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emember, that doesn’t just mean men ruling over women —
it refers to an ideology that any person can promote, regardless
of gender. When Merida’s mother enforces the gender
code and her father seems indifferent or even unaware of it,
Brave accurately reflects a situation commonly described by
feminists. Because The Hunger Games isn't about patriarchy,
it doesn’t demand female stereotypes in the same way.
Frankly, I’m not convinced that Katniss’ femaleness is even
required. With a few tweaks to her character, I think The
Hunger Games could be essentially salvaged. Turn Merida
into a boy and her story unravels.
Katniss’ deviance from the gender norm was initially
learned, then necessary for her survival. Her deviant behavior
persists due to personal preference, but Merida is concerned
with her own autonomy from beginning to end. According
to her, she should be able to do what she wants as an end
in itself, not as a means to survival or because someone else
instilled her with the skills and passion necessary. Where The
Hunger Games gives reasons for Katniss’ deviance, Brave
boldly declines to explain why Merida is different. She just is.
Regardless of how genuine Katniss’ relationship with
Peeta is, it’s constructed to fit neatly into a gendered box.
Brave alludes to these boxes as reference points from which
its audience might understand Merida. But they offer no protection
from being discredited by men. Katniss is stigmatized
for refusing her gender role, while Merida is deemed an unreliable
source of information. Both of these phenomena are
well-documented in feminist literature and by Hollywood.
When this conflict appears on the big screen, it’s normally resolved
by having the woman retain her flair of independence
while ultimately conforming to the master narrative: falling
in love with and marrying a man. Brave lives up to its name
by setting up a convenient compromise, then doubling down
anyway. Merida could defy by convincing the clans that she
should get to choose who she marries and then conform by
choosing. Instead, she is totally defiant, claiming her right to
not choose.
I'll follow Merida's example and claim that right too.
neither Spencer nor I can say The Hunger Games is a progirl
story the way Brave is. each story contains pro-girl sen-
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