Sunday, April 8, 2012

ORR 2 - The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure



This week, I continued reading the first book in The Hunger Games triology. In the next fifty pages, Katniss describes her stay at the Capitol, before she is placed in the arena, where she has a high chance of getting murdered by the tributes from other Districts. Both Peeta and Katniss, as well as all the other tributes practice their survival skills in the Training Center for a few days. There, they can practice their aiming, archery, and other skills. At first, all the tributes practice together, before they can have private lessons with the Gamemakers. During the training with all the tributes, Katniss notices the youngest competitor in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, Rue. She is a tribute from District 11, and I found it really interesting how worried about her Katniss is. Katniss is scared about all the cruel ways the big career tributes from wealthier districs can murder small Rue, and is frustrated by the fact that she can do nothing to protect her. I think this is because, in a way, Rue reminds Katniss of Prim, and what Prim would have to go through if she came to the Hunger Games, and Katniss didn't volunteer. Both Rue and Prim are the same age, and are both very shy and  quiet girls. Rue seems quite helpless, as it looks as though she holds no chance against the other tributes. However, I do have a slight feeling that Katniss, and everybody else, is underestimating her. Rue could prove to have some very valuable skills, that she is hiding before she gets to the actual arena. In the pages I read, I was also quite surprised by how much resentment Katniss seems to be having towards Peeta. Both Haymitch, and Cinna, are asking of Katniss and Peeta to act as though they are very good friends, and that their relationship cannot be ruined by the Hunger Games. Katniss seems to be getting tired of the masquerade that they are forced to put on, but on the other hand, Peeta is the only source of comfort she has before the Games start. Finally, I have also seen a side of Katniss that was not mentioned before. When she has a private training with the Gamemakers, where they are supposed to evaluate her performance, they started ignoring her, and her great efforts to show them her archery skills. So, she decided to shoot an arrow through an apple that was held in a roasted pig's mouth, that seemed to be more attention-worthy for the Gamemakers than she was. Then, she stormed out of the Training Center, went to her floor, and cried, not paying attention to Effie's and Cinna's efforts to call her to dinner. In my opinion, this was quite surprising, as Katniss is usually a very stable, and strong girl, who doesn't let the pressures of her life get to her. I guess she has been piling up all her troubles, and unsuccessfully trying to ignore them. However, despite her meltdown, I think that Katniss is an amazing character, who is very strong and inspirational.

2 comments:

  1. I read the Hunger Games series and loved it, I really agree with you where you say Katniss is an amazing character, who is strong and inspirational!

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    Replies
    1. Love your blog post and how you've described both Katniss and the plot. However, the author is, last time I checked, not Kathryn Stockett...

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