March | 2012 | The Fear Girls

March 26, 2012

The Hunger Games – Because we really needed another heroine with boy troubles.

By Sophia Rowland

The Hunger Games. I get it. The young adult fantasy genre is sort of our generation’s current fad, the big thing that everyone is diggin’. As a young adult fantasy writer, I can get on board with that. As a feminist writer, I can always get on board with a female lead, especially one like Katniss. Or so I thought at first.

Before The Hunger Games, we had Harry Potter and Twilight. Before Katniss, we had Hermione and Bella. Two very different heroines. Hermione is arguably a pretty rad role model for young girls. She does well in school and assists our hero, Harry, in defeating a powerful and evil wizard. Hermione was certainly encouraging to read about when I was eleven and felt insecure about my frizzy hair and glasses. Knowing Hermione was a nerd made me feel okay about being one too. The author of the series, J.K. Rowling, gives Hermione a lot of room to grow in the course of her seven-book series, and what I like most is that Hermione is not entirely defined by her boy troubles.

Bella has boy troubles, too, except her boy troubles are the focus of all four Twilight books. Bella is sad in New Moon (the second book in the Twilight series) when Edward the vampire peaces out. She’s so sad she cries about it and nearly kills herself by jumping off a cliff. My opinion: not compelling, author of Twilight series Stephanie Meyer! But seriously, this is a popular heroine who is COMPLETELY defined by her relationship with men. We hardly know her in any other way, and that is outright ridiculous.

Honestly, I think romantic troubles are important aspects to include in young adult novels, whether the main character is male or female, because when you’re going through puberty, that is kinda what you focus on… the preferred sex. However, it isn’t the only thing going on. Puberty, or even just growing up, has a lot to do with personal growth—growth beyond being in love. And I believe Rowling does a pretty decent job with Hermione on that front. Meyer, as I mentioned before, does not do such a great job. For me, neither Bella or Hermione really hit the nail on the head. What the young adult genre has been needing is a heroine readers (both male and female) can admire. A heroine who is strong and who isn’t defined by boy issues, or love triangles…

That’s why I was excited when I first met Katniss.

In the beginning, it was love at first sight with Katniss. She comes from a tougher, less privileged universe than Hermione and Bella, and she has real survival issues to deal with. That’s another issue with Hermione and Bella: they are both in school. So with Katniss, you get away from that “checking out the dudes over lunch” scene. Not to say that the school setting isn’t effective, but it’s a little played out when you return to it book after book in a series.

Katniss is also a hard-ass—which, believe it or not, is really refreshing. Although Hermione is powerful, it sure seems like she spends a lot of time crying and nagging the two other heroes. Still, that is pretty good compared to Bella, who has no personality at all.

Anyway! So I’m reading The Hunger Games and I’m like, “Yeah, you tell ‘em Katniss. You go! I hope you don’t die.” She handles situations well and logically. And I dig that Peeta, the male lead, encompasses more stereotypically female attributes—he’s sensitive, arguably more sensitive than Katniss. And a sensitive hero with a grumpy butt-kicking heroine is a fantastic dynamic to be sharing with kids. Seriously, boys need to know it’s okay to be sensitive. One example of this in the story is that Peeta clearly harbors romantic feelings towards Katniss, and when she learns about them she brushes them off. This is in part due to the novel’s dystopian setting, which makes Katniss pretty suspicious of everyone and everything, but it’s also because she has more important things to worry about…like staying alive.

There are political themes in The Hunger Games that are genuinely different from other books in the young-adult genre and I feel like Collins is doing a great thing by commenting on how awful and powerful reality TV has become. I mean, although we don’t have shows where teens are forced to kill each other, The Hunger Games makes you think about the TV shows we do have. Isn’t there something a little Survivor/Fear Factor-esque about the Hunger Games? And when the tributes are picked and given stylists to give them make-overs, doesn’t that just scream America’s Next Top Model or Bridalplasty? One of the most popular shows on TLC is Toddlers in Tiaras, which encourages mothers to spray tan their four-year-old daughters and parade them around like dolls…when are we going to realize that something is wrong here? The Hunger Games is a little bit like Pixar’s Wall-E where even though the future portrayed in the story is just fictional, there is a degree of warning in the message. Something that doesn’t settle right in our stomachs as we leave the theater or close the book. I mean, isn’t this why Fahrenheit 451 is still popping up in high school English classes across the country?

The Hunger Games offers young readers a lot to think about: questioning aspects of government and social economics, and the relationship between power and greed, to name to a few. The Games are a way to keep people oppressed, and this is an interesting aspect of the story that Katniss considers. The social oppression of the games and then her winning seems to cause an identity crisis within her. Now she has the means and money to survive and provide for her family—but this means now she has time to think about who she is and what she wants. And what she wants is…

Hold on. Wait a second…did this book just end with a love triangle? That guy Gale, who was in the book for like the first 15 pages is now a possible contender for Katniss’ heart? But wait, maybe she likes Peeta after all! Oh, this is so confusing… who will she pick? Oh, I have a question—

WHO CARES?! Katniss, did you not just murder a bunch of teenagers? Are you seriously concerned about which boy you like more? Do you NOT have more serious issues going on in your life? What happened to all that identity issue stuff? Questioning the government? Wanting a better life? I liked that! That was about you! Not about boys.

It’s funny. In Twilight one of the key ingredients to the story was Bella’s love triangle—who does she like more? Edward the Vampire or Jacob the Werewolf? In Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince, Harry doesn’t even want to talk to Hermione because all she’s worried about is her love triangle with Ron and Lavender. And this battle of ‘does Ron like me?’ seems to take up a lot of the plot. Love triangles aren’t always bad things, but haven’t we had enough of them?

Everything in The Hunger Games is written pretty decently, and the plot compelling EXCEPT for the love triangle. Had Katniss’ initial worry in the series been that she loved Peeta for the wrong reasons, or that their connection was based solely on survivor’s guilt—I could have gone along with that. But I didn’t see where the Gale connection was coming from. Katniss never seemed very concerned about love, and the turn was very unnatural.

And in some ways this isn’t even Katniss or author Suzanne Collin’s fault. What is the most disturbing is the desire to spin the Twilight phenomena of ‘picking teams’ onto The Hunger Games. “I’m Team Peeta” a.k.a. “I’m Team Edward.” I think Twilight established early on there was no Team Bella. So what does that say about Katniss?

Like I said before, I think it can be a good thing for young adult novels to have romantic aspects. And romance always has its bumps, it doesn’t need to be sugar-coated. But this was a book about survival, identity, and politics; I think we could have been spared another love triangle and another heroine with the same old boy troubles.

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March 19, 2012

The Battle for Reproductive Rights Continues…

By Patricia Arroyo

The 2012 election season is heating up as debates and issues crop up. Among the Republican candidates there is an acknowledged ‘war against women’ being waged this campaign season. The topics covered in the debates range from proposed personhood bills , health care reform, extension of government programs , and budget cuts to established aid centers like Planned Parenthood.

One of the main reasons that these issues are being brought to the attention of presidential candidates is to sway potential voters in the hopes of garnering more votes. Another function is to create discussion among commentators that closely align themselves with particular political parties. One of the most well-documented controversies so far has been American conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh’s disapproval of health care reform that would help cover women’s contraception.

In the video, Limbaugh manages to over-simplify and misconstrue a proposed health coverage amendment from the Obama administration that would aid millions of women in obtaining birth control. Instead of focusing on the benefits of this new health measure, Limbaugh chooses to make slanderous generalizations and completely fails to consider any positive attributes that this measure could have on the lives of millions of American women. Unfortunately, since Limbaugh has managed to cement himself as a prominent figurehead of the Republican party, his views are broad-casted to his large audience.

Women all across the board are outraged at the idea that government officials, especially men, are continuing to police the way women choose to handle their bodies, lives, and families. Even though women’s voices are largely underrepresented, we can still band together and make our voices heard. We can let figureheads like Limbaugh know that we are not okay with being grouped into negative generalizations without our medical needs being addressed. thinkprogress.org highlights the readily accessible ways that we have to reach out and attempt to have our voices heard. Social media has proven to be a valuable tool in expediting governmental change and social awareness, and during this time in which women’s rights are increasingly infringed upon, we have to continue to raise awareness in order to be able to maintain some control over the choices we make in our lives.

Patricia is a first generation Mexican-American, born in Houston Texas. Patricia went to school at The California College of the Arts as a Fashion Design major. Her senior year she put together her own capsule collection and was awarded a spread in Surface Magazine. She also was given an internship with Nicole Miller in New York, which she has just completed. Patricia has returned to Texas to care for her father while he begins treatment for colon cancer. Patricia likes scary movies, dancing, tattoos, cats, and knitting.

Her fear is rejection, and that her self-doubt and insecurities will hold her back in her future endeavors.

14 comments

March 12, 2012

Tips For Living Alone

By Caitlin Clarkson

Seven months ago, I moved into an apartment by myself. It’s my first time living 100% without any other human beings. While it was difficult at first, I enjoy living alone more and more every day. I miss having roommates around every once in a while, but I’ve gained some other great things in return. Here are a few tips for making the most of your time alone while staying as sane as possible.

-Find hobbies you can do alone
If you don’t already, start enjoying an activity you really need to be alone for. This way, you’ll be distracted for long stretches of time from your crushing loneliness. Don’t worry; it’ll take time to settle into a life of solitude. Personally, I paint, read, and watch countless hours of The Twilight Zone. Make your time real “Me Time.” Go ahead and spend half an hour scrubbing dead skin off your feet, it’s not like anyone else is going to need the bathroom. Obsessively paint your nails. Redecorate until your space is a comforting and “you” as possible. Remember, you are the only person inhabiting the space, so you get to call all the shots. Get those neon orange curtains you’ve always wanted, you deserve it.

-Find something, anything, to talk to
It’s important to exercise your vocal chords. Otherwise, you’ll inadvertently make croaking sounds at the Subway sandwich maker when you descend from your lair for lunch. What it is you decide to talk to doesn’t really matter. It could be a cat, a fish, a gecko, or even a potted plant. The important this is that it has a name. But as long as you are addressing something by name, you are technically not talking to yourself, which is very important. This way, if your neighbors check on you after you start screaming, you’ll be able to say, “Why no, I wasn’t yelling at my pasta. I was yelling at Terrence, my goldfish; it’s his fault the pasta isn’t cooked enough.”
Speaking of neighbors…

-Become overly invested in the goings-ons of your neighbors
Not only will this give you something to do, but it’ll almost be like having roommates. Super mysterious roommates. You will get annoyed with them, feel bad for them, and get way too invested in their lives, all like real roommates. Why is Neighbor #1 getting visits from strangers at 1 a.m.? Why does Neighbor #2 have to play “Purple Rain” on his electric guitar every day? You may never have the answers, but enjoy the mysteries all the same. Or you can leave them notes (such as, “I hope the drug-dealing is going well!” or “Your rendition of “Purple Rain” makes doves cry”). But unless you plan on writing a twee autobiography at some point where you chronicle all the interesting people you’ve met, I suggest you just enjoy the mysteries for what they are.

-Stay on top of current trends
This is essential if you plan on speaking to real people (not plants) eventually. It’s easy to lose track of what’s going on in the world when you only leave your apartment for food. Then you’ll be stuck in the awkward position of praising the Kony 2012 video when everyone has already moved on hating on Invisible Children. My suggestions: read all of the Game of Thrones books; you’ll be prepared to talk to your coworkers for years to come as they wait for the HBO show. Watch Canada’s or Australia’s Next Top Model on Youtube; not only is it easy to breeze through an entire season while folding socks, you’ll also have some original insights to share around the water cooler. Watch as many movie trailers as possible; everyone loves movies, so when someone starts gushing about how good The Lorax/Silent House/The Grey/The Hunger Games was, you’ll know what they’re talking about.

-Enjoy being alone
Letting yourself just do what you want to do is a great way of figuring out exactly what kind of person you are. How long will you go without doing your chores? How often will you cook just for yourself? How healthy are you? Are you a night owl? While you may develop a few strange habits, you will also have a much stronger sense of self when (if) the time comes to once again live with another human being. Indulge in things you couldn’t do if there were other people around to judge you. Don’t want to put on pants to feed the cat? You don’t have to! Want ice cream for dinner? Go for it! Feel like sleeping in a nest made from your dirty laundry? Who’s going to stop you, your roommates? Oh wait, you don’t have any! Just enjoy being able to do whatever you feel like doing. While other people are nice to have around, you may never again experience having a beautiful cocoon of solitude. Embrace it.

March 5, 2012

Into The Depths Of The Rays

By Sophia Rowland

When I was a little girl, I was fearless. My parents have always been strong advocates for travel and as a result, took me many places. Whether it was exploring the Ushmal pyramids in the Yucatan, or climbing to the highest rock in Joshua Tree, I showed no hesitation. When we were in the Galapagos, I had no problem jumping into an ocean with hammerhead sharks below… (aside from a deep fear of bugs), I was brave.

At twenty-three I sometimes wonder what in the world happened to that little girl, especially when it comes to water, and more specifically, the ocean. I grew up a fish, I am a rather strong and fast swimmer, and I always have been. I’m not Michael Phelps of course, but jumping into the ocean was never a problem when I was eleven, or eight, or five.

I have been to Hawaii before (the Big Island). There is a bay in Kona that harbors Captain Cook’s Monument. You can only reach this snorkel paradise by either kayak or boat or a very difficult hike. The first time I went, we kayaked across the bay. The reef is beautiful, and the coral and the fish are spectacular. I kicked along surrounded by yellow, blue, and rainbow fishies, entranced by this underwater landscape. Then I turned and saw the drop off. When the reef ends, the crystal clear water, maybe fifty feet deep, is a desolate blank and I am alone. Floating soundlessly, being slowly sucked into the emptiness of the ocean, and I am afraid of that nothingness. And I become at once afraid of the unknown of the ocean.

My kind, kind, kind parents took me with them to Hawaii on February 23rd, 2012. I was pumped. I love warm weather, lying on the sand, and the beautiful water that surrounds the Big Island. This marks my third time to Kona. The first few days were restful, and the little beaches with snorkeling coves hardly tested my nerves…they did test them, though. I lovingly walked into the waves and let them crash against me, swimming under and over and forcing my mind to stop thinking that dark shadow swimming by is a great white shark. Its just your shadow. Calm down.

I can’t totally blame myself for going from the Indian Jones-like kid I was to what I am now. Paranoid. I think it is just a natural transition when life starts to hit you. Life really hit me hard when I turned eighteen and I watched my grandfather die before me. Even in the comfort (if you can call it that) of a hospital bed, I watched a man I love struggle to let go of life and have it taken from his strong hands. Life. It became more precious. My biggest fear (and again, paranoia) of losing my parents in some tragic accident got worse. And even more so the real reality hit – that I will one day lose them, to tragedy, illness or old age. Life. It is very short. And somehow watching my grandfather, who was always so powerful, go from alive to dead took a brave little girl with him.

Or did it?

For whatever reason, on this recent trip to Hawaii, my parents decided to schedule us for some activities. A horseback ride through a valley, a boat trip to Captain Cook’s, and a manta ray snorkel.

The manta experience is this. A boat takes you to the middle of the ocean where the mantas come to feed. Divers go down and shine lights to make the plankton rise, the mantas come out to eat. Simple right? Except it’s at night. Except that mantas can be as big as 16 feet long (wingspan). Except what if the ocean is rough? What if a huge shark comes out of nowhere and eats me? What if a wave comes and knocks off my father’s prescription scuba mask and he can’t see and somehow drowns while simultaneously being choked to death by the draw string of his wet suit?!

My father and mother were also a little tentative. We all had our worries. But Fear Girls’ writer and beloved friend Sasha told us it was “awesome” so my mother said, “Let’s do it,” and somehow, we did.

The boat ride over was fine. We were all a little nervous and I was more than a little seasick. I was the first to throw on my wetsuit. Fins in hand, mask defogged. I sat on the edge of the boat, legs in the water to cool off the nausea.

“You can go in and snorkel a bit if you want,” the captain told me. It was sunset, and the water was calm. I needed to get off the boat to avoid vomiting.
“Thanks, okay!” came the strong voice of a thought-to-be-gone adventurer.

I started to descend, and no sooner did I look down into the clear water did I see three gigantic rays circling below me. I quickly climbed back up the ladder and forgot that the brave, fearless me had just spoken a moment ago.

The swaying of the boat was worse. I hate throwing up. So I went down into the water and let the giant rays circle me. Finally our snorkel guide came in and then the other snorkelers and finally my parents. I kicked and waited for them, not daring to look down. The sun was nearly gone. A light on the floating board we all clung to came on.
“Lay flat on your stomach,” our guide told us. We did.

There are moments in life where you realize you are nothing but a tiny spec in the universe. That all the paranoia, all the fear, and all the bullshit… it doesn’t mean anything because you are a tiny, insignificant, beautiful being amongst a sea of other wonderful little creatures.

I was afraid when the mantas came at us and rolled up, letting our stomachs almost touch. Rays are harmless of course, but their bodies are so ghost-like it makes them less huggable than sea lions and dolphins seem to be. But the rays are marvelous.

When I went snorkeling for the first time in Mexico, I was five. I was out with my mother and I was so excited I kept talking through my snorkel and getting it full of sea water. She finally pulled it out of my mouth and told me to hold my breath instead.

When I went snorkeling with the rays, it was the first time since then that I made so much ‘squealing’ from both fear and delight that I caught a mouthful of sea water. I had to raise my head to clear it out. Looking out around me, I saw other groups holding on to similar floating boards. Boats surrounded us, their lights cutting through the darkness of the sky. And below, the lights from the divers lit up the sea and set the stage for the dance of the rays.

On the boat ride back, I sat up top with the wind blowing through my hair and cooling my bones. I sat there alone, the other passengers below deck. And as I watched the coast go by me, I remembered a little fearless girl climbing the pyramids at Ushmal and being afraid. Of being atop a high rock in Joshua Tree and worrying about falling. Of a pang of concern about hammerheads in the Galapagos… Before this moment it was just the experience I had remembered, not the fear. Perhaps my fears are greater now then they were then. I am certainly more aware of my mortality. But as many writers have said before me, to be brave you must also be a little scared.

Sophia at Ushmal age 6

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Month: March, 2012