I thought I might elaborate on the movie. Becuase of the complexity of the intertwined timelines, I’ll do it character by character. Keep in mind the story is set shortly after 9/11.
(this will be long)
A persian family owns a convience store which has been previously robbed. The fahter of th e family, a stubborn man who does not speak eglish goes to buy a gun for protection. While doing this he is called “Osama” and “terrorist” by seller, the two end up yelling at each other and it is up to the persian daughter to finalize the sale. When they are back in their shop we get to see the wife/mother struggle with closing the door, while the gun is hidden away in a drawer below the counter. They call for a locksmith to fix the lock, which he does, even though he claims the door is the problem not the lock. The persian man calls him a liar and refuses to pay. The locksmith gives up and leaves. The next we know happens to this family and their store, is the post-robbery scene, where the father enters to find the store demolished, everything, including the gun, either stolen or smashed to bits. They are somewhat relieved at first, becuase they are insured, however, insurance will not cover this becuase the locksmith reported that the problem was door-related and not lock-related.
They are somewhat pissed, but mostly resigned.
Two african-american guys walk down a well lit street in the white neighbourhood as they complain about the clear racism eminating from everyone around them, how everyone thinks the worst of them and fear them, despite them being civil and decent. This turns out to be fairly ironic as they proceed to go and steal a car while holding a white upper-class couple at gunpoint. They then drive the car around and while arguing they hit an older asian man. The younger of the two (I think he is the younger one) convinces his bud that they should help him so they won’t be charged with manslaughter if someone finds out they did it and reports them. They throw the man out of the trunk before the hospital and drive off to a carshop to get the blood cleaned out, but the owner, their friend of some sort, refuses becuase he does not want cops on his ”redneck ass”. They leave the car and walk out of it. Next morning they get into another car, one I assume they actually own, but it refuses to start so they have to walk instead. As the younger one hails for the buss, the other one stops him. Throughout this entire timeleine, the older of the two can’t stop complaining about the white people self-entitlement and how poorly he and other "blacks” are treated.
The white upper-class couple is a twofold story of a man and a wife, which start out as they head to the car and pass the two african-american guys. The woman is clearly uncomfortable, but does not say anything. As they are about to get in their car they are held at gunpoint and threatend out of the car. They are both somewhat terrified, but the woman is also raging. The enxt we know of them is when they are at home, getting their lock changed, police already engaged, but still unsettled by the happenings. The woman lashes out at ehr husband when she sees the locksmith is mexican and requests new locks hile ranting about black and mexicans as gang-members and vile criminals. She does this all while the locksmith is just behind her back and her husband’s colored coworers on the other side of the wall. In the last of ehr scenes that night we see ehr receive the new keys, two complete sets from the locksmith, and allow the house help, a latino woman to leave. In her next appearance it is morning, she is staring at the clean, but full dishwasher and complains about it to her housemaid, the woman responsible for emptying it. The maid apologises both for the dishwasher and for borrowing the car becuase hers would not start. In the meantime we find out the white upper-class husband is a district attorney fishing for votes, but worried why the happening will do to him and all his black votes. He continues this the next day, being the busy man he is.
There is another couple, though this one is a light-skinned african-american couple, welathy and upper-class nonetheless. The husband is a succesfull director. We first encounter them on their way home from an award show where he received a prize. While in the car, one the same model and color as the one stolen form the other upper-class couple, the wife gives her husband a blowjob. Becuase of the similarity of the car to the stolen one and other reasons I will adress later, they are stopped by the police. While the husband answers everything, his wife, who admits to being tipsy, lashes out on them. They are told to step out of the car, with their hands on the hood, and are searched by the policemen, when the older of the two proceeds to grope the wife. She is clearly uncomfortable, her husband is clearly offended, but they have to let it pass to get away with only a warning. Once they are home they fight over this situation, becuase the wife felt humiliated and offended, and ehr husband did not react. Next time the husband appears on his own at first, ont the set of his series just after a succesful, ended take when he is approached by a coworker/supevisior of sorts who demands a retake becuase one of the main characters did not sound "black enough”. The husband is offended, but has no choice by oblige. Once they are done with the retake, his wife approaches him apologizing for ehr actions the previous night, but stating she would put in a complaint and possibly take them (the policemen) to court (I’m not entirely sure how this argument went, so I might be somewhat wrong).
Then we have the two plicemen who had stopped the light-skinned couple. One of thme, the older one, has been on the force for seventeen years, while his companion is a rookie, porbably in his first year/first few monhts. The rookie opposes them stopping the couple, becuase he clearly sees it is the wrong car, but he is not the one to make the final decision in that car. Once they have stopped and they run the plates, check the documents, the wife starts her lash out which brings the couple out of the car. The rookie searches the husband, but also sees what his partner does and is, as well as the wife and husband, offended in a way. Whn the couple is let go of, the older man tells the rookie to not ask questions becuase he doesnot know how it is “out there”. Prior to this occurence we have a scene with the older police officer when he argues with the insurance company woman, as african-american lady named Shaniqua - a name he seas as clearly black, about the pains his father is having. Since there is nothing she can do to help him, he gets mad at her and alter proceeds to transfering this anger onto the couple. Later on, when their shift has ended the older policeofficer is back at home woken up by his fathers grunts. There we get to see him in a more protectiv role as the caretaker of his sick father, but his lack of patience shows once again when he visits the insurance company office to argue his father’s way into a different doctor, but fails. In the meantime the rookie tries to file in for a different patner, but the lieutenant knows the actual reasons and tries to cox him into filing the report stating the truth and the actual incident the request is based upon, or risk humiliation with a different reason. As we later see he chose the second one.
Finally we are down to the last of the group. The latino locksmith, the one we have seen very little off thus far, but have received some in depth knowlede about him in these few scenes. He appears first when changing the locks for the white upper-class couple; his head is shaved, he has visible tattoos all over, he would fit the stereotypical image of the gang member the self-entiteled white lady accuses him of being. Right after this scene, where eh leaves their houses with a somewhat broken expression in his eyes, he goes home to tuck in his daughter. She is hiding underneath the bad, afraid becuase she heard a noise resembling that one of of a gun. This implies they used to live in a bad neighbourhoood, but as they later say, they moved away to escape exactly that after a stray bullet ventured into her room. He tries to further sooth her worries by handing down the invisible, bullet proof cloak he received from a fairy when he was five. Once his daughter regains a smile, he tucks her in and leaves to continue working. He goes to fix the lock in the store of\wned by the persian family. The father/owner is there waiting from him to finish up and despite changing locks he knows the problem is in the door rather than the lock. He hands him the receipt for the work done but is yelled at to “fix what he was hired to fix” and that he probably tries to scam them in some way. The father refuses to pay for anything so the locksmith leaves, reporting the happenings and his verdict to his company.
I just remembered there are two more characters, but I’ll do them next time.
(An apology first: This accidentally ended up on my personal blog, but now it’s here)
A piece of background information on me, myself and I, which might be crucial (but can be skipped):
Becuase of my upbringing stringing between to different cultures I have been conditioned to pay close attention to those around to me to respond in the proper way in relation to culture, mannerism and proper language. I have been kept on my toes when faced with both of these cultures at the same time to avoid offending anyone, but in recent times I realized this has been made easier not only in relation to these two, but towards most others as well. By the time I realized this it also came to me that I can prioritize a culture as to what is closer to my heart, but I do my best to see the while of others without obstructing the impression with my otherwise very subjective views. When I see a difference I try to find the cause, I might mind it, prefering things another way, btu I accept it for what it is - a part of a different wholesome culture. However, to make things clear: I do not accept any acts which violate Human Right, unless both parties involved have clearly stated the setup works for them and is what they oth want. (Remember kids, conscious consent is crucial.)
Which brings me back to todays topic:
Food, Entertainment and Culture: D12 and the Capitol
As previously described, D12 is a district of poverty, hunger and overall desperation. In the place where they struggle to feed themselves on a daily basis and malnourished people of all ages are a common sight, a clearly rounded tummy is a sign of wealth – it means you do not only make ends meet, it also means you have the money to buy food beyond basic needs; to indulge at the baker’s and let the sugar fill your veins. In District 12 people risk their lives to feed their families. In district 12 they do not have a choice to do otherwise. And I understand them; they do what they have to do to keep themselves going.
However, in the Capitol the food is overflowing and some more on top of that too, and one scoop more. And a cherry on top. In the Capitol food comes after the touch of buttons, whatever you might wish for. In the Capitol people have drinks making them vomit to make place for more. In the Capitol food is not seen as a necessity, because people never had to go without it. They probably view this at their right. In the Capitol a rounded tummy is a sign of poverty – you indulge and cannot hide it, you cannot afford liposuction on those magnificent cheeks. Jiggling rolls of fat do not fit the cookie cutter shape of the Capitol.
Katniss coming from the first into the second despises them and their attitude, but feasts upon it herself. When watching the “locals” at any given time she mostly holds them in contempt, because of an unspoken, but clear, envy. She sees them from her own standing point, but once she tries to walk in their shoes, she is miserable.
As the story is told from Katniss’ viewpoint we see the struggles of D12, but the Capitol is only viewed through glamourized glasses of wealth and luxury. There are probably many problems, invisible to Katniss, hiding beneath the impeccable façade, but our protagonist does not even try to see them, stuck in her own problems and concerns. Which I do not, by the way, blame her or at all considering her current position.
I let the girl be bitter; she is supposed to die tomorrow.
Though I, as a bystander with some multi-culti experience thought about this when Katniss arrived in the Capitol. I did not see any clear problems in the Capitol throughout the book, but that is once again because of the viewpoint. That is, except for a certain detachment formed for the Hunger Games and the participants. This denial that has them cheering as teens ride carriages towards their deaths. The cheer, because they can, they cheer because they will not lose anything throughout the games.
This is also a problem avoided by many today. We see misery on TV or the internet, we see people starving, dying in wars, or drowning falling from handmade rafts. We see it and we scroll past it, because there is nothing in it for us. “There is nothing I can do” everyone thinks, “There is no way I can help”, but we are hopefully not yet too desensitized to the pain of others to change. We see the causes, the happenings and the effects. Yet still, there are too few eager to help.
Because it is easier to say encouraging words and cheer those suffering on, thinking it will help. It is easier to distance ourselves than make a change. Because it is entertainment, a terrible, dark entertainment of the most hated kind, but entertainment nonetheless. And the people needs only bread and circus to remain satisfied, has it been known since ancient Rome.
But the thing is; there is power in numbers, as proved by any democracy and uprising. As long as the people are in number, reaching for the same they will make a change, all they have to do is care enough to stand up and get their asses themselves to work. Which we see happen in Panem at the end of Catching Fire and throughout Mockingjay.
To bring myself back on track, or back to the food (bc I’m hungry), I just have to give a few examples of headlines seen by yours truly over the course of the last few weeks, they go along these lines; “X cuts food waste in half”, “Y donates all unsold fresh food”, “Z lowers prices on all fresh food to avoid loss”. Do you see the common denominator? Food, and a lot of it. Too much some would say and I would agree. The case is the same in the Capitol as it is in Norway (except we do not have magic food buttons), the food is many, the people are less; spoilage is unavoidable.
Which brings me back to conclude; if we would share what we have with others who nothing or too little, maybe the world would be a better place. No matter if it’s food, clothes or anything necessary to live a worthy life.
Wondering and learning about prejudice and stereotypes I began watching the movie Crash (2004). It is about different people of different ethnicities, social and economic backgrounds.
Thus far we have seen the background for the action, a car crash, and most probably all characters to be involved.
One of them is the stuck up, self-entitled, rich, white woman, played by Sandra Bullock, who was ordered out of her car at gun point. Afterwards she proceeds to lash out because the man changing locks is Mexican.
“The prejudice is strong with this one” Darth Vader would have said.
I’ve chosen two books from your suggestions; The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and The House of the Scorpion. Becuase I am a Responsible Human Being™ who is trying to adult and do some serious time managment, I’ll start THG2G as soon as it arrives at my local library, continuing with The House afterwards, unless exams take me down and I need a break, but but, we’ll see.
I’ve finished the Hunger Games and most of the stuff I planned on writing about it. Even though this blog is a school assignment I consider keeping it going with different books.
So my question is; What should I read now?
It’s up to you, my dear followers, I’ll read almost anything within fantasy/sci-fi, YA and a lot within everything else. (Though I’m not too fond of John Green and Tolkien when it comes to authors.)
Suzanne Collins, born 10th August 1962, is an American television writer and novelist, most known for her New York Times bestseller trilogy; The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay.
The first book, The Hunger Games, was released September 2008.
Collins claims the source of the inspiration came from late night TV watching, jumping between channels and watching teenagers compete for money interlace with a program on war. Filling in the gaps of this came somewhat from Greek mythology. However, one major contribution was from her father’s career in the US Air Force. She stated that her father always emphasized knowing the causes and consequences of wars and how they affect everyone.
This insight, as well as several survival books became the base of this and the following books, which put her on the Time magazine’s list of most influential people of 2010 as well as making her the bestselling Kindle author as of 2012.
The Hunger Games is a first-person limited point of view dystopian YA novel set in a distant future in what is today the US. The country where the story takes place is called Panem, they experienced a rebellion 74 years earlier and have started the Hunger Games as a way to remind the population of the horrible deeds done by them in the failure of an uprising.
The Hunger Games is a game of life and death between 24 teenagers, one girl and one boy from each of the 12 districts of Panem until only on victor is left standing. These tributes are chosen through a reaping once a year from youth aged twelve through eighteen. However, if anyone wishes to, they can volunteer to be the tribute.
I guess that’s enough of that, so here is the arc itself, according to yours truly:
The story starts off with exposition and world building given to us by the Main Character as she proceeds with her normal daily tasks, even though the day is not normal for her. It is the day of the reaping, and while the first chapter goes fairly slowly it presents characters and relationships laying ground for the next books, as well as presenting the basics of the conflict and establishing stakes when those two are unified.
The hook comes fairly quickly drawing from what has already been established – Katniss relationship with her sister and the cruelty of the Hunger Games. It is the act of self-sacrificing, heroic volunteering to volunteer to take the place of her sister in the Games once the name of Primrose Everdeen is drawn in the reaping.
The story continues with a buildup presenting the different roles of Katniss, addressed here, and raising the importance of the stakes.
While the setting changes from District 12 to the glamorous Capitol some new, later plot important, relationships are established as well as creating a small conflict of character between Katniss and Haymitch, her mentor, which later drives some of the story forward.
The buildup continues towards what I view as an important plot point, which is the score presentation for the tribute, where Katniss gets the highest score off all of them; an 11. I consider this important because this poises Katniss as a contender to be feared.
This revelation is closely followed by the second plot point; Peetas crush on Katniss and the announcement of the “star-crossed lovers” of the game. Just as the score made Katniss a possible threat to the other tributes, this declaration of love made her desirable for sponsors, both because she is put in a different light, but also because the undying romantics wish to see happy ending to their story.
I view both of these as important, though to a differing extent, since they have a great impact of the later unfolding of the story; the score making her a threat to others in the current timeframe, but the crush carrying through the continuing books as a motivator and one of many red lines.
From there we move into the Arena where new inner, short lived, conflicts arise between the tributes. Mainly between Katniss and another pack of tributes, called the Careers. A minor plot point is the reveal of Peeta’s “treason”, but because the doubt seeded within Katniss here is later washed away, I do not consider this to be of great importance.
However, here we also find another plot point, a so-called mid-point, where Katniss turns into a warrior from the potential victim she was up until then. This happens when she attacks the Careers, eliminating two of them. Just after this, doubt is seeded in Peeta’s betrayal.
Following the next buildup, structured upon the previous plot points, Katniss partners with Rue, the girl tribute from D11. This relationship calls for a drawback into D12 as Katniss acknowledges her fondness of the girl due to the similarities shared with her little sister, Prim. The warrior point continues as the two girls hatch a plan and implement it, though not without harm as Rue suffers death as an immediate consequence. As Katniss has revealed the connection between Rue and Prim, both of these girls continue on as motivators for Katniss.
The next plot point is one I consider two-fold, as it is both the announcement of the rule change and the reunion with Peeta. As this builds on the second plot point while drawing in other important minor (not mentioned) points and motivators it leads to the final buildup towards the climax of the story:
While Katniss nurses Peeta back into health other tributes eliminate each other leaving only two left alive for the time when they return into the game. One of the next kills is an accident and the final one is one of great importance.
After being chased by the mutations and defeating Cato, the final tribute standing between the tributes from D12 and home, Katniss and Peeta face the announcement of the revoke of the previous rule change. This is where the climax occurs, when the final act of rebellion calls for a double suicide stopped only last second by the announcement of that years winners; Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.
The continuing happenings are parts of the resolution as well as the new grounding for the next book, Catching Fire. These contain only one plot point, which is the Capitol/Governments dissatisfaction with said act of rebellion. Katniss learns then, that the games have only just begun.
Katniss, age 16, inhabitant of the Seam in District 12, the coal-mining district, of Panem. Lives with her mother, sister - Prim and a cat. Volunteers as tribute in the 74th Hunger Games to take the place of her younger sister in an act of heroic, surge of the moment, self-sacrifice.
Amongst the things she enjoys we find hunting, hunting and hunting. She also likes her bow and arrows, lamb stew, her little sister and her friend Gale. Occasionally, she shows fondness of other people as well. Occasionally.
However there are also things she dislikes, such as being stung, burned or waxed. She also openly loathes the cat. And sometimes her mother. Yes, that also happens.
But who is Katniss Everdeen?
After her father’s death, when she was ten, she took onto the role of the provider as her mother slipped into depression and was unable to take care of her two daughters and the household. Katniss however kept her head cold and remained focused throughout this crisis and took to filling her father’s (and somewhat of mother’s) shoes.
Katniss’ father had been one to put food on the table. By working, but also by poaching and foraging illegally beyond the district limits. Sometimes he took Katniss along and taught her everything he knew, giving her an advantage in those oncoming hard times.
Katniss describes the first three months after his death as the hardest ones, despite her uttermost attempts to keep them well, alive and fed. She describes it as:
“It was a slow going at first, but I was determined to feed us. I stole eggs from nests, caught fish in nets, sometimes managed to shoot a squirrel or rabbit for stew, and gather the various plant that sprung up beneath my feet. Plants are tricky. Many are edible, but one false mouthful and you’re dead. I checked and double-checked the plants I harvested with my father’s pictures. I kept us alive.” (p.62)
This task of providing and ensuring a stability for their family trio became the core of her identity, something she becomes increasingly aware of towards the end of the book when in the Arena.
Once in the Arena Katniss’ skills come useful in a setting alike the woods back home. She gathers and hunts for her own, improving her chances for survival. However, the provider within in her shows once again when she enters an alliance with little Rue, the girl tribute from D11. She chose the girl for her ally, because “she’s a survivor, and I trust her, and why not admit it? She reminds me of Prim.” (p.244)
The alliance ends abruptly as one could expect in the Hunger Games, and the provider goes into slumber once again, only to be awoken when the rule change is announced.
Using her superior hunting and gathering skills, as well as putting her life on the line, Katniss nurses Peeta back into health from the brink of death caused by an infected wound. She comes protective of him during this time, partially because of the tactic for the game, but also because of her core as a provider.
Even though Katniss does see herself as someone others can depend on, she comes to wonder who she would have been if not the provider. She comes to wonder about this as seen here:
“For the first time, I allow myself to truly think about the possibility that I might make it home. To fame. To wealth. To my own house in the Victor’s Village. My mother and Prim would live there with me. No more fear of hunger. A new kind if freedom. But then… what? What would my life be like on a daily basis? Most of it has been consumed with the acquisition of food. Take that away and I’m not really sure who I am, what my identity is. The idea scares me some.” (p.378)
However, we do not see the end of this as the book comes to a conclusion and her pondering carry on into the next book.
Katniss is also described as a survivor, not necessarily by herself. “She’s a survivor, that one”, Peetas mom said. (p.110)
Even though this statement does not come from Katniss directly, it radiates of her through the provider at her core. Poaching in the woods her focus and drive comes from the need to stay alive and keep her loved ones alive. She does this through hunting, fishing, foraging and fighting, all skills useful, if not necessary in the arena.
Despite her own opinion on being trustworthy she does not come off as someone likable, a trait most probably caused by the survivalist inside of her. She knows emotions and caring might put her in a place she cannot afford to be, they are a luxury she rarely allows herself.
This may lead to her lack of sentiment, a survivalist trait, for most things, the family cat, Buttercup, amongst others. She does not view him as a furry friend, but “another mouth to feed” (p.4). This trait sets her apart from most heroes and heroines from successful franchise, and most importantly, Peeta. Her focus is on making it from day to day instead of reminiscing, and this keeps her going.
The hardened survivalist without a second thought for sentiment is also one who does not dwell by kids. She sees them, just as Buttercup, as more mouth to feed, “mouths that are always asking for more” (p.11). Her stance on this topic is clear from the beginning and does is only enforced throughout the story and her fight to stay alive in the Arena. She cannot imagine bringing children into the same world she comes from, a world of poverty, starvation, pain and possible Hunger Games.
Once Katniss volunteers to take the place of her sister she also becomes the Celebrity.
Being one of 24 tributes Katniss is at the center spotlight once they are in the Capitol. Already there she should start playing a game which will keep her alive in the Arena, but Katniss is neither funny, sexy nor charming. She is trustworthy, but not likable. Haymitch, her mentor, once describes her as “sullen and hostile” (p.141), chasing every sponsor away. She does not know how to play this game.
She needs to change this and steps up her game with the help of her stylist. Cinna designs spectacular dresses, Haymitch coaches her and Peeta makes her desirable. Over the course of a few days she comes to manipulate the crowd into believing the girl they had set up her to be, one that could gather sponsors and win the game. She is back in the game, right in the center of it.
For most of the time in the Arena, Katniss is free from maneuvering her lover role, but is soon thrust right back into the game. She slips right back into her spot so gracefully, one might actually wonder if this is not a game after all.
Katniss is also the love object of two boys, but this is not addressed directly in this book, which brings me to the last role we’ve seen her in.
Katniss - The Girl on Fire
Started at the opening ceremony with suits set alight with fake flames and hands entwined with her fellow tribute alike friends, not an opponent, she quickly becomes remembered as the Girl on Fire.
We know the gazes were pulled to the costumes, but there is certainly a fire burning within Katniss as well. The rebellious streak visible in her poaching, her arrow at the pig, the covering of Rues body and finally the berries. This defiance may be one keeping her alive, giving her an advantage, but she might just learn it is more dangerous than she expected.
Summary: MC got up, got dressed, went out, broke the law and is currently making fun of the government with her bff
Characters:
- Katniss: The rebelious, grim, law-breaking, presumabley female badass main character. Dark haired and olive skinned
- Prim: Katniss’s (How do you even write that???) little sister. Has a cat, goat cheese and a fear of the mysterious reaping. Blonde haired and blue eyed.
- Mom/mother of Prim and Katniss: The daughter of high status people who lives with her daughters in the poorest area of District 12. Blonde haired and blue eyed.
- Father: Dead. Blown to bits in mine explosion. Used to and taught Katniss how to hunt. Dark haired and olive skinned, for all we know, this is just an assumption.
- Gale: Friend of Katniss who also breakes laws and goes hunting. Exchanged a squirrel for bread. Great bread hunter. Dark haired and olive skinned.
- Effie Trinket: Maniacally upbeat woman from Capitol.
- Peacekeepers: People keeping peace (duh), work directly for the capitol, buy illegal stuff from hunters, becuase they like food. (Who doesn’t like food? Especially good food?)
- Bttercup: “the world’s ugliest cat”. Mashed-in nose, half ear missing, rotten green eyes and a muddy yellow cat. Catches the occasional rat and no longer hates Katniss, maybe despises, but from afar.
Places:
- District 12: Mining district of Panem, from decription most probably the one furtherest away from the Capitol. Rather poor, rather starving, rather deprieved off electricity and rather incling people to do illegal stuff becuase it pays off and they get food (hint, hint: Katniss, her father and Gale), but also becuase they have lousey superivsion and too little control. Seems therefore to have the most freedom of all, though they have to pay for it, if caught, and must be willing to risk punishemnt to get the freedom.
Surrounded by a barbed fence going through the Meadow, seperating the Seam and the forests behind it. Forest filled with wildlife unafraid of the few people going there, and some apple trees. Probably has some veggies and herbs and other stuff too, like blackberries.
The Seam is the poorest part of D12, where people lean rather toward homeless than to middle-class. They receive rain rations so they do not starve, but I guess they aren’t too helathy considering the lack of proteins and vegetables and fruit.
Possible problems:
- Poverty: Well they can’t feed themselves properly so I guess that’s a problem, a rather serious one. Also the fact that three people live in a one bedroom house sharing two beds is another sign of poverty.
- Class differences: If you have a place called the Seam where only poor people live and you ahve the city center where the rich people live, you can’t avoid a separation between the two. You also have a line dividing the merchants and the miners, but also the homeless/jobless who probably starve to death on a daily basis. These are yet not too evident,though I will keep an eye out for them.
- Racism: Based on description of characters, one may assume Katniss’ father was black, or at least not white, while her mother is white (assuming Collins goes by the typically white features which are blonde hair and blue eyes), which may be the reason as to why the three live in the Seam and not in the city center with the grandparents.
Also, Katniss puts on her boots before pants, highly interesting. Maybe possible if her pants, as her jacket, are inherited from her father. Still, though, really weird.
Pages read: 11-40 (2nd hald of Chapter 1 and entity of Chapter 2)
Plot summary: Gale & Katniss got back from their hunting/gathering spree, sold some of it, echanged some of it and divided the rest between themselves. Katniss went home where she srubbed the ever present dust off ehr skin and dressed in one of her mothers old dresses. They ate some and headed to the town square which was ominously set up for the reaping. Kids piled in, took their assigned places according to age and listened to Effie Trinket before she diped her hand into the bowl and fished out Primrose Everdeen’s name. Katniss volunteered as tribute (aka. to take her sisters place). THe boy tribute is Peeta Mellark, a boy who had once given Katniss bread when the Everdeen trio was staving after dads death.
New Characters:
- Haymitch Abernathy: The second of two D12 victors, the only still alive. An alocoholic. Constantly drunk. Makes a show of himself and does not fear speaking his mind - when drunk.
- Peeta Mellark: The boy tribute from D12 for the 74th annual Hunger Games. Avergae height, stocky build and ash blonde hair. The youngest son of the D12 baker, being Katniss age (16, if I’m correct). He is the person Katniss associates with the first spur of hope she had after her dads death. Nonetheless, Katniss does not seem to like the boy.
Places:
- The Hob: A closed down warehouse now operating as the black market of D12. Even the Peacekeepers shop here!
- D12 Town square:
“One of the few places in District 12 that can be pleasent.” (p.19).
Surrounded by shops, with Peacekeepers and camera crews perched ontop of them at the time add to the grimness of the situation along with the bright banners hanging around.
The square itself is not big enough to room the entity of the D12 up and going population of eight thousand, but it certianly has enough room for everyone between the age of twelve and eighteen. The kids are in a space enclsoed by rope with the oldest in the front, the youngest in the back and their parents huddled around. A makeshift stage is build to hold the two grand bowls filled with thousands of slips with names, three chairs, whereas only two are taken and a mike.
Possible problems:
- Mental health/Depression: Given from Katniss description and a quick visit to WebMD, I assume Katniss’ mom was suffering from depression after the loss of her husband. This caused a passive form of a abuse, adressed in the next point.
- Child abuse:
1. Neglect: While in depressive states Katniss’ mother failed to take care of her daughter appropriatley causing them to starve and whither away while the responsiblity fell on Katniss. She did her best (Keep in mind she was eleven at the time) to feed herself, her sister and their mom, and keep them looking approriate. She feared they would be taken away to the community homes, because she had seen how the children from there looked. Which leads me to nr. 2.
2. Physical abuse: The children from community homes were often seen with makrs on their faces. By marks I can only assume Katniss meant bruises, but the decription going along with nr. 3 fits this.
3. Psychologial abuse: The children from community homes also had shoulders curled forward by hopelesness, and nothing seeds hopelesness better in a child than the lethal mix of physical and psychological abuse.
Also, Greasy Sae from the Hob puts wild dog in her stew and calls it beef
Plot Summary: After the reaping Katniss and the other tribute, Pedta, are ushered into the Justice Building where they will say their goodbyes to their families and friends. Beside her sister and mother, Katniss is visited by Gale, Peetas father and Madge. As mentioned in the previous post, Madge gives Katniss a pin and urges har to wear it in the arena. Afterwards the two D12 tribues are moved to the train which will take them to the Capitol. The two teenagers experience luxuries they ahd never seen before, eat more food than they ever had, they see their mentor get drunk once agai and see the recap of the reapings in other disctricts. Then it’s night, then day once again and the are in the Capitol ready to have dirt scrubbed of them. After a run down in the Remake Center Katniss meets her stylist, gets dressed in a onesie matching Peetas which are then set alight before rolling through the Capitol with people cheering them on. During the ride all eyes are on them and when they finally step of their carriages Katniss notices the jealous glances from the other tributes. However this raises her hopes for her survival during the Hunger Games.
There are few plot important happenings during these three chapters and Collins uses this for characters exposition as well as bringing to light some backstory while trying to avoid an infodump.
Characters:
- Cinna: Katniss’ stylist. His looks stray from the Capitol norm with natural colored hair and skin, plain clothes and only a golden streak in his eyeliner. He is a first year stylist and despite Katniss suspicion that he was placed in care of D12 he claims to have asked for this district. He comes up with a memorable costume for his tribue and gives overall an impresion of a decent guy.
Character Development:
- Peeta: Primarily shown as a kind boy who seemed a little creepy due to his long distance staring, is now pushed towards the kind part of the scale with shy smiles, helping Haymitch, but he also gets a little tougher angle when he is agitated by Haymitch carlesnes during the train ride. Katniss suspects Peeta is playing vulnerable, kind and helpless to be ignored, despite his physique showing otherwise.
- Haymitch: Drunk all the time, but prmoises to lay off when he sees there is some hope for D12 with that years tribues. He can also pack a punch which Peeta experiences irst hand on his face.
Possible Problems:
None, actually. If you look asde from the part where teenagers are supposed to kill each other in order to live themselves, but can acquire help from the richest in the Capitol, then no, there are no problems.
Also, Peeta can hurl a 50kg sack of flour over his shoulder and thinks it’s nothing big.
Plot Summary: After the ride through town the tributes are ushered into the Training Center with one floor for each district and the training level itself below ground. Katniss and Peeta have the 12th floor and therfore the best view of the city. Inside her room Katniss finds many contraptions one of which serves whatever food she likes directly to her room by the touch of a button. Katniss is taken aback by his and wnders what she would do with all her time if she did not have to hunt for food.
During dinner with the rest of her crew (Haymitch, Effie, Cinna & Portia (the stylists) and Peeta, Katniss almost spills the beans of hunting by recognizing an Avox. Peeta steps in and helps her slip out of the tangle she has wrapped herself in, in return she tells Peeta (and us) where she kew the girl from.
D12s strategy during prep time is to have their tributes keep together and present themselves as a team. Katniss does not see the reasoning behind this, as there can only be one winner, but has promised to do as she is told.
On the third day of training each tribute has an individual, scored session before the Gamemakers where they present their skills which are supposed to better their survival chances. Being the last one in Katniss finds the onlookers disinterested in her, turning rather to the buffet than to her. She goes for the bow. When she finds almost nobody looking at her performance, she lets her feelings point the arrow towards them and sends it flying through the apple inside one pigs mouth. She thanks them for their consideration, and storms out. After bawling her eyes out for a few hours she goes to find out Peeta scored 8, while Katniss scored 11, the highest score that year.
Afterwards she goes to bed and tries to compare her hunting partner of few years, Gale, to the boy who stares at ehr from across the yard like a creep, Peeta. Guess who is in the favoured position?
Characters Development:
Not much, honestly.
Katniss turns out to be some more of an ordinary teenager with some kind of overreaction, though we can’t blame her as she is about to go and kill or get killed.
Peeta continues to be a good guy, Haymitch drinks less, Effie is still optimistic af.
Possible problems:
- Faulty distribution of wealth: D1, 2 and 4, are the homes of the so-called Career Tributes, aka. people who train from their early years to later volunteer during the Reaping and most probably win the Hunger Games. These are rather wealthy/well-off districts where the population is fed properly at least most of the time, thanks to their main industry being one favoured by the Capitol. This makes for inequality between the districts.
If we were to equate this to todays world, where the 1st world, especially countries such as Switzerland, Norway, the UK, AUstrlia, US, Japan etc. are the Capitol, other first world countries lagging a bit behind could be said to be D1, 2 and 4. The second world being those between those first one and towards ~ 9/10, the three last ones standing for the third world. Seeing it through the sepctacles of Panem, we can see the inequalities of our own world by as they are, rid of any prejudice we may have.
Also, little elevn-year-old Rue pulled an astonishing 7. Wonder what she did.
(I’ve decided to make the summaries shorter and the side posts lengthier)
Day 11 & 12
Pages read: 138-194 (Chapter 9, 10 & 11)
Plot Summary: Peeta wants solitary training for interviews and Katniss feels betrayed. Though she has not ime to worry about that, as she ir rather afraid of breaking her leg when balancing on high heels in a floor long gown. Haymitch gives up on her and drinks again (or more) when she fails to be funny/sexy/likeable/gushing/cocky/vulnerable/fierce/witty/mysterious etc.. The next morning she gets another day-long makeover, before she joins the line of tributes to be interviewed by Caesar Flickerman. There she listenes to the well coached tributes who managed to do what she could not. Her three minutes fly by and suddenly she is back in her stop, her face blushing red ad Peeta confesses he has a crush on her. She hurts him physically in return.Then the day is over and they head for the arena first thing in the morning. There they are prepped and raised (literally) into the arena and then, “Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventhy-fourth Hunger Games begin!”*. During the first fight, elevn die, but another one joins them during the Games’ first 24h, making a total of twelve down.
Character development:
Katniss has put on some weight (that counts, right?)
Peeta is capable of betrayal, apparentley.
Rue has so far shown to be worth the seven she got
Also, they have bunnies in the arena! (yes, I know it’s for food, but don’t ruin my enthusiasm)
Plot Summary: Katniss almost falls off a tree, almost dies of dehydration, almost catches on fire (he he *wink to the next book*), is almost caught by the Careers, barely escapes horrendous bees and gets a new friend! Read more here
Charatcers:
- Glimmer: The girl from D1 who worked with the sexy angle during her interview. She has gotten her hands on the bow, but is incompetent with it according to Katniss. She dies the next morning.
- “little” Rue: A twelve-year-old from D11 who reminds Katniss of Prim. Got a 7 on the scored session and has proved worthy of it thus far. Recognizes edible plants and useful herbs. Can jump from tree to tree like a squirrel and is very light on her feet.
Character development:
Peeta might be capable of betrayal, though he seems to have his reasons as he usheres Katniss away after she drops the bee hive on the Careers. There is for sure something more to him than Katniss/we know, and more then Katniss is willing to admit.
Rue has lived thorugh the first ~week of the Hunger Games, which makes her one of the top ten and a power to possibly be reckoned with.
Katniss seems to become more and more at ease with the thought of killing others, especially once she finds herself in danger (duh, who wouldn’t?). She is also a lot more preoccupied with Peeta than she would like to admit and also extremely bothered by his actions. She seems to be the kind of person who takes everything literally and cannot fathom hidden messages (for now). Otherwise she has only confirmed earlier stated facts, such as her hunting abilities, survival skills etc. She might not be as simple-minded as the Careers would like to think, but her mind has certainly been occupied by other matters for a long time. She has also lost the weight she gained.
Plot Summary: After drpping the beehive onto the Careers’ heads Katniss has teamed up with Rue and the two plan on ridding the Careers’ of their food supply by the cornucopia. They make a plan to draw them away from it, while Katniss figures out something. Once there Katniss has no idea what to do, but the appearance of the D5 girl tribute, aka. Foxface, gives ehr an idea, which she executes.
She blows it up with the mines placed around the supplies by the D3 boy. While doing it she loses the hearing on her left ear. The next day she tries to meet up with RUe but finds the little girl missing and after feasting upon the leftovers she had she looks for her ally. She finds her under a net in the moment a spear enters ehr chest.
Rue and the boy from D1 are dead. As a sign of protset Katniss places flowers around RUes body before it is taken away. She moves on, though she is now in a state of dreary lethargy. The next night when no faces appear in the sky a rule change is announced. There may be two winners if they are from the same district.
Characters:
Foxface: A girl previously noticed by Katniss which ahs made it into the top 6 of the 74th Hunger Games. From the sightings of said person Katniss knows she has some more wits than the Careers. As of the great Bang, Foxfaces chances of winning have probably doubled. She is starting to become a threat. (though not yet)
Tributes left alive:
Boys: D2, D11, D12
Girls: D2, D5, D12
Also, we have hereby a dissabled MC in a bestselling franchise, a rare occurence.
(chapter 18 is included in the last summary, just forgot to add it to the list)
Day 16
Pages read: 297-368 (Chapter 19, 20, 21 & 22)
Plot Summary: Two tributes are allowed as long as they are from the same district. This makes Katniss search, and find, Peeta. He turns out to be in bad shape so she tries to patch him up and eventually has to drug him, so she can risk her life to save him. She suceeds and he is much better after a few (two, if I read it correctly) days.
Important plot points (should have added this a long time ago):
- The “star-crossed lovers” first kiss and evey single one following
- Katniss realization she will have to play on that to survive
- Her suspicion that Peetas feelings for her may not be entirly an act
- Peetas infected leg wound
Also, Katniss bought Prim a goat which she named Lady
Plot Sumary: Once Peeta is well enough to fare on his own, the two head out to gather and hunt. Peeta mistankingly picks some poisonous berries, which tricks Foxface into beileving they are edible. One more down, only one left to go. They head back to their cave where they make a feast from the days foraging. The noxt morning the wake to a dry af stream bank, which leads them to the lake to the final face off. Supported by tribute mutations gnawing after them.
Surprise, surprise, both Peeta and Katniss make it out alive, but are met with the revoking of the last rule change. In an act of “true love” Peeta and Katniss attempt suicide through poisoning but are stoopped last second. They are then brough back to the Capitol where they are brough back to life, taken on stage, interviewd once again, before being sent back home to D12. On the way Katniss finally manages to bring up, (though not on her own accord) the question of their “faked” love and discoveres Peeta was not faking it. He is heartbroken, she is mad at herself but they have to continue the act, becuase everyone is still watching.
The Game has barely begun.
Also, I wonder if they have elections in Panem, becuase President Snow seems eerily threatning and not one I’d vote for.
Once she is freed from her conteinment she wears the clothes every tribute wore during the first day in the arena, but this time instead of running for the orange backpack, Katniss runs into the arms of Haymitch, Effie and Cinna. She asks about Peeta and finds out they want to have their reunion on the final screening of the games the enxt day.
Cinna leads Katniss from there and to the twelth floor where she is handed over to her prep team and once again made up for a show. Cinna has made another dress for her, continuing the theme of the girl on fire with a yellow dress alike candlelight. She looks cute rather than beautiful, she looks innocent, she looks like someone who could defy the Capitol in the name of love.
The same evning she stands on a platform beneath the interview stage when Haymitch comes up to her. He wraps his arms around her and his lips end up next to her ear, hidden by her hair as he explains how things are. How she enraged the Capitol y trying to outsmart them, how her only way out of it is to continue the act, how only true love will make the Capitol seem in control. So she plays along with kisses, hugs and sweet words, she does whateever she has to do, not to keep herself alive, but to keep her loved ones back in D12 alive and well, becuase she has understood her rage, her defiance carry consequences with them. She as to be wary of ehr words, she has to make sure everyone believes her. So she plays along.
Peeta and Katniss go through two interviews, one of them with a recap of the Games, the other one an intimate one on their floor surrounded by roses with more personal questions.
Once done there, with everyone satisfied and into their story, the two and their mentor are taken back to the train and back to D12 where they will live a life without fear of starvation, but in seclusion in the victory village inhabited thus far only by Haymitch.
When the train stops to refuel the star-crossed lovers take a walk outside. Haymitch catches up to them and tells them to “keep it up” when in D12 and cameras are around. Things click then for Peeta and he understands not all of Katniss’ behaviou was true. She assures him she does care for him, but he is already heartbroken and, at least to some extent, pissed.
When they arrive in D12 and the reunite for the second time, their fingers entwine once more, the smiles are back on their face and once again, they step into the roles of the star-crossed lovers, not knowing this will be their role for the rest of their live if nothing changes.
The last day of the games the stream and every pool has dried overnight into stone hard shells, leaving the lake as the only source of water. Katniss and Peeta figure out this is the Gamemakers’ way of ending it and go with it, knowing it would have to comesooneror later.
Once there they settle down by the lake and wait for Cato to appear, but once he does he is followed by twenty-one wolf like creatures which could only have been fostered in a lab. The three of them make a run for it to the cornucopia wherethey climb onto the roof. Once there they have a breather, during which Cato is spewing his guts out and Katniss recognizes the eye tributes in the mutations jumping after them. When Cato gets back up onto his feet there is a short struggle. Cato keeps Peeta in a headlock suffocating him and Katniss stand by with her bow ready, but unsure what to do. She shots Cato’s hand, making him let go of Peeta and he falls off the construction and to the creatures below.
The sun sets and rises again while Cato remains alive, still being mauled on the plain below. In an act of mercy Katniss sends an arrow through his head and the final cannon sounds. The muts dissapears and the two remaining tributes slide off the cornucopia, only to hear the booming, ever-present voice announce the previous rule change is being revoked. There can only be one winner.
There is a moment of silence before the two start arguing about how the end will go down. Peeta undos the bandage on his leg, claiming he will go first this way, but Katniss pulls out nightlock, poisonous berries, and hands some of them to Peeta. One the count of three they are inside their mouths, and on the count of three a voice, the same voice, sounds declaring them the official winners of the sevenrty-fourth Hunger Games.
A hovercraft appears to whisk them out of the arena and back to the safety of the Capitol Once on board Peeta is taken away ito surgery to patch up his bleeding wounds and Katniss is left staring at him from behind glass doors.
Through the next days Katniss is kept isolated and hooked up onto medical machinery to bring back some life into her. The entire time she is there the only peron she encounters is the red-haired avox girl from prior to the Hunger Games, when Katniss asks whether Peeta made it the silent girl confirms. Still she has to wait to see her “sweetheart”.
dededos
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