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Hunger Games being banned?

Alix

Alix

Member
I just caught a little blurb on TV that there is a movement afoot in some school libraries to ban the Hunger Games as being too violent and sexually explicit.

Whaaat? Sexually explicit? Really? I must have missed that bit darn it. I have just been Googling to find any info and it doesn't appear to be a huge movement or anything, just the usual knee jerk crankiness.

I'm having a bit of giggle that the movie is PG 13, so kids could go see the movie but not read the book!

I have to say, I didn't see it as being any more violent than battle scenes in oh say...the Narnia books. Anyone see something I missed?
 
I haven't read The Hunger Games and from what I can gather it's a bit like Gladiators going into the arena. I don't think I like the idea of teens battling to the death - sounds more like horror than entertainment or have I missed the point entirely?:confused:
 
canuck said:
I haven't read The Hunger Games and from what I can gather it's a bit like Gladiators going into the arena. I don't think I like the idea of teens battling to the death - sounds more like horror than entertainment or have I missed the point entirely?:confused:
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I would say that's exactly the point. Since when is horror not entertainment?

I can understand (not agree with, but understand) that people dislike the violence. What I don't get is that people have complained that it's "Satanic" and "anti-ethnic". Bwuh? Where?
 
beer good said:
I would say that's exactly the point. Since when is horror not entertainment?

I can understand (not agree with, but understand) that people dislike the violence. What I don't get is that people have complained that it's "Satanic" and "anti-ethnic". Bwuh? Where?
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I agree, and believe me, I'd notice "Satanic". Anti-ethnic??? Um, if anything, one point being made is that while the regime wants to divide and conquer, the actions of the MCs point that out to all the districts who are watching their children kill eachother in the name of entertainment. And, they are ALL witnessing on big screen, the manipulations of the Overlords to stack the deck against the heroine who dares to stand up to them. One reviewer(whom I know personally, and has not read or watched The Hunger Games) asked, 'Where is the mc who would rather die that kill?' If she had read the book or watched the movie, she'd know the answer to her question.
 
Bah, it isn’t my style to talk politics or religion on the ‘net, but I have a few ‘Christian’ friends who conveniently call anything they don’t like the ‘work of the Devil’ type thing. It really is insane, if you ask me.

And no, I’m not an atheist. :) I just don’t use religion to fuel hatred or make silly excuses for things that don’t suit my lifestyle. :D

Sorry - last of my religious speak. Didn't mean to offend.
 
Lovecraftian said:
Bah, it isn’t my style to talk politics or religion on the ‘net, but I have a few ‘Christian’ friends who conveniently call anything they don’t like the ‘work of the Devil’ type thing. It really is insane, if you ask me.

And no, I’m not an atheist. :) I just don’t use religion to fuel hatred or make silly excuses for things that don’t suit my lifestyle. :D

Sorry - last of my religious speak. Didn't mean to offend.
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The phrase "some Christians I know," rather than the blanket word "Christians," would seem to be a better and more accurate way to articulate what you have on your mind. Easier to defend as true, and therefore quite possibly less offensive. Just saying.
 
Peder said:
The phrase "some Christians I know," rather than the blanket word "Christians," would seem to be a better and more accurate way to articulate what you have on your mind. Easier to defend as true, and therefore quite possibly less offensive.
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Indeed. Some of us Christians take flak either way.. we're no-good-dirty-rotten-holier-than-thous if we speak against something and dirty-rotten-backsliders if we dare to speak in favor..or worse, point out the dry land in between. I suppose it gives us something to talk about..

I still say we(Christians) had BETTER be reading/viewing/discussing these books and movies...
 
@Alix, I saw the movie (didn't think it was very good) and I would agree that the violence is not any more explicit than the Narnia movies or a lot of the other PG-13 stuff out there. I think like Canuck expressed it is the way that it is packaged as a bunch of kids brought together to kill each other that maybe bothers some people.
But hey, if you don't like it, don't read it or go see the movie. That's my opinion.
 
sparkchaser, THANK YOU! Exactly my point. I don't see anything worse about Hunger Games violence level than in many other books that are "acceptable".

I think that it does a remarkable job of tapping into the teen psyche of "rage against the machine" and reminding teens to stand up for themselves in whatever form that has to take. Yes there is violence, but honestly we should be making an argument against the visual violence on TV and in video games before we hammer on a book. JMHO of course.

I've got my hackles up now. Censorship sucks!
 
Alix said:
sparkchaser, THANK YOU! Exactly my point. I don't see anything worse about Hunger Games violence level than in many other books that are "acceptable".

I think that it does a remarkable job of tapping into the teen psyche of "rage against the machine" and reminding teens to stand up for themselves in whatever form that has to take. Yes there is violence, but honestly we should be making an argument against the visual violence on TV and in video games before we hammer on a book. JMHO of course.

I've got my hackles up now. Censorship sucks!
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It just makes more sense to me to read the books our kids are interested in, and talk about the issues they raise with them. If a book or movie is loaded with bad ideas, that will become evident with exposure and discussion. That's a simple and natural way to share one's values and beliefs. Much more effective that mindlessly slamming something we've not even closely examined ourselves. Read, watch, discuss.
 
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