The Feminine Struggle

'Twilight' vs. 'Hunger Games': 

Why Do So Many Grown-Ups Hate Bella?

If you have seen or read both Twilight and The Hunger Games, you probably have already realised the divergent characterisations of the female leads in these two film adaptations. Whilst in Twilight, Bella finds herself madly in love and becoming so dependent on her lover; Katniss, in The Hunger Games, becomes the object of love herself, and finds others who become increasingly dependent on her. 

However, we should not be too quick to make a moral judgement on which of these two stories is better, before we reflect on why people enjoy watching - or rather, fall in love with - these films in the first place. 

Maybe we can theorise that most - if not, all - people enjoy reading, watching or hearing about a story that they can relate to, that is, that they can identify with the lead character (hero or heroine).  It's no surprise then why a lot of blokes enjoy Fast and Furious, while a lot of chicks dig, well, Twilight or Hunger Games. Of course, this coarse generalisation must not be taken too far (blokes also watch Twilight and chicks do enjoy Fast and Furious).

So should we criticise Meyers for writing Twilight, a tale in which there is an almost absolute surrender of the ego to another superhuman being? And if so, should we then applaud Collins for writing Hunger Games where the ego itself is lifted to a superhuman level? 

I think both films are equally moral - or, you might even say, amoral. Although Bella's apparent weaknesses seem repugnant to many people, therein lies her greatest strength, that is her ability to make her own life choices. Yes, she's vulnerable to the charms of Edward, and also defenceless against the threats of her environment; but we must not forget that despite the superhuman quality of Edward, it is Bella who ultimately has the power to choose between him and Jacob, and even, between life and death (of Bella herself and her unborn child). 

The Hunger Games, we might first assume, is more moral because it empowers the lead female character - unlike Twilight. However, this would seem questionable once we scrutinise the realities of Katniss' life. Yes, she is independent, smart, skilful and very brave. Underneath her apparent bravery however, lies her greatest weakness and tragedy - that is,  her lack of choice. Throughout the film, Katniss is repeatedly forced to choose the lesser evil - from volunteering to join the Hunger Games to replace her sister; to her attempt to please the audience by faking love; and ultimately by having to kill other innocent children who are also trapped in the Hunger Games or otherwise getting herself killed by one of them.

In the end, it's not about who's better, Bella or Katniss. Depending on how you see their story: we can say that both are fated to succeed, or that they are both equally doomed to fail.