A Form of Art in a Society of Artificial Entertainment

The critical essay called “Revolutionary Art in the Age of Reality TV” by Katheryn Wright is an analysis that makes comparisons between The Hunger Games as viewed by the audience of Panem and the reality TV on air today. Television plays a key role in both our society and the society of Panem. We use it as a form of reaching to others through news and broadcasts, entertainment, and expressing ideas; the Capitol uses television as both entertainment and broadcasting the Capitol’s power over the citizens. Television is a symbol of power in Panem; the Capitol forces everyone to watch the games; in school, home, or around town.

The Hunger Games are very similar to the reality TV we watch today. The games encourage the audience to cheer for the success or failures of the tributes, just like we cheer and support contestants on shows like Dancing with the Stars or American Idol. Romance is also key in the 74th Hunger Games, like The Bachelor. Survivors also tour Panem, like the final American Idol contestants go on a tour to various regions around the country.



The Hunger games is much more artfully written and portrayed in both the book and the movie than in the reality television we watch. It evokes emotion; everything is real and happening live. This differs from reality television which is only meant to entertain and stir up responses from the audience, increase ratings; it is also often edited to show the exciting details of one’s life such as the reality shows on TLC like Long Island Medium or My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding do. Shows like these all have a common message, but drag on for many episodes to the point when you think “how am I accomplishing anything by watching this?” One episode can give you enough insight in a culture, but then we get addicted to it and get caught up in other people’s lives. Like the Capitol, citizens get caught up betting and sponsoring tributes they don’t even know; we do the same voting for contestants or watching reality shows that end up being the same story line every week.

Today’s reality television ranges from programs such as makeover shows to documentaries, talent competitions to talk and games shows. Which in some form, the novel demonstrates these programs through the behind the scene makeovers, the interviews with Caesar Flickerman, or competing in the games itself. Caesar Flickerman is an example of the typical, witty television show host, in a way poking fun at the hosts we watch on TV.


The Hunger Games encompasses everything we value in reality television, and basically points out that worse things are happening around us (making comparisons to when 9/11 occurred,  a type of reality television, the news, that is live, emotional, and life changing) , making The Hunger Games a form of revolutionary art.

Reality television today and in Panem can also be analyzed through feminine analysis. Most television we watch enforces stereotypes; whether it is the classic high school TV show or selling a product. Not only that, but some media demeans men or women, usually women, by using their body to sell something. That is not the case in Panem. Gender stereotypes are not seen during the games, all the boys and girls participating must go through the same tragedies and struggles. Women do not have it easier than men or the other way around, all of them must train before the games and all of them must fight to survive and even kill during the games. This too shows the creativity that Suzanne Collins used to show equality in a dystopian society, giving it a Utopian quality even if overall if it is not a perfect society.