Thursday, September 30, 2010

hunger games and high school P.E.

Let me start by saying I never read the Twilight series. Everyone else did but I just had no interest in the life of teenage vampires. Even the movie seemed a little ridiculous to me. But more power to those who loved it...it must be somehow good if millions loved it. I have, however, started reading the Hunger Games series(all the rage right now around here)...and am half way through the 2nd book, Catching Fire. It's been a while since I've read a book that fast....it really sucks you in and I don't feel like I can go about my daily life until I've read all 3. Don't worry the kids are being fed. Anyway, I couldn't help noticing some similarities between the Hunger Games and my experience in high school P.E.

First a little background on the book. The story goes that after a series of natural disasters a group came to power and divided the remaining people into 13 districts...each in charge of a different type of production for the whole. Life in these districts wasn't good causing inhabitants of district 13 to revolt. There was a war and many died and the result was 13 was obliterated and the group in power tightened their fist. They made things worse in the districts and as a punishment established the annual hunger games. Every year 2 children ages 12-17..err...18....are picked through a lottery from each district and are put into an arena where they must fight and survive until there's only 1 victor left. This is obviously devastating to the districts each year but for the group in power(The Capitol) it's very entertaining and watched on their televisions. People are allowed to send provisions for the contenders in the arena....but most can't afford to except for those in the capitol and they of course only help those who prove to be the most entertaining...or who can win the crowd over. I won't give any more away for those who will read it. Like I said before I couldn't help but notice how similar this is to high school P.E.

In high school it was mandatory for me to take P.E. all four years....so in a way from age 13-17 I was selected to be put into this arena. While in P.E. class I was ruled over by P.E. teachers who usually because of some unresolved issues from their high school years were happy to be in a position of power where they could watch others suffer. They were so similar to "The Capitol"...in trying to punish me for something my ancestors did to them...maybe they were made fun of in high school. While in the arena of P.E. class we all were forced to compete athletically and socially until those who were the most popular and athletic won out and the rest were shamed(by the teachers....yes I saw my p.e. teacher make fun of students) or were embarrassed in front of their peers...making them lose out socially. Or like those from the capitol...the teachers would help those they considered athletic or who they were friends with. Dodge ball is the most obvious example of all this....the coaches clearly got a lot of entertainment out of this forced game where many people got a playground ball to the face....ouch. We all knew this game was ridiculous but if you didn't fight you got hurt. Daniel just told me though that dodge ball is no longer allowed in high school P.E. Thank goodness....there's hope for my kids making it through P.E. I'm a victor though....I made it out alive. At the time I wasn't ....ohhh how I dreaded P.E.

Moving on. Here's a picture of HOlly when I found her one day going through my makeup. I can't believe she knew to put the eye makeup by her eyes. She also frequently "robs" me...taking everything out of my wallet.


And today I went to put something for goodwill in the van...and when I got back I found these two crazies in the pantry....having pulled everything from the bottom shelf on the floor and eating cereal that spilled as a result.



Also, I love this picture of the 2 of them side by side drinking bottles.


Finally, last weekend we went to St. Louis for some fun with friends. Here's a picture of the oldest 2 with their friend Hannah in front of the penguins at the zoo.

2 comments:

Lauren said...

Hi Erin! I haven't heard of those books, but it is funny how they reminded you of P.E.! I hated dodgeball because if you avoided being hit, then chances were you would be one of the last ones on your team meaning you needed to catch the ball or hit someone on the opposing team to get your teammates back in the game, both of which I was terrible at so it seemed better to me to get hit by the ball so I could just be out. Ugh! Glad I don't ever have to do that again and hopefully my girls won't either!

Cecily said...

Erin, this is a great discussion of The Hunger Games. I hadn't thought of it as related to a specific class in high school (or junior high), but that would explain the series' popularity with the high school crowd (and those who remember high school).