People often hate on Katniss Everdeen, the heroine of Suzann Collins' The Hunger Games trilogy. It's an easy thing to do.
But I was thinking about this, and I came to the realization that Katniss' attitude, emotions, decisions, strengths, and weaknesses, all need to be weighed against her circumstances.
And I came to realize the following, and thought it might make for an interesting post, especially considering Suzann Collins has recently released her new book, which is part of this franchise, "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" (which I may do a review of when the time comes). So, here it is.
**ALL the spoilers for The Hunger Games trilogy ahead. If you've not read the series, please do so before continuing to read.**
Katniss is a child
I'm not sure if you know this, but sixteen is a very young age. And, that's how old she is when the first and part of the second book take place. Not to mention, she was only twelve when her father died and she began taking care of her mother and little sister.
She didn't grow the way she needed to. She didn't grow up with anyone to take care of her, she had no one to teach her, no one to guide her.
And that includes things such as how to handle dangerous situations, hormones, anger, how to make hard decisions, how to deal with certain people, social manners, she didn't even have someone to help her build her moral ground. All of that stopped for her at the age of twelve. She had to piece it together and figure it out herself.
The fact that she got as far as she did is honestly amazing.
And when I was younger and read this story, I saw sixteen year olds as an adult. But now, being around that age, I've come to realize that it truly is not.
So, at sixteen, Katniss Everdeen is thrown into a arena and told to kill other kids and survive.
Can you really honestly blame her for doing what she felt would keep her, and her friend, alive?
Hormones are a thing
Through the entire trilogy, Katniss never gets out of her teens. It's sixteen to seventeen, discluding the epilogue. And yes, she had been through a lot, but she still has hormones.
And as much as I hate love triangles (I really, really, really hate love triangles), there being one makes sense.
Because at sixteen/seventeen, your brain and body aren't fully done growing and maturing. They've hardly even begun where maturity is concerned.
Plus, Katniss has never really had romantic male interaction before, she's been too focused on surviving. Throw not one, but two equally hormonal boys also in hard life situations, at her and something is gonna happen. It'd be a miracle if it didn't.
Katniss was the face of the rebellion
This could also basically be worded as she was a war leader. Sure, she couldn't call all of the shots in District 13, but as far as the citizens were concerned, the Mockingjay was far more than a symbol.
And she had all kinds of pressure with that, while still being a teenager. She was forced into molds and positions and situations, she was forced into a war.
And all this time she doesn't even know where her loyalties lie. All she knows is Peeta is going through who knows what in the Capital, that she hates Snow, and that she needs to keep her mother and sister alive.
13 aligned with that better than the Capital, but even they took advantage of her.
All the while, Katniss surely has permanent mental damage such as post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression, and is still being forced to make big decisions, still looking after her loved ones, still trying to save Peeta, still trying to lead the Districts, still trying to survive.
Not to mention the fact that Peeta is trying to kill her for half of Mockingjay.
The fact that her sanity hadn't completely snapped the second she stepped out of the first arena is amazing. Now look at her in the book "Mockingjay".
I can't blame her for having an attitude, or being confused, or crying, or breaking down, or any of it. Especially when you consider all the mind games that she's being forced to play.
She loses everything
Pardon me if I'm being redundant, but seeing as all these things tie together, it's kind of hard not to be.
There is not one thing that Katniss stands to lose that she doesn't lose in the end.
Prime dies, Rue dies, Peeta as she knew him is gone, Gale disappears from her life, her mother lives but she doesn't get to see her anymore, her district is exploded, Finnick dies (at her own hand), Madge dies, Cinna dies, her small amount of freedom is gone until the very end, and her life... Well, she has it, and she goes on to live a seemingly happy one, but it's at a very grave cost, and it's she's mentally never going to be the same again
It's all lost at the end of the day. She never even gets her revenge on Snow, which was top on her list of priorities next to keeping Prim alive.
I suppose, one thing she's kept that didn't really change, would be Haymitch. But he took his toll a while back, and Katniss was never too concerned with his survival.
She was a human
Humans aren't perfect. They don't always make the right decisions or take the easy path.
And in the heat of the moment, they do and say things that aren't right, they make faulty plans, and they don't always think ahead and about consequences. And that should be expected.
Because they're humans.
This is completely applicable to Katniss, as well as the other characters in this book.
Surely Katniss could've gone about many things differently, surely there are many easier ways to do this or that, surely there was some survival or fighting technique that would've worked better than what she did, surely there would've been some strategy, or some word choice, or some fill-in-the-blank that would've made the story "better" or fixed/saved a situation.
But humans don't always get that stuff right, and sure you can say the author is at fault for that. But isn't it just as believable that a character doesn't have the same time you, the reader, do to sit and analyse a situation for what it is, then find the best solution?
Another thing; it isn't about practicality or perfection, it's about telling a story. If Katniss, or anyone in the books, had all the answers, it'd be incredible boring and the book might as well not be written. Frankly, I'm glad it was written, and I'm glad that Ms. Everdeen wasn't perfect and didn't make all the best decisions.
Conclusion
I believe that readers nowadays are desensitized to the concept of death and killing. Sure, they know it's wrong, and it's suspenseful when the main character is in the heat of the moment and trying to defend themselves, but they seem to have lost the understanding that those things aren't just bad, they're permanently damaging. And in some cases, both losing a loved one and killing someone else, it can be debilitating.
Going through either thing can warrant years of therapy, and a life of PTSD.
Now consider this:
And when I was younger and read this story, I saw sixteen year olds as an adult. But now, being around that age, I've come to realize that it truly is not.
So, at sixteen, Katniss Everdeen is thrown into a arena and told to kill other kids and survive.
Can you really honestly blame her for doing what she felt would keep her, and her friend, alive?
Hormones are a thing
Through the entire trilogy, Katniss never gets out of her teens. It's sixteen to seventeen, discluding the epilogue. And yes, she had been through a lot, but she still has hormones.
And as much as I hate love triangles (I really, really, really hate love triangles), there being one makes sense.
Because at sixteen/seventeen, your brain and body aren't fully done growing and maturing. They've hardly even begun where maturity is concerned.
Plus, Katniss has never really had romantic male interaction before, she's been too focused on surviving. Throw not one, but two equally hormonal boys also in hard life situations, at her and something is gonna happen. It'd be a miracle if it didn't.
Katniss was the face of the rebellion
This could also basically be worded as she was a war leader. Sure, she couldn't call all of the shots in District 13, but as far as the citizens were concerned, the Mockingjay was far more than a symbol.
And she had all kinds of pressure with that, while still being a teenager. She was forced into molds and positions and situations, she was forced into a war.
And all this time she doesn't even know where her loyalties lie. All she knows is Peeta is going through who knows what in the Capital, that she hates Snow, and that she needs to keep her mother and sister alive.
13 aligned with that better than the Capital, but even they took advantage of her.
All the while, Katniss surely has permanent mental damage such as post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression, and is still being forced to make big decisions, still looking after her loved ones, still trying to save Peeta, still trying to lead the Districts, still trying to survive.
Not to mention the fact that Peeta is trying to kill her for half of Mockingjay.
The fact that her sanity hadn't completely snapped the second she stepped out of the first arena is amazing. Now look at her in the book "Mockingjay".
I can't blame her for having an attitude, or being confused, or crying, or breaking down, or any of it. Especially when you consider all the mind games that she's being forced to play.
She loses everything
Pardon me if I'm being redundant, but seeing as all these things tie together, it's kind of hard not to be.
There is not one thing that Katniss stands to lose that she doesn't lose in the end.
Prime dies, Rue dies, Peeta as she knew him is gone, Gale disappears from her life, her mother lives but she doesn't get to see her anymore, her district is exploded, Finnick dies (at her own hand), Madge dies, Cinna dies, her small amount of freedom is gone until the very end, and her life... Well, she has it, and she goes on to live a seemingly happy one, but it's at a very grave cost, and it's she's mentally never going to be the same again
It's all lost at the end of the day. She never even gets her revenge on Snow, which was top on her list of priorities next to keeping Prim alive.
I suppose, one thing she's kept that didn't really change, would be Haymitch. But he took his toll a while back, and Katniss was never too concerned with his survival.
She was a human
Humans aren't perfect. They don't always make the right decisions or take the easy path.
And in the heat of the moment, they do and say things that aren't right, they make faulty plans, and they don't always think ahead and about consequences. And that should be expected.
Because they're humans.
This is completely applicable to Katniss, as well as the other characters in this book.
Surely Katniss could've gone about many things differently, surely there are many easier ways to do this or that, surely there was some survival or fighting technique that would've worked better than what she did, surely there would've been some strategy, or some word choice, or some fill-in-the-blank that would've made the story "better" or fixed/saved a situation.
But humans don't always get that stuff right, and sure you can say the author is at fault for that. But isn't it just as believable that a character doesn't have the same time you, the reader, do to sit and analyse a situation for what it is, then find the best solution?
Another thing; it isn't about practicality or perfection, it's about telling a story. If Katniss, or anyone in the books, had all the answers, it'd be incredible boring and the book might as well not be written. Frankly, I'm glad it was written, and I'm glad that Ms. Everdeen wasn't perfect and didn't make all the best decisions.
Conclusion
I believe that readers nowadays are desensitized to the concept of death and killing. Sure, they know it's wrong, and it's suspenseful when the main character is in the heat of the moment and trying to defend themselves, but they seem to have lost the understanding that those things aren't just bad, they're permanently damaging. And in some cases, both losing a loved one and killing someone else, it can be debilitating.
Going through either thing can warrant years of therapy, and a life of PTSD.
Now consider this:
Katniss' father died.
Katniss had to take care of her mother, sister, and herself all on her own since age twelve.
Katniss was forced to kill or be killed in an arena.
Katniss watched Rue die.
Katniss is chased by beasts that look like her friend and opponents, a psychological terror-move on the game makers' part.
Katniss mercy kills Cato after he falls to the mutts.
Katniss saw a man get executed after he saluted her.
Katniss saw her best friend being whipped.
Katniss took a whip to the face.
Katniss saw Darius, her peacekeeper friend, made into an Avox.
Katniss was put back in the arena only a year after winning the last time. Now, she's focused on keeping Peeta, her lover, alive.
Katniss saw Cinna be brutally beaten, intentionally right before her eyes.
Katniss watched Mags die, sacrificing herself.
Katniss saw Wiress die.
Katniss saw the woman who scarified herself for Peeta die.
Katniss blew up a force field and almost died.
Katniss saw her entire District in rubble, with skeletons everywhere.
Katniss lost Madge.
Katniss saw Peeta beaten on a screen, unable to do anything to help him.
Katniss went to a hospital full of dead and dying people, then saw it explode.
Katniss got shot while reaching out to a wounded man.
Katniss was choked by Peeta after he's hijacked.
Katniss was forced to kill or be killed in an arena.
Katniss watched Rue die.
Katniss is chased by beasts that look like her friend and opponents, a psychological terror-move on the game makers' part.
Katniss mercy kills Cato after he falls to the mutts.
Katniss saw a man get executed after he saluted her.
Katniss saw her best friend being whipped.
Katniss took a whip to the face.
Katniss saw Darius, her peacekeeper friend, made into an Avox.
Katniss was put back in the arena only a year after winning the last time. Now, she's focused on keeping Peeta, her lover, alive.
Katniss saw Cinna be brutally beaten, intentionally right before her eyes.
Katniss watched Mags die, sacrificing herself.
Katniss saw Wiress die.
Katniss saw the woman who scarified herself for Peeta die.
Katniss blew up a force field and almost died.
Katniss saw her entire District in rubble, with skeletons everywhere.
Katniss lost Madge.
Katniss saw Peeta beaten on a screen, unable to do anything to help him.
Katniss went to a hospital full of dead and dying people, then saw it explode.
Katniss got shot while reaching out to a wounded man.
Katniss was choked by Peeta after he's hijacked.
Katniss mercy-kills Finnick because she can't save him
Katniss is attacked by horrific mutts that are hunting her, and end up killing her team in the process.
Katniss loses almost her entire team after heading off to war and being in a third arena.
Katniss thinks Gale is, or will be, killed.
Katniss sees her sister die in an explosion, among other people, most far, far too young.
Katniss kills Coin.
Even just one of those things could ruin a person. But Katniss Everdeen goes through that entire list, and survives it all, at the age of seventeen. She was incredibly strong to have gone through all of that, and still manage to live on.
And she was in constant mind games with Snow and Coin and still managed to lead a rebellion, hold compassion (such as the man at the train station in Mockinjay), and make the right decision in the end.
So, yes. The love triangle is annoying, Katniss has an attitude, and she almost made the decision to repeat the Games and war at the end. She wasn't perfect, but that's kind of the point. She was the worst, and yet best, person to have leading a rebellion.
And again, I cannot stress this enough, she was a kid. That point is even made in Mockingjay once, though it is only in passing about the makeup she's wearing for a promo. The wording was, "she's just a girl". And honestly, being sixteen-eighteen, I agree with that wholeheartedly.
All that considered, maybe give our sassy, hormonal, strong, determined, and broken heroine a break. She's been through a lot.
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this post. And Suzann Collins, should this ever happen to find you, thanks for making such a realistic heroine and for writing the first full novel I ever read.
Katniss loses almost her entire team after heading off to war and being in a third arena.
Katniss thinks Gale is, or will be, killed.
Katniss sees her sister die in an explosion, among other people, most far, far too young.
Katniss kills Coin.
Even just one of those things could ruin a person. But Katniss Everdeen goes through that entire list, and survives it all, at the age of seventeen. She was incredibly strong to have gone through all of that, and still manage to live on.
And she was in constant mind games with Snow and Coin and still managed to lead a rebellion, hold compassion (such as the man at the train station in Mockinjay), and make the right decision in the end.
So, yes. The love triangle is annoying, Katniss has an attitude, and she almost made the decision to repeat the Games and war at the end. She wasn't perfect, but that's kind of the point. She was the worst, and yet best, person to have leading a rebellion.
And again, I cannot stress this enough, she was a kid. That point is even made in Mockingjay once, though it is only in passing about the makeup she's wearing for a promo. The wording was, "she's just a girl". And honestly, being sixteen-eighteen, I agree with that wholeheartedly.
All that considered, maybe give our sassy, hormonal, strong, determined, and broken heroine a break. She's been through a lot.
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this post. And Suzann Collins, should this ever happen to find you, thanks for making such a realistic heroine and for writing the first full novel I ever read.
Until we meet again,
- Edna Pellen
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