Chapter 2
Before we delve into chapter 2, I thought I would give a
quick recap of last week’s discussion. In case you missed any of it or need a
refresher here are some things we decided based on Chapter 1:
- My initial assessment of Effie Trinket may have been off base. I have decided that she is a Stepford wife who happens to be married to the most vicious child-killing dictatorship I have ever heard of. She is a robot and she does her job well.
- The early character development was pure genius. We love getting to know the key players and how they think and why they do the things they do. We are looking forward to seeing how things progress between Gale and Katniss and deep down, we either want a Gale in our own lives or just want one for our daughters.
- Katniss is a hero. We root for her because of her survivalist attitude. She’s a tough chick. We like that.
We are ushered into chapter 2 with the wind knocked out of
us. Collins uses an excellent analogy to help us feel the way Katniss
feels-stunned, breathless, and in total shock that her sister’s name was called
at the Reaping. When she volunteers to take Prim’s place she becomes the hero
in every sense of the word. Katniss displays selflessness, courage, and bravery
as she takes the stage, refusing to shed a single tear. From this point on she
must remain guarded at all times or she becomes an easy target for her
competitors.
In this chapter we meet Peeta and discover that he has many
of the same qualities as Katniss. What he lacks in strength he makes up for in selflessness
and bravery. Risking a beating from his mother to help Katniss feed her family
establishes him as a hero in his own right. I feel sorry for him when his name
is called but also a bit comforted to know that Katniss will not be in the games
alone; she has an ally and one who seems naturally adept at protecting her well
being.
Things I pondered:
- The residents of District 12- immediately after Katniss took her sister’s place a tangible shift in attitude took place. They immediately looked to her as a source of hope which was evidenced in their refusal to clap when commanded to do so. To solidify their allegiance they offer her a rarely seen hand gesture, their loyalty forever etched into her mind. I found this whole scene incredibly moving. Can you think of a time in your own life when you had to take a physical stand against some form of evil or injustice?
- I will not get into a political debate in this discussion but let the record state that I find the capitol’s behavior despicable. Allowing innocent people to starve to death while sending in “robots” to clean up the bodies makes me sick to my stomach. ‘Nuff said.
- Katniss’s conflicting emotions regarding Peeta-he’s the guy who helped her when she was at her weakest. Now she has to compete with him in a fight to the death. She feels like she owes him a debt she cannot pay and that really bothers her. Have you ever felt so indebted that you felt like it was impossible to pay it back? How did you come to a resolution?
- Katniss’s strength and determination to keep her family together- Those images of Katniss struggling to survive really resonated within me. Can you relate to her internal battles?
- The symbols of hope-the loaves of bread and the dandelion gave Katniss hope that things were going to be ok, that she would not remain in this place of uncertainty and helplessness. Do you have any symbols in your own life that give you comfort in the face of adversity? What are they?
I’m looking forward to hearing your responses! Come back
next week for a recap of chapter 2 and a hearty discussion on chapter 3. Happy
Hunger Games!
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9 comments:
I love your first bullet point, about the residents of District 12. More than once, I've seen this chapter compared to Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" (read it, if you haven't), but I've never liked the comparison. In Jackson's story, the residents take up their gruesome task with enthusiasm, and even their children participate. There's a feeble protest by a family member, but the townspeople are as brainwashed as poor Effie is. But the citizens of District 12 are brave and noble in the face of their own lottery.
Oh, thanks for the recommendation, Jan. I will have to read that book as soon as I can get to it.
It's just a short story. Google it--you could read it in 15 minutes.
Love your take on the hope Katness represents. I think that's very valuable. In fact, at this point in the story, the reader needs hope, too. Otherwise we may feel despair and set the book aside, determining it's just too sad.
There were numerous times throughout the novel when the author sprinkled in hope ... then added yet another obstacle. This kept the novel from being predictable, kept us guessing.
I was reading a story a while back with a father was critically ill. Eventually, the father died, and it never really effected me. I pondered why. My conclusion--I'd always expected him to die, so I sort of just took it as a sad part of life. I never rooted for his survival. Had there been a chance he might live, I think the death would have had a greater impact on me.
Another thing I think the author did well throughout the story, but especially at the end of ch. 2. She presented two equal yet opposing goals--her gratitude and sense of obligation for Peeta and her desire to survive. (page 33)
Jen, you nailed it. Katniss feels a debt of gratitude she cannot pay but she's also determined to survive and that creates this incredible conflict within herself. How do you care about someone you might have to kill or watch be killed?
I don't think you were off-base with Effie. Give her time; what seems like robotic behaviour now will alter, if only a little. She's tragic, as are all of the Capitol citizens (except maybe Snow... shudder).
The Peeta hero vibe is subtle, and I felt myself questioning his motives. But I think the distance that Collins puts Peeta at (for the reader) makes him even more intriguing.
I'm with you (and Jennifer) on the hope that infuses the story at this point. Again, just a glimmer of hope is all I needed to keep. on. reading.
Loving these blog posts, btw!!! Always happy to read about/discuss a favourite book(s).
Sorry I'm chiming in so late on this.
I can't believe you referred to Effie as a Stepford wife, Sherry. That's exactly what came to my mind.
I hate to sound like a broken record, but as I said before, the author makes me care. And she's given all of the characters great dimension.
Now I'm struggling as to who I root for. I don't want Katniss to die. Look at the sacrifice she's making for Prim. But what about the poor guy who took a beating for her?
And I find it interesting to see the range of intense thoughts/feelings this story is producing: despicable/admirable, hope/despair, disgust/empathy, etc., and we're only in the second chapter.
It shows that we can tackle tough topics, which will evoke a wide range of emotions in the readers, but we need to balance it out with everything else mentioned. If not, others might not continue reading.
Great discussion!
Diana- interesting that you don't quite trust Peeta at this point in the story. Of the two guys, I actually like him better than Gale. Not sure why yet...I do agree that there is just enough hope to keep us hooked.
Deborah-great minds think alike! It is hard to pick a favorite right now, isn't it? Collins did a fantastic job at making us connect with these people from the start. I even feel a bit sorry for our poor, deluded Stepford wife. Not sure I understood your last statement though. Do you mean that others might not want to continue reading our discussion or the book? Thanks for chiming in and sharing your thoughts!
Peeta seemed "too good to be true" for me (pretty much right through to book 3 - my FAV in the series). Collins gives us Gale right off the mark, all hunky and protector-like. But he's detached enough to eliminate any deep emotional connection. Peeta's actions/character pretty much screamed for an emotional connection, which made me suspicious. Maybe I'm just messed up!?!?! ;)
On to chapter 3!!! Yay!!!
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