Heroine Katniss Use Of Femininity In The Hunger Games

Femininity within the films of The Hunger Games franchise is primarily represented through the use of the protagonist, heroine Katniss Everdeen and her relationships with those around her. The franchise highlights and displays positive feminine traits through Katniss, such as the protective nature of motherhood and female empowerment. However, the way femininity as a whole is represented in The Hunger Games franchise feeds into an understanding of it as heteronormative. Issues concerning intersectionality are also raised in terms of its failure to fairly represent femininity in any way other than ‘traditional’ white femininity rather than being inclusive of all races. In addition to this, the franchise portrays this social construction as a

Her initial refusal to embark on an explicitly romantic relationship with neither Gale nor Peeta can be seen as a representation of her ultimate rejection of the heteronormative values which have been placed upon her by others (Henthorne, 2012). Katniss displays characteristics of a typically strong, independent heroine who needs only herself. This representation of her femininity outlines her feminine qualities as strengths, rather than weaknesses, within a patriarchal society. Katniss is deemed to be “too powerful” (Parsons, Sawars, & McInally, 2008, p. 371) by President Snow. During the course of the franchise, President Snow continually felt threatened by the degree of influence Katniss had in the districts and, fearing an uprising, threatened Katniss on multiple occasions and attempted to have both her and those she cared for killed. The decision for the tributes of the Quarter Quell in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) to be reaped from existing victors was primarily made to ensure that Katniss would return to the arena and meet her end, therefore making an example of her to prevent anyone from believing that a rebellion was possible. This representation of Katniss and her relationship with the governing bodies of Panem feeds into a societal ideal that women who stand up against authority, or are seen to be in positions of power, are a threat to a male dominated society. The Government of Panem continued to try to represent Katniss in a negative light throughout their altercations with her by banning all symbols of the Mockingjay (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, 2014). This representation of femininity as a threat to the Capitol and the districts which were under threat of extinction demonstrates that those who contest heteronormativity and the previously ingrained ideals regarding femininity in a patriarchal society