Courage of Thai students reflects relevance of The Hunger Games


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On Nov. 21, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 was released in the United States. The penultimate installment of this massive franchise follows protagonist Katniss and her comrades as they rebel against the oppressive government they have lived under all their lives. Though the storyline might be fictional, its lessons overlap with real world occurrences.

In an instance of life imitating art, five students in Thailand were detained last Thursday for their opposition to the military coup staged in May. According to Time magazine, the students wore T-shirts that proclaimed, “We don’t want the coup.” They proceeded to throw the three-finger salute used as a form of subversion in The Hunger Games. Because they challenged the government’s power, the five were arrested. Subsequently, the new Hunger Games film was pulled from one of Thailand’s biggest movie theater chains, Apex Cinemas. A spokesman for the chain said that the company “[felt] our theaters were being used for political movements.” In contrast, the fact that theaters are thwarting the movie’s release amplifies its placement in this grand political movement. Apex, in a manner similar to the government, denies the people of what they need most during a time of adversity — hope.

The three-finger salute is one of my favorite parts of The Hunger Games trilogy. It’s supposed to be a sign of gratitude or respect, but it’s also linked to saying farewell to someone beloved. People flash the gesture when Katniss volunteers to take her younger sister’s place in the games in the first book. In a beautiful scene in which she mourns the death of her friend, Rue, Katniss presses her fingers to her lips and waves them for the cameras. As the other districts caught on, the act is interpreted as a sign of defiance, and can result in being beaten and killed.

The Thai government’s actions parallel the brutality portrayed in the film and book series. Instead of actually understanding the true meaning behind a symbol of great pride for people in the community, officials have hyperbolically misconstrued it as an act that will tear their government apart. Yes, the students used the symbol as a criticism toward the coup, but more importantly, it is presented as an act of solidarity for the five. The symbol predominantly represents the respect the students have for their cause. The government has overreacted by arresting the students for an innocuous gesture.

And that’s where the movie theater chains figure in. These movie theaters are condoning the “Big Brother” actions of the government. The youths were thrown into jail and released later in the day, because they needed an “attitude adjustment,” as a security official said, according to the Daily Beast. Movie theaters serve one purpose, and that is to transport audiences from this world into the cinematic world, to space, to somewhere in the desert or, in this case, the Hunger Games arenas. They should not, however, curate their movie titles based on the reaction five students have provoked simply with an index, middle and ring finger in the air.

Ultimately though, the chain of events in Thailand represents the power of media. Though The Hunger Games trilogy might seem more like a juicy airplane read than an agent with the power to change the world, we have to pay more attention to the messages of the movies and books. Huge franchises that populate the market are now more relevant than ever, so readers must pose the same questions as the protagonists. In the current climate of political disarray, to remain unified, there must be a shared vision. District 12, one of the 13 districts in the dystopian nation of Panem in The Hunger Games, provided the students with that, yet the government and the theater chain have yanked that hope away.

These very brave students who are standing up for what they believe in deserve defense. And to help protect their vision of a world free from oppression, we should all gladly volunteer as tribute.

Danni Wang is a sophomore majoring in psychology. Her column, “Pop Fiction,” runs Mondays.