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Compare & Contrast
What If the
Hunger Games
Were Real?
Lionsgate; DreamWorks/Everett Collection (Gladiator)
K
By Kristin Lewis
Who is more
atniss Everdeen, 16, is being hunted. Somewhere out
intimidating—Katniss or
there in the night, a group of kids is plotting to kill her.
this guy? Tough call.
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.
TURN THE PAGE
to see what we mean.
Except that’s not entirely true.

www.scholastic.com/scope • may 14, 2012
17
ESSAY
REAL-life Fight
to
the
Death!
In ancient Rome, thousands of fans cheered as gladiators fought
each other in bloody battles.
A scene from the
movie Gladiator, with
Russell Crowe (right).
un him through with your spear!” regarded these games with the same sort of glee that
“Feed him to the lions!” we might experience when our favorite baseball
“No mercy!” team makes it to the World Series. In fact, gladiator
A crowd of 50,000 spectators is screaming
games were a key part of Roman society. Every year,
and shouting to kill, kill, kill. Their chants echo across
thousands of people were butchered in these grisly
the arena, creating a terrible, thunderous noise. They
spectacles.
are here to watch fighters called gladiators duel to the
Who were these gladiators who gave their lives for
death. So far, it’s been quite a show. All afternoon, the
entertainment? Like Katniss and most of the other
gladiators have been hacking at each other with swords
competitors in the Hunger Games, most gladiators
and spears. Now it’s time for the final deathblows.
were not given a choice. The majority were slaves or
A Grisly Spectacle Thousands of years ago in ancient Rome, gladiator
combat was a popular form of entertainment. Romans
18
Scholastic Scope • may 14, 2012
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.
DreamWorks/Everett Collection
R
“
Gladiators were trained in the latest combat
most anticipated event of all, were usually reserved
techniques. They were as skilled as today’s elite
for the afternoon. Sometimes the crowd even got a
athletes. In the arena, they were expected to
say in the action. When a gladiator knew he had been
demonstrate important values of Roman society:
defeated, he could ask for a missio. The winner would
strength, courage, glory, and discipline.
then turn to the crowd and ask: Should the loser live or
The hordes of bloodthirsty fans, however, mostly
die? If the crowd said “die,” the loser would be swiftly
just expected a good show—and that meant plenty of
killed. If the loser had fought bravely or with great skill,
gore. Gladiators tended to be a bit overweight, because
the crowd might call for mercy and the loser would live
an extra layer of fat meant they could shed more blood
to fight another day.
without collapsing. Plus, the fat protected their vital
organs and gave them a better chance of survival.
The Disturbing Question Eventually, Romans lost their appetite for blood,
If the Crowd Said “Die” and the era of the gladiators came to an end. Today it
Gladiator games were thrilling affairs. All types of
seems barbaric—a dark spot in ancient human history.
Roman citizens—families, politicians, craftsmen, the
Perhaps what disturbs us most is the image of that
rich, the poor—packed into the arena for the festivities.
thunderous crowd, screaming for carnage, and the
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
question: Would we have screamed right along
with them?
•

MENT
PRIMARY DOCU
often achieved celebrity
status. Their names
were known across
the Roman Empire.
Tales of their heroism
were told as bedtime
A famous
thinker speaks
out against the
games in a letter
to his student.
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
DATE: 65 AD
My dear Lucilius,
so ruinous to good
There is nothing
e
le away one’s tim
character as to id
Vices have a way
at some spectacle.
use of the feeling
of creeping in beca
u
brings. Why do yo
it
at
th
re
su
ea
pl
of
s
return from show
I
at
th
y
sa
I
at
think th
, and
e given to luxury
or
m
d
an
er
di
ee
gr
d less
greater cruelty an
with thoughts of
humanity?
, I
attend the games
s,
liu
ci
Lu
y
m
t,
Do no
ted by
you will be corrup
er
th
Ei
u.
yo
ay
pr
ust, be
, if you show disg
the multitude, or
stay away.
hated by them. So
—Seneca
www.scholastic.com/scope • may 14, 2012
19
EDITORIAL
IS REALITY TV TOO CRUEL?
Millions tune in to watch people suffer.
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
On Hell’s Kitchen,
Gordon Ramsay (right)
is famous for yelling.
Amazing Race—a hit
competing for a $1 million prize. Despite her partner’s
lion stalking its dinner.
Just think about it. On American Idol, we laugh at
pleading, Mika never went down the slide, and the pair
the hopefuls who spend all their money trying to get
was eliminated from the competition. Afterward, clips
to an audition—only to open their mouths and reveal
of Mika’s humiliating breakdown went viral. People
they have no singing talent. On Fear Factor, we watch
laughed at her. They called her names.
with glee as contestants eat dead rats as part of a sick
It was great entertainment. competition for a cash prize. Even America’s Funniest
Or was it?
Home Videos is disturbing. The winning clips often
“Blood Sport” The Amazing Race is one of countless reality-TV
shows that make big bucks off people’s suffering, and
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
it’s hardly the worst offender. It seems like many of the
produce these shows. The more bizarre or awful an
most popular shows these days shine a spotlight on
episode, the more viewers tune in and the more money
human misery with about as much compassion as a
the network makes. Meanwhile, viewers are treated
20
Scholastic Scope • may 14, 2012
Mike Yarish/Fox
reality-TV show in which teams of two travel the world,
Highest
Rated
to the human
been hospitalized for drug addiction, depression, and
equivalent of
even attempted suicide. Their contracts forbid them
a train wreck.
Shows like Teen
Mom and Kitchen
Nightmares showcase
American Idol
holds the record for most years
at #1, making it the highestrated TV series of any kind.
but many people speculate that the pressure of being
constantly on camera is at least partly to blame. Of course, no one forced
the worst aspects
them to subject themselves
of human nature:
to humiliation. But often
temper tantrums,
the allure of fame is too
selfishness, petty
tempting to resist.
bickering. And then
there is the violence.
In 2009, Jersey Shore aired some footage of Snooki
Why We Watch The fact is, reality
getting hit in the face on a preview. It helped double
TV is extremely
the show’s ratings. popular. Millions
“It’s blood sport,” says critic and writer Matt Zoller
of Americans
Longest
Running
Seitz. “And when you participate in blood sport—either
tune in every week.
as a contestant or as a spectator—you have to accept
Why can’t we tear
the hard reality of what it does to everyone involved.”
ourselves away? According
to Ohio State University
Harmless Fun (clockwise from top left): Michael Becker/Fox; Fox/Everett Collection; PBS/WNET 13/Everett Collection
from speaking out about the causes of their troubles,
psychologist Steven Reiss,
So what exactly does reality TV do to spectators?
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!
reality TV gives us a feeling
Experts are divided. Some say it sends a message that
of self-importance. “Some people may watch reality
bad behavior can bring fame, fortune, and a lavish
TV partially because they enjoy feeling superior to the
lifestyle. Others say it’s just harmless fun. And since
people being portrayed,” Reiss says. “People with a
most reality TV isn’t “real”—episodes are carefully
strong need for vengeance have the potential to enjoy
planned and edited to maximize the drama—what’s
watching people being humiliated.”
the big deal?
Ouch. Are we really this cruel? No one is really
Perhaps it isn’t the stars of reality TV who should be
getting hurt. embarrassed. Perhaps it’s us, for watching.
Actually, that’s not
entirely true. Last year,
QUICK WRITE
a man had a stroke on
Wipeout. A contestant
on Survivor suffered
serious burns and
had to be airlifted
An American Family
to a hospital.
And several
reality-TV
stars have
•
First-Ever
Reality-TV
Show
premiered in 1973. It
chronicled the day-to-day
lives of a family in
California. Ten million
viewers tuned in.
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
Get this
answering this question. Use
activity
text details from BOTH articles
Online
to support your ideas.
www.scholastic.com/Scope • may 14, 2012
21