for something to be classified as a science fiction it should have the following:

1. High level of technology or technology that is not feasible during the current era
2. Spaceships / Cool-looking, flying  ships
3. Unique, unusual creatures
4. And, advanced weaponry

In the movie’s case, it satisfied three out of my four criteria, thus qualifying immediately.

                So is it a commentary of the past, present, or future of human society? I believe it falls on the first one. The scenes or rather plot of the story involves a revolution against their conquerors which is highly similar to what occurred in the past around 19^th century, wherein people from the conquered nations / countries started revolting against their colonizers. So in a sense, the movie has certain historical concepts embedded within with a twist. And that twist is that it has been made into a science fiction, and that the setting has been changed. It was fast forwarded and took place in a futuristic place.

                Aside from the revolution, here are some of the other similarities of the movie with the past:

1. Presence of a superpower that is more advanced and “civilised”
2.  Conquered nations / areas
3. Ability to demand what they want from their colonies and rule

The capital in the movie is akin to the cities of the colonizing countries (US, GBR, Japan, Germany, etc.). It carried a higher degree of technology and is more “advanced” compared to its surroundings. In a sense, they have conquered or another term for it would be pacified their surroundings (i.e. 13 districts). Thus they have earned the right to control it, demand whatever they need from it (i.e. manpower, resources, and entertainment).

The 13 Districts on the other hand is the reverse of what I mentioned earlier. They on the other hand represent the conquered areas. Wild, “uncivilised”, low levels of technology, mistreated, their very own culture taken away from them and overwritten by their colonizers, etc. Like our ancestors and other colonized countries, they have no choice but to abide unless they wish to suffer the consequences. But then again, this mistreatment only just fueled their desire to break free as what happened in both our history and in the movie.

STS played a big part for the capital as it paved the way for their success. However it isn’t the case for the 13 districts. The technology and other advancements was not properly or maybe even weren’t handed or shared to them which is evident by the backwoods feel in the districts which magnifies as the distance from the capital increases. Therefore, showing how STS failed for if it succeeded, then there might be no revolution or what-not and both parties were able to advance.