‘The Hunger Games’ CEL
Task: To show how the director uses film techniques to convey various themes in ‘The Hunger Games’
Introduction:
Using your notes write an introduction in which you:
 Mention the title, director, year of release, where it was set.
 Clarify what the genre is, explaining exactly what this means.
 Name and briefly describe the main protagonist in a single sentence.
 Provide a plot summary.
Do not write openings such as ‘I am going to talk about…’
Always write in the third person in a CEL
EXAMPLE: ‘The director, Gary Ross, uses many film techniques to convey the themes of…’(only write the themes in the introduction that
you are analysing in your essay). ‘The Hunger Games’ is an American science fiction film set in the futuristic, dystopian society of Panem.
Scene 1: District 12
Paragraph one
Scene 2: Happy Hunger Games (Katniss and Gale in
Theme: Oppression -To treat cruelly or
the woods)
unjustly. The Capitol people treat the
Scene 3: Check in (at ‘The Reaping’)
people from the Districts in a cruel and
Example:
unjust way. Using your notes the blog ,
1.Aerial shot to emphasise their vulnerability. 2.
describe in detail, using the PEAR
Sound of bells tolling highlights their imminent
structure how the setting, sound, symbolism, mannerisms,
death 3. Signify animals being herded – ‘Like lambs
camera angles/shots, and costume help to convey the
to the slaughter’
oppression suffered by the people in the districts .
The opening scenes has good examples of the oppression
suffered by the people of the Districts:
Paragraph 2
Theme: Oppression
Using the PEAR structure, explain
how the people of ‘The Capitol’ have a
different life style to the people in
the Districts. Contrast the Capitol
with District 12 by looking at the
mise-en-scene (costume, mannerism,
movement, sound, objects, colour and setting).
Example:
In ’The Hunger Games’ the director employs sound to convey (try to
use different words for each topic sentence) the theme of
oppression to the audience. As the children walk towards ‘The
Reaping’, there is an ominous, non-diegetic, sound in the background
that echoes the sound of a bell tolling. The sound of a bell tolling
is symbolic of death and is often heard when someone has died.
The director uses an aerial shot showing the children walking to
further convey the theme of oppression. An aerial shot makes the
character look small therefore it makes them appear vulnerable.
The ominous sound coupled with the aerial shot of the children,
makes them appear like animals being herded which echoes the
saying ‘lambs to the slaughter’. The fact that the people of the
Capitol do not have to attend ‘The Reaping’ makes the treatment of
the District people all the more unfair and unjust
Paragraph 3
Theme: Oppression
Using the PEAR structure, further explain the
theme of oppression by exploring how the
Capitol people have so much more in terms of
possessions and technology and how this
changes how they live their lives.
Contrast the costume, mannerisms, setting,
colours.
The technology used in the games, computer generated
animals, ‘magic medicine’, 200mph trains etc…
Example:
Example:
What is of value in ‘The Hob’ (District 12’s illegal market place) would be
laughed at in ‘The Capitol’ . The buttons are of little value but there is
little else to sell. The mise-en-scene is in stark contrast to the social areas
in the Capitol. Look at the colour, mannerisms – toy sword emulates the
brutality of the games.
Paragraph four
Example: Think about the propaganda video shown
during ‘The Reaping’. How is this similar to those
shown in ‘1984’? How are the crowd reacting
compared to Effie Trinket? What is being said at
this point? Do the people of the districts feel the
peace that President Snow proclaims.
Look at the blog as there is some useful information
about HOPE.
Theme: Power. Explain who has the power in Panem.
President Snow is a Totalitarian ruler
Totalitarianism: Is a political system where the state (Of
which President Snow has total control over everything
and everyone)holds total authority over society and seeks
to control all aspects of public and private life.
Paragraph Five:
Theme: Power. Using the PEAR structure, discuss How
Katniss begins to affect the power balance in ‘The Capitol’ ?
There’s information on the blog about the theme of power and
a video clip which will give you a better understanding of
Katniss’s role in upsetting the balance.
Exa mple:
Katniss’s relationship with Rue, and Peeta upsets
the balance. The usual collaborations in the Hunger
Games are about maximum power for killing the
other tributes. Rue’s death scene and the way
Katniss treats Rue with respect, and in turn
District 11 that becomes the catalyst (somebody
or someone that makes a change happen) for change.
The ‘berry’ scene at the end is very powerful.
Paragraph six
Theme: Appearance versus reality (what is
real? and what is only appearance?)
Exa mple:
Creation of ‘the Star-Crossed lovers’ to
stay alive and receive sponsors
Creation of ‘The Girl On Fire’ – Why did
Using the PEAR structure, look at how the director uses
techniques to show us how Katniss has to change to stay
alive in ‘Hunger Games’
Paragraph seven
Theme: Appearance versus reality
Using the PEAR structure discuss how the Hunger Games
appears as a Game show to the people of the Capitol, when in
reality it is about the brutal murder of 23 children from the
districts. It is not a game, it is real life. But, like Effie
Trinkett, the people of the Capitol, with the exception of
Cinna (Katniss’s designer), have no idea what the people go
through and do not care, as long as they live in comfort and
with an abundance of food, clothing and other such luxuries
Conclusion
Once you have completed your introduction and analysis
paragraphs, it is important that you write a conclusion to your
critical essay. This is the final paragraph where you discuss
how the director, Gary Ross, uses various film techniques to
convey the themes in the film ‘The Hunger Games’ (list what
techniques you have used in your essay overall. For example:
sound, setting, camera angles/shots/movement, editing, colour
etc).
Cinna want to cause such a spectacle in the crowd?
Exa mple:
The Camera shows us the gambling odds for the tributes
focusing on Rue and Thresh from District 11. It then cuts
to these pampered children of the Capitol, so we notice the
difference between how they are treated. It cuts to a
medium-close-up (MCU) of Haymitch watching them and we
get his POV (point-of-view)shot of him watching them.
His look is of total disdain at the unfairness of the
situation.
Mention that it is a reality TV show filmed both to
control and punish (to keep them oppressed without
any power) the districts, whilst entertaining ‘The Capitol’.
They gamble because it is fun!
The conclusion repeats some of the information from the introduction such
as: the key words of the task, the director’s name, the title of the film
and then go on to discuss how the film as a whole, conveys the themes
you have discussed in your essay. You summarise your main arguments
and say how they, as a whole, answer your question.