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Hunger Games and heroism

My friend Sarah went to see The Hunger Games with her daughter on opening night, but how about any of you? Who’s seen the movie? Read the books?

I admit I only read the books when I heard all the hype about it, and I really like the first book. The social commentary was so fascinating. But I’m in the middle of Catching Fire and must admit I’m not as enthralled. I’ll probably get slammed for saying this, but I don’t really see what’s so heroic about Gale that she loves him so much. He actually seems a bit selfish much of the time.

As girls, we shouldn’t just fall in love with any guy who seems halfway interested. Even if he’s madly in love with you, look at his heart. Is he heroic? Does he show the kinds of qualities God would admire? And I’m not talking piety. That’s totally different from heroism.

He should put God first and you second. He shouldn’t be a doormat, instead he should help you do the right thing even if it’s painful for him and for you. I think that’s heroism.

There are some guys who are confident rebels who are also heroic. But there are also lots of rebels who are selfish.

There are saints who are heroic, but there are also some saints who are not heroic. They can be full of themselves, or care more about what people think that what God thinks, or they can be downright selfish.

So far, in the little I’ve seen of Gale on the page, he’s just not heroic to me. He’s a rebel, which can be attractive, but he’s a bit selfish. Maybe because one of the first things I see him doing in the book is talking to Katniss about running off together, leaving their families behind. I understand WHY he wants to do this. Yes, his life is hard, and it’s tough for him to see Katniss and Peeta together, but he never told her he loved her, and it wasn’t his name picked at the Reaping, was it? He doesn't know anything about what Katniss and Peeta had to do to endure.

So do you agree or disagree with me?
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Comments

Iola said…
I've just downloaded the Hunger Games Trilogy, but haven't started reading it yet.

My husband says a hero is a guy who gets married to one woman and stays faithful, providing for his family. I agree. After all, the ongoing small acts of love and service are harder because there is no glory in them. That's harder than the one-off grand gesture.
Mon Apr 02, 01:33:00 PM 2012
Camy Tang said…
That's a good description! I think I'm passionate about helping single women figure out who are good guys to date because when I was single, I kept thinking the guys I met were so nice when actually some of them were very selfish. You're right in that a woman dating a man should look at his smaller acts of love as indications of what being married to him would be like.
Mon Apr 02, 01:42:00 PM 2012
Carissa said…
To me a true hero is someone who Puts God first then you. On a side note I also think a hero is some one who is willing to take the risk and be willing to die for you or other loved ones, and for his Faith.

I also didn't like Gale either, to me he wasn't the hero. Peeta was more of a hero than Gale was, Peeta was willing to die to protect Katniss.
Mon Apr 02, 02:16:00 PM 2012
Camy Tang said…
Yes, I'm still reading Catching Fire and Peeta is willing to die for Katniss. Isn't that what Jesus said? "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:13.
Mon Apr 02, 02:29:00 PM 2012
Angela said…
I totally agree with you Camy!!
Thu Jan 28, 10:41:00 AM 2021
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