(I am trying to get my essay sorted for the exam and any help is really appreciated, thanks.)
Describe at least one memorable idea in the text. Explain why this idea was memorable to you.
Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games, the remarkable novel that follows the journey of a teenage girl, details how protagonist Katniss Everdeen persevered to protect and liberate herself and her loved ones from a cruel dystopia. One memorable idea in this text has been the courage and selflessness of Katniss in fighting for her family, friends and beliefs, against a social system that seemed insurmountable. Collins uses the memorable determination and ultimate success of Katniss to show us that social injustice can be overcome, and how rewarding and powerful it can be to fight for your beliefs.
As the novel begins, Katniss lives with her sister, Prim, and her depressed mother in District 12. Life there is anything but easy, food is scarce and work is difficult. Knowing she could be killed for it, Katniss illegally hunts outside of the district, regularly, to support her struggling family since the death of her father. She says, “It was slow going at first, but I was determined to feed us.” which displays this idea through her bravery to provide for those who cannot themselves; even if it means breaking the law.
On the day of the ‘reaping’, the oppression of Panem is shown as a random teenager is forcibly chosen as a tribute in the Hunger Games. This is a competitive fight for the death, treated as a sporting event. When Prim is drawn as a tribute, Katniss is in disbelief and immediately volunteers to take her place, “I volunteer!” I gasp. “I volunteer as tribute!”. Katniss does not have any second thoughts or regrets, despite knowing District 12 tributes have died in the games for decades. Not only was this memorable to me due to how easily Katniss sacrificed her life for her sister, but it also showed me that Katniss was not afraid to face the injustices of her nation.
This idea is further epitomised as Katniss protects and cares for 12 year-old Rue when the Hunger Games begin. “I’ll bet meat hardly ever comes her way. ‘Take the other, I say’” Katniss said as she provided Rue with food and resonated with her. She did this because Rue was innocent, meagre and vulnerable. However, Rue was not from District 12, so this was a flagrant violation of the rules. This was significant and courageous for several reasons. Katniss did not care what others thought about her actions and beliefs, while this was audacious because it showed Katniss was not interested in winning the Hunger Games, but in compassion and equity. When Rue was killed, Katniss said, ““Rue is more than a piece in their games. And so am I” before undermining convention yet again, by decorating her body in flowers and giving her a funeral; which was unprecedented in the Hunger Games.
Katniss also courageously protects her friend Peeta when he is inflicted with a serious leg wound. She provides him with medicine, shelter and food because she cares about him, and believes it is the right thing to do. When Katniss says, “You’re not going to die. I forbid it. All right?”, we see her betray the essence of the games again. She is never interested in the wealth or fame that comes with winning, but is more determined to ensure the welfare of her loved ones, one of her main values. After Peeta develops blood poisoning, Katniss all but dies in conflict procuring it, which was yet another demonstration of her bravery, to the point where she would sacrifice her life to care for Peeta.
Perhaps Katniss’s bravest action was at the end of the text, when her and Peeta were the only tributes remaining. There could only be one winner and eventually they devised a fake suicide plot. Officials stopped them before they could eat poisonous berries, and they both became winners. This was incredibly memorable and it thoroughly portrayed this idea as Katniss challenged the rules of the Hunger Games while the entire nation watched, so that Peeta would be protected. Following the games, Katniss is praised and becomes famous for her selflessness, courage and rebellion in the game when she is adored by citizens.
Hunger Games is an extremely powerful and thought-provoking work of literature which was memorable on account of Katniss’s adoration for those she cared about, and her courage in protecting them. Collins has emphasised the occasions when Katniss offered to surrender her life for her loved ones, as they have been significant in the text by highlighting the idea of helping the defenceless, even when this goes against a tyrannical rule. I have greatly appreciated this text, and I will remember the bravery and selflessness of Katniss because of her profoundly moving actions. This text has, without doubt, given me insight into human condition through the actions of Katniss which were motivated by her compassion and selflessness, compared to the actions of her nation which were motivated by selfishness. Because we still see injustice and cruelty in today’s world, the love and altruism of Katniss is important and invaluable to society. The audience is ultimately shown the value and rewards of unconditional love and equity, which is what I believe Suzanne Collin’s purpose was when she wrote this inspiring novel.