Coming of age in the hunger games
For my essay, I explored the coming of age story through the journey of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games movie. When I contemplate "coming-of-age" stories, this is the first one I think of. Below is the condensed version of what I found, dissecting Katniss's coming-of-age story.
If you didn't know, The Hunger Games is the name of a singular book/movie as well as the overall title for a trilogy. It focuses on the city of Panem which is split up between 12 districts and a capital. The capital controls the districts by requiring human sacrifices each year through the hunger games. Each district sends in one male and one female representative to fight to the death in a heavily surveiled arena. While the districts watch in terror as their loved-ones die, the capital entertains themselves by placing bets and sending aid to one of the 24 fighters of their choosing. The one fighter left standing is crowned the victor and is promised comfortable living for the rest of their lives.
Katniss Everdeen becomes one of these representatives when she volunteers in the place of her little sister. That event is what sparked her journey towards coming of age. Previously, 16-year-old Katniss was the main provider of her family; prompting that to be her main overall goal throughout the games. Although she was able to use her prominent hunting skills to provide for her family directly, she must now focus her skills on surviving--under even more of the capital's control--to eventually make it back to her family.
With the help of new friends, Katniss boosts her chances of survival in the arena by improving her people skills. She's not necessarily likable at first; however, with the help of Haymitch (her mentor), Peeta (fellow district 12 representative), and the rest of her team, Katniss adapts with the goal of receiving more sponsors throughout the game. One of the most prominent ways she does so is by participating in a feined romance with Peeta. The capital loves that story and it gains her many supporters along the way.
Katniss also needs to utilize her previous survival and hunting training to emerge victorious at the end of the games. She automatically stands out because of her advanced skill with a bow; however, that skill makes her the biggest target of her competitors in the games. However, in combination with her other survival skills, resourcefulness, and help from allies (Peeta and Rue), she becomes more comfortable in the arena and can begin to strike back. Katniss uses tactical moves to build momentum as a threat to her other competitors and as a potential winner.
Katniss wins the games by ending them on her terms. Ever since she was called to the capital in preparation for the games, Katniss has had to change who she is to cater to the wants of the capital dwellers. However, Katniss takes the game into her own hands by threatening there to be no winner. With only Peeta and herself left alive, she offers a choice that either they both live or neither of them live. The capital allows them both to live and they both emerge victorious over the game. This act of defiance towards the capital shrouded in romance is where Katniss has officially become of age because, not only did she overcome the game, she defeated the game makers by constructing her ending with what little power she had.
I really like how you ended by saying that Katniss not only came of age by changing herself, but she also forced another entity (the capital) to change for her, on her terms. I also think that Katniss had a different (minor) coming of age when her father passed away. When she's saying goodbye, she tells her mom she can't bail on Prim (like she did when her dad died). Katniss was forced to step up and take care of her mom and sister and I also think that plays a role in why Katniss was able to change the capital.
ReplyDeleteI think what's so interesting about this film's depiction of coming-of-age is that in the beginning of the movie, Katniss is actually shown as a very mature person who seemingly is forced to grow up a little too soon because of the poverty and responsibilities that she holds within her family. While typical coming-of-age narratives start with a character who is relatively naive or holds some kind of immaturity, I always saw Katniss as a strong and knowledgeable character. Even in the beginning, she holds some kind of knowledge of how corrupt the system/society was. But I definitely agree and think you bring really good points about her growth. While she does go through a coming-of-age moment by sticking to her beliefs and conquering the Game Makers, I feel that she also has a "coming-of-age moment" when she begins to play to the viewer's wants. She begins to recognize that she can no longer be that girl who defies society in every way to survive but rather, plays the entire system through faking actions and words.
ReplyDeleteI think its interesting to look at the Hunger Games as a coming of age narrative because it already seems that Katniss has come of age already. She is providing for her family in a place of poverty and already at the start has the courage to take her sister's place. The development of Katniss being able to change the capital seems to me like just a further development, maybe a product of her already coming-of-age while the other competitors had not.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I always found interesting about this particular coming-of-age story is that Katniss is coming of age in a social and political system so radically different from our own (although who knows, maybe we're close). Her coming-of-age didn't only involve her growing as a person and asserting herself to the Capitol, but it is also her having to deal with the fallout that her actions caused. In a normal coming-of-age story, her growth arc would end with her ending the games on her own terms. But unfortunately, that isn't the end of the story. She also has to come to terms with the fact that the government will not allow her to make a mockery of them in front of the entire country, and she has to construct her life out of lies in order to keep them satiated.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you view this as a coming-of-age story. Katniss appears to be more mature because of her experiences and struggles, yet she still grows emotionally throughout the book/movie. Not only did she manage to survive in this situation, but also changed the entire system. Along with her character developing, their society changed and developed as well.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting how at first, Katniss was willing to do whatever it took to win, even if it meant sacrificing her morals. At least that's what she told Peeta on the roof before the games started. She was willing to (literally) play the Capitol's game if it meant survival for herself and her family. But then during the games she witnessed things (like Rue's death) that made her change her made, and start to care about independence from the Capitol.
ReplyDeleteI find it so interesting and I really like how you symbolize Katniss’ coming-of-age journey ending with her winning the games in her own way! I feel that it shows that through her growth in the novel, she discovered that she needs to take control of her own life and not let the capital decide everything that she does and every aspect of her life (with the hunger games and the separate districts, for example), which is what they are doing with everyone else. I also find it interesting that although she is maturing as you describe, instead of trying to “fit in” to the adult world, she moved into an even more rebellious position and was able to free herself from Panem’s dystopian and complete control, demonstrating her loss of innocence and no longer being oblivious to the society around her. I also really like how you describe that although Katniss’ abilities were great and important in the beginning, it is when she leaves her home, has to use them for survival, and has to learn about the world beyond District 12 that she truly begins to come-of-age.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree. The two aspects of romance and defiance are crucial to coming of age. Defying people above you in the hierarchy happens in day-to-day life (with parents, the government, etc.), and is a crucial part of growing up.
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