hunger games essay

The Hunger Games Gender Roles

March 25, 2015

Zach A. Thompson 711

  

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a dystopian novel about the teenagers Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark who are forced by the government to compete in the fight-to-the-death competition called the Hunger Games.  They work together and win the Games together. Katniss is motivated by the desire to revolt against the totalitarian government, whereas Peeta appears to be more motivated by love and desire to be with Katniss. The female protagonist is the leader in the relationship, can get the male protagonist pulled into rebellious acts, and has the power to protect him, even if it means hurting herself.

In The Hunger Games, Katniss has more power in her relationship with Peeta and is far more rebellious.  Her actions are more influenced by her need to defy the government.  Peeta is more driven by his love for her.  In the beginning, the story says, “Even though trespassing in the woods is illegal and poaching carries the severest of penalties, more people would risk it if they had weapons.  But most are not bold enough to venture out with just a knife.  My bow is a rarity” (Collins, page 5).  Katniss first disobeys the government by hunting illegally in the woods.  She goes beyond the fence that borders her district to defy the authorities and feed her family.  Peeta’s first connection to Katniss happens later in the story, at his interview before the Hunger Games begin.  In the story, it says, “ ‘I don’t think it’s going to work out.  Winning… won’t help in my case,’ says Peeta. [P] ‘Why ever not?’ says Caesar, mystified.  Peeta blushes beet red and stammers out. ‘Because… because… she came here with me’ ” (Collins, page 138). Peeta is confessing his love to Katniss, by saying that winning the Hunger Games won’t help him find love, because his love interest came to compete in the Games with him.  His love for Katniss is what motivates him. 

During the Games, Katniss clearly has power in her relationship with Peeta and uses that power to sacrifice herself for him.  When they are together, Peeta gets very sick, and needs medicine, and Katniss can get it at the Cornucopia, but there will likely be a battle there.  She travels for a day and arrives at the Cornucopia.  After retrieving the backpack with the medicine, the story says, “the second knife catches me in the forehead.  It slices above my right eyebrow, opening a gash that sends a gush running down my face” (Collins, page 284).  An enemy tribute, Clove, is throwing knives at Katniss and she is severely injured when the knife hits her in the head.  Despite Peeta insisting she not go, she has the power to go and get it anyway.    

At the end, the reader can see Katniss’s final act of rebellion in the story, and Peeta’s final act of love towards Katniss.  The text says, “Without a victor, the whole thing would blow up in the Gamemakers’ faces.  They’d have failed the Capitol” (Collins, page 344).  Right before Katniss and Peeta win the Games, it is declared that there can only be one victor, so only one of them can win.  Katniss realizes they need to have some victor, so she and Peeta pull a stunt where they pretend to swallow poisonous berries, which would kill them.  But right before they swallow the berries, they are announced the victors.  This is Katniss’ ultimate act of rebellion, as all the tributes dying would ruin the games.      Katniss says, “ ‘Trust me’ ”(Collins, page 344), when Peeta doesn’t understand the stunt.  “He holds my gaze for a long moment then lets me go.  I loosen the top of the pouch and pour a few spoonfuls of berries into his palm.  Then I fill my own. ‘On the count of three?’

 Peeta leans down and kisses me once, very gently” (Collins, page 344).  This shows how Katniss is trying to revolt against the government by ruining the Games.  Peeta is just going along with it because of his feelings for her, letting her be the leader.

Throughout the story, Katniss uses her strength as a character to get Peeta into doing rebellious things, and even saves him once.  Peeta cares more about his love for Katniss, and doesn’t feel the need to rebel against the government.  This book is interesting because the female character has power, unlike fairy tales where the man is always the hero.  This is different from the sexist view that men are more powerful then women, and a start to eliminating that belief.