Thursday, July 25, 2013

Media outtake #4: Fighting As a Source of Entertainment




       Ralph Ellison’s “Battle Royal,” discusses the journey of a slave’s grandson who has to deliver a speech at the Battle Royal. Throughout this process, the narrator is hunted by his grandfather’s words of committing treason because he lived subserviently. His grandfather feels that he should have defended the rights of African Americans and revolt against societal oppression. The grandson fears that he has not fulfilled his grandfather’s purpose. He was picked to present a speech at the Battle Royal, but did not perceive that he would have to fight. However, the narrator did have to fight in the battle for the pleasure of high rank members of the white society. During the battle the audience would laugh at the black boys fighting and see their pain as a form of entertainment.
          In similarity to “Battle Royal”, The Hunger Games depict combats where the fighters have to fight for their survival. The game was created by the Panem government due to the populations’ previous rebellion against the totalitarian nation. The game consists of twelve districts and each of those counties is represented by two young members from its population, a boy and a girl. In the movie Katniss volunteered herself has tribune instead of letting her sister go to such battle. This movie is connected to “Battle Royal” in the sense that the participants of the games had to fight for their lives for the entertainment of the Panem government. They were ridiculed and laughed at just like the boys in “Battle Royal”. They had to hunt their own kind just like the boys in the story had to fight their own race. Also, in similarity to the invisible man, Katniss tried to made truce with the other gamers in order to stay alive. The only difference is that her truce with Peeta Mellark worked successfully, while Tatlock refuse to negotiate with the invisible man Ellison’s short piece.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbA63a7H0bo


 
 


3 comments:

  1. I really like the connection that you made. I really liked the Hunger Games movie and absolutely love the book as I've read it twice. With that said, I can definitely see where you are coming from and also the connection you are attempting to make. The two are certainly similar as both protagonists are forced to fight for their lives at the amusement of others. Not only is the similarity the battle, but also the fact that the two main characters of each respective story were judged and discriminated against because they were different than others. Good job with your media outtake.

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  2. Berose, that is a great connection you made between “Battle Royal” and “The Hunger Games” they are prefect representations of one another. Both protagonists are subordinates in society, katniss because she is poor and the narrator of “Battle Royal” because he is African American. Both character’s struggles and suffering are used as amusement for the superior. Although I personally think Katniss is way smarter than the narrator of the other story they are both faced with fighting there own kind for survival and are “winners” in the end but neither feel like a “winner”. I absolutely love the “The Hunger Games” and think you did a great job!

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  3. Berose, the connection you made with "Battle Royal" and "The Hunger Game" was perfect. I also did a comparison with "Battle royal" although I believe your connection was outstanding. The Black boy in the book was definition fighting for his life just to entertain the white rich people watching. In, "The Hunger Games" they were also doing the same. They must have both been under to much pressure. If they were to mess up, the rich white people watching would get so much amusement out of it. I wouldnt have thought to make the same connection you made, although it was a great connection! Great job Berose!

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