The Hunger Games…I have not read the book …I have not seen the movie.
But I have read an excellent review on a website that seems to be a good find if you want to know how to keep pace with your children and their exposure to technology and media.
What parents need to know…Parents need to know that although the bestselling Hunger Games books are enormously popular with tweens, theres a clear distinction between reading about violence and seeing it portrayed on screen. Developmentally, the 10- to 12-year-olds whove read the book may find the movies visceral, sometimes bloody teen-on-teen violence upsetting — especially the brutal scene that opens the Games, in which several teens are slaughtered by their fellow contestants. Even young teens need to be mature enough to deal with the 20+ deaths in The Hunger Games; characters are viciously dispatched with various weapons — including spears, arrows, and swords — as well as by having their necks broken, their skulls cracked, and their bodies ravaged by carnivorous and poisonous creatures.
Discussion suggestions for parents and kids:
- Families can talk about how the Hunger Games’ “last man standing” premise (minus the actual killing, of course) compares to current reality shows. Which shows pit people against each other? Why is it so much fun to watch the alliances and the voting off and the cattiness of these programs? How far do you think shows like this could go?
- Use the movie’s depiction of Panem — particularly the relationship between the Capitol and the 12 districts — to discuss how much kids understand about totalitarian governments and dictatorships. What does President Snow mean when he says he doesn’t root for “underdogs”? Or that too much hope is a dangerous thing?
via The Hunger Games – Movie Review.
Related sites:
I cannot bear to open this book the premise upsets me. I really understand with my background in child development, where you are coming from, they see way too much violence. This is not the coyote and the road runner, violence and death are pretend in the movies, but may change the reality
And make young people too passive toward this subject.
I know…I have mixed feeling about who should see this movie but if kids do see it, a discussion with adults that have a sense of child development should be a requirement after viewing. I think that English class is a good place for this discussion as well as the dinner table. What do you think? Personally I don’t want to see the movie either but would if I had teenagers seeing it.