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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.

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www.scholastic.com/scope • may 14, 2012

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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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

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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

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