Irony In The Hunger Games

1283 Words3 Pages

SACRIFICE IN THE HUNGER GAMES

“I’m turning to fire again when the second knife catches me in the forehead. It slices above my right eyebrow, opening a gash that sends a gush running down my face, blinding my eye, filling my mouth with the sharp, metallic taste of my blood” (Collins,284). In The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, Panem is seen to be North America’s dystopia. It has the powerful Capital surrounded by twelve districts. The Capital rules all districts and keeps them at their mercy by forcing them to send one boy and one girl, ages twelve to eighteen to take place in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death. Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen gives the ultimate sacrifice when she volunteers to take her twelve year old …show more content…

As she stands alongside the other dredging victims awaiting to hear what name will be called, she thinks of Gale. Her hunting partner from the district. She thinks of his forty-two names in the drawing, but then suddenly she hears the name called of the first tribute! Katniss screams to herself, “There must have been some mistake. This can’t be happening. Prim was one slip of paper in thousands! Her chances of being chosen so remote that I’d not even bothered to worry about her. Hadn’t I done everything? One slip. One Slip in thousands. The odds had been in her favor. But it hadn’t mattered” (Collins, 21). In other words, Katniss’ shocked by hearing Prim’s names called for tribute leads her to the impulsive act of volunteering as tribute. Being Prim’s protector after their father’s death, Katniss only concern at this point is who will watch over her family, who will feed them? Not at all thinking how will I survive? As Gale pulls away Prim and Katniss approaches the stage, she doesn’t even have time to wish for the safety of Gale before the next name is called. “Peeta Mellark!” ‘Peeta Mellark! Oh no, not him. Because I recognized this name, although I have never spoken directly to its owner. Peeta Mellark. No, the odds are not in my favor today’ (Collins, 25). In other words, Katniss still in shock of everything …show more content…

Katniss is a girl whose actions speaks louder than her words. “Without thinking, I pull an arrow from my quiver and send in straight at the Gamemakers’ table. I hear shouts of alarm as people stumble back. The arrow skewers the apple in the pig’s mouth and pins it to the wall behind. Everyone stares at me in disbelief. ‘Thank you for your consideration’ [Katniss says]. Then [gives] a bow and [walks] straight [towards] the exit without being dismissed” (Collins, 102). As you can see Katniss had little respect for those who didn’t respect her. Politics were not something she cared about. But now being the Seventy-four victor, politics must be an area she speaks on. To do so, Katniss returns to the Capital for an interview along with Peeta. Every question feels like a blow to the stomach for Katniss. Katniss knows she’s in trouble with the Capital and thinks to herself during the interview, “This is the crucial moment where I either challenged the Capital or went so crazy at the idea of losing Peeta that I can’t be held responsible for my actions” (Collins, 369). In other words, Katniss is now being scripted to survive the fury of the Capital. Having to go along with what they want to hear and sacrificing her own thoughts and

Open Document