The Hunger Games by Manika Gogia

Analysis of Characters

2021-02-03 07:41:35 UTC

Peeta Mellark:
-son of a baker from district 12 and one of the protagonists, round character
-in love with Katniss since he is 5 years old, confesses his love when they both are picked as candidates in the Hunger Games, has abusive mother who beat him and his siblings - burns bread on purpose ,even though he gets punished for this by his mother, to give it to Katniss and saving her family from starvation
-fights with K. in the arena
- they play a romance to get sponsors
-is heartbroken when he realises that Katniss faked her love - he still has feelings for her but continues to play his role (father wanted to marry K.‘a mother but she married another man who was able to make the bird listen to his singing, when he hears K. singing he is fascinated and knows what his father talked about)
-is later manipulated by Capitol which makes him want to kill Katniss
-after the revolution he has a family with her (his feelings did not die despite rough times)

character traits->caring, human, compassionate, emotional, brave, responsible and disciplined

President Snow:
-president of panem for 55 years
-flat character
-80 years old
-dictator
-poisons antagonists who stand in his way
-orders public executions to spread fear and to show what happens to rebels

character traits->cold hearted, selfish, ambitious controlling, brutal, impulsive, cruel, inhuman

->represents the dystopian state in one person, criticises dictatorships/absolutistic regimes (North Korea, Russia, China) as we know them today, warns about dangerously changes of a society and civil war

critical messages of the novel

manikagogia — 2021-02-03 07:41:59 UTC

political criticism

manikagogia — 2021-02-03 13:44:48 UTC

-presentation of a tyrannical government and rebellion against it
-fascination of violence, sadism
- limited freedom through government - control
- appeal: think about your actions, otherwise our future is going to look like Snow´s dictatorship; our democracy has its limits
- individuals who are powerhungry and selfish are the leaders of our countries- these people are disposeable, there always will be new individuals with the same characteristcs
- there is no perfect political system, because they all are based on the power-hunger of the individuals

paralelles to our world (history and today)

manikagogia — 2021-02-03 13:50:25 UTC

- prediction? - Pamem was a democracy once (our real world) but has turned into the "present" political system
- failrue of democracy, democracy is not presented as the perfect governance
- inequalities
- tyrannical governance < democracy
- president George W. Bush and other leaders of countries who have the reputation to be powerhungry, privileged
- sadism in the world of social media: Why do videos of car accidents, brutality, terror, etc. go viral?
- how hunger dominates your life if you are effected by it is underestimated in our western world
- widening gap between rich and poor is due to globalization more present than ever; capitalism
- relationship between socienty and media in a globalized world
- racism within our society: colonialization- slavery- exploitation of developing countries- police violence; white privilege
- gender sterotypes in our world
- climate change and environmental damage

socio-economic, cultural critcism, criticism on racism

manikagogia — 2021-02-03 14:16:44 UTC

- hunger as a metaphor for the lack of individual realisation, freedom
- hunger as the/a main issue
- gap between rich and poor
- presence of media and suveillance, TV as the center of attention for the citizens of Panem
- different races belong to different districts and therefore to different groups within the society
- in the district 11 which is one of the districts with the baddest living conditions the citizens are mainly people of color, it is the district of agriculture eventhough they are not allowed to keep their crops
- assassanation of a man of color by Peacekeeper

feminstic criticism, environmental criticism

manikagogia — 2021-02-03 14:29:04 UTC

- Katniss actual character is rather male-sterotypical, anyways during the hunger games she is being sexualised, romaticised
- Katniss herself is powerful and feministic
- Katniss as someone with a strong bond to nature
- Nature, animals are harmed by the behaviour of the Capitol

manikagogia — 2021-02-03 15:34:30 UTC

Quotes

christofschlechtriem — 2021-02-03 15:35:05 UTC

"You don't forget the face of the person who was your last hope"
- hope; isolation; loneliness; cruelty --> describes situation in poor districts and also during "The Hunger Games"
"Here is some advice. Stay alive."
- fight to survive; only hope is the want to survive;
"Remember we're madly in love, so it's all right to kiss me anytime you feel like it."
- Katniss's and Peta's romance; dramatic; not classic;
“Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor.”
- humor/sarcastic; unfair conditions; entertainment of people

Analysis of characters

christofschlechtriem — 2021-02-03 16:20:38 UTC

Katniss Everdeen
- main character; narrator; round character;
- family: father died; lives with her mother and her little sister
- depressed mother; she is responsible for the family
- volunteers to take Prim’s place in the Hunger Games
- responsible for feeding her family (hunting and foraging)
- sells excess food on black market
- survival skills by hunting and bad living-conditions
- maintains her sense of identity
Charter traits --> strong, mature, young, protective, responsible, tough, unsentimental, practical, little interests in boys, no unfeeling killer

Summary

2021-02-03 21:28:34 UTC

The novel „The Hunger Games“ written by Suzanne Collins and published in 2008, plays in a dystopian society in the country of Panem in North America. The population is oppressed by the government and divided into 12 districts.

The main character is Katniss Everdeen. She lives with her little sister Primrose and her mother in District 12. Life in District 12 is bad and they have to fight for their survival.

The story begins in the forest while Katniss and her friend gale are hunting. Katniss's speciality is hunting with a bow and arrow.

As punishment for riots a cruel game broadcasted in all districts with only one winner was created. One female and one male tribute are chosen from each district to take part in the games and have to fight for survival in an arena against the other tributes. This year, Katniss's little sister Primrose is in the draw for the first time and against all odds, her name is pulled. Katniss volunteers to save Primrose, making her the female tribute of District 12. The male tribute chosen is Peeta, a boy who has been a family friend for a long time.

At a training centre, Katniss, Peeta and the other tributes are prepared for the games after being presented to the public. Their trainer and advisor is Haymitch, a former Tribute and winner of the Games. District 12's advisors have devised a strategy for Katniss and Peeta to win the sympathy of the sponsors as lovers. The sponsors can intervene in the game by making payments and ensure the survival of players. But love can only be an act, because even though they come from the same district, Katniss and Peeta are opponents, only one of them can win. And their chances are not necessarily good compared to the players from the more privileged districts. Many of them have already trained their whole lives for the games. So when the Hunger Games start, Katniss can hardly do anything but run away and hide, looking for water and food. She has severe problems surviving and almost dies on thurst. But then Peeta saves Katniss's life and shows real feelings towards her. Katniss, however, is not sure if these are real and does not know how to deal with them. Although she pretends to love him to survive. In the dangerous game, almost all the tributes die. In the end, only the two of them are left. Since there can only be one winner, they decide to take a poison which would kill them at the same time. But suddenly an astonishing message is heard: there will be 2 winners. Afterwards they go back to the Capitol where Haymitch teils them that the gamemasters are not happy with the outcome. The Novel ends with Katniss and Peeta on their Train ride back to District 12 as heroes but Katniss is confused about her feelings and knows she must continue to fake them.