Twilight vs The Hunger Games: What They Say About Us

I am sure that I am not the first and definitely won't be the last to compare these two movies. When I saw these two films, I was struck by the fact that they targeted the same audience to try and convey many of the same themes but managed to affect people in hugely different ways.

With the Twilight Saga, you have a story that revolves around a young woman who can't make up her mind about who she loves, has no idea who she is and couldn't know less about what she wants.

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With the Hunger Games, you have a story that revolves around a young woman who always puts her family above herself, who puts the needs of others above her own and will fight to the death for what she believes is right.. and is willing to kill herself before doing what she thinks is wrong.

Why are these two movies so often compared by the media and reviewers? I think it is more than the fact that they are both aimed at a teen (read: teeny-bopper) audience. The stories really are similar to one another. Both feature a female lead, a love triangle, unnatural situations and exploring the ego. Where they genuinely differ is in how the characters react to the situations and what they are willing to do for what they think is right.

In my opinion, Twilight is everything that is wrong with modern American society. Bella has everything handed to her on a silver platter. She has two men who love her and two worlds ready to take her in as their own. And what does she do? She tries her best to have the best of both worlds so she does not have to make the hard decisions that we all must make. It is unfair to create a generation of people who think that it is OK to pussyfoot around issues like this.

On top of that, whoever heard of glittering vampires who go to high school? I mean, vampires in the daylight are one thing, but vampires that glitter are something else entirely.

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However, watching the Hunger Games was an entirely different experience for me. There were a number of scenes that actually made my heart race and disturbed me. At the start of the race, when many of the first contestants died running towards the Cornucopia, I hand my hand over my mouth. And the scene where she is forced to drop a hive of trackerjackers on the children below her (or die) that results in the death of one of the other tributes was also extremely disturbing.

I think the real difference in this movie is about the motivations of the characters and the choices they make. While Bella can afford to be an emotional teen, Katniss never had that chance. While Bella can afford to lead two men on (when she already knows who she will choose), Katniss definitely never, ever had that chance.

I think it is great that we, as a society, as Americans, have the freedom to make the choices we want. But with that freedom comes the responsibility to commit to our choices. It is not fair to have a 'backup', in case something happens to the person you love. It is not fair to always put your own emotions and desires before everyone else, especially your closest friends and family.

I think that is why I connected so much with Katniss and the Hunger Games. Despite all of the pomp and foppishness of the people who live in the Capitol, Katniss' world is hard and unforgiving. So too is our own. While Bella was willing to die to gain immortality for herself, Katniss was willing to die for her family and her friends.

In the end, I think that Twilight is everything that is wrong with America and the Hunger Games is everything that is great about this country. I think having the values of committing to what the world has given you and fighting for your own destiny are amazing ideals we should all relish. Being willing to give up everything for what you know to be right is something that to many in this world do not have the strength to do.

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