Katniss v.s Peeta: Breaking Gender Roles

If you don’t know the trilogy The Hunger Games, stop what you're doing, and go to your nearest Barnes and Nobles and pick up the books. I believe the books are always better than the movies, but The Hunger Games, and Catching Fire, are pretty spectacular, so go watch them too. If you're too lazy to do either, here's a brief summary. Basically, North America has fallen to ruins during a revolution, and an awful President has come to power. In order to show who is boss, and scare the citizens, President Snow created the the Hunger Games, where a male and female from each of the 12 districts fight to the death. The last person alive becomes the Victor and gets to go home to their loved ones, and live in an awful world for longer. Doesn’t that sound great? To be honest, I could never imagine how I would handle living during this time, it scares the shit out of me. The main characters are Katniss Everdeen, a strong, young woman who cares for her mother, and younger sister, and Peeta Mellark, a baker’s boy. Both were picked to fight in the arena for their lives, but when they ended up the last two alive, they decided if they both couldn’t win, they would die together. President Snow did not like this, and decided to make both Katniss and Peeta the Victors of the game. Catching Fire picks up right at the end of games, when their lives are just beginning to go back to normal. I believe both survived the games because of their talents and experiences.Author Suzanne Collins, has done something that has hardly ever been done. It’s clear to see, Katniss Everdeen is not your stereotypical girl. She doesn’t go shopping, or paints her nails. Peeta Mellark isn’t your stereotypical male either. He spends his time baking, and painting. Many say that it is almost as if these characters were assigned the opposite gender role. I don’t think it has as much to do with gender, but just what their preferences are, and what they enjoy doing. Gender roles nowadays are not so black and white anymore. Men and women are free to do what they want.Women don’t have to be the ones to stay home and care for the house and children, go shopping, and be sissy. Males don’t have to be the breadwinners anymore either. They can be in touch with their feelings, and truly express who they are. I enjoy how this novel really pushes this belief and breaks gender stereotypes. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are perfect examples.

Katniss Everdeen
Katniss isn’t necessarily your “girly girl”. She is a strong, smart, young woman, who in hard times, has had to provide for her family. Her father passed away in a mining accident, so she has filled the role as the provider. She feels most comfortable when she is tucked away in the woods, hunting for food. She is a natural born warrior, and knows how to use a bow and arrow extremely well. This has helped her a lot in the games. Katniss does what she needs to do in order to keep her family well, but she always has good intentions. While fighting in the games she never wanted to kill anyone, but she did what she needed to do in order to protect herself. Katniss has a good heart. In Catching Fire, you see Katniss as a leader to a whole revolution, trying to take down President Snow. Isn’t it usually a man doing such a thing? It’s so cool to see such an empowering character like Katniss. Both Katniss and Peeta understand that they are different, and understand the roles they pursue. “Peeta keeps all of us in fresh baked goods. I hunt. He bakes” (1,55). Like the stereotype goes, “girls are very emotional”, but not her. She is not very intuned with her emotions, and is kinda all over the place. She doesn’t obsess over boys, even though two are head over heels in love with her. Like a mature adult, she pays mind to things that are more important in life, like keeping herself and family alive. Someone else she has had to keep alive is Peeta. In the arena, Peeta either falls and hurts his leg, or walks too far and hits the barrier and is electrocuted. It is Katniss that has to protect poor Peeta from getting killed when he is down and hurt. It’s like Peeta is the Damsel in Distress and Katniss is the Prince coming to save him from the dragon. It’s so uncommon to see these roles switched, but it sheds light to how important woman truly are, and how our strength should not be taken for granted.

Peeta Mellark
I believe Peeta is a unique character. From the beginning he has handled every challenge so well, except the whole “try not to get killed” concept. He still needs to work on that. When he was picked for the games he was calm and collected. During the games, he was quiet and used his skills in baking to disguise himself to the end. Even when he's in love with Katniss, but she has feelings for Gale, he has always be cool and understanding. This may be a hard quality to find in a guy. Peeta is unique in that he exhibits traits typically attributed to female characters. Males in movies are supposed to be violent, possessive, and emotionally distant. Not Peeta. He’s a boy who enjoys baking, and painting. He’s sensitive, and attuned with his feelings, and knows what he wants.Usually it's the girl trying to talk about feelings to their man, but in Peeta and Katniss’s case, it’s switched around. Through the novel he is cared for and always rescued by Katniss. While making an appearance on Saturday Night Live, actor Josh Hutcherson, who plays Peeta, gave the following introduction: “I play Peeta, the brave young hero who immediately gets hurt and has to be carried around for the rest of the movie. It seems like he can not do anything right once the games begin in Catching Fire,you always see him get hurt, fall down, or need help from Katniss. When Effie Trinket announces that both Peeta and Katniss must return to the games you can hear in her voice that she truly does not believe he has a chance of surviving. You can tell she feels bad for Katniss but is more hopeful of her survival. Katniss watches over Peeta. Katniss stated,"If it is Peeta and me in the Games, this time we try to keep him alive." Katniss realizes that she may have a better chance of coming out of the games alive, but Peeta has been so good to her, and is such a good person, that he deserves to live, other than her. "Like you said, it's going to be bad no matter how you slice it. And whatever Peeta wants, it's his turn to be saved. We both owe him that." My voice takes on a pleading tone. "Besides, the Capitol hates me so much, I'm as good as dead now. He still might have a chance." (13.27-29). Katniss is talking to Haymitch after she finds out her and Peeta must return to the games. She truly cares and loves for Peeta. This is someone you really never see in books or movies, the girl saving the boy.
I believe Suzanne Collins wrote this characters this way to break stereotypical gender roles.

Genders do not need to conform to anything. Women can be strong, fight, and provide for their families. While males can be sensitive, and gentle. We live in a world where gender roles are fading away, and becoming comfortable in your own skin in seeping in.


Work Cited
https://rewire.news/article/2013/12/12/the-hunger-games-gender-role-revolution/
Collins, Suzanne, and Elizabeth B. Parisi. Catching Fire. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/saturday-night-live-josh-hutchersons-659600

Fahrenheit 451 & Catching Fire

Societies in which people have no voice where the government rules everything and anything. Where life and the conditions of living is a form of deprivation. You might just think of this place in our world as North Korea or Cuba. Now if you’re an average reader you would compare these societies to those in the Hunger Games or the society in Fahrenheit 451. These societies are types of dystopian societies.  In Catching Fire the natural world is literally fenced off. The ruling power does not want citizens beyond the limits of their own district. On top of that, the fence is powered by electricity around the clock. The high authority might be doing this because they don't want anyone to feel truly free.

In the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury the protagonist Guy Montag is a firefighter in what is perceived at the time “the future.” the reason why I say “the future” is because this book came out in the 1950s.  This book is supposed to predict what is known as today’s day and age. In this future although these firefighters aren’t the ones that you think they are. Instead of stopping fires they’re starting them. You might think they are just burning down houses and stuff, but what they really are burning is books. Yes you read it right. BOOKS. It’s not like you read them anyways, am I right.  The government has these men burn books so people can’t have a higher knowledge.

Guy and Katniss are both part of a rebellious to stop the people in power and make a difference.

“If I had just killed myself with those berries, none of this would’ve happened. Peeta could have come home and lived, and everyone else would have been safe, too.”

“Safe to do what?” he says in a gentler tone. “Starve? Work like slaves? Send their kids to the reaping? You haven’t hurt people - you’ve given them an opportunity. They just have to be brave enough to take it.”(Collins, 99)

“We had to save you because you’re the Mockingjay, Katniss,” says Plutarch. “While you live, the revolution lives.”(Collins, 386)

Katniss is the voice of the voiceless people. She is the revolution and the Mockingjay is the symbol for a rebel and a new life. The three finger a salute that Katniss and the residents of District 12 used the sign to pay respect for Katniss and Peeta before boarding the train for the Quell. In District 11 during the Victory Tour, the crowd used the District 12 respect sign for Katniss, which was the last goodbye that she gave to Rue in the arena. The old man that had started it during the speech in District 11 was then publicly killed. Katniss symbols are what the whole revolution is about. People in these districts use these symbols to let them know they’re on their side.

“We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the Constitution says, but everyone made equal. Each man the image of every other; then all are happy. So! A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon, Breach one man’s mind” (Bradbury, 58).

Books provide an outside knowledge to people. This knowledge could make one person more educated than another. This can be a problem because they do not want people to realize that they are forced to be in a, somewhat, perfect society due to this new knowledge. To prevent this, they would burn books to prevent new people from achieving this knowledge to rebel against the society. This rebellion will ruin all of the work the government did to make this society perfect.

Montag had to go burn an old ladies books in which he did, but whiling doing so he stole what is known as the last bible. When the fire chief found out by his wife who snitched on him he had to burn down his house. Then when the chief tries to arrest him he then smokes him up like a roasted turkey. He then goes to see his buddy who was an English professor and he tells him about a group that dedicated themselves to remembering books to rewrite them when society is ready for them. So Montag joins them with part of the bible in his mind

These two protagonist are people who are rebels for the good in a dystopian society. They want to make differences in their world so everyone is truly equal and have the right to an opportunity whether it be higher knowledge or to be truly free. 

-J.L

Love is Messy

Love is a reoccurring theme that pops up in this novel. As Katniss is put in a situation where she is forced to love two individuals while simultaneously having her every move watched by President Snow. As well as having to deal with each guy proclaiming their love to her, she just can’t find a way to choose between the two. The story was inspired by the love triangle between Katniss, Gale, and Peeta in Catching Fire. I also decided to create this story because it is also inspired by personal real life events. So I wanted to interpret the experiences and relate it to the novel.

Ava was just a junior in high school without a worry in the world (except her SAT scores). She had joined many clubs throughout high school but she mostly enjoyed being a part of her schools ROTC program. Ava started off high school with her two best friends Leslie and Jake. Leslie has been Ava’s best friend since the third grade and they share a really close bond they could tell each other anything. Jake came along a few years later when he transferred to their school back in middle school. Jake told Ava he had feelings for her back in the eighth grade but they decided to remain friends. She figured that he got over her and hoped that it was all just a phase. He’s the one friend Ava can come to when she needs a guy’s perspective of things. Leslie and Jake constantly disagreed on many things. But they would mostly just have doltish arguments. Despite that these three are the best of friends and have promised to stick together all throughout high school.

Things at school were great for Ava but at home she feels like a prisoner. Ava’s father is a very stern man, he tries to take control of every decision in her life. He is really strict and often doesn’t let Ava out of the house when she wants to hang out with her friends. He also doesn’t let her play sports hence the reason she’s joined so many clubs. The biggest rule that he stresses the most about is that she is not allowed to date until she is out of high school.

Every morning at homeroom Ava gets to see the boy she has been crushing on for the last couple months, his name is Edward and he’s the highest ranking ROTC student at her high school. For months Ava was felt like she was invisible to him as it seemed he acknowledged everyone in the program except her. As she grew eager to get him to notice her she finally asked her friends for advice on the situation. Leslie suggested that Ava go and introduce herself to him. As both Ava and Leslie turn to hear Jake’s opinion they noticed he was clenching his teeth together and his tone of voice had changed as he instantly opposed the idea and advised her to stay away from Edward as he stormed off.

Later on that night Ava finished up her homework and her father knocks on her door. He says she has a visitor waiting for her outside. Ava walks slowly to the door and opens it to find Jake on her door step. Jake apologizes for the scene he caused at school and he also reveals why he was so angry. He didn’t like the fact Ava was head over heels for Edward, but the reason for his outburst was because he was in love with Ava. Jake admits to always being in love with her. Ava unsure of her feelings doesn’t know what to say. So Jake leans in for a kiss and Ava felt pressured to go for it. As soon as Ava started to lean in her father opens the door behind her. Without her father saying a word Jake decides to take off. Ava was upset with her father for walking in like that. This is when her father admitted that he actually liked Jake. He told her that he changed his mind about her dating in high school but only for Jake. The rule still implied to every other guy. Ava didn’t know what to do, she was confused about what she wanted. She didn’t know if she even actually liked Jake. But now with her father’s approval she felt forced to be with Jake.

The next day at school Ava told Leslie everything that happened at her house last night. Leslie was shocked to hear the news but couldn’t give her input as she had to rush to class. Ava rushing as well couldn’t get her locker open as she hears a voice behind her say “need help Ava”, she turned to find that it was Edward. She was surprised that he knew who she was. He then helped her and walked her to class. They exchanged numbers during their interaction. Throughout the day Ava finds out a lot about Edward. For starters that he always knew who she was because he would see her during homeroom. After school Edward ended up walking Ava home. When they arrive to her house they sit on the steps. Edward tells Ava that he has always kind of had a little crush on her. Ava wasn’t hesitant to tell him that she felt the same way for so many months. Just as Edward was going to leave Jake shows up and finds them together. With both guys there together Ava knew she had to make a decision. She’s always like Edward and they finally got him to notice her, but the timing couldn’t be any worse. Jake has been her best friend for years and when he admitted his love it caught Ava by surprise. He is also the only guy her father will actually allow her to date.

So Ava sat both guys down and tells them that she really likes both of them. She decides she doesn’t want to live in the palm of her father’s hands anymore as his puppet. She defies her father and decides to go with Edward. Edward graduated later on that year and went on to join the air force. Jake decided to be supportive of Ava’s decision even if he didn’t agree with it. A year later Ava move to the base that Edward was stationed at.

Ricardo 

Prompt 1

Work Cited 

Collins, Suzanne, and Elizabeth B. Parisi. Catching Fire. Print.

Panem: Bread and Circuses

The country Panem was created to mock the future of America, but it’s such a close representation to our society today we may not have much longer until we are Panem. 

The Capitol of the country Panem is a very forceful, manipulative power that strings its people along on a thread. The people of Panem, especially in the Capitol itself, are blinded to all of the problems the country as a whole faces. However, not all citizens are as oblivious to the current issues as the citizens of the Capitol are. All they have to worry about and regret are petty things like wearing feathers to a party. Although people in the Capitol do not know the truth behind the news reports they are broadcasted, they unknowingly support the ongoing fight against the government. Since they already have everything they desire, and more, they are constantly updating their wardrobes and accessories. When Katniss was in the Capitol for the victory tour she noticed how big of a hit her mockingjay pin had become, it “spawned a new fashion sensation, because several people come up to show me their accessories. My bird has been  replicated on belt buckles, embroidered into solid lapels, even tatted in intimate places. Everyone wants to wear the winners token” (78). Everyone wants to wear the winners token. Even Effie decided to put her hair up in such a way to resemble a mockingjay. 

These people were all promoting the rebellion without even knowing that they were helping the fight against the government and were constantly advertising for the “uprising” that was supposedly suppressed. Although Katniss was surprised by the mockingjay fad, she was not opposed to it, in fact, she even promoted it by showing off her newly picked wedding dress that transformed into a mockingjay when she spun. These subtle messages empowered the people in the districts and reminded them that their government is not as strong as it thinks it is.

The subliminal messaging of the mockingjay sent from the districts and spread throughout the Capitol inspired people to stand together. It was almost a clear statement from the Capitol that they were promoting the one thing that so easily defied it. They were showing off Katniss, a tribute who defied them-- as a mockingjay, a creation that defied them. Their message was mixed and gave people hope instead of clogging their minds. 

This relates to our society after the Kent State University shootings. This tragic act made by the government against the protesters was publicized and turned into a fashion statement by Urban Outfitters. Their apparel targeting the incident at Kent State caused people to naively and mindlessly advertise and promote it. It didn't take long for the items related to the incident to be discontinued since they caused controversy, and drew negative attention to the government. 

Another way the Capitol keeps the people of Panem naive is by focusing media on celebrities instead of political issues. 

President Snow makes it very clear to Katniss that she is to be portrayed as Panem's 
sweetheart, and is to win its love. Snow goes the extra mile to make sure that the people of his country are focused on Katniss and Peeta’s wedding involving their star-crossed love story. He does this as an attempt for a distraction from the countries problems, weak points and increasing uprisings. Snow is fully aware that these problems are real, and imminent but is masking them with what he wants the people to believe. When he visited Katniss at her house before the  victory tour, he reminded her that she’ll “have to do even better if the uprisings are to be averted, this tour will be your only chance to turn things around” (29). There are so much more to the superficial problems he told Katniss about, yet he made her believe that the countries fate lied in her hands.

This relates to our current society involved in the presidential election. One of the republican candidates, Donald Trump, is publicized for his vulgarity and bluntness but not for his political ideals and proposed policies (or lack thereof). The presidential election is being publicized as a reality/ comedy show instead of a serious political event. The man who could very well be out next president is known for his hateful, comical statements. With a large sum of the attention toward the campaign placed on Donald Trump, a vast majoring of people are only learning about one candidate… but even with all the media people still do not know his political ideals. This compares Americans to citizens of Panem. Both are mindlessly following a strong leader without knowing what is happening behind the scenes, and not caring to find out. People in the Capitol are portrayed as if they almost worship Snow and everything he says, even the Hunger Games which involves killing children. 

Television and social media make it extremely easy for people to stay updated on celebrity reality shows and the newest YouTube video of their internet crush. These things distract us from our own lives and news all over the world. However, celebrity gossip is spreading beyond its original boundaries and now plays a large part in our government reports  and outlines. On multiple news channels, the GOP debate was highlighted by Trump’s cocky comment used to defend himself against Marco Rubio’s reference to his small hands. This is the information people are receiving about our current presidential election…this is the information people are backing up their vote with. 

Our country needs to straighten out its ideals soon or prepare for the hunger games to “keep the peace” of our future country, “Panem”.


Kirsten K. Prompt 4. 

Collins, Suzanne, and Elizabeth B. Parisi. Catching Fire. , 2009. Print.

Entry Log: Head Peacekeeper Romulus Thread

I chose to write this blog post on Romulus Thread from Catching Fire, the new peacekeeper who had been assigned to district twelve after the Victory Tours. I choose to write it in the view of the man himself, the night before him and his team enter the District. To write about the ferocity and hate the Capitol has towards these people, and how their conditioning has made men like Romulus merciless towards the citizens of Panem. Their society is on the brink of a full-blown rebellion against the Capitol; I wanted to write about what lengths the Capitol is willing to go to. And the actions they’re willing to take to stop that from happening. With that said, here is the head peacekeepers first entry before his first day in District Twelve.   

Level 3 Alert. District Eight has ceased all textile production and has started rebelling in the streets. The men and women are barbaric, lighting buildings aflame, throwing bricks and resisting authority, we must show them what happens to rioters. They do not fear our bullets, as our men in district Eight fire rounds into the crowd they only become more ferocious. We must cut them down before the other districts follow in their footsteps. Taking the honor president snow has presented me with, my battalion and I will be heading to District Twelve tomorrow to subdue and resistance and cut it from its cancerous source.

 For too long Head Peacekeeper Cray has slacked off with these animals, I have been ordered to dispose of him as soon as we enter the premises. Why does president Snow decide to send one of his highest-ranking men to a peaceful district? The answer is simple, Katniss Everdeen. Including Peeta Mellark, she is the sole reason these people find a reason to fight back. Her leeching will to live during the 74th Hunger Games put the head game master in a pinch, ending the game with two victors ultimately showing a break in the Capitol's power. This worm, this stupid insignificant district twelve dog has started a war. A war that she even she cannot stop, therefore her and her district must pay like the others. President Snow and his advisors have told me to us to show no mercy. We are to create stricter curfews, more around the clock patrols, and rebuild and power the electric fences.

If they want to act like beasts then we will treat them like ones. All of Panem must see the power of the Capitol, and understand that we are the only security and protection that these helpless beings have. If it would start an all out onslaught, I would beat the life out of Katniss in front of her family, her “Fiancé”, and the rest of her supporters. Snow has made it clear that any resistance in District twelve must be punished by the full extent of the law. Through out the Victory tours, Katniss was given the gracious chance to undo the fire she had started, But with her and Peta's actions in eleven, and the lack of personality and drive for the greatness of the Capitol, they’re District as well as the rest of Panem. I will continue to update my log as events progress; we head out early tomorrow morning and I must brief my squad tonight. Head Peacekeeper Romulus Thread signing out.  

Luke D. Prompt 1

Sticking it to the man

Katniss is definitely supposed to be read as a hero, and a sympathetic character. Which is very strange because we are made out to want to feel bad for her because of her background, and her being poor, even though she is a very strong person. She's almost an anti-hero in a sense right? Because she is portrayed as a hero and a role model and all, even though she is going against authority. She is going against the capitol. Almost a super hero vs. a villain type scenario huh? I can certainly relate to katniss. How she stands for herself, her family, and for the entirety of district 12. Like sticking up for your team in a sense. I certainly think that Suzanne Collins wants us to read and be able to relate to Katniss, as someone to look up to almost. Why? Because Katniss is like the average joe isn't she? Like all of us, but there is one distinct difference, which is she has the will to act. She acts out against the capitol and sticks it to them. Something we all wish we could do huh? Its like relating it to our system of the United States, or any other Authority figure for that matter. Katniss's drive and determination is made to reel you in. She fights for what she believes in no matter what the consequences are. She also sticks to her roots and never forgets where she came from and who she truly is deep down in side. For example she has money now and she still doesn't forget Gale, and she still finds a way to help him. "And her I am with buckets of money, for more than enough to feed both our families now... even so I never drop off the game while he's at home" (Collins 5). She still brings food for him and his family even if he doesn't know it. She remains humble at heart like she did when she was poor back living at home in district 12. If anything, Katniss just has a case of Stick-it-to-the-man-neiosis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37oJqWp4rJM

Katniss is also made to be a hero because of winning the hunger games. Because now because of her and Peeta, not only their family won't go hungry, but the entire district 12 will be very well off now, well at least for a year. She is also district 12's hero as well. Even though she doesn't feel that way. Almost lost because of what the games has done to her life, flipped it upside down, Katniss wanted it to be to normal when she got back from the games. Humble. Its almost like she didn't know who she was anymore, and certainly didn't want to be looked at as a hero after killing in the games, but what choice did she have? Katniss is even resistant to believe that she is the face of rebellion against the capitol at one point because she doesn't want to believe it. But wouldn't you do the same? From having a life and living in a relatively normal life to being selected, and after competing in the games, having your whole life completely changed forever. Its a responsibility not many people could take on, but Suzanne Collins puts that pressure on Katniss perfectly, perfectly enough to make you feel connected in a way while reading the novel. I do find it very interesting that she makes us feel connected in a way in which we are competing. Well not competing but rooting. Like almost as if we are there in a district and cheering them on. Crazy. Thats how I feel sometimes during this novel because Katniss is portrayed as a symbol. Kinda like us right? Just to make the world go around. Anyway, its hard to not look at Katniss as a hero, even though should we? I mean ever since we've been born right, we have been told to respect people with authority, and now here we are supposed to find a connection and look up to a character such as Katniss. Amazing isn't it? How even though deep down inside we know what we should and shouldn't do, yet we all have the urge to go out and rebel against something sometimes. I guess I'm just saying we all want to Stick It To The Man.


-Dylan G

Should I stay or should I go?