This video is fantastic and criminally underrated. I've often said that I think the hunger games series will be known as a literary classic one day, but its more profound themes haven't been taken seriously by the horrible marketing and framing of the series in the movie adaptations (as well as a healthy dose of misogyny that resulted from it having a predominantly teen girl fan base). The insight gained from analyzing it from a post colonialist perspective can't be understated! Excellent analysis! Also I love your outfit and presentation, super cute! 😊💛
RIGHT?!! i'm so glad someone else said this, the books are PHENOMENAL but it's maddening how very few adults actually take them seriously, mainly b/c of those movies! the film franchise turned a brilliantly written anti-war narrative into a commercial action-adventure trilogy that, in many ways, mimicked EXACTLY the kind of media the books criticized. and yes, you're right that this oversimplification and commercialization of the story comes mainly from MISOGYNY. i keep telling people that had the hunger games been marketed to adult men, it would've gotten a more serious adaptation without the commercial feel to it. i hope someday we can get a remake that is actually faithful to the themes of the books. i'd personally give it to the uk's masterpiece theater, i was impressed at how they handled book to screen adaptations like poldark, the long song, and little women (that last one is why i'd trust a group of brits to adapt a classic american novel).
When I was younger, my English teacher made us study a few chapters from the first book when we finished our main subject and said how he was waiting for the day were he could actually study it properly!
I'm surprised more people do not talk about post-colonial readings when "district" is used in a way that can be interchanged with "colony" throughout the books.
Something i think is important to think about with district 12 is that the coal probably mainly goes to districts to heat and now the capitol because of the difference in their electronics. Since they don't produce capitol product they are neglected.
When I first read the books at around 12 I loved them for the characters, but rereading as a 21 year old I picked up on sooo many real world issues that I didn’t notice as a kid and it holds up so incredibly well
love this take on the hunger games. its honestly interesting that many in the 'global north' (or, the so-called 'global community') love this piece of fiction, when they are what the capitol citizens stand for. their joy and their 'progress' is borne on the backs of colonized nations, who still suffer the consequences of exploitation to this very day. lmao this analysis managed to pin exactly what drew me to the series in the first place.
Agreed! The global paradigm we are currently in can be better described as neo-colonial, rather than post-colonial. The exploitation of the “global south” and east still exists!
The Hunger Games is most popular in east and south-east Asia. In Myanmar, Thailand and HongKong, protesters were inspired to use the Mockingjay salute from the books to demand a change in their tyrannical government. In China, Katniss Everdeen (and her actress Jennifer Lawrence) are massively popular because of how she nurtured, protected and comforted Primrose as surrogate mother.
What surprises me the most is how much the booktubers(mostly from the global North) actually hate the third book of the series , "Mokingjay", calling it boring, irrelevant and so on, cuz : I love how it paints an almost realistic picture of a mass movement ; and, there is something so powerful about the idea of all these people fighting for the liberty they deserve as human beings.
I’ve always found something very striking about critiques of the capitol “oh it’s so horrible” from people in the western world when… that’s how places like America can look and feel to immigrants and outsiders. Extravagant waste, odd fashion, cruel celebrity culture etc.
Yeah, we enjoy Star Wars even though we’re the Empire too. The cognitive dissonance is real. I hope we end our exploitative relationship with the world.
This is absolutely phenomenal. For the last 10 years, I haven't read anything other than non-fiction, and I decided to change it up, and read the hunger games series/watch the films. It was great that you produced a strong analysis of some of the core ideas in the series.
Thank you so much for watching! Yes, there is absolutely so much we can learn and pull from fiction, the concepts and new ideas are endless! I’m glad you gave the series a chance and I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the video! :)
There are cut scenes from the movies in which the career tributes describe how they wanted to be in the hunger games all their lives, how one just has to work hard to make it. I think that neatly links a hybrid position with the dominant narrative of the capitol about how the system has to be just because there can be a winner. They apparently have woven in a critical perspective on capitalism and the american dream, too.
As someone from a third world country, that's exactly what it's always felt like. The economical and sociopolitical dinamics between countries has been the same for centuries, colonialism hasn't ended.
I said the same thing. I feel like some colonized countries have their attitudes towards each other despite the colonizer’s grip. I see this in America with African and Caribbean immigrants. Their viewpoints towards black Americans are sour. Then within the diaspora, there’s differing attitudes.
Agreed, Hunger Games is trying to show current state of world affairs, not the past. It is not as obviously visible as in the past, as post colonialism uses propaganda, financial debt instruments, military bases and extortion to keep the Global South in people in poverty.
what i remember loving about katniss was how matter of fact her language was. i was 10 years old when reading her pov but it was so easy to understand her trauma and motivations as a young girl trying to survive and keep her family alive.
Yes! This was something that stuck with me as a kid also! Every observation from Katniss feels VERY intentional. It makes it easier to digest the world of Panem, and why her actions and motivations (which result in her winning- subsequently becoming the mockingjay) so much more believable.
Love this! It's especially important to remind readers with Snow's origin story becoming a conversation. The guy didn't just turn evil because he wanted power, he always had that coloniser mindset embedded in him from childhood that prevented him from fully supporting a resistance against his government. People act shoked that he could turn evil after saving Lucy's life but in the real world, the most colonial minded people will still do acts of kindness every now and then. So thank you for your video because people are way too comfortable stripping the HG universe of its real world parallels when they're inevitable.
My grandpa usually reads like, mystery thriller novels but damn if he did not sit down and read all three HG books all the way through and loved it so much. They are sometimes written a bit obviously and spell things out for the younger audience but they're for EVERYONE
I love literary criticism, and it's super cool to see it applied to YA, a genre that's mainly overlooked by literature communities due to its target audience. You earned yourself a subscriber! Edit: Just looked at the description and saw you cited your sources! That's awesome; not every video essay does that!
Thank you so much for watching ☺️ and yes I agree YA fiction is undeservedly overlooked And my lit teachers would def be disappointed if I didn’t cite my sources 😂
I guess not reading YA because it's for teens is the reading equivalent of 'Cartoons are made for children', which is the entire reason the show hasbin hotel even exists
This is so insanely relevant. I can't help but draw parallels between the hunger games and so many current national and international conflicts, like Palestine, Sudan, DRC and so many more. The isolation of districts, the exploitation, the othering, I can't even begin to describe the similarities. Even when we talk about the US, it's not hard to see he connections.
Right now, when I open in sta g. on my phone each day. I feel like I'm watching some version of the hunger games in real life. I'm in the capital, the privileged vulgar world seeing children slaughtered while politicians play games with people lives. It's so relevant.
Iirc, Suzanne Collins also took some inspiration from the Israel-Palestine conflict, since she disliked how the US handled the situation and got itself involved the way it is now. So you're close to the mark there
I'm so happy you mentioned the accents. I remember in the beginning if the first book Gale and Katniss used to make fun of Effie's accent and we didn't really get that much in the films
There's a further element of the Colonial experience shown in the Hunger Games that did not get mentioned in this excellent video. The British Empire, as an example, transported Indians throughout their Empire. They formed a separate community within most British colonies and were often the target of "Native" jealousy and subjected to violence and threats of violence. Some former British Colonies either expelled or practiced discrimination against their now centuries old Indian community. Thus, the Indian communities, though often treated as badly (or worse than) the Native peoples, often were used as Agents of the Empire. In the Hunger Games, we see this in the District middle class. They are Ethnically different (in District 12 overwhelmingly Blonde against the Dark olive complexioned "Seam" population) and they control the few Small businesses. Even the Mayor is from this class (as is Peeta). But note, their "Special" status still has them in the same schools, subjected to the Reaping, and even suffering deprivation similar to those in the Seam (notice how Katniss is surprised that, despite the fact that Peeta's father is the District Baker, Peeta rarely got to eat Fresh Bread...). Furthermore, while the Mayor did all he could to support Capitol rule, his wife's illness didn't warrant Capitol help and when Snow decided to destroy District 12, there was no attempt to save the Mayor. This again echoes the way Colonial powers abandoned "Native" and "Transplanted" collaborators...
This is such an amazing video essay! I knew about the Hunger Games having commentary on celebrity culture and media manipulation, but I had honestly never stopped to think about how Panem reflects colonial and imperialism! This is so awesome, I’m looking forward to watching more of your videos!
Loved your analysis! It's unreal how this franchise has been marketed by Lionsgate, it's so ironic how the themes of their own films flew over the studio heads.
i agree! hollywood is a MASTER at setting out to make anti-war films but at the same time (unintentionally) glorifying the violence, murder, and death. take full metal jacket, apocalypse now, or even the godfather (it was intended to show how bad the mafia were but nowadays people comment on how 'cool' the mafia guys looked). this is why i wouldn't trust any big american movie studio to adapt something like mockingjay, which is at its core an anti-war narrative.
I just rewatched all the movies and was really struck by how relevant a lot of the themes feel today. I do think the book handles a lot of it better, but I also don't think the movies are the failure they are sometimes portrayed to be when it comes to that lens
i read and watched the movies and books when i was around 9-11 years old, so at the time i didn't really read much into the political and social subtext of the novel, but now almost 10 years later, i can truly appreciate how much the novel actually goes into critiquing society. i do think that the movies overlooked and simplified a lot of the political and post colonial themes, chasing to focus more on the love triangle and romantic relationships, probably to cater for a broader audience. thinking now, i dont know how people can engage in this material so passively and not acknowledging how these novels deal with such heavy themes besides the darkness of killing children. I really enjoyed this video and its definitely broadened my understanding of the novels!
I can't believe how I never picked up in the subaltern theme in the THG series with the avoxes... They are literally silenced by the Capitol's hegemony and have no agency within society, it's literally a parallel.
I'm very glad to finally see some actual sociological analysis of these books. It's one of my favorite parts of the series, but most people just talk about the action/romance
Great video! I love the THG franchise, and video essays analysing and deconstructing it just as much, but haven't seen it from a postcolonial view before. Looking forward to more!
I love this series and got into it after seeing the trailer for another movie i was watching at the theater. Then my middle-schooler at the time was reading the book for school. I picked it up started reading and couldn't stop. I bought the TBOSAS and it sat on a shelf for a while but once I heard the movie was coming, I listened on Audible and then re-read the actual book that had been sitting on the shelf. There are so many parallels to our real world and how we use technology, propaganda and war to control the people of the world. All we have to do is think about the industries that are centralized in certain places around the country and even globally in the world. We even have UN peacekeepers. TBOSAS is a great character study on President Snow, a narcissistic leader, thinking of people and they can be used and controlled to service the purpose of himself, and a specialized group, in this story the Capitol.
Thank you for such a well thought-out analysis, this is such an interesting theme to look at the Hunger Games through! I found the topic of hybridity especially fascinating, since I remember the themes of Katniss and Peeta's identity and them being caught between their loyalties to the districts and the threats of the Capitol really standing out to me and making me think when I read Catching Fire (one of the reasons it's my favourite in the series.) I'm subscribing for sure, can't wait to watch more from you! 😊
This video is not only informative and perfectly done, but it is NEEDED!!! I think this would be a valuable tool in schools all across the country. Thank you very much for all the work you did. I remember reading The Hunger Games series with my youngest son (he is now 28), and discussing many of these topics. Now I have to do a deep dive into your other videos because I love the wisdom you're sharing! Thanks again!!
you can definitely tell by how the bigwigs in hollywood are planning to make YET ANOTHER hunger games movie which shows YET ANOTHER hunger games where kids kill each other! you'd think they'd have figured out by now that the books were trying to say that showcasing kids killing each other for entertainment is, ahem, BAD
this was so lovely, i love analyzing literature, film, and art and it’s so cool to watch someone do such an in-depth explanation of it, especially since you tied these new ideas to it that i probably wouldn’t have thought of otherwise! thanks and great job :DDD
I love this so much. I recently reread The Hunger Games and was shocked at how much I missed when I was younger, especially a lot of what you mention here. Anyway, this analysis is amazing and you've earned a subscription :)
I think another aspect in how the districts work which resembles colonialism is how they are reduced to producing a singlular type of resources. This somewhat resembles how many colonial nations saw their territories. Colonies being categorised into settler, trade and resources based production destroying their self efficiency. Instead of industry developing organically, only industry was developed to produce a certain resource required by their colonial nation. As a result of this even now this means many post colonial states have struggled to diversify their industry increasing their need to trade with the Global North. Further perpetuating colonialism. I imagine in Post revolution Panem, this issue of intense specialisation would continue to be a large problem.
Brilliantly put, I'm writing my dissertation on this. the hunger games is a really important reflection of our society and has been ignored for the exact same reason it is so powerful. It challenges the status quo by making us reflect on it. The fact that it is classed as YA should not mean that we take it less seriously, quite the opposite. It shows the struggles that teenagers have at grasping the inequalities present and the performances put on by the adults in the world around them. Don't even get me started on the brilliance and complexity of Katniss as a main character! Thank you for this x
I found your channel today Nellie, I am soooo happy that I did. I’m sad that you only have 4 videos for me to binge but I’m excited to see what you post next. You explain things so well and the scenery is gorgeous. I turned my notifications on for you.
this is literally the best video ever !! i recently heard about post colonial theory/hybritdity/hegemony/ spivak's subaltern and bhabha's theory in english class and i've always been obsessed with the hunger games so it was an extremely interesting video to watch as it really touched every subject i studied; each argument and example you used seems so obvious now but i had never thought of this before this makes me want to read the series again ! amazing work, thank you for this video !
I love this analysis! It would be super interesting to see your take on the prequel, if you've read it. I finished reading it yesterday and I think there's a lot that could be discussed, such as Sejanus's position in the system of Panem, and the Covey's, as well as the treatment of the tributes in the beginning.
Thank you so much for this super interesting and educational video!! I'm neck-deep in hunger games content, but this is by far the most interesting perspective I've come across
Thank you for this brilliant take! I recently reread the books and felt it was so gut wrenching, because when I think of so many conflicts right now, I see the parallels and Katnisses perspective shows us so much the human side of these forces that we often only perceive as something like an abstract concept if we dont experience it ourselves. It is so relevant and important, I wish everyone would read that book and really take in all the considerations you pointed out so clearly.
Collins is absolutely unhinged and unabashedly has something to say in all of her books. I havent even watched the video yet but I wanted to comment asking you to read the underland chronicles if you havent to cross reference and really like steep in the vibes
Fantastic video!! When watching TBSAS I was thinking a lot about a quote from Barbara kingsolver (the author of demon copperhead) how the US treats Appalachia like an “internal colony.” So true for the hunger games too. PS, would love for you to do a video on fullmetal alchemist brotherhood and post colonial theory!!
I'd like to start by saying, I typed this before I really got far into the video. I remember the first time I read the hunger games. I was 11. And I read the entire series 6 times over, didn't touch it again until the balled of songbirds and snakes came out. I was obsessed as a child, but I didn't even understand it. As an adult, I understand the themes way more and appreciate the story way more. Also realize how you're quite litterally readying through the eyes of a teenager going through literal hell.
This video is SOOOO good, thank you. I re read the books just now (because sure, there isn't enough of this happening in the real world) and you help me put into words everything I feel about the saga. Thank youuu
I just bunged the whole film series in preparation to watch the new prequel film. I cannot agree more on your take. I just want to see a pre hunger games and post hunger games era.
i loved hearing you analysis that was so articulate and clearly explained how the hunger games links to colonialism. i think it is such a refreshing perspective and one that many reader may not dwell on. your video really opened my eyes and educated me on the subject and i think this is a very interesting take on the hunger games and a quite relevant detail to focus on. thank you so much
As a Black woman from the Global South who has read and loved this series for a decade, I squealed when this came up on my recommended. Thank you for such a wonderful analysis, can’t wait to watch more of your content.
so well-said and so terrifying. thank u. also the avox /real-world subaltern makes me think of what (founder) ymir is from attack on titan-- like what she becomes to survive and manifest from the dehumanized pain she experienced
I agree with your statement, but I think the main dynamic is not about a post-colonial perspective, since colonialism above all is when an alien invader exploits a native population that makes you a foreigner in your own land, but rather about class conflict. The similarity is to the French revolution, Russian Revolution and of course the slave revolution in ancient Rome led by gladiators. It's almost like imagining ancient Rome in the age of mass communication and how it can be used as a weapon.
Patreon so we can crowd fund a mic for you. Otherwise, great analysis! I read the trilogy a decade ago and had forgotten about details like the avoxes!
i loved your video and explained everything so in such a fantastic and luminating way! but I also have to say GIRL YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL!!! YOU ARE LITERALLY GLOWING!! ✨💕
This video has made me feel so safe and seen. As a 17year old woman who thinks about these things all the time but isn’t listened to this was brilliant.
just wanted to say that I really enjoyed this! the analysis paired with the casual sit down feel made this a very enjoyable experience! (i know i am a year late but i still felt the need to comment)
This was very interesting an analysis. When the books and movie came out concerns about reality TV were a big topic and we analyzed the book mainly under that viewpoint but looking back this is a way more fitting discussion to be had over it!
Just now found this video, and it's very well put together! I don't say this often, but thanks youtube algorithm for recommending this to me! It's really cool to see how the series that kicked off the trend of dystopia YA was popular for a reason and that its themes continue to resonate today. Also, on the point of colonialism and especially hybridity, have you ever read the book Babel by R.F. Kuang? If you find the exploration of these themes compelling, I think this book would be right up your alley (also it's just incredible overall)
I really enjoyed your analysis in this video. I somehow felt like the people in the Capitol are living in their own utopia in the sense that they are unaware and oblivious to the struggle of the people from the district. Even though the hunger games franchise is marketed as a dystopian, futuristic novel which it is. It also at the same time depicts the huge contrast between the capitol and the districts. It also proves one of the theories that I read about utopian societies.
Got this video rec to me and what an amazing job ! I've always wanted more books/short stories from the perspective of other citizens from other districts, for this very reason ! I've always loved hunger games for it's themes , esp as I was growing up. Colonialism reigns because of its effects that still benefits the tippity top for sure. Taking a California history class atm (as a California native) and the preventing of history repeating itself...Phew, strength to us both ! 💪🏽🫶🏽 A very thoughtful piece that came to me at a perfect time , incredible work ! 🤍
I was about 8 or 9 when the first movie came out, and I BEGGED my mom to let me see it. She told me if I read the book first I could watch the movie, thinking that the novel would be less violent, and to her surprise I actually did. I won’t lie, I enjoyed the movies a lot as a kid, though having rewatched them now as an adult I can see the themes that were dumbed down to make a more marketable film. I’m seriously considering re-reading Catching Fire and finally getting into Mockingjay (I started it though never finished) because of this video, but I can also see how much reading this novel as a child affected my view of the world and politics. As I’ve grown I’ve started to not take fiction as seriously, preferring non fiction or historical fiction narratives, especially with there being plenty of bad YA hunger games rip offs *cough cough* Divergent *cough cough* Red Queen. Thank you for making this video, you truly helped to change my perspective and have more appreciation for the novels I grew up with The Starving Games will never not be funny to me, however
Amazing video! Also when you said “peacemakers” but corrected it onscreen to “peacekeepers”, technically both are correct because both terms were used in the books (although peacekeeper was used more frequently). Just thought I’d point that out because when I read the books I remember being confused when the word peacemaker was used after they’d been called peacekeepers every time before. 😂
8:28 honestly it makes so much sense after reading the latest book why snow made it more in that direction. Before apparantly you could become capital but stuff happened.
It is most accurately like if the situation in Britain during the industrial revolution never got better with the advancement of technology. Child labour, low wages, low lifespan, no rights, extreme classism. Basically the 13 colonies and French homelands revolutions but the specific climate of IR England and Ireland.
I remember very distinctly when I traveled abroad a year to Chile (from Germany) to work in a pretty empoverished area (a whole other in retrospect problematic dynamic) that one of my first thoughts was when I started to politicize that it feels like I came from the capitol to the districts. And that maybe I was part of the capitol and the world I came from was the problem. This whole year influenced me deeply and politicized me pretty radically and I'll hold Suzanne Collins always dear to make my mind open for these associations. Now many years later and way better informed about postcolonial theory I still think the story slaps!
Thanks for the great analysis!!! This series is very important to me, and it’s such a shame how overlooked the core themes and the many, many political messages are. (Also I love your monstera! It looks very happy and cute)
Given that this came out two years ago, you may never get a chance to read this comment, but I wanted to thank you for your thoughtful and well supported thesis.
Okay good one Facebook 😂 friends and I was just in group chat less than 30 minutes ago talking about how ppl who watched the movies think hunger games has a more different meaning than the books. And how we are tired of ppl with no media literacy making twitter think pieces on why hunger games is “shallow” Next time ima just link this video as my rebuttal The one that bothers me most is when ppl complain about how only 1 major industry is produced by each district Without acknowledging that by doing this the capitol keeps everyone dependent on their dictatorship
I’ve heard of the hunger games being compared to North Korea as in how it exploits itself own people, not about going somewhere else or colonialism. It’s about their own nation rather than another, supporting a corruptly run capital
You can make an interpretation for both as the capitol literally tries to other itself from the districts, making a clear distinction through “us vs them” type thinking.
![The Hunger Games Aesthetic Analysis [Part 1] - Understanding Design References](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pxdqhGCAcK4/mqdefault.jpg)
This video is fantastic and criminally underrated. I've often said that I think the hunger games series will be known as a literary classic one day, but its more profound themes haven't been taken seriously by the horrible marketing and framing of the series in the movie adaptations (as well as a healthy dose of misogyny that resulted from it having a predominantly teen girl fan base). The insight gained from analyzing it from a post colonialist perspective can't be understated! Excellent analysis! Also I love your outfit and presentation, super cute! 😊💛
aww, thank you so much!! ☺️ and I agree 100%
the franchise needs to be much more appreciated for its deeper themes!
@@nelliekarengo yeah I just subscribed to you a few weeks ago
RIGHT?!! i'm so glad someone else said this, the books are PHENOMENAL but it's maddening how very few adults actually take them seriously, mainly b/c of those movies! the film franchise turned a brilliantly written anti-war narrative into a commercial action-adventure trilogy that, in many ways, mimicked EXACTLY the kind of media the books criticized. and yes, you're right that this oversimplification and commercialization of the story comes mainly from MISOGYNY. i keep telling people that had the hunger games been marketed to adult men, it would've gotten a more serious adaptation without the commercial feel to it. i hope someday we can get a remake that is actually faithful to the themes of the books. i'd personally give it to the uk's masterpiece theater, i was impressed at how they handled book to screen adaptations like poldark, the long song, and little women (that last one is why i'd trust a group of brits to adapt a classic american novel).
When I was younger, my English teacher made us study a few chapters from the first book when we finished our main subject and said how he was waiting for the day were he could actually study it properly!
We actually had to study the first book in college so it might one day be a classic. It was an English course
I'm surprised more people do not talk about post-colonial readings when "district" is used in a way that can be interchanged with "colony" throughout the books.
And there are 13 of them 😮
Something i think is important to think about with district 12 is that the coal probably mainly goes to districts to heat and now the capitol because of the difference in their electronics. Since they don't produce capitol product they are neglected.
I never thought of that!
When I first read the books at around 12 I loved them for the characters, but rereading as a 21 year old I picked up on sooo many real world issues that I didn’t notice as a kid and it holds up so incredibly well
love this take on the hunger games. its honestly interesting that many in the 'global north' (or, the so-called 'global community') love this piece of fiction, when they are what the capitol citizens stand for. their joy and their 'progress' is borne on the backs of colonized nations, who still suffer the consequences of exploitation to this very day. lmao this analysis managed to pin exactly what drew me to the series in the first place.
Agreed! The global paradigm we are currently in can be better described as neo-colonial, rather than post-colonial. The exploitation of the “global south” and east still exists!
The Hunger Games is most popular in east and south-east Asia. In Myanmar, Thailand and HongKong, protesters were inspired to use the Mockingjay salute from the books to demand a change in their tyrannical government. In China, Katniss Everdeen (and her actress Jennifer Lawrence) are massively popular because of how she nurtured, protected and comforted Primrose as surrogate mother.
What surprises me the most is how much the booktubers(mostly from the global North) actually hate the third book of the series , "Mokingjay", calling it boring, irrelevant and so on, cuz : I love how it paints an almost realistic picture of a mass movement ; and, there is something so powerful about the idea of all these people fighting for the liberty they deserve as human beings.
I’ve always found something very striking about critiques of the capitol “oh it’s so horrible” from people in the western world when… that’s how places like America can look and feel to immigrants and outsiders. Extravagant waste, odd fashion, cruel celebrity culture etc.
Yeah, we enjoy Star Wars even though we’re the Empire too. The cognitive dissonance is real. I hope we end our exploitative relationship with the world.
This is absolutely phenomenal. For the last 10 years, I haven't read anything other than non-fiction, and I decided to change it up, and read the hunger games series/watch the films. It was great that you produced a strong analysis of some of the core ideas in the series.
Thank you so much for watching!
Yes, there is absolutely so much we can learn and pull from fiction, the concepts and new ideas are endless! I’m glad you gave the series a chance and I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the video! :)
@@nelliekarengo dude you should do Twilight next
@@nmoney6655 lolol funny you say that, i actually JUST rewatched some of the movies. i feel like it’d be more of a roast 😂
@@nelliekarengo really I love the Twilight saga so don’t play
@@nmoney6655 especially pedophilia/grooming part?
There are cut scenes from the movies in which the career tributes describe how they wanted to be in the hunger games all their lives, how one just has to work hard to make it. I think that neatly links a hybrid position with the dominant narrative of the capitol about how the system has to be just because there can be a winner. They apparently have woven in a critical perspective on capitalism and the american dream, too.
As someone from a third world country, that's exactly what it's always felt like. The economical and sociopolitical dinamics between countries has been the same for centuries, colonialism hasn't ended.
I said the same thing. I feel like some colonized countries have their attitudes towards each other despite the colonizer’s grip. I see this in America with African and Caribbean immigrants. Their viewpoints towards black Americans are sour. Then within the diaspora, there’s differing attitudes.
Agreed, Hunger Games is trying to show current state of world affairs, not the past. It is not as obviously visible as in the past, as post colonialism uses propaganda, financial debt instruments, military bases and extortion to keep the Global South in people in poverty.
what i remember loving about katniss was how matter of fact her language was. i was 10 years old when reading her pov but it was so easy to understand her trauma and motivations as a young girl trying to survive and keep her family alive.
Yes! This was something that stuck with me as a kid also! Every observation from Katniss feels VERY intentional. It makes it easier to digest the world of Panem, and why her actions and motivations (which result in her winning- subsequently becoming the mockingjay) so much more believable.
Love this! It's especially important to remind readers with Snow's origin story becoming a conversation. The guy didn't just turn evil because he wanted power, he always had that coloniser mindset embedded in him from childhood that prevented him from fully supporting a resistance against his government. People act shoked that he could turn evil after saving Lucy's life but in the real world, the most colonial minded people will still do acts of kindness every now and then. So thank you for your video because people are way too comfortable stripping the HG universe of its real world parallels when they're inevitable.
My grandpa usually reads like, mystery thriller novels but damn if he did not sit down and read all three HG books all the way through and loved it so much. They are sometimes written a bit obviously and spell things out for the younger audience but they're for EVERYONE
Love the way this is both a legitimate analysis of the hunger games, and also an easy in to talk about some really dense ideas that are applicable irl
thanks! 😊
The music is: "Nocturne" by Frederic Chopin, "Claire de Lune" by Claude Debussy and "Gymnopedie" by Eric Satie.
I always found thg deep, it's just that most people just focus on who's the hotter guy
ikr 🙄
proof the media will find a way to make anything and everything about men😂
I love literary criticism, and it's super cool to see it applied to YA, a genre that's mainly overlooked by literature communities due to its target audience. You earned yourself a subscriber!
Edit: Just looked at the description and saw you cited your sources! That's awesome; not every video essay does that!
Thank you so much for watching ☺️ and yes I agree YA fiction is undeservedly overlooked
And my lit teachers would def be disappointed if I didn’t cite my sources 😂
@@nelliekarengo I love to read but i almost read YA and almost feel ashamed if i say it out loud in the uni
I guess not reading YA because it's for teens is the reading equivalent of 'Cartoons are made for children', which is the entire reason the show hasbin hotel even exists
This is so insanely relevant. I can't help but draw parallels between the hunger games and so many current national and international conflicts, like Palestine, Sudan, DRC and so many more. The isolation of districts, the exploitation, the othering, I can't even begin to describe the similarities. Even when we talk about the US, it's not hard to see he connections.
Right now, when I open in sta g. on my phone each day. I feel like I'm watching some version of the hunger games in real life. I'm in the capital, the privileged vulgar world seeing children slaughtered while politicians play games with people lives. It's so relevant.
Iirc, Suzanne Collins also took some inspiration from the Israel-Palestine conflict, since she disliked how the US handled the situation and got itself involved the way it is now. So you're close to the mark there
As a student in postcolonial literature, this was AMAZING, so well researched and your insights were so on point! New subscriber here 👍🏽🧡
thank you so much!! ☺️🤗
I'm so happy you mentioned the accents. I remember in the beginning if the first book Gale and Katniss used to make fun of Effie's accent and we didn't really get that much in the films
there’s one scene in the first film where Katniss does a little British accent mocking Effie, but other than that there’s none, excellent point
There's a further element of the Colonial experience shown in the Hunger Games that did not get mentioned in this excellent video.
The British Empire, as an example, transported Indians throughout their Empire. They formed a separate community within most British colonies and were often the target of "Native" jealousy and subjected to violence and threats of violence. Some former British Colonies either expelled or practiced discrimination against their now centuries old Indian community. Thus, the Indian communities, though often treated as badly (or worse than) the Native peoples, often were used as Agents of the Empire.
In the Hunger Games, we see this in the District middle class. They are Ethnically different (in District 12 overwhelmingly Blonde against the Dark olive complexioned "Seam" population) and they control the few Small businesses. Even the Mayor is from this class (as is Peeta). But note, their "Special" status still has them in the same schools, subjected to the Reaping, and even suffering deprivation similar to those in the Seam (notice how Katniss is surprised that, despite the fact that Peeta's father is the District Baker, Peeta rarely got to eat Fresh Bread...). Furthermore, while the Mayor did all he could to support Capitol rule, his wife's illness didn't warrant Capitol help and when Snow decided to destroy District 12, there was no attempt to save the Mayor. This again echoes the way Colonial powers abandoned "Native" and "Transplanted" collaborators...
This is such an amazing video essay! I knew about the Hunger Games having commentary on celebrity culture and media manipulation, but I had honestly never stopped to think about how Panem reflects colonial and imperialism! This is so awesome, I’m looking forward to watching more of your videos!
thanks so much for watching! ☺️🤍
@@nelliekarengo I never thought of the hunger games like that
Loved your analysis! It's unreal how this franchise has been marketed by Lionsgate, it's so ironic how the themes of their own films flew over the studio heads.
i agree! hollywood is a MASTER at setting out to make anti-war films but at the same time (unintentionally) glorifying the violence, murder, and death. take full metal jacket, apocalypse now, or even the godfather (it was intended to show how bad the mafia were but nowadays people comment on how 'cool' the mafia guys looked). this is why i wouldn't trust any big american movie studio to adapt something like mockingjay, which is at its core an anti-war narrative.
I just rewatched all the movies and was really struck by how relevant a lot of the themes feel today. I do think the book handles a lot of it better, but I also don't think the movies are the failure they are sometimes portrayed to be when it comes to that lens
i read and watched the movies and books when i was around 9-11 years old, so at the time i didn't really read much into the political and social subtext of the novel, but now almost 10 years later, i can truly appreciate how much the novel actually goes into critiquing society. i do think that the movies overlooked and simplified a lot of the political and post colonial themes, chasing to focus more on the love triangle and romantic relationships, probably to cater for a broader audience. thinking now, i dont know how people can engage in this material so passively and not acknowledging how these novels deal with such heavy themes besides the darkness of killing children. I really enjoyed this video and its definitely broadened my understanding of the novels!
I can't believe how I never picked up in the subaltern theme in the THG series with the avoxes... They are literally silenced by the Capitol's hegemony and have no agency within society, it's literally a parallel.
I have heavily credited the radicalization of my mind to media like the Hunger Games I grew up on
I cried when Rue and Prim died like how could Suzanne Collins kill my girls
I'm very glad to finally see some actual sociological analysis of these books. It's one of my favorite parts of the series, but most people just talk about the action/romance
Great video! I love the THG franchise, and video essays analysing and deconstructing it just as much, but haven't seen it from a postcolonial view before. Looking forward to more!
thanks so much!! 😊
I love this series and got into it after seeing the trailer for another movie i was watching at the theater. Then my middle-schooler at the time was reading the book for school. I picked it up started reading and couldn't stop. I bought the TBOSAS and it sat on a shelf for a while but once I heard the movie was coming, I listened on Audible and then re-read the actual book that had been sitting on the shelf. There are so many parallels to our real world and how we use technology, propaganda and war to control the people of the world. All we have to do is think about the industries that are centralized in certain places around the country and even globally in the world. We even have UN peacekeepers. TBOSAS is a great character study on President Snow, a narcissistic leader, thinking of people and they can be used and controlled to service the purpose of himself, and a specialized group, in this story the Capitol.
Thank you for such a well thought-out analysis, this is such an interesting theme to look at the Hunger Games through! I found the topic of hybridity especially fascinating, since I remember the themes of Katniss and Peeta's identity and them being caught between their loyalties to the districts and the threats of the Capitol really standing out to me and making me think when I read Catching Fire (one of the reasons it's my favourite in the series.) I'm subscribing for sure, can't wait to watch more from you! 😊
Thank you so much for watching, I’m beyond thrilled you found it interesting!! 😊
This video is not only informative and perfectly done, but it is NEEDED!!! I think this would be a valuable tool in schools all across the country. Thank you very much for all the work you did. I remember reading The Hunger Games series with my youngest son (he is now 28), and discussing many of these topics. Now I have to do a deep dive into your other videos because I love the wisdom you're sharing! Thanks again!!
Yeah I think the Hunger Games symbolizes the fact that we enjoy violence but we are so stuck on the Idea that violence that it becomes normalized
you can definitely tell by how the bigwigs in hollywood are planning to make YET ANOTHER hunger games movie which shows YET ANOTHER hunger games where kids kill each other! you'd think they'd have figured out by now that the books were trying to say that showcasing kids killing each other for entertainment is, ahem, BAD
@@carolinem.6747 huh? A new book was released in the hunger games franchise thats why theyre making another movie stupid
@@carolinem.6747it’s based on the prequel book though, to show Snow’s past and rise to power.
this was so lovely, i love analyzing literature, film, and art and it’s so cool to watch someone do such an in-depth explanation of it, especially since you tied these new ideas to it that i probably wouldn’t have thought of otherwise! thanks and great job :DDD
thanks so much for watching! ☺️
Side note: the puking to eat more is likely a reference to the Roman Vomitorium. They did the exact same thing.
I love this so much. I recently reread The Hunger Games and was shocked at how much I missed when I was younger, especially a lot of what you mention here. Anyway, this analysis is amazing and you've earned a subscription :)
I think another aspect in how the districts work which resembles colonialism is how they are reduced to producing a singlular type of resources. This somewhat resembles how many colonial nations saw their territories. Colonies being categorised into settler, trade and resources based production destroying their self efficiency. Instead of industry developing organically, only industry was developed to produce a certain resource required by their colonial nation. As a result of this even now this means many post colonial states have struggled to diversify their industry increasing their need to trade with the Global North. Further perpetuating colonialism.
I imagine in Post revolution Panem, this issue of intense specialisation would continue to be a large problem.
The third Hunger Games soundtrack is also criminally underrated, in my opinion. Easily one of the best albums of the 2010s.
im so happy i found this ive been thinking about this franchise for years
thanks for watching! 😊
Brilliantly put, I'm writing my dissertation on this. the hunger games is a really important reflection of our society and has been ignored for the exact same reason it is so powerful. It challenges the status quo by making us reflect on it. The fact that it is classed as YA should not mean that we take it less seriously, quite the opposite. It shows the struggles that teenagers have at grasping the inequalities present and the performances put on by the adults in the world around them. Don't even get me started on the brilliance and complexity of Katniss as a main character! Thank you for this x
fantastic video. just finished reading the series and have been looking for an analysis as great as this one. thank you!
glad you enjoyed!! 😊
I found your channel today Nellie, I am soooo happy that I did. I’m sad that you only have 4 videos for me to binge but I’m excited to see what you post next. You explain things so well and the scenery is gorgeous. I turned my notifications on for you.
I just found this channel a few months ago
omg wow, thank you so much, you have no idea how happy that makes me to hear that!! 😭☺️🤍
@@nelliekarengo do the Twilight saga next please
this is literally the best video ever !! i recently heard about post colonial theory/hybritdity/hegemony/ spivak's subaltern and bhabha's theory in english class and i've always been obsessed with the hunger games so it was an extremely interesting video to watch as it really touched every subject i studied; each argument and example you used seems so obvious now but i had never thought of this before
this makes me want to read the series again ! amazing work, thank you for this video !
I love this analysis! It would be super interesting to see your take on the prequel, if you've read it. I finished reading it yesterday and I think there's a lot that could be discussed, such as Sejanus's position in the system of Panem, and the Covey's, as well as the treatment of the tributes in the beginning.
Thank you so much for this super interesting and educational video!! I'm neck-deep in hunger games content, but this is by far the most interesting perspective I've come across
Well done! Especially the bit about the avoxes - that had to be intentional!
Thank you! 😊
Yes, I wonder if Collins did that on purpose
i’ve been waitin for this one.. TURN IT UP ‼️
Thank you for this brilliant take! I recently reread the books and felt it was so gut wrenching, because when I think of so many conflicts right now, I see the parallels and Katnisses perspective shows us so much the human side of these forces that we often only perceive as something like an abstract concept if we dont experience it ourselves. It is so relevant and important, I wish everyone would read that book and really take in all the considerations you pointed out so clearly.
Collins is absolutely unhinged and unabashedly has something to say in all of her books. I havent even watched the video yet but I wanted to comment asking you to read the underland chronicles if you havent to cross reference and really like steep in the vibes
Fantastic video!! When watching TBSAS I was thinking a lot about a quote from Barbara kingsolver (the author of demon copperhead) how the US treats Appalachia like an “internal colony.” So true for the hunger games too. PS, would love for you to do a video on fullmetal alchemist brotherhood and post colonial theory!!
I'd like to start by saying, I typed this before I really got far into the video.
I remember the first time I read the hunger games. I was 11. And I read the entire series 6 times over, didn't touch it again until the balled of songbirds and snakes came out. I was obsessed as a child, but I didn't even understand it. As an adult, I understand the themes way more and appreciate the story way more. Also realize how you're quite litterally readying through the eyes of a teenager going through literal hell.
This video is SOOOO good, thank you. I re read the books just now (because sure, there isn't enough of this happening in the real world) and you help me put into words everything I feel about the saga. Thank youuu
I just bunged the whole film series in preparation to watch the new prequel film. I cannot agree more on your take. I just want to see a pre hunger games and post hunger games era.
i loved hearing you analysis that was so articulate and clearly explained how the hunger games links to colonialism. i think it is such a refreshing perspective and one that many reader may not dwell on. your video really opened my eyes and educated me on the subject and i think this is a very interesting take on the hunger games and a quite relevant detail to focus on. thank you so much
didnt realize the capitol and districts had different accents till this vid
As a Black woman from the Global South who has read and loved this series for a decade, I squealed when this came up on my recommended. Thank you for such a wonderful analysis, can’t wait to watch more of your content.
so well-said and so terrifying. thank u. also the avox /real-world subaltern makes me think of what (founder) ymir is from attack on titan-- like what she becomes to survive and manifest from the dehumanized pain she experienced
I agree with your statement, but I think the main dynamic is not about a post-colonial perspective, since colonialism above all is when an alien invader exploits a native population that makes you a foreigner in your own land, but rather about class conflict. The similarity is to the French revolution, Russian Revolution and of course the slave revolution in ancient Rome led by gladiators. It's almost like imagining ancient Rome in the age of mass communication and how it can be used as a weapon.
loved this analysis!! the hunger games as a franchise is back and i cannot be happier
Patreon so we can crowd fund a mic for you. Otherwise, great analysis! I read the trilogy a decade ago and had forgotten about details like the avoxes!
LOL I’m working on getting one 😂😂 this is my new favorite comment 😭
I’m glad you enjoyed, thanks for watching!
@@nelliekarengo it's so important to have these analysis! Pop culture + postcolonial theory hell yes
This really helped me put together things that went over my head as a kid. Thank you!
i loved your video and explained everything so in such a fantastic and luminating way! but I also have to say GIRL YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL!!! YOU ARE LITERALLY GLOWING!! ✨💕
This video has made me feel so safe and seen. As a 17year old woman who thinks about these things all the time but isn’t listened to this was brilliant.
just wanted to say that I really enjoyed this! the analysis paired with the casual sit down feel made this a very enjoyable experience! (i know i am a year late but i still felt the need to comment)
This was very interesting an analysis. When the books and movie came out concerns about reality TV were a big topic and we analyzed the book mainly under that viewpoint but looking back this is a way more fitting discussion to be had over it!
Just now found this video, and it's very well put together! I don't say this often, but thanks youtube algorithm for recommending this to me! It's really cool to see how the series that kicked off the trend of dystopia YA was popular for a reason and that its themes continue to resonate today. Also, on the point of colonialism and especially hybridity, have you ever read the book Babel by R.F. Kuang? If you find the exploration of these themes compelling, I think this book would be right up your alley (also it's just incredible overall)
Yes! This is one aspect that spoke to me when I read the books the first time and it's wonderful to hear you speaking about it.
I really enjoyed your analysis in this video. I somehow felt like the people in the Capitol are living in their own utopia in the sense that they are unaware and oblivious to the struggle of the people from the district. Even though the hunger games franchise is marketed as a dystopian, futuristic novel which it is. It also at the same time depicts the huge contrast between the capitol and the districts. It also proves one of the theories that I read about utopian societies.
Got this video rec to me and what an amazing job ! I've always wanted more books/short stories from the perspective of other citizens from other districts, for this very reason ! I've always loved hunger games for it's themes , esp as I was growing up.
Colonialism reigns because of its effects that still benefits the tippity top for sure.
Taking a California history class atm (as a California native) and the preventing of history repeating itself...Phew, strength to us both ! 💪🏽🫶🏽
A very thoughtful piece that came to me at a perfect time , incredible work ! 🤍
I was about 8 or 9 when the first movie came out, and I BEGGED my mom to let me see it. She told me if I read the book first I could watch the movie, thinking that the novel would be less violent, and to her surprise I actually did. I won’t lie, I enjoyed the movies a lot as a kid, though having rewatched them now as an adult I can see the themes that were dumbed down to make a more marketable film. I’m seriously considering re-reading Catching Fire and finally getting into Mockingjay (I started it though never finished) because of this video, but I can also see how much reading this novel as a child affected my view of the world and politics. As I’ve grown I’ve started to not take fiction as seriously, preferring non fiction or historical fiction narratives, especially with there being plenty of bad YA hunger games rip offs *cough cough* Divergent *cough cough* Red Queen. Thank you for making this video, you truly helped to change my perspective and have more appreciation for the novels I grew up with
The Starving Games will never not be funny to me, however
I haven't watched the video yet but the opening frame is so lovely I'm hooked
Your voice is very soothing. I will get back to this tonight when I am winding down. Thank you.❤
*me looking nervously at the wine and laptop being so close to each*
Loved this video so much!! 💗💚 Really appreciate the effort you put into making this. huge fan of the hunger games franchise c:
P.S. you’re so prettyy
I enjoy hearing intelligent woman discuss topics like this, plus your voice is adorable!
aww, thank you so much!! it makes me beyond happy hearing that you enjoyed it! ☺️☺️
amazing video - thank you for analyzing and bringing this to our attention ♥
Amazing video! Also when you said “peacemakers” but corrected it onscreen to “peacekeepers”, technically both are correct because both terms were used in the books (although peacekeeper was used more frequently). Just thought I’d point that out because when I read the books I remember being confused when the word peacemaker was used after they’d been called peacekeepers every time before. 😂
I swear I like intellectual talk too, but that top gorgeous omg
All I can say is wow, you're gonna go far
wow, I’m weeping at your extremely kind comment, thank you so much 😭🤍
There is a reason why I always go back to the series when feeling a certain way
8:28 honestly it makes so much sense after reading the latest book why snow made it more in that direction. Before apparantly you could become capital but stuff happened.
Thank you youtube algorithm
It is most accurately like if the situation in Britain during the industrial revolution never got better with the advancement of technology. Child labour, low wages, low lifespan, no rights, extreme classism. Basically the 13 colonies and French homelands revolutions but the specific climate of IR England and Ireland.
I remember very distinctly when I traveled abroad a year to Chile (from Germany) to work in a pretty empoverished area (a whole other in retrospect problematic dynamic) that one of my first thoughts was when I started to politicize that it feels like I came from the capitol to the districts. And that maybe I was part of the capitol and the world I came from was the problem. This whole year influenced me deeply and politicized me pretty radically and I'll hold Suzanne Collins always dear to make my mind open for these associations. Now many years later and way better informed about postcolonial theory I still think the story slaps!
New subbie here! You are a breath of fresh air. Kudos to you for giving such eloquent and educated commentary.
Been searching for this analysis on RUclips for three days. 😄
Thanks for the great analysis!!! This series is very important to me, and it’s such a shame how overlooked the core themes and the many, many political messages are.
(Also I love your monstera! It looks very happy and cute)
So yea we read this as our book for the year in our school in Germany. Hunger games is already flying of the roof’s.
4:02 Katniss dad died in the mines
this was so good!! i was surprised to see that u dont have more subs, keep it up !!!
Thank you! I didn‘t knew I needed just this before finding this video.
This video is so well analyzed ♥️
thank you so much! ☺️
You're welcome
Would you make a video on Crime and punishment 😊
This was amazing, thank you. I learned so much
Great job taking ur time explaining this interesting take
thank you so much, I appreciate you taking the time to watch! :)
this is so well said
thanks so much Kayden, thanks for watching! ☺️☺️
Given that this came out two years ago, you may never get a chance to read this comment, but I wanted to thank you for your thoughtful and well supported thesis.
Wow! What a profound analysis ❤️
thank you!! ☺️
Okay good one Facebook 😂 friends and I was just in group chat less than 30 minutes ago talking about how ppl who watched the movies think hunger games has a more different meaning than the books. And how we are tired of ppl with no media literacy making twitter think pieces on why hunger games is “shallow”
Next time ima just link this video as my rebuttal
The one that bothers me most is when ppl complain about how only 1 major industry is produced by each district
Without acknowledging that by doing this the capitol keeps everyone dependent on their dictatorship
thank you for your work! awesome video
I’ve heard of the hunger games being compared to North Korea as in how it exploits itself own people, not about going somewhere else or colonialism. It’s about their own nation rather than another, supporting a corruptly run capital
You can make an interpretation for both as the capitol literally tries to other itself from the districts, making a clear distinction through “us vs them” type thinking.
My favorite book series