Tag Archives: essays

Why We Need Katniss

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Before I started this blog, I made a list of possible topics that I wanted to write about. Near the top of the list was “Why We Need Katniss.” As I sat down to watch my new copy of The Hunger Games on DVD Saturday night, I realized that the reason I hadn’t written this post yet was because the question it poses is one I had yet to answer.

Why do we need Katniss Everdeen?

As a writer, I see the world in terms of the stories we all have to tell. And it worries me to see the many ways that we – especially we as women – hand over our stories to other people, other forces. Our sense of personal authorship becomes diminished whenever we let other people tell us how to feel about ourselves; whenever we judge our actions, our appearance, our worth, and our value as human beings by society’s ever-changing and arbitrary standards.

So what does this have to do with Katniss?

Even when it seems like the Capitol has total control over her, Katniss fights for her right to live her own life on her terms. To make her own decisions. To tell her own story.

And what is Katniss’s story? Her story is the journey from isolation to community, from suspicion to trust, from detachment to love.

Katniss’s story is the story of how one young woman can inspire change simply by striving to be, as Peeta says, “more than just a piece in their games.”

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The Legend of Korra: Anti-Feminism or Bad Writing?

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Nerdy Girl Contributor Jo takes a close look at the writing of female characters (especially the titular one) on The Legend of Korra: 

Earlier this year, I absolutely devoured the series Avatar: The Last Airbender. I watched all three seasons in about a week in anticipation of its sequel, The Legend of Korra. As a feminist, I was incredibly psyched about a series about a female Avatar. She would undoubtedly be awesome and kick-ass and “I am woman hear me roar.” Right?

After the first few episodes, I was disappointed. We are introduced to Korra when she already has three out of four bending abilities already under her belt – just handed to her by the writers. This is justifiable, I suppose. The writers didn’t want to just rehash Ang’s learning in ATLA again with Korra. However, despite being a powerful bender, she was not as strong as I had hoped, and she definitely didn’t have it all together. But Ang needed time to get it together too, so I gave her a few more episodes to get really in the swing of this whole ‘Avatar-thing.’

What unfolded in the remaining episodes seemed to be a story that happened around her rather than being her story. Supporting characters stole the show from the its supposed lead. Those most notable ones for me were:

Lin Bei Fong – inventor of metal bending*, daughter of Toph Bei Fong (from ATLA), and all-around kick-ass woman.

Bolin – sweet, silly, loyal Bolin. Powerful fire bender*. Dork extraordinaire.

Yes, Korra did things. Yes, her bending was good and she kicked butt in some fight scenes. Yes, she saved the day most days, but she never did it alone (until the finale – and even that is questionable). Ultimately, her struggles never really felt like struggles to me: Gee gosh, I can’t air bend. Darn.

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Fandom: From Pathological to Personal

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Nerdy Girl Contributor Heather gives us an inside look at what it really means to be part of a fandom: 

Historically, academic perspectives on fandom have been limited. Fandom was often portrayed as pathological and dangerous. It was the result of people being brainwashed by the media. Popular culture was eroding our ability to think. Media consumption, particularly television, was a passive activity with little value. These thoughts were not limited to academics, however. Stereotypical images portrayed fans as crazy, costume-wearing, socially-inept individuals who would never be successful in life.

Conceptions of fans have shifted away from notions of us as dangerous individuals, but there is still a stigma against those of us who heavily invest in any form of pop culture. It’s fine to critique a book, movie, or television show on its artistic merits and technical aspects, but once we start talking about how certain characters or stories have impacted us on a personal level, we still become the people dressed in Star Trek costumes at a convention in the minds of many. We become the teenage girls who want to date Edward Cullen. We are still seen as people who care too much about something trivial.

Things are slowly changing again. Fan experiences and fan terminology have become slightly more recognized, with references to fan fiction and ship names found in television shows such as Castle, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Glee. However, even the increased knowledge and acceptance of these references don’t get to the heart of what fandom is for many of those involved in it.

Fandom is about passion. It’s about critically engaging with the media we watch and interacting with it on a deeper level.

Fandom is about understanding the influence popular culture can have on our lives. It’s about allowing popular culture to transport you to another world. It’s about an understanding of characters and recognition of themes that can’t be found through superficial reading and viewing. It’s about wanting a fictional universe to continue and be explored more than it can be though a book series, television show, or movie.

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I’ll Be My Own Savior: The Extraordinary Kate Beckett

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Kate Beckett, the main female character in the ABC crime drama Castle is many things: detective, daughter, partner, lover, friend, coffee drinker, nerdy girl, trauma survivor…

She’s also a hero, but her heroism goes even deeper than saving her father from his descent into alcoholism; saving her partner Richard Castle from numerous life-threatening situations; and saving countless others through her work as one of New York City’s best and brightest homicide detectives.

Kate Beckett is her own hero; she’s her own savior. And in a society where so many “romances” still feature men saving women from forces both outside and inside of themselves, Beckett’s desire and ability to save herself matter immensely.

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A True American Horror Story: Violence, Childhood, and The Hunger Games

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The Hunger Games can be described in many ways. It’s captivating. It’s haunting. It’s affecting. It’s terrifying.

It’s also unquestionably American.

According to Entertainment Weekly, “Internationally, The Hunger Games isn’t yet the franchise-launching blockbuster that it is Stateside.” As of last weekend (April 15), the film had grossed $337.1 million domestically but had yet to pass the $200 million mark internationally.

This disparity can be attributed to many causes, but I think it all boils down to one point: The Hunger Games is a distinctly American story. It reflects the uniquely American mythology of Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, and Lucas’s Star Wars. While Suzanne Collins surely meant for her novel to be enjoyed and analyzed by an international audience, she speaks directly to Americans with every turn of the page.

The basic premise of The Hunger Games points directly to two American obsessions: violence and youth. Never before have these two quintessentially American fascinations been linked in such a brutally direct way.

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The Good, the Bad, and the Bella Swan: A Woman’s Place in the Modern Media

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It’s a confusing time to be a young woman in America.

Whether or not we want to admit it, much of what we believe about ourselves and our place in society comes from the media. And right now, the media is a minefield of mixed messages when it comes to what we as women are supposed to be.

Be strong, but don’t be bossy. Speak your mind, but don’t be a bitch. Act sexy, but don’t act like a whore. Work hard to get a good job, but don’t be a cold, spinster “career woman.” Be proud of your femininity, but don’t be too “girly” or “high-maintenance.” Strive to be skinny, but don’t lose your womanly curves in the process. You are more than your body, but it is your most powerful asset. You don’t need a man to validate you, but every happy ending involves a Prince Charming.

It’s enough to make even the most confident, well-adjusted woman’s head spin.

Young women have more stress, body image issues, and doubts about their self-worth than ever before. They also have more options when it comes to media consumption than ever before. Is that just an unpleasant coincidence?

You would think that more options would lead to a more balanced depiction of women in the media, but it often seems that more channels, advertisements, and social media outlets are in fact leading to the increased reinforcement of damaging ideas about the female gender.

Sometimes it seems like it’s better to become complete hermits, taking the media and its negative stereotypes completely out of our lives. But eventually we reach a frightening conclusion: For as frustrated as we get with the media, we simply can’t live without it.

The key to developing a healthy sense of self as a young woman in this media-driven society is to remember something that we all-too-often forget: We have a choice. We can choose what media we consume, and we can choose to educate ourselves about the impact the media has on our lives.

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