Cultural Heroes In The Hunger Games

Anyone can become a hero but the cultural heroes used in western narratives have their own set of rules and guidelines to fit the appropriate standards. Stereo typically always males, these heroes will go to fight and defeat their enemy to protect the ones that they love with common values between all heroes. The conflict is the American society and justice being protected from any evil that stands in the way, with the evil being beaten, displaying the European dominance.

With most narratives following this cultural standard and holding common traits, Katniss Everdeen of the story ‘The Hunger Games’ becomes an iconoclastic figure who in some respects takes an opposite standard to the archetypical western hero while the dominant side which is usually on the heroes side becomes twisted and corrupt, making what is usually protected our heroes enemy. Being the rare female hero, she once again deviates from the normal female role and holds many characteristics of the male hero including her strength in fighting and having people worthy of protecting, despite still involved in some romantic conundrums. With Katniss forced to overcome many different trials in this struggle against oppression, represented by the free-for-all fight to the death

This doesn’t waver even for this unorthodox story as the only difference is how they fulfil justice. In this case Rebelling against this oppressive system in order to gain the freedom to protect your family is the method of justice and as Adam Smith said in The Theory of Moral Sentiments “We may often fulfill all the rules of justice by sitting still and doing nothing.” Part II, Section II, Chap I. This quote symbolizes the fact that to fulfill justice, any means may be needed and has helped to show this book’s moral message: what is normal is not always right and whatever is needed to be done is