The Hunger Games and Philosophy: A Critique of Pure Treason

The Hunger Games and Philosophy: A Critique of Pure Treason

Author: Visit Amazon's George A. Dunn Page | Language: English | ISBN: 1118065077 | Format: PDF

The Hunger Games and Philosophy: A Critique of Pure Treason Description

From the Back Cover

Can entertainment be dangerous?

Do ordinary moral rules apply in the arena?

Can philosophy help Katniss decide between Gale and Peeta?

Could muttations someday become a reality?

Can the world of the Hunger Games shine a light into the dark corners of our own world? Katniss Everdeen is "the girl who was on fire," but she is also the girl who makes us think, dream, question authority, and rebel. The postapocalyptic world of Panem's twelve districts is a divided society on the brink of war and struggling to survive, while the Capitol lives in the lap of luxury and pure contentment. At every turn in the Hunger Games trilogy, Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and their many allies wrestle with harrowing choices and ethical dilemmas that push them to the brink. This thoughtful guide draws on the work of Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, Charles Darwin, and other engaging philosophical thinkers to take you deeper into the story. It gives you new insights into the Hunger Games series and its key characters, plot lines, and themes, including war, authenticity, social class, personal identity, altruism, gender, art, fashion, and moral choice.

To learn more about the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, visit www.andphilosophy.com

About the Author

George A. Dunn is a lecturer at the University of Indianapolis and the Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, China. He edited True Blood and Philosophy and contributed to Twilight and Philosophy, Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy, and Mad Men and Philosophy.

Nicolas Michaud is an instructor of philosophy at the University of North Florida and has contributed to Twilight and Philosophy, Final Fantasy and Philosophy, 30 Rock and Philosophy, and Green Lantern and Philosophy.

William Irwin is a professor of philosophy at King's College. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books as coeditor of the bestselling The Simpsons and Philosophy and has overseen recent titles, including House and Philosophy, Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy, and Mad Men and Philosophy.

Product Details
Table of Contents
Reviews

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (February 28, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1118065077
ISBN-13: 978-1118065075
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

The release of this latest entry in Wiley-Blackwell's "Philosophy and Popular Culture" series is timed to slightly precede (by about a month) the theatrical release of the movie based on Suzanne Collins' trilogy "The Hunger Games". Per an alleged movie review on IMDB, the movie is spectacular and does justice to the trilogy. In likewise fashion, so does this collection of essays. Wiley-Blackwell stays true to its formula of covering a wide number of philosophical themes with well-written and readable essays. The book exhibits the typical attention to detail and structure that I have come to expect of entries in this series. In the "Notes" section at the end of each essay, the reader will typically be directed to other essays within the collection that develop specific issues in greater detail. Having never read the Hunger Games trilogy, I was somewhat apprehensive about whether I would be able to follow the discussions well enough to appreciate the attention given to the philosophical themes. Rest assured, the essays are so well-written that this is not an issue. In fact, readers coming to this collection of essays with no foreknowledge of the trilogy will come away feeling as though they had read it, even lived through it. Those who have read the trilogy, and even those who will only see the movie, will enjoy this book immensely.

This collection of nineteen essays is divided into seven sections, with the following topics: (1) art, music, and metaphor; (2) morality; (3) science; (4) the ethics of caring and gender; (5) authenticity and identity; (6) warfare; and (7) political philosophy. Overall, the essays were well-written, even interesting, and definitely enlightening.

As someone who first rejected the premise upon which 'Hunger Games' was written, I appreciated the extra philosophical comparisons and contrasts of 'The Hunger Games & Philosophy' to help me focus on what young readers are up against as far as viewing reality television is concerned. I am one of the over-50 crowd and don't have much time for TV. The extreme disparity between the people of the Capitol and the people of the Districts was unsettling in the film version, but clearly necessary for the heroine to grow and develop into a compassionate individual and make a difference/create change when the odds did not seem in her favor. I walked out of the movie unnerved; however, after reading the trilogy and using the 'Critique of Pure Treason' to reconnect with how a younger audience may view televised social situations, as well as the possibility of having to defend themselves against an enemy (for whatever reason), I had a clearer understanding of why Ms. Collins wrote her books. Her ability to use the subject of media manipulation of an audience/population was exceptional. After all, reality TV aside, aren't relentless commercials used to maneuver us into how we see ourselves, which products to purchase, to encourage us to behave in a certain manner? This has been going on forever, but it was made extraordinarily extreme in 'Hunger Games'. Although I do not see the possibility of a 'Hunger Games' in our near future, I can see the development of freedom of expression through alterations and enhancements of our individual bodies gaining traction. There is a huge gap between what is considered high fashion and the opposing desire to look, feel and "be" natural.

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