Another Post on Hunger (part 2)

(This post will not get into specifics... still overall stuff.)

This three book series seems to have been written for the express purpose of turning them into movies.  They are not what I would call, “well written.”  There were some grammatical errors but the main objection I have is the amount of fluff.  So much of the book simply does not need to be there and the style makes much more sense if you believe that it was written to be a movie.  For example, many unimportant things were mapped out in excessive detail.  It felt to me, even initially, that the book was a more a guideline for movie-makers or meant to be little notes to actors.  I almost felt like the book was telling me how to feel rather than making me feel that way.  (Granted I have only read the books once.)  Ok, that may be true, you say, but is that a bad thing?  Well, maybe not for most people, but I cannot categorize it as a good work.   

Suzanne Collins set out to write something that would sell, and she succeeded.  At first, I really had a problem with this idea.  I did not understand why a person would write something without trying to create an excellent work.  Of course, then I realized that I’m the odd one for thinking that a person would.  People write what there is a market for.  That gives insight into the story and the majority of our culture.  I asked myself what it was about these books that caused them to sell.  What was it that people found so appealing?  Considering that the fan base is populated primarily by teen girls, it seems realistic to assume that the drama and romance is a large part of the appeal.  The main character pretends she is in love, in order to save her life, with someone who really does like her while a good (and good-looking) friend back home has to look on helplessly.  Y’all, this sounds like high-school drama!  And I never even went to school!  (If you wonder how I know, let me just say that despite my every effort, I could not escape that ominous cloud of drama!)  Romance is something most teenage girls are looking for.  Media, books, and celebrities all pound it into their heads.  How can we expect otherwise when they are not taught or shown examples of anything else?  But even sadder to me is the fact that many mothers are just the same as these teenage girls.  They may be married, but they still look to media and literature to fill these romantic desires.

Friends, it is not healthy or good to be dwelling on this kind of stuff.  I find that the more I dwell on it, the closer I find myself to sinning either through thoughts or discontentment.  I sometimes catch myself wishing that I were in a similar situation as a fictional character or fantasizing over something I consider to be ideal.  These indulgences steal valuable time and encourage us to live anywhere except where and when we do.  They cause us to not live in the present, which, by the way, is the only place where we can actually accomplish anything.

“Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for He himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5

Now before I go any farther, let me clarify a bit.  I believe that this type of literature and media can be quite dangerous, however, I am not saying that it is always bad.  I have read all three books and have seen the movie three times.  I looked forward to the movie coming out and thought it was done well.  I have had to be careful though that I did not get too involved or concerned with it.  I don't want it to overtake my thought life or to become some sort of unstated standard.  I look to scripture for that.

 

We are constantly surrounded with things that are wrong or not best because we live in a sinful world.  However, we can still learn from them.  But in order to do so, we must be clear about them.  We have to recognize and identify things properly.  (It is not right to use this idea as an excuse to read trash or as a way to gratify our fleshly desires.)  Re-labeling or redefining things in order to ease our conscience or to classify something as acceptable is wrong.  We have to evaluate everything according to scripture so that we do not let sin slip into our hearts unnoticed.  We must be careful to see things for what they are and to react accordingly.

~ A Song of Joy