Critical Analysis Essay on The Hunger Games
Katniss Everdeen’s Strong Characteristics
We know Katniss Everdeen as the “girl on fire.” She is the heroine of the book, The Hunger Games, written by Suzanne Collins. Katniss lives in a depressing world; people are oppressed, frightened, and dehumanized. More notably, their sufferings are caused by a centralized and totalitarian government. Amidst all these odds, Katniss is able to surpass by possessing strong characteristics.
The most evident characteristic of Katniss is having the habit of always feeling responsible for other people. She is the breadwinner of the family, not only in the sense of being the provider, but also in the sense of being the protector of her mother and sister, Primrose. She assumes this responsibility when her father died and her mother fell in severe depression. She is very much protective of her sister, so she volunteered for Prim to become a tribute in the Hunger Games. In the game, she also feels protective for Rue, just like how she feels for Prim. In the same way, she also feels responsible for Peeta, her soft-hearted partner. When everything comes up, she always thinks of him, looking for him, checking him if he is fine (Langley, 201).
Ironically, even if Katniss is a girl who thinks of herself as being responsible for others, she despising being the responsibility of others. She detests being in debt and receiving favors from others. This is understandable because she is raised in a poor district, which is in “debt” and “pays” one boy and one girl to the Capitol. Hence, Katniss has the tendency to think that being in debt means giving up life and liberty. He sees social obligations as calculable debts and believes that non-familial relationship is the same as the relationship between the people of District 12 and the Capitol. She thinks that all relationships exist in brutal mathematics and violence. Nevertheless, in the middle part of the story, she realizes that social relationships can be a key towards true liberty. She begins to trust others too and this was proven helpful in her endeavors (Weber, 254).
Other commendable characteristic of Katniss is being independent and resourceful. Her name, Katniss, is also a name of a starchy aquatic vegetable. The generic name of the plant literarily means “belonging to an arrow.” This plant could also be found in canals, ditches, ponds, and slow rivers. But it is never abundant. This signifies Katniss’ uniqueness and skills. Her surname, Everdeen is also derived from another plant: evergreen. This plant has leaves in all seasons. It grows during the summer and becomes dormant during the winter. It can survive even in harshest environmental conditions. Like these plants, Katniss tends to isolate herself and strive to be resourceful. She always comes up with different ways to survive (Wilson, 257).
Lastly, the most important characteristic of Katniss, which makes her the perfect symbol of the rebellion, is that she herself is rebellious. Throughout the book, Katniss had displayed disobedience to the Capitol. She hunts even if it is illegal. She also showed that she can decide for herself by volunteering in the Hunger Games. She can also get what she wants based on her actions in the game, such as plotting a supposed “love team” with Peeta. She also exerted some form of command when she decided to die with Peeta so that there will be no winner in the game.
In sum, Katniss Everdeen shows proactive bravery. She always feels responsible for others, so she would do whatever it takes to protect her loved ones: friends and family. Nevertheless, rather than relying to others, she chooses to be isolated, independent, and resourceful. All of these characteristics help Katniss to win in the Hunger Games and beyond.
Works Cited:
Langley, Alex. Geek Lust: Pop Culture, Gadgets, and other Desires of the Likeable Modern Geek.Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2013.
Weber, Cynthia. International Relations Theory: A Critical Introduction. Oxon, OX: Routledge, 2001.
Wilson, Leah. The Girl Who Was on Fire. Dallas, TX: Benbella Books, Inc., 2013.