ShmoopTube

Where Monty Python meets your 10th grade teacher.

Search Thousands of Shmoop Videos


Dystopian Literature Videos 33 videos

1984
135158 Views

Well, if this book doesn't make you want to tape over your laptop camera, we don't know what will.

1984 and V for Vendetta
17150 Views

Imagine a world in which all literature was dystopian. Okay, so we may be getting to that point, 1984 and V for Vendetta helped start it all.

1984 Summary
136167 Views

By the end of this video, you will be brainwashed. There's nothing you can do about it; we just wanted to let you know. We like to think we're bigg...

See All

The Hunger Games: Reality TV Gone Wrong 4575 Views


Share It!


Description:

It’s so upsetting when there's nothing good on TV. No celebrities dancing with trained professionals. No debonair bachelors handing out roses. No young children shooting arrows into their peers. Wait—what?

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:05

The Hunger Games, a la Shmoop. Some people walk a thin line between fantasy

00:12

and reality. For some, that line is thinner than others.

00:16

Isn't that right, Mr. Sheen? But then there are those who lie somewhere

00:21

in the middle... ...viewers of reality television.

00:37

In The Hunger Games, reality TV is taken to a whole new level.

00:42

Though it may seem to us like our society could never sink to such depths...

00:49

...we wonder... could it? We don't exactly have the most refined standards for entertainment

00:57

in this country. And when it comes to reality TV... come on--

01:12

you know you've watched the stuff. Maybe not hardcore reality programming, like

01:17

Mob Wives or Bridalplasty... But the simple truth is that there is some

01:24

sick part of us that likes to see someone suffer a complete breakdown.

01:28

Because hey, at least it isn't us! Of course, the flip side of that coin is that

01:37

we also have a chance to see someone succeed against nearly impossible odds.

01:42

We are also big fans of elimination-style competition. Look at any sport's playoff structure...

01:52

...or how the winners of a talent show are determined...

01:54

...or even how our presidential elections are decided.

02:01

It's riveting stuff... ...and it seems that an elimination-style

02:07

competition with life-or-death stakes might be right up our alley.

02:12

But could we really get over the idea of kids killing kids?

02:16

Even the spoiled ones, who could maybe benefit from a couple days in the arena?

02:24

Rome had a similar sport played in their Coliseum. Gladiator fights were the entertainment of

02:29

their day. ...but that was like thousands of years ago,

02:33

right? Well today, we do love many forms of competition

02:36

in the US.

02:38

...but it's doubtful we as a people would ever go back to those Roman times. Back when

02:41

we were willing to string up a bunch of young 'uns just to get our fix.

02:46

Right? What's your take? How brutal will reality

02:49

television get in the future? Shmoop amongst yourselves.

Related Videos

The Importance of Being Earnest Summary
123039 Views

They say that honesty is the best policy, but Jack lies about his identity and still gets the girl. Does that mean we should all lie to get what we...

The Giver Summary
105893 Views

Ever wish you could remember everything that you ever studied? How about everything that everyone has ever studied? Yeah, pretty sure our brains ju...

Invisible Man (Ellison)
1818 Views

Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man is an American classic. Hope you're not expecting any exciting shower scenes though. It's not that kind of book.

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
1256 Views

Do not go gentle into that good night. In fact, if it's past your curfew, don't go at all into that good night. You just stay in your good bed and...

Quotes: A fool's paradise
294 Views

Find out the meaning behind "a fool's paradise."