On this week’s edition of “Stream my Story,” I am going to take us back in time about two years from my last post to discuss my (probably) favorite movie of all time—The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Now, I know this blog is meant to be in chronological order of my life, but I feel like this movie is too important to disregard.
Image Source: The Movie Database
As humans, it’s easy for us to acquiesce to the needs of our community and conform. We long for that sense of acceptance and community, even though our figures of authority may be corrupt or oppressive. It takes strong individuals to break free of those bonds of uniformity and stand up for change. Usually, we see these individuals being super-human, like Superman or Captain America, so it can be hard for us, as worldly beings, to relate to them.
What’s distinct about The Hunger Games is that Katniss is so painfully human; she lives in poverty, she struggles to maintain food for her family, and she does not want to be the face of any revolution but rather just find happiness in life. However, it is her painfully human attributes that make her the perfect target to lead the rebellion—the other struggling members in the Districts can empathize with her experiences.
Catching Fire as a whole is a visually stunning and complex film, and it all comes to fruition as Katniss releases that final arrow and destroys the force field of the arena. I remember seeing it on opening night, and the whole theater gasped in terror, uncertainty, and amazement.
Image Source: Buzzfeed
Katniss has always been a character who I’ve admired. She experiences anxiety, heartbreak, loss, and uncertainty in life, which are all things I strongly relate to. As a young girl, it gave me hope that even though I faced hardships in life, I could still end up becoming someone to look up to and someone to have an impact on our world.
We might not realize at the time how fictional characters can give us comfort and that sense of belongingness that I mentioned before. In a time where we might feel alone, we can reflect upon those characters who might have also experienced these problems—characters who were written by real-life humans— to remember that everything we feel is okay. There exists solace within fictional characters because in the end, these characters were conjured up by creative authors who utilized their own personal experiences to bring the characters to life.
Many of us probably have a “comfort character” , a character who gives us familiarity in a time of need. When I feel stressed, I put on The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and immerse myself in Katniss’s world; I perceive her adversity and engulf myself in her victories. She lets me know that whatever I’m going through, I am going to get through and land on top. Even now, at 18 years old, Katniss remains my leading fictional influence for success. While aerospace engineering is significantly different than fighting to death in an arena, you get the point.
Television media allows us to propel ourselves through the burdens of everyday life. Think about some characters you relate the most to in your everyday life, whether it be Spongebob or Indiana Jones. Next time you’re feeling worried or troubled, turn to your favorite fictional character, and they may have the answers you’re looking for.
I loved this book when I was young, I still remember reading it in middle school. The movie was better than the book actually. I enjoyed your analysis of Katiness as a character, I can definitely see why she would be a go-to comfort character, in regards to the way she deals with situations. I thought this blog was very well written, with a nice conclusion at the end giving the reader something to think about.