A lot of people we know like "Catching Fire," because it shows people fighting back against fascism and class society. Although it's entertaining, it's sure not a Communist movie. We're going to write about "Catching Fire" next month, but this time we decided to talk about "Hunger Games," where it all started.
"I really liked it," said Cathy. "Katniss is the kind of girl I would like to be. She's brave, strong, smart and she was ready to die for her little sister. She was against racism. Look at her friendship with Rue. That was really special."
"It also mirrors our society today. It shows the poverty of working people—especially white miners—and how outrageous and disgusting the rich people are. Like how Katniss was overwhelmed by a little loaf of bread, but in the capital there was way too much rich food," said Amber. "And it shows a real fascist police state and how everybody hates it."
"In the different districts, it shows the divisions between really poor workers and middle class people who are still oppressed, but don't know it," said Johnny. "The people who are a little higher up are like their dogs, or happy slaves. Take Cato. He's like the German workers who joined the Nazi Party."
"That's how they always stay on top, by divide and rule. It's patterned after the Roman Empire, where they used one group of subjects to put down another, and gladiators entertained and terrorized the masses," said Carlos. "That's like what they do in working class neighborhoods, where black and brown youth fight each other instead of the common enemy."
"I agree that it mirrors class society," said Amy. "But it creates a world where they tried to make a revolution, and lost. And seventy-five years later, and the working class still hasn't organized and rebelled. I think the message of the movie is that Communist revolution will always fail." "So instead of revolution, they have some silly ideas about how to fight back," said Cathy. "Like when Gale says, 'what if no one watched, then they wouldn't have a game.' That's like my grandma who refuses to shop at Walmart and thinks that's going to change things." "But you can tell, from what happened in District Eleven when Rue died, that there's going to be a big rebellion. That's what's going to happen in "'Catching Fire,'" said Amber.
We'll talk about that next time.