The New York Times article, “A Radical Female Hero from Dystopia,” written by A. O. Scott and Manohla Dargis, reads more like a conversation than an article, but doesn’t make the authors seem any less informed, rather, their dialogue guides the reader through two schools of thought. Each analyzes the Hunger Games under a different scope, and how the main character, Katniss Everdeen, does or does not seem to fit pedaled gender roles that exist today. Manohla and Dargis intention is also to highlight the way she creates a fresh new character that viewers have become so drawn to. In order to alert the reader to how the role of Katniss, played by Jennifer Lawrence does or does not defy social norms, they give specific examples from the movie. Given the in depth discussion on gender roles, the article is directed to an informed reader on gender studies and most likely someone interested in the medias representation of women.
At the end of the article, I really felt that Dargis drove her point home by incorporating race into the discussion and stating how the Hunger Games defied racial and social norms while in the film. My own view is that though Dargis and Manohla sight the films popularity to Katniss’ unprecedented role as a female character, I believe that is not the case. The series is popular because of it entertaining and enthralling plot line, driven by fear and horror in the submission of a Utopian society. The fact that people are so drawn to the character of Katniss is merely a side effect. The book isn’t popular because of Katniss alone, but it is revered because of her ability to be accessible to the majority of readers.
At the end of the article, I really felt that Dargis drove her point home by incorporating race into the discussion and stating how the Hunger Games defied racial and social norms while in the film. My own view is that though Dargis and Manohla sight the films popularity to Katniss’ unprecedented role as a female character, I believe that is not the case. The series is popular because of it entertaining and enthralling plot line, driven by fear and horror in the submission of a Utopian society. The fact that people are so drawn to the character of Katniss is merely a side effect. The book isn’t popular because of Katniss alone, but it is revered because of her ability to be accessible to the majority of readers.