A Senior Capstone Experience by Heather Fabritze ’25

Submitted to Departments of English and Communications & Media Studies

Advised by Dr. Courtney Ryder and Dr. Stephanie Brown

Contributor Biography: Heather graduated from Washington College with a B.A. in English and Communication & Media Studies. At graduation, she was awarded the Communication & Media Studies Capstone Award, which honors the CMS thesis that best encompasses the program’s commitment to original research and contributes to public discourse by embracing difference and fostering progressive social change. While at WC, she served as the Honor Board Chair for the Student Government Association, the News Editor for The Elm, a Peer Mentor, and a sister of Zeta Tau Alpha. She was also an inducted member of Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Tau Delta, and Omicron Delta Kappa. Currently, she is pursuing a public relations internship at The Ehrhardt Group in New Orleans, LA.

Description: Despite its more recent publication in the historical span of literature, The Hunger Games trilogy has thoroughly staked its position in popular culture due to its perspective on political discourse, adolescent social change, and revolutionary thought. This SCE positions the novels’ endorsement and criticism of certain political messages against the marketing campaigns for the series’ film adaptations, which exemplify the same themes of overconsumption and sensationalism that the books condemn. Overall, the comparison questions whether modern advertising techniques can productively adapt political texts.

Read Heather’s SCE below: