Hunger Games
The Hunger Games Essay Test
1) Describe Katniss’s relationships with Gale, with Prim, and with her Mother. How do those relationships define her personality? Why does she say about Peeta, “I feel like I owe him something, and I hate owing people.” How does her early encounter with Peeta affect their relationship after they are chosen as tributes?
Before Katniss enters the Games, she only has three people, which she holds closest to her heart: Gale, Prim, and her Mother. The fact that she only has three main relationships, not including one with Peeta, implies that she doesn’t have very good social skills. Within the first few pages, the author reveals Katniss’s close relationship with Gale, the only person who she can be her complete self around. “Finally, Gale is here and maybe there is nothing romantic between us, but when he opens his arms I don't hesitate to go into them” (Collins, 28). Although Katniss denies her possible feelings for Gale, her choice of diction and the amount of poetic detail that she gives while describing how comfortable and safe she feels in Gale’s arms makes me think otherwise. She isn’t used to feeling anything “warm and fuzzy”, especially towards a guy; therefore, this causes her to be ambivalent and confused. Katniss is the motherly figure in the novel because ever since her father died in a mine accident, her mother has become dormant. Katniss is left with the responsibility of providing food and moral support for her family. She has to be strong for her sister, Prim. “I protect Prim in every way I can, but I’m powerless against the reaping. The anguish I always feel when she’s in pain wells up in my chest and threatens to register on my face” (Collins 15). This is evident when she volunteers as tribute when Prim’s name was called in the reaping. Her actions to sacrifice herself for Prim portrays that she is selfless and holds herself accountable for the well being of Prim.
1) Describe Katniss’s relationships with Gale, with Prim, and with her Mother. How do those relationships define her personality? Why does she say about Peeta, “I feel like I owe him something, and I hate owing people.” How does her early encounter with Peeta affect their relationship after they are chosen as tributes?
Before Katniss enters the Games, she only has three people, which she holds closest to her heart: Gale, Prim, and her Mother. The fact that she only has three main relationships, not including one with Peeta, implies that she doesn’t have very good social skills. Within the first few pages, the author reveals Katniss’s close relationship with Gale, the only person who she can be her complete self around. “Finally, Gale is here and maybe there is nothing romantic between us, but when he opens his arms I don't hesitate to go into them” (Collins, 28). Although Katniss denies her possible feelings for Gale, her choice of diction and the amount of poetic detail that she gives while describing how comfortable and safe she feels in Gale’s arms makes me think otherwise. She isn’t used to feeling anything “warm and fuzzy”, especially towards a guy; therefore, this causes her to be ambivalent and confused. Katniss is the motherly figure in the novel because ever since her father died in a mine accident, her mother has become dormant. Katniss is left with the responsibility of providing food and moral support for her family. She has to be strong for her sister, Prim. “I protect Prim in every way I can, but I’m powerless against the reaping. The anguish I always feel when she’s in pain wells up in my chest and threatens to register on my face” (Collins 15). This is evident when she volunteers as tribute when Prim’s name was called in the reaping. Her actions to sacrifice herself for Prim portrays that she is selfless and holds herself accountable for the well being of Prim.