Katniss Everdeen: An Epic Hero

1074 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Hunger games critical analyses

An epic hero can be defined in many ways; however, most epic heroes and heroines possess a specific set of characteristics. These characteristics have several components and are often used to determine whether or not one qualifies as an epic hero. The popular novel, The Hunger Games, features a young girl from District 12 named Katniss Everdeen. Katniss faces a daily struggle to keep her family from starving and is forced to take the place of her sister in a selection to compete in the annual Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a televised fight to the death between children aged twelve to eighteen. The competitors are selected by random draw, one male and one female from each of the twelve districts. The last remaining survivor is crowned …show more content…

Katniss and her fellow member of District 12, Peeta, make it to the final two tributes remaining. They are encouraged to kill each other, but refuse to do so out of love. Katniss and Peeta agreed to commit suicide together to disobey the rules of the Capitol. This is the nadir, or low point, of Katniss Everdeen. She has been left no option but to kill herself along with her partner. This is where her powerful resurrection takes place. Just before ending their lives, they are stopped by one of the creators of the Hunger Games arena. It is then announced that under the circumstances, they would allow both Peeta and Katniss to be victors of the Hunger Games. This gives a very large sense of relief, and both Peeta and Katniss emerge …show more content…

After accomplishing the impossible and defying the Capitol in the process, she returns home a heroine. Katniss becomes the symbol for uprisings and rebellions, and is looked up to by many. Nobody had accomplished what she had, and it says a lot about Katniss Everdeen as a heroine. In the end, Katniss and Peeta are crowned by President Snow as co-victors of the Hunger Games.

It could be argued that Katniss is not an epic heroine because of the characteristics she does not fulfill. Katniss was not born into royalty, nor was her birth unusual. The progress of Katniss was also never hindered by any woman. Although these characteristics can often play a strong part in an epic hero’s journey, it does not counterbalance the traits that she does fulfill. Katniss possesses too many of the characteristics of an epic hero to make the claim that she does not qualify as one.

Many epic heroes and heroines have specific traits and characteristics that are placed on them. Some modern day heroes and heroines might qualify as an epic hero according to those traits and characteristics. There are many striking similarities to the characteristics and the journey of Katniss and that of many epic heroes. Many modern day heroes can easily qualify as an epic hero, and Katniss Everdeen is without a doubt one of

Show More
Related

  • The Hunger Games: The Hero's Journey

    667 Words  | 2 Pages

    When her and her ally and love interest Peeta reach the center of the Arena in which they are fighting for their lives, they not only run into their biggest rival – another boy named Cato who had been set up throughout as a villain – but also the murderous creations of the those who put them there. It is a gruesome fight that results in Cato’s horrifying death, and the survival of Peeta and Katniss, but only one of them can live. This ultimatum drives Katniss to take a calculated risk: if both of them die, the Capitol has no winner, and the games must always provide a glimmer of hope for effective control, thus if they threaten suicide, they can both get out alive. It works, and they are delivered from the belly of the

    Read More

  • The Hero's Journey Analysis

    1795 Words  | 4 Pages

    Joseph Campbell made himself one of the chief authorities on how mythology works when he published his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. In this book, Campbell describes what he believes to be the monomyth, known as “The Hero’s Journey.” Campbell wrote that this monomyth, the basic structure of all heroic myth, has three basic stages, which in turn have subcategories themselves. The heroic story of Katniss Everdeen, told in the movie Hunger Games, follows Campbell’s monomyth outline quite well.

    Read More

  • Social Psychology Essay

    660 Words  | 2 Pages

    The movie The Hunger Games, originally based on a book by Suzanne Collins, is about a place called Panem, which is ruled by the Capitol and has 12 districts within it. These 12 districts are separated founded on their economic statuses, meaning the higher the district, the more impoverished the residents are. There are 2 tributes that are chosen to participate, forcibly, in The Hunger Games each year. Each competitor is instructed to eliminate one another in order to survive and come out on top. There is only one tribute allowed to come out of the arena alive. Katniss lives in District 12, which is the most impoverished district of them all, and she volunteers as tribute in “the Reaping” when her sister is chosen to participate. She and the other tribute from her district, Peeta, make it into the arena with the hopes that one of them comes out the winner and above all else, alive (Ross, 2012). I will refrain from going any further just in case you have not read the book or have not seen the movie. In terms of soci...

    Read More

  • Death Decisions In The Hunger Games, By Suzanne Collins

    395 Words  | 1 Pages

    In addition, at the end of the Games, Katniss and Peeta are left with the question of either killing each other or both killing themselves. Collins says that after everyone is killed, the decision of the victor of the Hunger Games lies between Katniss and Peeta, both tributes from District Twelve; even though either tribute would be willing to give up their life for the other, they both decide to kill themselves after becoming fed up with the Games (344-345). Peeta and Katniss are so emotionally unstable from everything they have experienced with the Games that they both choose to die with each other. Furthermore, if an adolescent manages to survive the harsh war environment, they must still continue to fight the mental effects of the

    Read More

  • The Epic Hero Archetype in Films, and Literature

    844 Words  | 2 Pages

    The epic hero is one of the more recognized archetypes found in all films, literature, poems and novels. These unique characters tackle tasks that no one else can. The heroes have been, and will continue to be found in all sorts of writing and video. No matter how you look at it though, heroes will generally always share similar traits and qualities about their lives. Superman will always be relatable to Odysseus; the cycle of the epic hero will always continue. People will carry on using heroes to connect back to their own lives, with their problems. And while solving an issue at your work place may be on a much lesser scale than killing a 9 headed hydra there is still much to gain by being inspired by these heroes. The lessons we learn from the epic hero archetype are invaluable and will persist to influence our real life decisions.

    Read More

  • Themes in the Hunger Games by Suzanna Collins

    642 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Hunger Games are one of the most emotional, viscous and cruel books I’ve read before. But both heroes Katniss and Peeta have survived to live the next day. They are both winners and Katniss lives to feed her family once more. It was a fantastic book of amazing features, characters, themes and creativity.

    Read More

  • Theseus vs. Katniss: The Hunger Games versus Greek Mythology

    1592 Words  | 4 Pages

    It has often been said that there is nothing new under the sun. In this vein, authors across all literary genres often borrow themes and plot from the stories of long ago. Many of those authors choose to borrow from the rich mythology of the ancient Greeks. Suzanne Collins has been asked on numerous occasions where the idea for The Hunger Games originated. She readily admits that the characters and plot come from Greek mythology and more specifically, from Theseus and the Minotaur (Margolis 30). One familiar with both both stories can easily recognize the identical framework upon which each of these stories are built. Both Theseus and Katniss Everdeen, Collins’ heroine, volunteer to go into battle for their respective homelands, they both fight beasts of strange origin, and they are both brave in battle and emerge victorious, but it is the uniqueness of the characters that makes each story appropriate for the time period and audience to which it belongs. Collins modernizes the classic hero of Theseus by changing his gender, his motivations and altering his selfish personality, and by doing these things she creates a heroine that better resonates with today's audience of young adults.

    Read More

  • Courage And Determination In The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins

    424 Words  | 1 Pages

    A hero is someone who is admired for their qualities, someone who can get through arduous circumstances. In the novel, The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins demonstrates the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, as a hero. This is evident as she displays courage and determination.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Hermoine And Katniss Everdeen

    848 Words  | 2 Pages

    Over the past few years, there has been various books, films, and even songs about influential, heroic, women throughout the world. Some of the most recent heroic female figures include the fictional character “Hermione Granger” from the novel Harry Potter by J. K Rowling. Another strong female figure includes “Katniss Everdeen” from the novel The Hunger Games by Suzzane Collins. The two heroic women certainly share their differences. Hermoine was described as a bookworm who could be a tad bossy at times. Katniss was athletically inclined, however, lacked certain communication skills with people. Although Hermoine and Katniss have their distinct differences,

    Read More

  • essay

    1229 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Hunger Games was a good movie when it came out. This movie refers to a dystopia world in which there are 12 districts and a capitol who rules with an iron fist, in which the districts must provide a tribute to fight in an annual Hunger Game as a punishment for a past rebellion. Katniss Everdeen is a hunter from the 12th district, which Gale, her friend gives her tips on hunting. One day her sister, Primrose Everdeen, is chosen for the Hunger Games, and in order to save her, she volunteers instead to serve in the Games along with Peeta Mellark. During a TV interview, Peeta confesses her love for Katniss Everdeen, which causes the enragement of the latter; however, she later forgives him as he explains to her that it was only to gain sponsors. During the Hunger Games, she did not receive a lot of supplies except some medicine to cure a wound, but Districts 1 and 2 almost won the Game due to their training, and amount of supplies which Katniss destroys but cannot recover any of them. The Hunger Games was one of the best movies I ever watched because it has a little bit of everything and it captures the real-life survival game that we live on a daily basis.

    Read More

  • The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

    1588 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the novel The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins a new country is created. Panem is born in place of North America, were the Hunger Games began. In the Hunger Games, there are 24 tributes. Tributes are people who live in the districts. The tributes in the Hunger Games are all the same. They kill one another and become the Capitols puppets. The tributes become violent, emotionless puppets. Then there is Katniss. Katniss is an excellent hunter and becomes lethal during the games. However, she has not lost her compassion. Katniss does not think of herself as a good person. When in reality she is a good person with a large heart, who puts others before herself.

    Read More

  • Why Is Katniss Everdeen An Important Character In The Hunger Games

    560 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are many characters in The Hunger games, but let’s talk about some of the important characters. Katniss Everdeen is 16-year-old girl and lives in District 12 in the capital. Katniss has brown eyes and hair. She is the main provider for her family and acts much more mature than she should for her age. She is brave because she risked her life to give for her family and exchange herself to take part in the Hunger Games instead of Prim

    Read More

  • The Hunger Games Dystopian Analysis

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since she is the female victor from district 12, she is in the 74th Hunger Games. She sees how painful and scary it is and so she tries to stop the capital which is who is controlling everything. She doesn’t want that to happen to anyone else. She rebels against President Snow in plan of eventually killing him to take over the capital and change the world. Teens can relate to this because a lot of the time we feel controlled. It might be by a parent, teacher, grandparent or someone else but all of us are controlled by someone. A lot of teenagers end up rebelling because they feel as if they have no choices. They go against the rules of who they are rebelling against. That persons rules and values are not necessarily right. Who decides what is right? It seems as if we have entered into a state time where there is no right and wrong. Katniss breaks free of that control and does her own thing. Another way teens can relate to the hunger games is through the love triangle. Some of us might have a similar situation of where we might like two people. In the movie it says, “What I need is not Gales fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself. What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can

    Read More

  • Katniss Relationship With Peeta

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    Katniss could not stand the unfairness of the Hunger Games anymore, so she came up with a risky but brilliant idea “Yes, they have to have a victor. Without a victor, the whole thing would blow up in the Gamemakers’ faces. They’d have failed the Capitol. Might possibly even be executed, slowly and painfully while the cameras broadcast it to every screen in the country. If Peeta and I were both to die, or they thought we were . . .”

    Read More

  • Hercules: The Hero's Journey In The Hunger Games

    1802 Words  | 4 Pages

    Their lifestyle sets the story and is where we learn crucial details about the hero, their capabilities, true nature and outlook on life. The journey begins in ends in the this world. Hercules lives a normal childhood with his mother and father in a small town, were he is known as the town freak and is use to being shunned for superhuman strength, that causes the town a lot of chaos. Hercules always knew that he never belonged where he was, and was destined to find out. Katniss Everdeen is the main character and is from district twelve, one of the poorest districts in Panem. Katniss lives with just her mother and sister after her father was blown up and she is left to take care of her family by herself, who are constantly on the edge of starvation. The hero’s both live in the Ordinary World where they don 't fit in and want nothing more than to live in a different world or have a different

    Read More

More about Katniss Everdeen: An Epic Hero

Open Document