Rituals and Counter-Rituals: The Role of Ritual in Gamifying War and Undermining Oppression in the Hunger Games Trilogy

Summary, in English

This thesis examines how rituals gamify war in the Hunger Games trilogy. Using a formalist lens, I argue that ritual is a rhythmic, repetitive, and looped form found in both media and real-world conflicts. By comparing the forms within the novel to those in video games and war, I explore the ethical dangers of associating war with game, while also revealing the subversive potential of ritual. The Capitol and District Thirteen use rituals in the Hunger Games and Block simulations to instill automatic responses, impose values, and consolidate power, resulting in the unethical treatment of combatants and noncombatants. In contrast, Katniss employs rituals to challenge oppressive structures, foster empathy, and redistribute political power. Comparing dictatorial leadership to video game programmers reveals Katniss’s dual roles as a passive player character and a proactive player. As a player character, Katniss experiences violence and is incited to it by familiar patterns, but as a player, Katniss uses her experiences to change the game. While rituals can perpetuate cycles, they can also break them, presenting progressive possibilities in the series as well as a new lens through which to view video games and war.

• Author: Emma Lane Wramsby
• Department/s: Master's Programme: Literature - Culture - Media
• Publishing year: 2025
• Language: English
• Full text: Available as PDF - 588 kB; Download statistics
• Document type: Student publication for Master's degree (two years)
• Topic: Languages and Literatures
• Keywords: Hunger Games; ritual; rhythm; repetition; loop; gamification; video games; war; ethics; formalism; oppression; rebellion; revolution; agency
• Supervisor: Cian Duffy (Professor)