Personally
I loved both of the series. I usually don’t take movies that seriously or
debate over it but if it comes down to it both characters has their perks and
weaknesses too. I loved that Katniss is so independent through the whole series
and how she is so determined. She is so determined to help the people and to
take down the evil-government. I like the fact that it wasn’t like every other
mainstream movie now; where there’s always a guy saving the girl. I like the
fact that she was the one doing the saving and held the power in her hands. I
didn’t like the fact that she wasn’t loyal to one guy even though her
characteristics were supposed loyal to those she loved. Bella on the other hand
is your typically girly girl who wants it all. She wants the hot mysterious guy
who turns out to be a vampire. She had the typical role of the weakling female
who needs a guy to protect her through every bad decision or harmful thing in
her life. She was perceived as this vulnerable creature that can’t harmed but
she goes out of her way to prove the audience wrong. I like the fact that she
knows what she wants and goes out of her way to get it.
Even though
both characters are great there are also some faults in both. I didn’t like the
fact that Katniss was perceived as masculine just because she had power and she
was strong. But then again I typically don’t think the audience had any rights
to hate on Bella for being a girly girl when Katniss ends up to be the same
way. She ended up choosing Peeta and realized she desired a nice-guy and a
bunch of kids like the typical female would want. I didn’t like the fact that
Bella was perceived as the girly girl because throughout the series though she
was weak she wasn’t afraid of anything. She was even considered brave for staying
with Edward. In the end she got both power desire. She saved the Cullens and
their allies vampires with her new power.
I agree
with the author, Noah Berklatsky, that masculinity and femininity isn’t duel to
the death. Like he said the fans of both of the series know that so honestly
why does it matter to the adult critics even care? It’s a movie. Gender norms
and stereotypes will always be out there and we were born to do those things.
It’s what we know how to do and learned since we knew how to speak. We were
categorized the day we were born so instead of trying to criticize what we don’t
like we should do something about it and even embrace it.
• I really agree with everything that you wrote and said about the two movies. Of course there are ways of comparing the two, but in my opinion I don’t see nor understand why anyone should. I mean come on, they are just movies made from two books that authors wrote to ENTERTAIN an audience. I really don’t see the necessity to pick apart every detail of a fiction book/movie when the sole purpose was to simply entertain, especially when they are polar opposites. I really appreciated the fact that although Noah Berlatsky wrote this article of feminism and girly-girls he didn’t choose a side and make everything else sound irrelevant if it didn’t coincide with that point of view like most blogs you read now a days. Instead he took both sides into perspective and gave you a choice to decide what you though in a more informal and relaxed manner “I don't know that Bella and Katniss would necessarily like each other much if they met. But I think they might understand each other's desires and each other's strength. In any case, I doubt they'd fight. Masculinity and femininity isn't a duel to the death. The many tween fans of both books know that, even if adult critics occasionally get confused.” I thought this was cool, because he expressed that even though you may have opposing ideas with someone you don’t have to fight to come to some type of agreement. It was refreshing to read that someone actually wanted to communicate a point of view without trying to shove an opinion down your throat.
ReplyDeleteFrom my point of view I’ve never seen the Twilight series and I have seen The Hunger Games. First off, I agree that both movies were written and filmed purely for entertainment. But as the humans we are, we like to analyze every little thing. Noah, does consider both opposing sides giving us the chance to choose. But every source he gave us was from different authors and what they thought about Bella and Katniss. “Tina Jordan at EW.com says that "compared to Katniss, Bella is simply the more passive character." Meghan Lewitt here at The Atlantic compared the "swoony Bella" to the "tough-as-nails Katniss,"…” So, Noah does give a bit of his thoughts in this matter, but it is at the end when he does. When he says it isn’t something we should pay attention to. Although, I don’t know if Noah saw both series, even though I agree with him on why Katniss is masculine and Bella…not so much. Katniss does things not every “girly- girl”, as it is described, does. She goes hunting, killing animals, taking life from another living being. One has to be strong to take another living beings life. We usually see men having power. So why is it a problem if Katniss is seen like that? I doubt precious Bella would ever do that. And Bella’s braveness is choosing between a guy and another.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you one hundred percent Linda, both characters have their strengths and weaknesses, just like all of us have ours. But I do think that they are exaggerating when pointing these out in both characters and because of this, I feel as if the text is somewhat limited because of how narrow minded Noah Berlasky is in his opinion. He (and others), perceive Bella as a stereotypical girly girl because she doesn't result to violence (and comments on her clumsiness), and because she has a strong (sexual and lustful) desire for Edward. This necessarily doesn't mean she is a stereotypical "girly girl", she doesn't wear the "girly" clothes, she doesn't do her makeup. she isn't girly, she is just a girl. Some girly girls are down fight and some tomboys are not. Now for Katniss, she is a strong independent woman. She is into protecting herself and others because she has seen those she loves die. They say she is bad ass because she can hunt and shoot a bow and arrow. Most girls I know can do that, it isn't necessarily "bad ass". The purpose of the movies were to entertain others, not to have their characters criticized for how they act.
ReplyDeleteYes, I totally agree with you on this. I loved both series as well and I too do not look that into depth with the movies I watch unless there is some sort of historical or factual purpose behind it. No matter what there will always be implication of gender norms and roles in our world. Whether it be face to face, over a screen, or through a movie there is no escaping. Bella is too girly and Katniss is masculine.. hmm... Or it could jsut be that both characters have were meant to have differet personalities and preferences. Furthermore Katniss had no choice but to be strong and determined, if it was do or die for me I wouldnt be going about with a fragile midnset.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with what you said about the gender norms being found in works like these. I don't think Bella is necessarily representing all girls, or that when watching Twilight people assume that she is a representation of all females. I think that for the sake of the story, Meyer wrote Bella as this character the way she is. She needed to be girly, hormonal, and in love in order for her story to be told the way she wanted it to. In addition, Katniss in Hunger Games couldn't have been a Bella-type character. She had to be strong, independent, and focused for the Hunger Games story to unfold in the way that the creator intended. Basically I don't think either of these characters is better than the other, and I certainly agree that masculinity and femininity don't need to be put to the test against eachother so much. Both characters are valuable to the story in their own way and I think the author of this article made very good points to say that as well.
ReplyDeleteHaving both read Twilight and Hunger games myself, I completely agree with what you are saying. I don't think that Bella should just be labeled as a "girly girl who rides her aimlessness and hormones straight to damnation" because while she was weak in the first half of the series, towards the end she becomes one of the most powerful vampires in the series. While she began as the typical girl, the author continuously proved that she was much stronger than everyone thought. On the other hand, Katniss does the opposite. She's strong and independent in the beginning, but in Mockingjay she becomes just like Bella was in New Moon, depressed over a guy. At the end of the series she does what most women do; marry someone and have kids. Noah Berlatsky definitely proves that both Bella and Katniss show moments of having both power and desire, and they shouldn't be put against each other because in reality they are a lot more alike than most would assume.
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