My grandson did a marathon reading of the first Hunger Games book before the movie came out. He has never done that. He prefers action...martial arts, gymnastics, hip-hop dance, football and acting. He's currently rehearsing a children’s production of Sleeping Beauty. He wanted to be the Prince, but was cast as a goon. He’ll flip across the stage ninja-like in a fight scene.
He loved the movie but said the book was better and is now reading the next one. Without having read a single word, I love the author. He told me there are black people in the book and they are good. You win the Game by being the last one alive. There is a young black man who is strong and tough, but helps people rather than killing them. He doesn't win. My grandson has a crush on the twelve year old girl, Rue, and cried when she died. The actress playing her, looks like she could be his sister.
He and a friend looked up Hunger Games on Youtube and discovered some people were upset that the good people in the movie were black, especially Rue. They must have skipped over author Suzanne Collins' description: “She has dark brown skin and eyes.” Maybe they thought she went tanning.
They shared their thoughts on Twitter, it went viral and found its way to Youtube. The Twitter accounts have now been deleted or set to private, so the good news is, they were not well received.
These are a few of the tweets my grandson read:
“Why does Rue have to be black? Not gonna lie, kinda ruined the movie.”
“Why did the producer make all the good characters black?”
“call me a racist but when I found out Rue was black, her death wasn’t as sad.”
My grandson was hurt and angry. "I hate white people." My daughter told him most white people aren’t like this, and besides his grandmother is white. He thought maybe I wasn’t all white, but my daughter assured him I was.
She reminded him of a story they read that morning at Baha’i School about a man who hated Baha'is because he believed the horrible rumors that had been spread about the religion. The man fell on hard times and his only son became very ill. A Baha’i who lived in the neighborhood brought food for the family, medicine for his child and continued to help until the boy was well and the man found another job. The man apologized for the cruel things he had said and done. My daughter explained it is the same way with some white people. They don’t have black friends and don’t understand. “Instead of hating them, show them who you are.”
My grandson told me about the tweets. "Did you know people hated it because the good guys are black?"
"Yes, but only a few."
"There were over a 100." I told him millions saw the movie and out of millions 100 is not that many. He looked unconvinced so I tried a concrete example. "Over a million people live in Chicago. A hundred is about half of the audience when you do a play."
He nodded. "That's a lot."
And it is. Especially for the boy who wants a part in the next movie.
*********************************************************************
My grandson won 1st Place in Sparring at a Martial Arts Tournament last month. It's a part of his personal training program to become a movie actor.
"Rue" from the Hunger Games played by Amandla Stenberg
Photo Credit:
Grandson: his mother, Bahiyyih El-Shabazz,
Rue: Google Images
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Also sad was a CNN bit last night about young kids and race. (On which, however, the black kids in tests/observations/interviews were more helpful, cooperative and positive than the really snotty [or snottily influenced by parents] white kids...tho there was some hint that it was because they, like, had to be in this world...)
What I've read about HG sounds like something I wouldn't want to read and am surprised such a dystopian book has taken off the way it has. However, if it and the movie portray likeable and helpful etc. black characters, that's a Good Thing!
Please tell him not all white people think like those Twitter people.
It isn't simply that the books were largely "swiped" from the Japanese fascist kid-killing saga Battle Royale, which of course the author denies ever having read. It isn't simply that the fascist dictatorship of Panem is history-free and development-free; no one bothered explaining how our world became that world, it just is. What bothers me is the feeling of hopelessness, that this oppression never ends, and that it is so close to the real hopelessness I see on the streetcorners and parks of America. And that this is seen as the perfect tonic to give children.
I don't believe in censorship. I do believe in seeing what popular culture tells about the people that read it, to give you fair warning. And seeing books like this, and knowing young people and corporations highly approve of this entertainment, gives good cause for stocking up the basement with canned food and plenty of ammo, and never trusting anyone else in the world.
For neutron, in case he reads this again, the article I read said that in the book is mentioned storms, drought, sea level rise, and other climate related troubles that caused the food scarcity. This was apparently left out of the movie, and wasn't a prominent feature of the book; a mere mention.
But I suppose people critical of these books might be equally critical of 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and Brave New World. These are books I have read, and there is something to learn from visualizing worlds like that, lessons that might help us appreciate what we have and think harder about how to hang on to it. The existence of stories about such imaginary worlds don't constitute predictions, plans, or desires, but warnings rather.
I certainly know that we don't want a Mad Max world where a bunch of people stock up on ammo and canned food and hide in their basement.
Your grandson looks very much like my son. Please tell him that not all white people are ignorant and illiterate.
It's unfortunate that your grandson was exposed to ugliness, but unfortunately there is ugliness in the world and sooner or later he'd experience it, if he hasn't already. Be grateful this isn't the 50's or 60's where racial intolerance was much more accepted, the count would be far greater than 100.
Those who judge on skin color are no better than the tweeters regardless whether they're self hating. When you run a meta program that assumes racism, you'll find it.
Real life, like the games, has ugliness. Cato and his crowd were hateful and destructive. Katniss, Peeta, Thresh and Rue were not. Perhaps if you can help your grandson understand that the world holds Cato's as well as Rue's he'll have an easier time of knowing which he's encountered.
I hate white people too often, myself. This racism thing was supposed to get better as the human being matured, wasn't it? Right now it's going downhill, or so I seem to believe, ex-pat that I am, reading about certain situations in Florida and these unprecedented comments you share about Hunger Games.
It's true that 100 out of several million is a small percentage, but it's these 100 people that get all the publicity, alas.
I wish there was an easy way for your grandson to grow up without the bigotry from people who, as you told him, don't know any black people and thus can only repeat stereotypes.
So sad.
When I saw "Rue" she seemed perfectly natural for the part. In the novel I read her as black, or some variation thereof. The worst thing about those tweets is that they presumably came from young people. I would expect as much from people of my generation, but wow. I'm surprised it was kids...heartbreaking.
Gorgeous kid by the way! My daughter is a martial artist too.
linnin-thanks, I will share that.
jlasthre-i'm holding them as tight as they'll let me.
Harry-you always have something interesting to say
Neutron-since i haven't read the books, i can't answer, but i like what Jeff j said.
Jeff j-i like what you said.
Oryoki Bowl-i do want to read them now. I don't mind depressing books...not sure about my grandson. His mom is reading them first...i bow to her judgement.
survivant-thank you. I'll pass the message on. You must have a beautiful son.
Razzle Dazzle-it is hard but a reality and the great thing is he is so open about expressing his thoughts and feelings so we can respond and talk about it.
HAVE TO EAT DINNER AND GO TO A MEETING. I WILL RESPOND TO OTHER COMMENTS LATER. THANK YOU ALL FOR STOPPING BY.
I did not want to like the book....but I did.
Sarah-lovely comment. It has been scientifically proven we are one race. We need to recognize it in our hearts.
Alfred-oh, thank you. So lovely to be read by you.
CM-aw shucks. ;)
BBabe-that these tweets came from young people (most likely) is the saddest thing. I love that your daughter does martial arts. My grandson competes against girls in tournaments and while, of course I want him to win, but I love how feisty the girls are and one beat him is grappling and I kind of loved that. ssshhh.
Firechick-yes, my daughter is amazing. I couldn’t be more proud. An African proverb: “Happy is the man (woman) who is happy with his (her) children.”
Phyllis45brighteyes-thank you Phyllis. His hair is luscious. My daughter has four kids with hair like his, plus her own. Fortunately my grandson(s) also have a wonderful dad and grandfather as role models.
Lib. S. Dem. (LSD?) Thanks. I will tell him. I’m thinking I will read this book.
Fay-thank you Fay, I will.
Both those examples of popular fiction scare me about real world people, because a lot of people in the real world buy them and buy into them. Something dark is appealing to the ten percent of Americans who still know how to read, and the movies are spreading that darkness to the other ninety percent. (Something dark also appealed to them when they enjoyed Joseph Wambaugh's fascist police tragedies in the 80's.)
And I disagree that the mentions of ecological disaster you describe are justification for the world of Panem. I don't believe that Suzanne Collins did a complete job on her backstory. If she had, what she described wouldn't look that threadbare, even if she didn't completely write it all out. 1984 described the world before Ingsoc, in a simple memory by 6079 Smith W of time with his mother. That wasn't elaborate detail, but it shows that Orwell thought of it.
Back to the article: Collins didn't describe the children in detail (again referring to my argument that she swiped a lot from Battle Royale) and therefore the shock of seeing the character of Rue played by a black girl is what prompted the racism.
By comparison, for example, Rowling gave sufficient details about the Harry Potter characters to avoid just those kind of surprises. Yes, none of the main characters are black, but Ron Weasley is a Ginger, who according to British lore are creatures without souls. (See Eric Cartman.) I don't believe Collins's non-mention of race was a deliberate avoidance of racial prejudice in her book; again, I don't think she thought the book through as completely as most authors are ordered to do.
I know the hurt, I remember my daughter coming home crying because she'd been called a beaner and a taco at school. I'm sorry for your grandson, I'm glad he's well loved. God he really is adorable. Sometimes I read or hear things and wonder if I'm not the wrong species. I wish I was a pet and then my kids would be loved no matter what color they were.
“Why did the producer make all the good characters black?”
“call me a racist but when I found out Rue was black, her death wasn’t as sad.”
Say WHAT?????! Okay, I WILL call that last person a racist. I'll call the first two racist, also! I'll bet plenty of African Americans have wondered why all "good characters are white" in most movies ever made in this country for decades. They really grudge one of the few instances when the tables are turned? And Rue's being black means her death "ruined the movie" and "isn't as sad?"
What pea-brain was unashamed of tweeting that to the whole of the internet? Some days, I really despair of this country.
But I'm with Linnn. Not all white people feel this way. Your grandson's feelings do him immense credit.
Rated
I strive to believe they are in the minority and unfortunately receive the publicity they shouldn't.
Very insightful and thought provoking post. Congrats on the EP.
... but I am here reading this article!
I think I got the good end of the deal.
It's surprising to me that so many adult readers of the book were surprised to see Rue portrayed by a black actress. It literally never occurred to me when reading the book that Rue *wasn't* black. I can see it going over a child's head, perhaps. But as an adult, when reading about a dark-skinned character who comes from an agricultural district where they all sing while slaving away in the fields, it struck me as being about as subtle as if the author had written characters named Moishe and Irving who came from the "banking district." I mean, there's subtext and then there's...y'know...text. ;-)
A comparison between "Hunger Games" and 1984 is inapt, I think, for many reasons, the two most obvious being that a) "1984" was written for an adult audience; and b) "1984" takes as its explicit subject matter the nature of politics. "Hunger Games" is a YA novel that takes as its subject matter the nature of bloodlust, rebellion, and essential humanity (fitting topics for young teen readers, I think). I felt that the treatment of how Panem came to be was just enough: A series of ecological disasters created starvation and enormous social upheaval, and in that disordered vacuum a totalitarian government rose. Politics is the pretext for the story in "The Hunger Games"--not the story itself--and, in my opinion, additional bogging down of the narrative with exposition would have skewed in the wrong direction what is, essentially, an action/adventure story.
As far as the book's promoting helplessness in the face of fascism, it's only the first book in a trilogy. I haven't read the next two books yet (so this is speculation, not a spoiler), but presumably at some point there will be a rebellion in which Katniss will play a major role, and also presumably that rebellion will be successful. My guess is that it will turn out that Katniss::President Snow as Harry::Valdemort, or even as Luke Skywalker::Darth Vader. Am I the only one who finished the first book and was left with the distinct impression that President Snow ain't long for this world?
In this world, not only black people have dark brown skin and eyes.
I think that the only way I would know a character is black is if the author says the character is black.
If I were to read such a description, I would be left wondering if the character is from India, from North Africa, African American, Black Hispanic, Caribbean, Mulatto...Swiss with a dark tan?
But I'm talking just about that one line. Maybe the author goes on to further describe the characters?
Yes, it is a shame people are still racist today and that they would make such stupid comments, though I think we are much less than what we used to be not so long ago.
No, this is no consolation.
But the positive side of it is that here's a child that likes reading! I'm all for that!
Bottom line for me was that I am still taken back by how this movie is being marketed to 12-17 year olds! This is way to violent a movie where hatred and blood lust is the predominant theme and goal of the game. Smaller sub-plots of friendship and loyalty provide the balm of the scarier aspects of human nature. Rough for me to see this played out by such young characters.
As the books are far less violent and descriptive, I have been told by those who have read them, I would caution parents of younger aged kids, that the movie is far more explicitly violent in parts. I cringed at some parts and couldn't imagine my 12 year old daughter or son seeing this. But that's just me.
neutron=demented.
I've heard the book (audiobook) and seen the movie. The book was far more graphic in violence, the movie actually tamed it down a bit. For example, in the last major fight scene in the book, Cato was being torn to pieces for hours, moaning in pain before Catniss put him out of his misery. In the movie, it took no time.
In terms of being marketed to teens, of course it is. The book was written for teens. The theme of the book is not to glorify the violence, but to show the cruelty of the system, and to lead into the next books which are about a revolution against the corrupt evil government.
PS: How I wish some smart schoolteacher would use the books to launch some discussions about a post-war, post-racial world where the separations are along political/economical lines. The kids could even learn that the new country's name comes from an old Latin word for bread. Could make for interesting class conversations about race, class, dead languages and living prejudices.
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