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At the beginning of The Hunger Games, Katniss, the protagonist, was overprotective of her little sister, Prim Everdeen. When the seventy-fourth annual Hunger Games come around, Prim is just old enough to be entered into the drawing. Katniss did not want her sister to be chosen, so she only allowed Prim one chance in the drawing to be a Hunger Games tribute. However, Prim’s name was drawn, so Katniss decided to go in her sister’s place. Throughout the beginning of the story, Katniss also kept to herself. She never shared her feelings to anyone, except Gale, in fear of hurting her family. Whatever emotions Katniss was feeling, she always tried to hide them from the rest of the world. In the middle of the book, after the Games began, Katniss started to open up about herself a little bit. In order to stay alive, it is almost essential to have an ally in the Hunger Games. Katniss met a girl named Rue and decided to befriend her. In doing so, Katniss was able to open up and share her feelings and ideas with Rue. After Rue’s death, Katniss also grew by learning to love Peeta and care for all of the tributes’ lives. Katniss got stronger both physically and mentally throughout the middle of the book. When the Hunger Games was almost over, Katniss left her bottled up and overprotective self. Instead, she became very open and carefree when she new both she and Peeta had a chance to win. By overcoming death multiple times, Katniss also began to better understand the Capitol’s motives for forcing them to compete in the games. By the end of the book, Katniss also started to rebel a lot more. By covering Rue and flowers and threatening to eat poisoned berries, Katniss made the Capitol look awful. In doing so, Katniss’ actions changed the Capitol’s minds and saved both her and Peeta’s lives. Katniss’ feelings towards Peeta also changed throughout the novel. In the beginning, she was hurt because she knew she could never repay Peeta for giving her bread. During the Hunger Games Katniss thought that Peeta didn’t like her and only was acting like it in order to get sponsors. Therefore, Katniss pretended to be in love with Peeta as well. However, by the end of the story, Katniss started to feel real compassion for Peeta and his feelings. Katniss ended the story by saying she dreaded the moment when she would have to let go of Peeta’s hands. Meaning, Katniss was starting to like Peeta, not just for sponsors, but for herself.
Page 34: “I can’t afford to get upset, to leave this room with puffy eyes and a red nose. Crying is not an option.”
Page 358: “And Peeta … Peeta will suffer too, if this goes wrong.”
Page 374: “I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go.

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One kind of social commentary that the author was making with this novel is people’s obsession with being pretty. Everyone in the Capitol strive to be thin, tall, and plastered with make-up. Almost everyone in the Capitol is surgically altered to not include skin blemishes and unwanted hair. This is very close to the society that we live in today. Everyone wants to look just like models that are placed in magazines, ads, and social media. Most people today don’t feel comfortable living inside their own body. By sharing her views on society through literature, the author was saying that today’s world is too dependent on looking “pretty.” She warned us that if everyone does want to look like models, then our world will end up falling apart. Another social commentary that I believe the author was making is showing that some entertainment can be destructive. In The Hunger Games, their source of entertainment is watching kids try to kill each other. The author is warning us that if T.V shows continue to include revolting, action-based, and violent content, then a T.V. show that includes kids killing each other could be in our future. Media has become a lot more violent since it first became popular, and will continue to grow more violent if something isn’t done about it. Shows such as America Ninja Warrior and Fear Factor could end it people dying trying to obtain a fortune. Therefore, the author of The Hunger Games is trying to warn our society that if what is broadcast around the world doesn't change, then a show like The Hunger Games could be coming soon. Another social commentary that I believe the author was making in this novel is the huge difference between rich and poor. The people living in the Capitol have everything handed to them and lives their days in ease. However, those living in the districts are forced to spend most of their time fighting for survival. If someone in the districts even wanted a chance at living a longer life, they must break rules and laws in order to obtain food. By including this vast gap, the author was warning our society of what will happen if the rich don’t give to the poor. The gap between the two classes will continue to grow larger if the rich decide that poor people don’t matter in our world. If this continues our society may end up like the society in The Hunger Games in the future.

Page 19: “...the Capitol requires us to treat the Hunger Games as a festivity, a sporting event pitting every district against the others. The last tribute alive receives a life of ease back home, and their district will be showered with prizes, largely consisting of food.”

Page 351: “Then finally, the time arrives when I come to and there’s nothing plugged into my right arm. The restraint around my middle has been removed and I am free to move about. I start to sit up but am arrested by the sight of my hands. The skin’s perfection, smooth and glowing. Not only are the scars from the arena gone, but those accumulated over years of hunting have vanished without a trace. My forehead feels like satin, and when I try to find the burn on my calf, there’s nothing.”

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In what ways has your protagonist changed and evolved?

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One aspect of the Dystopian society that is found in The Hunger Games is propaganda. The Capitol uses propaganda to control all of the residents of Districts one through twelve. By making false claims through the use of live streaming, interviews, fashion, and drama, the Capitol forced people to join their side. The Capitol made it seem as though the Hunger Games was a very positive and competitive event for Panem. Through the use of propaganda, the Capitol covered up the fact that they were forcing twenty-three kids to die every year. Katniss and Peeta even pretended to be in love to gain attention from sponsors. This propaganda caused the Hunger Games to seem like a sport, rather than a deadly war.
Through the use of propaganda, the author is trying to make a statement about how people easily believe everything they hear. Today, fake news is almost more popular than real news. It can be very difficult to believe something is true without doing extensive research on the topic. By showing how propaganda was used in The Hunger Games, the author showed that people should be wary of what they hear or see on T.V, social media, or even face to face.
One change that my character is trying to bring out is to be more than just a piece of the Hunger Games. She wanted the Capitol to know that they can’t force her to do everything and that there is a part of every tribute that they can’t own. Katniss didn’t want the Hunger Games to change her personality, the way she thought of things, and how she viewed life. Instead, she wanted to remain independent and win the Hunger Games with Peeta by her side. I believe that Katniss will be successful because she can do anything that she puts her mind on doing. By covering Rue in flowers, she showed that Rue was more than just a piece of the Games. However, I believe that Katniss can make an even bigger impact on society later in the Games. When Katniss changes the way people view the Games, I believe this will create hope for many people. It will allow the Capitol to, perhaps, back off of Panem and allow people of different Districts to communicate with one another.
Page 18: “Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch - this is the Capitol’s way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy.”
Page 48: "I’ve been right not to cry. The station is swarming with reporters with their insectlike cameras trained directly on my face. But I’ve had a lot of practice at wiping my face clean of emotions and I do this now. I catch a glimpse of myself on the television screen wall that’s airing my arrival live and feel gratified that I appear almost bored.”
Page 236: “Gale’s voice is in my head. His ravings against the Capitol no longer pointless, no longer to be ignored. Rue’s death has forced me to confront my own fury against cruelty, the injustice they inflict upon us. But here, even more strongly than at home, I feel my impotence. There’s no way to take revenge on the Capitol. Is there? Then I remember Peeta’s words on the roof. ‘Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to… to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I am more than just a piece in their Games.’ And for the first time, I understand what he means.”

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Katniss, my protagonist, has been resisting the Capitol almost her whole life. Ever since she was a little girl, Katniss hunted in the woods in order to help support her family. Even though leaving District 12 is forbidden by the Capitol, Katniss set that law aside to save her family. Trading her goods from the forest is also illegal, but Katniss and a large number of other merchants do it anyway. Throughout her days in District 12, Katniss did have a few roadblocks when resisting the Capitol. There were days when she didn’t catch a single thing, her sibling was too sick to leave alone, and her family went to bed hungry. However, Katniss was able to handle the setbacks by staying positive and remembering her father. Katniss also resisted the Capitol when she decided to volunteer to take her sister’s spot as a tribute for the Hunger Games. The Capitol wanted the motive behind the tributes to be for fame and wealth, but Katniss’ was for compassion over her sister. All in all, the Capitol wanted the Games to seem like a fun festivity, but Katniss made it seem like a horrible time by crying out to save her sister. Katniss didn’t receive any extra roadblocks from deciding to be a tribute, besides the fact that she would be competing for her, her family’s, and her district’s lives. Katniss also was able to shame and resist the Capitol during the games. When Katniss decided to dress Rue in a bed of flowers, she showed the Hunger Games as a time of sorrow, rather than fun and festivity. Katniss also showed that Rue and she were more than just a piece of the Hunger Games. Her actions had a big effect later in the game when Thresh was close to killing her. However, because Katniss had respected his partner, he decided to let Katniss live. Katniss handled her new freedom by deciding not to kill Thresh, even if she had the chance. She also concluded that if she and Peeta were unable to win the games, then Thresh should.
Page 24: “But a shift has occurred since I stepped up to take Prim’s place, and now it seems I have become someone precious. At first one, then another, then almost every member of the crowd touches the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it out to me. It is an old and rarely used gesture of our district, occasionally seen at funerals. It means thanks, it means admiration, it means goodbye to someone you love.”

Page 236: “Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to … to show the Capitol they don’t own me. That I’m more than just a piece in their Games.”

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Some common ideas that are taking place in my novel include questioning and powerlessness. Even though questioning the government is illegal, Katniss still did it in the depth of the forest with her friend Gale. She and Gale questioned the reasons for the Hunger Games and why the Districts had to be so separated from the Capitol. Katniss often questioned why people in her District had to starve to death, while people in the Capitol had more to eat than all of the Districts combined. When Katniss’ sister was chosen to represent her district, Katniss questioned why someone so young should be chosen to compete. The common idea of questioning allowed Katniss to choose to go in her sister’s place to allow her questions to have answers. However, she also questioned why they allowed her to go, seeing as though she should have volunteered before a tribute was assigned. During the Hunger Games, Katniss questioned the Capitol’s motives behind forcing kids to kill each other. She even questioned why she had to try to please people that she hated. This resulted in her choice to not listen to what Haymitch was trying to teach her. Katniss also felt powerless against the Capitol throughout the book. When oppressed by the brutal totalitarian government, Katniss felt as if she couldn’t make a difference. Before the reaping, Katniss felt powerless against who would be chosen. She knew that if she or her friend, Gale, was chosen, life would be a lot more difficult hunting by herself. In the Hunger Games, Katniss felt powerless against the death of her friend Rue. She longed for Rue to be alive, and even covered her in flowers to show that Rue was more than just a small piece in the Capitol’s Hunger Games. Katniss also felt powerless against the raging fire that was attacking her in the Games. In fact, she was at the Gamekeeper’s mercy whether she would survive or not. After Peeta was severely injured by Cato, Katniss had the feeling of powerlessness overpower her. She had no idea how to save Peeta’s badly injured leg. However, Katniss' actions pulled both her and Peeta through. After the Hunger Games, Katniss still felt completely powerless. She was forced to undergo countless surgeries to clear her skin and free her from unwanted dust, dirt, and grime. Katniss was also forced to attend another interview, in which she wanted to escape. Yet, Katniss did not have the power to choose whether or not she wanted to participate. Therefore, Katniss had many points in her life in which she was completely powerless and left to question the Capitol’s motives.
Page 15: "I protect Prim in every way I can, but I'm powerless against the reaping."
Page 13: The reaping system is unfair, with the poor getting the worst of it."
Page 349: "While she adjusts my pillow, I risk one question. I say it out loud, as clearly is my rusty voice will allow, so nothing will seem secretive. 'Did Peeta make it?' She gives me a not, and as she slips a spoon into my hand, I feel the pressure of friendship."
Page 117: "I'm too angry with Haymitch for what he said and that I even have to answer the questions. All I can think is how unjust the whole thing is, the Hunger Games. Why am I hopping around like some trained dog trying to please people I hate?"

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One element that is utilized in the Hero’s Journey and my novel is the call to adventure. Katniss, the protagonist, is called to adventure when her sister is drawn for the reaping. Instead of watching her sister die, Katniss rose to the occasion and volunteered to take her place. Katniss was accepted and was an official tribute in the seventy-fourth Hunger Games. Another element that is utilized in my novel from the Hero’s Journey is a supernatural aid. Haymitch, though he technically isn’t a supernatural being, does aid Katniss in her journey. He mentors both Katniss and Peeta and offers advice that saved their lives multiple times. Crossing the threshold and threshold guardians are other elements that are in included both the Hero’s journey and The Hunger Games. Katniss crossed the threshold of District 12 into the Hunger Games. She went from a place of security to a place of uncertainty and death. Cinna and Effie, two people that helped dress and prepare Katniss for the games, are the threshold guardians. Though Cinna and Effie tried to help Katniss, they only helped put her into a world of despair. Challenges and temptations are also aspects that the Hero’s Journey and The Hunger Games share. Some challenges that Katniss faced include being badly burned on her leg from a man-made fire. She was also pursued by several tributes, and had to care for Peeta’s wounds. Therefore, the Hero’s Journey and The Hunger Games share several aspects and elements.

Page 56: “I realize I detest Haymitch. No wonder the District 12 tributes never stand a chance. It isn’t just that we’ve been underfed and lack training. Some of our tributes have still been strong enough to make a go of it. But we rarely get sponsors and he’s a big part of the reason why. The rich people who back tributes—either because they’re betting on them or simply for the bragging rights of picking a winner—expect someone classier than Haymitch to deal with.”

Page 74: “But I’ve done my best with what I had to work with. How Katniss sacrificed herself for her sister. How you’ve both successfully struggled to overcome the barbarism of your district.”

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After reviewing the various aspects of Dystopian control, provided on the handout, I concluded that my novel did not apply to any of them. After doing some research, I saw that The Hunger Games was built on totalitarian control. Totalitarian control exercises control over over the will, thoughts, or freedom of others. In books with totalitarian control, the state holds all of the power. In The Hunger Games, the state is the Capitol. Katniss handles totalitarian control every year a video is shown of District 13's destruction. By continually reminding her of the consequences of rebelling, the Capitol is able to stop all of her ideas of overtaking and running from the Capitol’s rule. The loss of freedom and the use of propaganda to invoke fear are some aspects that occur in our world today. Candidates for president use propaganda to cause people to vote for them and turn votes away from other applicants. Freedom is stripped from people who are victims of human traffickers. Totalitarian control can, unfortunately, be seen in many places around the world.
Page 18: "Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch - this is the Capitol's way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy. how little chance we would stand of surviving another rebellion."

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One main theme topic that I saw in my novel is survival. Because the Capitol made it difficult to survive in the districts, gathering enough food and other necessities is a laborious task. While some give up on life, Katniss Everdeen decided to pull herself together for her family’s sake. Without Katniss, her mother and sister wouldn’t have survived after her father’s death. Even though her mother gave up easily, Katniss stayed strong to help her family live. Katniss also brought her survival skills with her into training, where she impressed the judges with her skills in archery. Rebellion is another important theme that I saw in my novel. At the beginning of the book, Katniss rebelled against the Capitol by leaving her District to find food. Later, after deciding to represent District 12, Katniss rebelled against the Hunger Games rules by holding Peeta’s hand. Another theme that deeply affected the protagonist, Katniss, was sacrifice. Katniss sacrificed her life for her sister’s by deciding to go in her place. Though there are many themes inside this novel, Katniss dealt with each of them in a humble and honest way.
Page 9: "They're not our kids of course. But they might as well be. Gale's two little brothers and a sister. Prim. And you may as well throw in our mothers, too, because how would they live without us? Who would fill those mouths that are always asking for more?"
Page 79: "'Whose idea was the hand holding?' asks Haymich.
'Cinna's,' says Portia.
'Just the perfect touch of rebellion,' says Haymich."

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My main character, Katniss Everdeen, has a very introverted personality. Therefore, she enjoys spending her time in the solitude of the forest. She was a few close friends, such as Gale, but definitely prefers to be alone. Katniss also hates being the center of attention and talking in front of big crowds of people. However, Katniss is also very resourceful and can make use of almost anything she finds. By knowing the different types of plants and how to create snares, Katniss will most likely have an edge in the Hunger Games. Some of Katniss’ physical traits include long, dark, black hair pulled back into a braid, olive-colored skin, and grey eyes. She is 16-years-old and is skinny, but muscular. I really like Katniss Everdeen because she reminds me a lot of myself. Though she is one year older than me, all of her personality traits seem to match mine perfectly. I hate talking in front of large crowds and would much rather prefer spending time by myself than with other people. By reading Katniss’ thoughts, I was also able to gain a deeper understanding of how I can see the world I live in.
Page 17: "I find myself saving a clump of sixteens from the Seam."
Page 63: "My fingers stroke the silky braids my mother so carefully arranged."
124: "Just stepping on the stage makes my breathing rapid and shallow. I can feel my pulse pounding in my temples. It's a relief to get to mt chair, because between the heels and my legs shaking, I'm afraid I'll trip."

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My novel began in District 12, a section of land in a country called Panem. The Hunger Games is set in the future and follows North America’s fall due to multiple disasters that overtook it. Currently, the setting in my book is in District 12, but it will move to the Hunger Game’s training area in the next chapter or two. District 12 is the poorest district, and people survive on mining coal. Due to the lack of funds, District 12 is always coated with a slim film of coal powder and only has power a few hours a day.

The setting of my novel is very similar to a book that I read about an American prisoner of war. At one of the camps he was forced to work in, Louie spent everyday mining coal. With no water to wash off his soot-covered body, Louie and the other POWs left a trail of coal dust wherever they went. They never earned any money and were forced to work out of the fear of being killed. This is very similar to District 12 because most people who live there no longer care about their appearances or have enough money to even buy food.

Page 4 “Our part of District 12, nicknamed the Seam, is usually crawling with coal miners heading out to the morning shift at this hour. Men and women with hunched shoulders, swollen knuckles, many who have long since stopped trying to scrub the coal dust from their broken nails, the lines of their sunken faces.”

Page 4 “But since we’re lucky to get two or three hours of electricity in the evenings, it’s usually safe to touch.”

Page 7 “It’s real bakery bread, not the flat, dense loaves we make from our grain rations.”

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The book starts with Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist, who believes there is something terribly wrong with the society in which she lives. The only person who she feels comfortable sharing these thoughts with is Gale. However, she is only able to talk to him in the forest outside their district, where they won’t be overheard. In District 12, the only way she is able to provide for her family is by hunting in the nearby forest. Even though leaving the electric fence surrounding District 12 is against the law, it is the only way Katniss and her family are able to survive. However, most people in District 12 don’t have weapons and succumb to starvation. To escape from that horrible death, people are able to receive food by making their chances of participating in the Hunger Games higher. Nevertheless, neither Katniss nor Gale believes the tesserae, extra food for a price, really helps their society. Katniss also believes that it is wrong for kids as young as twelve to be forced into participating in the Hunger Games. She feels that her society was wrong in wanting children to kill other children. However, Katniss is completely powerless and has no say in what goes on during the reaping, or time when people are chosen to compete in the Hunger Games. Therefore, Katniss believes that there are some very terrible things that are wrong in her society.

Page 6 “‘District 12. Where you can starve to death in safety,’ I mutter. Then I glance quickly over my shoulder. Even here, even in the middle of nowhere, you worry someone might overhear you.”

Page 14 “Gale knows his anger at Madge is misdirected. On other days, deep in the woods, I’ve listened to him rant about how the tesserae are just another tool used to cause misery in our district. A way to plant hatred between the starving workers of the Seam and those who can generally count on supper and thereby ensure we will never trust one another.”

Page 15 “I protect Prim in every way I can, but I’m powerless against the reaping.”

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Describe the setting of your Dystopian novel.  Is it similar to anywhere you have visited, viewed, read about, heard about?

Example:
I am at the very beginning of 1984. The setting comes across as very urban and somewhat cold and desolate. I do not get the idea that it is winter. Rather, the descriptions lead me to think of an area that is bleak and lacking of trees, flowers, nature. The desolate description could also be more of the character's feelings toward the world he lives in.
pg. 5 "Outside, even through the window pane, the world looked cold."
pg. 6 "Down the street, little eddies of wind were whirling dust and torn paper into spirals, and though the sun was shining and the sky a harsh blue, there seemed to be no color in anything except the posters that were plastered everywhere."
As I am just at the beginning of the novel, I am not sure if the setting described is true for the entire world or just that city and/or group.

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What aspects of Dystopian control is being presented in your novel? How are the characters handling them? Do any of these aspects of Dystopian Control resemble conditions happening in our world today?

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What theme topics are you seeing in your novel? Explain a bit how your protagonist is reacting to these topics.

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What are the common ideas taking place in your novel? In what ways do the common ideas effect your characters choices or actions?

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Thinking back to the aspects of the Hero's Journey that we studied during the Odyssey,  What are some of the elements that are also utilized in your novel and with your protagonist?

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What social commentary do you think your author was making with this novel?  What is the author saying or warning about today's world?

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Describe the main character of your story. Include both physical traits and personality characteristics. Do you like/dislike this character? Why? Include one quote from the novel to describe your character.  Include the page number you find the quote on.

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What and how are your protagonist resisting? Is he/she experiencing success or roadblocks, and how is the success or roadblocks being handled?

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What aspects of the Dystopian society are found in your novel?  What statement is the author trying to make by utilizing that particular aspect?  What is the change that your character/s are attempting to bring about?  Do you think they will be successful and if so, will the change bring what they hope?

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In the Dystopian Elements handout, there are six examples of conflicts the protagonist/main character might got through.  These are not the only conflicts the character might encounter, but just a start.  Identify at least one internal conflict your main character is experiencing.
Example:
At the beginning of 1984, Winston, the protagonist, is feeling trapped.  There is a great deal of describing the Big Brother posters and how the eyes seemed to follow people.  In the apartment, Winston also is very deliberate about having his back to the telescreen or having his facial expression set before turning so the telescreen could "see" him and what he was doing. The layout of his apartment was described, but not with furniture, but as to what areas of the apartment could not be observed by the telescreen.
I also see Winston taking a stand against the establishment. Ignorance is valued and thinking as an individual is considered a crime. Winston buys a journal - illegally and goes to great lengths to find an old pen with which to write in the journal. Just writing/keeping a journal or diary is a punishable act, yet he goes to great lengths to begin to do so and in an area of the apartment that the telescreen cannot "see". This journal, I believe, is going to be an important aspect of Winston's journey.