The Hunger Games has been one of the highest grossing franchises of all time. The book series was so successful that they were all developed into movies. The latest book to movie adaptation, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, is a prequel set in the same universe. It takes place 64 years prior to the first book and follows President Snow’s origin story. While the series is fictional, the author Suzanne Collins, was inspired by the Iraq War that had been going on when she first started writing the series. The series shows many aspects of human nature. One of the biggest aspects she wanted her audience to think about was when waging war is acceptable.
A central factor in the government of Panem, the country the books are set in, is propaganda. In the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman, was the charming host of the 10th annual Hunger Games. However when given more thought, his job was not to entertain people, but to dehumanize the tributes and sensationalize the games. He would expertly promote propaganda by making the Games into a spectacle, brushing over the fact that they send in children to fight to the death. Before the games, tributes were kept in a cage at the zoo for the viewing pleasure of the aristocratic Capitol’s residents, furthering the dehumanization. By constantly making jokes during the deaths of these children, he was desensitizing the audience to the brutality of the games.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes gives a look into how someone chooses to be evil through their own free will. Coriolanus Snow had every chance to become a good person. Tigris, Sejanus, and Lucy Gray all gave him many opportunities to improve himself. However many of his ‘good acts’ were done for of selfish reasons. He also betrayed the people closest to him when he no longer saw them as useful. By the end of the movie, his cousin Tigris has come to terms with the fact that Coryo was no longer a good person when she says, “You look just like your father Coriolanus.” By no longer using his nickname as a term of endearment, she further shows his descent into corruption. This movie provides an insight into how pride, greed, and power can poison people’s minds.
My favorite part of the movie was that it showed how people within similar circumstances can react differently. While Coriolanus and Sejanus both lived in the Capitol and worked in District 12 as Peacekeepers, Sejanus was sympathetic towards the district residents, while Coriolanus was indifferent and sometimes even hostile towards them. Lucy Gray was also used to show how he could have properly handled things. She wanted to run away from District 12 and live out the rest of their lives, peacefully in the woods. All she wanted was for Coriolanus to trust her. However Coriolanus lied to her and became erratic when he found the guns in the cabin. Lucy Gray then disappears, with her love, Coriolanus left to hunt her down. Since he could now get rid of all the evidence of his crimes, Lucy Gray was the only liability left, and instead of trusting her, he wanted to permanently silence her. I believe that the third part of the movie showcases just how willing he is to do anything for power. By betraying everyone he loves, he secured his future in the Capitol. As he always said, “Snow lands on top”.
