are you in the mood for a fandom discussion?

[chibichan]

I feel like writing an entry today, even though nothing new has happened. The only news I have is that I'm going to the physiotherapist today for my tight psoas muscles (which are so tight, they actually hurt). I know the session is going to be painful, but it'll make me feel better in the long run. So I'm half looking forward to it and half fearing it.

I've been taking 10mg of medicine for the past few days and I've been feeling okay, which is good. :D

If you like or even hate The Hunger Games, I found a couple of interesting articles about how Katniss appears to be a strong female character, but ultimately isn't. Here they are: one and two. Do read them in order, as the second article is a response to the comments on the first one.

I agree with both articles, but then again I never really liked Katniss and consider THG to be an okay series (completely ruined by the last book, imo) which is somewhat over-hyped. But I'd be very interested in hearing your thoughts! :) I'm really in the mood for a bit of fandom discussion!

Comments

[chibichan]

I haven't seen the Resident Evil films, but I think the point that the author was trying to make is that Alice is "more badass" than Katniss, or more worthy of the "badass" title when compared to Katniss. I can't say much about the character of Alice, though.

I think I agree with you that the articles, especially the second, could be written in a less smug and defensive tone, but I do think they have a point once I can get past the tone.

I don't think THG is sexist, I think that's an overstatement. But I do think that Katniss is far from being one of the best female characters ever featured in a book/film.

[cakemage]

Having only seen the first RE (and once was enough; I don't like gory stuff), Alice annoyed me because she was perpetually operating in God-mode. She never faltered, was never overwhelmed, always had a smart-ass quip, and kicked everything's ass while wearing a cocktail dress and high-heeled boots. Like the female equivalent of Wolverine, only sexier and, I will admit, much less annoying and overrated. I'll also say that some of the hate she gets from the fandom is pretty sexist, as many will tear her down for having the same qualities that they praise in male characters. And I think that a lot of Katniss hate is similar. It's common for a male lead to start out the story with PTSD, be angry, bitter and resentful at the world, and to often make bad decisions because there are no good ones available, and who doesn't care about being likable because they've got much bigger things to worry about. That kind of male character is practically expected in action movies, but when those exact same traits are seen in a 16-year-old girl, it throws a lot of people for a loop.

Katniss is a majorly flawed and damaged character, but my argument is that not only is she supposed to be viewed as such, but also that given her circumstances it wouldn't be realistic for her to be a whole lot different.

[chibichan]

I can see why a character without flaws would be annoying. To be fair to the author of the article, though, she did say that Alice is a superhero (in her words, "you go with Alice, which is also why she isn't popular among women: There's no aspiration, no wish fulfillment, it's too fantastic, too impossible because Alice is, in fact, a superhero. It's not real"). Resident Evil doesn't strike me as a particular deep film, so it only seems obvious to me that its superheroes are not very "deep" people either. But I haven't seen the films (and I don't plan to, as I can't stand the gore), so maybe it's just me.

That kind of male character is practically expected in action movies, but when those exact same traits are seen in a 16-year-old girl, it throws a lot of people for a loop.

You bring up a good point and whoever hates Katniss for those reasons, but would be perfectly okay with a male protagonist in her place (without any change of personality) is being a bit sexist, imo.

Personally, I don't hate Katniss because she has PTSD, I think that's quite realistic (perhaps even too realistic in Mockingjay; Katniss does very little in that book and I get it that it's because the stress of the war and of the two games she's been through is catching up with her, but it's still a fictional book with Katniss being somewhat the hero of the story. Heroes can go through horrible moments in their lives, but at the end they overcome their fears and decide to do the right thing, it's the moment where they have an epiphany and decide to fight back; that never happened with Katniss, imo). I dislike Katniss for different reasons. I do like other female characters in the story though (Johanna and Prim). I also hate Gale, who is a male character. I don't care if the characters are male or female, if they give me reasons to hate them, I probably will, haha.