Hunger Games vs. Twilight

Warning: *Major spoilers*

Watched Hunger Games for the fourth time yesterday (a little sick, I know).  I reread Twilight a couple of weeks ago.  Some thoughts...

Let me preface this post by saying that I don't fully understand why everyone insists on comparing Twilight and Hunger Games.  I'm on goodreads and there are all sorts of feeds comparing them.  Someone finally asked why they are compared.  Some of the reasons were that they have similar fans and because of the love triangle.  Really?

So, that leads me to my start- the love triangle.  I don't think Hunger Games has a love triangle.  I maintain that through most of the series, Katniss doesn't love anyone but herself (and Prim).  Katniss actually admits to her selfishness more than once.  At one point, she and Peeta are running from something (I can't remember if it is the muttations in Hunger Games or the fog in Catching Fire) and she looks back to realize that she has left Peeta behind, not even thinking of helping him even with all his injuries.  Gale has only started to have feelings for Katniss when she leaves.  I don't think he knows he loves her until she leaves.  The only person, then, who is really in love with anyone is Peeta.  That doesn't make a triangle.

On the other hand, Bella loves Edward, Edward loves Bella, Bella totally leads Jacob on, and Jacob loves Bella.  I don't even want to go into the way Stephenie Meyer writes her way out of the mess because I think it is a total cop out.  Just let Jacob get his heart broken.  Life goes on.

Should I go Psychological on you?
I'm going to anyway.
Twilight:  Bella and Edward have one of the most unhealthy relationships I have ever read about.  If you don't believe me, look up words like "infatuation" and "lust" then read Twilight.  Their relationship is not a real love.  Neither of them believes they can live without the other.  (whereas Peeta says that his life won't be the same without Katniss, and he wouldn't want to be without her).  I studied Marriage and Love and whatnot in college.  This is not the basis for a healthy relationship.  (Side note:  Your heart does not literally break as Bella claims when Edward leaves.  I couldn't find this exact quote, though, I think it is in New Moon, so I am only entering it as a side note (I admit that I couldn't bring myself to reread the rest of the series and only made it through Twilight).  Bella actually loves Edward against survival instinct since being with him actually puts her life at risk.

Now, people might argue that Peeta's love for Katniss is not a healthy love either.  He loves her unconditionally and to a degree blindly.  Suzanne Collins fixes this in Mockingjay though.  The first time I read Mockingjay, I was really bothered by what she does to Peeta's character since he is the one true good person in the books.  But the second time through, I realized that it was necessary in a way.  After the Capitol messes with Peeta's brain, he sees Katniss for who she really is, he loses the blind part of his love for her, and eventually learns to love her for who she is (even if we don't see most of it).  Their love changes from the initial infatuation into something more which never occurs in Twilight.

One of the bottom lines, then, for me at least, is that despite the violence in Hunger Games, I am much more likely to let my daughter read it (when she's 14) than I am to let her read Twilight (ever) because I think that Twilight tells our daughters that dangerous and unhealthy relationships are ok.

I have admitted to falling in love with Peeta.  It happens every time I read the books or see the movies.  It isn't because I think Josh Hutcherson is hot or something either (I think a bunch of the people who are obsessed with Edward, just think Robert Pattinson is hot, something I don't understand either).  I was actually doubtful when they cast him as Peeta because he isn't as cute as I wanted Peeta to be.  Of course, in the books he is never really described as some extremely attractive guy.  He actually seems somewhat average.  It is his selflessness, his compassion, the fact that he would do anything for Katniss up to giving his own life for her, that makes me fall in love with him.  Truth be told, Gale is probably more attractive than Peeta.

Yeah, I know, Edward is constantly saving Bella.  But Bella is the clumsy moron who is constantly getting herself in situations where he has to save her.  In fact, Bella is a helpless idiot.  I actually said to my husband that it is so bad that she isn't believable as a human being. She is the epitome of what I don't want people to view woman as.  At least Katniss is capable.  Katniss isn't the woman tied to the railroad tracks waiting for the hero to save her.  Bella is.  I actually saw an article about the new rise of strong woman in literature.  Both Katniss and Bella were mentioned as examples.  How is Bella a strong woman?  (Not to mention how can Twilight be called literature?)

So, is Peeta too weak?
A matter of opinion I suppose.  But I don't think so.  He was raised a Baker's son.  He has had no need to hunt or shoot or whatnot.  True, his only kill (arguably**) in Hunger Games is an accident (Foxface who eats the berries he has picked).  He does take on Cato, even if he doesn't kill him.  And in Catching Fire he kills Brutus.  Killing is just not his first instinct, but isn't that part of what is so loveable about him?

**I say arguably because it is questionable whether he goes back and kills the girl at the fire while he is allied with the Careers.  I think, personally, that he goes back to find she has already died. And this part doesn't even occur in the movie.


And don't even get me started on the writing quality!!!!