WhAt iF the hunger gAMes Were reAl? - novamil.org · competitors in the Hunger Games, most gladiators were not given a choice. The majority were slaves or prisoners of war who were

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www.ScholaStic.com/Scope • MAY 14, 2012 17

pAired teXts

stories that share a

topic or theme

compare & contrast

turn the pAge to see what we mean.

Katniss Everdeen, 16, is being hunted. Somewhere out

there in the night, a group of kids is plotting to kill her.

And the entire world is watching.

On television.

Perhaps you recognize this plot: Katniss is the hero

of the wildly popular Hunger Games trilogy. The stories take place

in a terrifying future, where 24 teenagers are forced to compete

in the gruesome Hunger Games. It’s a nationally televised event

in which kids fight to the death. The more grisly their battles,

the more exciting the “show.”

Thankfully, things like this happen only in fiction.

Except that’s not entirely true.

WhAt iF the hunger gAMes

Were reAl?By Kristin lewis

Who is more intimidating—Katniss or this guy? Tough call.

“run him through with your spear!”

“Feed him to the lions!”

“No mercy!”

A crowd of 50,000 spectators is screaming

and shouting to kill, kill, kill. Their chants echo across

the arena, creating a terrible, thunderous noise. They

are here to watch fighters called gladiators duel to the

death. So far, it’s been quite a show. All afternoon, the

gladiators have been hacking at each other with swords

and spears. Now it’s time for the final deathblows.

A grisly spectacle Thousands of years ago in ancient Rome, gladiator

combat was a popular form of entertainment. Romans

reAl-liFe Fight to the deAth! in ancient rome, thousands of fans cheered as gladiators fought each other in bloody battles.

regarded these games with the same sort of glee that

we might experience when our favorite baseball

team makes it to the World Series. In fact, gladiator

games were a key part of Roman society. Every year,

thousands of people were butchered in these grisly

spectacles.

Who were these gladiators who gave their lives for

entertainment? Like Katniss and most of the other

competitors in the Hunger Games, most gladiators

were not given a choice. The majority were slaves or

prisoners of war who were forced to fight. There was

money to be made in the games, though, and those

who managed to live long enough could eventually

buy their freedom. dr

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18 ScholaStic Scope • MAY 14, 2012

A scene from the movie Gladiator, with Russell Crowe (right).

essAY

Gladiators were trained in the latest combat

techniques. They were as skilled as today’s elite

athletes. In the arena, they were expected to

demonstrate important values of Roman society:

strength, courage, glory, and discipline.

The hordes of bloodthirsty fans, however, mostly

just expected a good show—and that meant plenty of

gore. Gladiators tended to be a bit overweight, because

an extra layer of fat meant they could shed more blood

without collapsing. Plus, the fat protected their vital

organs and gave them a better chance of survival.

if the crowd said “die” Gladiator games were thrilling affairs. All types of

Roman citizens—families, politicians, craftsmen, the

rich, the poor—packed into the arena for the festivities.

And what a time they had. Musicians performed

between fights. Free meat was served. Figurines of

the best gladiators were sold

as souvenirs. Indeed,

successful gladiators

often achieved celebrity

status. Their names

were known across

the Roman Empire.

Tales of their heroism

were told as bedtime

stories to children.

A typical game day

might begin with a hunter

killing a ferocious animal in

the arena. Then a man might

be tossed into the arena with

some lions—just for “fun.”

At midday, the crowd could

retire for a snack or nap. Or

fans could stay and watch

the execution of criminals—a

harsh reminder of Rome’s

strict justice system.

The gladiator fights, the

most anticipated event of all, were usually reserved

for the afternoon. Sometimes the crowd even got a

say in the action. When a gladiator knew he had been

defeated, he could ask for a missio. The winner would

then turn to the crowd and ask: Should the loser live or

die? If the crowd said “die,” the loser would be swiftly

killed. If the loser had fought bravely or with great skill,

the crowd might call for mercy and the loser would live

to fight another day.

the disturbing question Eventually, Romans lost their appetite for blood,

and the era of the gladiators came to an end. Today it

seems barbaric—a dark spot in ancient human history.

Perhaps what disturbs us most is the image of that

thunderous crowd, screaming for carnage, and the

question: Would we have screamed right along

with them? •

www.ScholaStic.com/Scope • MAY 14, 2012 19

DATE: 65 AD

My dear Lucilius,

There is nothing so ruinous to good

character as to idle away one’s time

at some spectacle. Vices have a way

of creeping in because of the feeling

of pleasure that it brings. Why do you

think that I say that I return from shows

greedier and more given to luxury, and

with thoughts of greater cruelty and less

humanity?

Do not, my Lucilius, attend the games, I

pray you. Either you will be corrupted by

the multitude, or, if you show disgust, be

hated by them. So stay away.

—Seneca

priMArY docuMent

A famous thinker speaks out against the

games in a letter to his student.

20 ScholaStic Scope • MAY 14, 2012

is reAlitY tv too cruel?Millions tune in to watch people suffer.

lion stalking its dinner.

Just think about it. On American Idol, we laugh at

the hopefuls who spend all their money trying to get

to an audition—only to open their mouths and reveal

they have no singing talent. On Fear Factor, we watch

with glee as contestants eat dead rats as part of a sick

competition for a cash prize. Even America’s Funniest

Home Videos is disturbing. The winning clips often

show people in life-threatening situations, such as

getting thrown off a speeding motorbike—and it’s all

set to a laugh track.

These antics are solid gold for the networks that

produce these shows. The more bizarre or awful an

episode, the more viewers tune in and the more money

the network makes. Meanwhile, viewers are treated

t ears are

streaming

down Mika’s

face. “I can’t

do it! Help me!” she

screams hysterically,

cowering away from

the edge of the nearly

vertical 60-foot drop.

She is supposed to

plunge down the

scariest waterslide in

the world. It’s aptly

called the Leap of

Faith, and it’s Mika’s

worst nightmare; she

is deathly afraid of

water and heights.

Mika is a

competitor on The

Amazing Race—a hit

reality-TV show in which teams of two travel the world,

competing for a $1 million prize. Despite her partner’s

pleading, Mika never went down the slide, and the pair

was eliminated from the competition. Afterward, clips

of Mika’s humiliating breakdown went viral. People

laughed at her. They called her names.

It was great entertainment.

Or was it?

“Blood sport” The Amazing Race is one of countless reality-TV

shows that make big bucks off people’s suffering, and

it’s hardly the worst offender. It seems like many of the

most popular shows these days shine a spotlight on

human misery with about as much compassion as a

On Hell’s Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay (right) is famous for yelling.

editoriAl

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www.ScholaStic.com/Scope • MAY 14, 2012 21

Seneca wrote that “there is nothing so ruinous to good character” as watching the gladiator games. Do you think the same could be said of watching reality TV? Write a paragraph answering this question. Use text details from BOTH articles to support your ideas.

QUICK WRITE

get this ActivitY online

to the human

equivalent of

a train wreck.

Shows like Teen

Mom and Kitchen

Nightmares showcase

the worst aspects

of human nature:

temper tantrums,

selfishness, petty

bickering. And then

there is the violence.

In 2009, Jersey Shore aired some footage of Snooki

getting hit in the face on a preview. It helped double

the show’s ratings.

“It’s blood sport,” says critic and writer Matt Zoller

Seitz. “And when you participate in blood sport—either

as a contestant or as a spectator—you have to accept

the hard reality of what it does to everyone involved.”

harmless Fun So what exactly does reality TV do to spectators?

Experts are divided. Some say it sends a message that

bad behavior can bring fame, fortune, and a lavish

lifestyle. Others say it’s just harmless fun. And since

most reality TV isn’t “real”—episodes are carefully

planned and edited to maximize the drama—what’s

the big deal?

No one is really

getting hurt.

Actually, that’s not

entirely true. Last year,

a man had a stroke on

Wipeout. A contestant

on Survivor suffered

serious burns and

had to be airlifted

to a hospital.

And several

reality-TV

stars have

been hospitalized for drug addiction, depression, and

even attempted suicide. Their contracts forbid them

from speaking out about the causes of their troubles,

but many people speculate that the pressure of being

constantly on camera is at least partly to blame.

Of course, no one forced

them to subject themselves

to humiliation. But often

the allure of fame is too

tempting to resist.

Why We Watch The fact is, reality

TV is extremely

popular. Millions

of Americans

tune in every week.

Why can’t we tear

ourselves away? According

to Ohio State University

psychologist Steven Reiss,

reality TV gives us a feeling

of self-importance. “Some people may watch reality

TV partially because they enjoy feeling superior to the

people being portrayed,” Reiss says. “People with a

strong need for vengeance have the potential to enjoy

watching people being humiliated.”

Ouch. Are we really this cruel?

Perhaps it isn’t the stars of reality TV who should be

embarrassed. Perhaps it’s us, for watching. •

American Idol holds the record for most years at #1, making it the highest-rated TV series of any kind.

highest Rated

An American Family premiered in 1973. It chronicled the day-to-day

lives of a family in California. Ten million

viewers tuned in.First-ever Reality-tV

show

Cops, which follows police

officers on the job, has been on

TV longer than any other reality show. It

premiered in 1989 and has aired more than

982 episodes!

longest Running

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