They've changed the way the average person lives daily life, so it's worth wondering -- what would happen if popular fictional characters had access to iPhones? It certainly would have a legitimate effect on The Lord of the Rings (I imagine Frodo would have killed for a solid GPS system and some Face Time with Gandalf) or High School Musical (imagine the limited number of takes if the cast could have practiced auto-tuning themselves beforehand), not to mention Twilight (all it would have taken is a simple "vampire symptoms" Google search and we could have skipped a lot of hemming and hawing on Bella's part). Because it's the hottest thing on the pop culture radar these days, let's take a look at this issue in relation to the smash hit The Hunger Games trilogy and upcoming film.
Social Media
It seems like The Capitol pretty much has it covered when it comes to broadcasting the games to the districts on the outside. But any good social media follower knows that some of the best news comes via the tweets and posts of people on the inside -- not from the glossed-over version available on major broadcasting networks. The games might take on an entirely different flavor if the people had access to a constant Twitter stream from within the arena or some disgruntled Facebook statuses from an angsty tribute or two. And imagine the repinning power of a mockingjay image! Not to mention, it would add some serious flavor to the romance situation if the audience could follow Katniss' relationship status from "In an Open Relationship with Gale" to "It's Complicated with Peeta" and everything in between.
Siri
It's undeniable that access to Siri, the crowning gem of all automated personal assistants, would have a definite impact on the games. "Siri, find the nearest hideout cave." "Siri, I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when Cato gets within a mile of me." "Siri, find the best arrows-dealer online and FedEx me some of those overnight." "Siri, tell Haymitch I need food to come out of the sky now." "Siri, let's just get rid of Haymitch altogether because I can ask you for anything he would have given me anyway, and you're not a raging alcoholic so I trust you more." "Siri, record Rue's bird call and make it my ringtone." "Siri, please hire a criminal defense attorney because I'm about to take Foxface down."
Instagram
The effects of this photo-sharing app could veer toward either the positive or the negative side. On one hand, things might not have appeared so bad from inside the arena if followers had access to a constant stream of lovely, square-shaped photographs of the happenings. Unless, of course, the photos included any violent images. Even still, everything looks better in an overload of sepia and tan borders, right? The downside of the tributes having Instagram accounts is that their fellow competitors could use it against them. Take a picture with an identifying landmark in the background? You'll be dead before you have a chance to add a witty caption.
Games
Those lonely hours spent hiding out in trees might well have been more enjoyable for little Rue if she'd had endless rounds of Bejeweled to keep her company. But can the Tributes really afford the distraction, when it comes down to it? Well, a little Angry Birds never hurt anyone. In fact, it may even provide good training for real-life combat. Just tell Siri to find you a a slingshot and all your new-found skills will come in handy in a big way. And who knows -- a friendly game request from a fellow tribute might have softened a few grudges here and there. It's hard to hate someone who adds you on Words with Friends. But don't go around consistently playing 80-point words, or you'd better check out of foursquare and head for that hideout cave.
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