Hunger Games: Week of 12.09.13

Prompt: List at least three problems the character has faced. Which are the most challenging?
Pages Read: 1- 48



So far in the book Katniss Everdeen has faced so many problems already! Three of the most hardest for her would have to be; having to always be searching for food and money. Second would be keeping strong and taking the lead of her household after her father dies, and finally the most difficult would be volunteering fro tribute to save her sister, Prim's life. The story is taking place in the future, it says that after North America had terrible natural disasters and went to war for years everyone died and the 12 districts were left.

Katniss is only 17 and has to worry everyday about where and how she will buy food to feed her and her family. She lives in a very poor town named the Seam in District 12. "Starvation's not an uncommon fate in District 12."(28) This part of the book shows how where Katniss lives there is a struggle everyday of their lives. I think this is a really big problem because not only does Katniss need to think about herself and struggle to find a few pieces of bread for herself but she has a 12 year old sister and her mother which are Katniss's whole life and she will do anything to protect them. Katniss also has to worry about money, since she already lives in a town with everyone in poverty.

Katniss had to take the lead part of the household since her father died in a mine explosion. After that her sister was seven years old and her mother went through a deep depression. She would never get out of her bed and she would just stare off somewhere never moving a muscle. At that point Katniss was twelve years old, even though she was really young she knew she had to take charge to keep her family together. This reminds me of our topic for the AOWs since we had to find an article about Nelson Mandela, who thought that if he took charge he could change the government and keep the country together. While Katniss had to keep her family together she had to keep herself together, since she was the glue holding them together, they looked up to her and so she felt like the responsibility of her staying strong was necessary.

The hardest problem Katniss has encountered would be volunteering for tribute and how she has to fight in the annual Hunger Games. Every year the Capitol makes the Hunger Games which they pick one boy and one girl from ages 12-18 from every District and make them kill each other until one is left. That tribute gets to go back home and their District would be showered with gifts like money and food. When Katniss had to go like everyone else in District 12 she was so nervous since it was her sister Prim's first time going to the ceremony but she knew she couldn't be picked since her name was in the bowl only once. When they picked the girl it was her sister. Katniss was shocked. She couldn't move her body and she couldn't say anything. Finally she choked out, "I volunteer as tribute!" She sacrificed herself to save her sister and to me that is the hardest thing because now she will have to kill others. What makes it even harder is that the boy from her District is Peeta Mellark, who she remembers as getting punished for giving her two loaves of bread. Her life as turned from terrible to the worst nightmare she could have possibly dreamed of.