Love Triangles in YA (e.g. Hunger Games)

Discussion in 'Character Development' started by funkybassmannick, Apr 10, 2013.

  1. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    I did, but no worries. This is just a semantics argument. Who am I to tell you that you didn't fall in love at first sight? That would be mean and I'm not mean. ;)
     
  2. chicagoliz

    chicagoliz Contributor Contributor

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    I think the guy could still be portrayed as a likable hero -- James Bond seems to do this quite a bit. I think it would be harder to do this with a woman character -- people would think she's a slut. It's unfair, but I think a lot of people would see it this way.

    I see flirting with different women, however, different from being genuinely conflicted and torn between two women. That's a different story, and one that can be very interesting, and has been told before. There was a movie out a few years ago - I can't remember the name of it, and I can't remember the name of the male actor in it -- he had dark hair, but his name escapes me now. But he was the male portion of a FMF love triangle. The women were Cameron Diaz and Julia Roberts. Another, older film was called Mikki and Maude that starred Dudley Moore. Neither were great films, but they are two that come to mind. There must be many others.
     
  3. TerraIncognita

    TerraIncognita Aggressively Nice Person Contributor

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    That's awesome. :)

    On to your question, Liz makes a good point about James Bond. That's definitely true. I think it's highly dependent on how it's framed. You make the character tragic, lovable, or heroic enough and people will excuse almost anything. It's like with people in real life you care about. You'll pay more attention to the good than the bad.
     
  4. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    It should be pointed out that the Bond women aren't exactly crying that he doesn't want to marry them. Granted the books and movies portray Bond as irresistible to women, with Bond in the driver's seat so to speak. But the beautiful women aren't portrayed as chasing after him. It's a bit of a mixed bag for those of us that would like to see women portrayed more evenly, but at least the women are strong characters. Trouble is the strongest women are more often the evil ones while the good girls still end up being rescued then bedded.

    Come to think of it, it doesn't look so good as I read what I just typed. :p
     
  5. MilesTro

    MilesTro Senior Member

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    That reminds me of my time thief character.
     
  6. Keitsumah

    Keitsumah The Dream-Walker Contributor

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    lol, this reminds me of my book that im writing, even though its more like three guys and one girl. (the third guy is her jealous, overprotective brother but he doesn't want her to be with anyone so i include him -it is not an incest relationship)
     
  7. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    I like the twist. :)
     
  8. TerraIncognita

    TerraIncognita Aggressively Nice Person Contributor

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    That's true too. I've never been a big James Bond fan so I can't say I know it backwards and forwards. :p I think a lot of it is this stereotype that good girls are weak and bad girls are strong. In reality it often takes more strength to do the right thing.
     
  9. funkybassmannick

    funkybassmannick New Member

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    If there are ever two bond girls in a film, usually one becomes Disposable, being killed by the villain to make things personal and raise the stakes. For example, Jill Masterson (Goldfinger) is killed and covered in gold spray paint; and Strawberry Fields (Quantum of Solace) is killed and covered in oil. Both are left on the bed mere scenes after Bond had sex with them. The other bond girl then becomes a Damsel in Distress, someone he has to protect to prevent the same thing from happening again.

    Also, some women villains are sent out to kill Bond, but then he seduces them to get information. The best example is Pussy Galore (Goldfinger), who was supposedly "immune" to his charms in the film (and a lesbian in the books). She still gets seduced by Bond and she reveals Goldfinger's secrets. I think this trope is called the Sex Face Turn.

    There are a few strong bond girls, particularly in the later films, like Natalia in Goldeneye, a computer whiz and moral compass for the movie; Wai Lin in Tomorrow Never Dies, essentially a chinese, female version of Bond, and M fills the roll of the bond girl in Skyfall, though it's more of a mother-son relationship and not at all romantic. She was a compelling woman in that movie. Most Bond Girls (particularly earlier ones) are flat romantic interests.
     
  10. MilesTro

    MilesTro Senior Member

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    I think the bond girls are like sex symbols forthe male audience in the Bond series. However they are complex. One girl is a steroetype, and the other is smarter, who becomes James Bond's most favorite. The dumb girls usually die to show how evil Bond's nemesis is. It would be interesting if he gets two girls, and none of them dies. I missed the actor who played Bon in Golden Eye, Tomorrow Never Dies, and The World is Not Enough.
     
  11. Sammy28

    Sammy28 New Member

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    I'm 14, I read all 3 Hunger Games books. Not for the romance, for the charcters, I wanted to know who survived, who died, how they died, did they capitol win, did the districts. I just wanted to know. If you have only read the first book then you have no idea ! In the other two books Peeta volunteers as tribute to go into the arena with Katniss, what you don't see in the first film is that every night on the train to the capitol Katniss would go into Peeta's room or vice versa and they would sleep together (only cuddlingly). This was because she grew more fond of him and he comforted her when she had nightmares. In the last book the capitol torture Peeta and send him back to Katniss hating her after she just started really having feelings for him. I did also love the books for the romance but not for the 'omg who will she pick' factor but for the twists of the romance.
    I understand that a lot of girls do read them only for that but I just had to say that some teenage girls actually read into the book and see the fact that although it doesn't throw it in your face the book has an underlying theme of capitolism and dictatorship. Also I think how we as a nation are in some cases are spoon fed into believing things.
     
  12. MilesTro

    MilesTro Senior Member

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    I really don't care about the romance in the Hunger Games too. I am only interest in the action and the characters' outcome. It is really interesting to see how the evil Capitol notice how much a threat Katniss becomes just for being popular, and using tactics to make her fans turn against her. I bet Hollywood does that to their stars to.
     
  13. karajmnz

    karajmnz New Member

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    I personally love triangels! I mean who doesn't want to fantasize about 2 hot men fighting over you?

    Also, I don't think books should be discounted just because they are not realistic- Who cares? It's the fantasy. For me that's whats fun about reading. Being able to live out stories that would never happen in real life. I love Twilight. Sure why would vampires go to high school? Why would he fall in love with an ordinary girl? (actually the reason he is so interested in her is because he can't read her mind lke he can everyone else.) But these questions don't matter to me because the fun is just living in the fantasy.

    As far as ending a triangle in a poly relationship- no I wouldn't read a story like that- simply because I would never fantasize about living that out. Sure I want guys to fight over me but in the end it has to be one man one woman.

    The romance in the hunger games was boring to me.
     
  14. MilesTro

    MilesTro Senior Member

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    I guess love triangles are the best conflicts to attract female readers, depending how interesting the characters. But still, I dislike Twilight.
     
  15. KaTrian

    KaTrian A foolish little beast. Contributor

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    That was probably a rhetorical question, but... *raises hand*
    It makes me sad that the other guy is left empty-handed.
     
  16. Trish

    Trish Damned if I do and damned if I don't Contributor

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    LOL, exactly.
     
  17. Keitsumah

    Keitsumah The Dream-Walker Contributor

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    well you can have Edward. Even if Jacob wasn't smoking hot already i would still pick him just for the wolf factor. Too cool! :D plus you don't need to worry about a vampire biting you with the ultimate predator around (werewolves hunt vamps so go figure)
     
  18. MilesTro

    MilesTro Senior Member

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    You girls should have werewolf boyfriends instead. You can pet them, kiss them, and they will protect you. Just pray they won't eat you.
     

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