Happy Hunger Games! This week we get a bit deeper into the
novel with chapter 4. Before we dig in, let’s recap our previous discussion.
Here’s what we decided about chapter 3:
Chapter 3 was all about the intensity and violence. We
decided that it’s a very fine line between too much and just enough. The
consensus was that Collins is writing to a YA audience, therefore it’s almost a
prerequisite to have a high level of blood, guts, and intense emotions. She
pulls it off well so we’re ok with it but just barely. As writers we need to
make sure we don’t over saturate our audience with too much of either. Too much
of a good thing can easily turn into a bad thing. Moving on to chapter 4…
Collins peels back another layer of the story with the ever-present
reminder of Peeta’s kindness. This is a huge issue for Katniss because she
can’t decide if he’s a threat to her safety or just to her heart. No matter how
you slice it, the guy is dangerous but for reasons she was not expecting. This
adds a dimension to the story that is oddly satisfying. We want to believe that
Peeta is a good guy but what if he really is just using his survival instincts?
Will he turn out to be an ally or an enemy?
We also meet Haymich in this chapter. Collins so brilliantly
crafted this character that I almost want to ask her who he was modeled after.
Which drunk guy in her family was she thinking of when she created him? Out of
all the characters we’ve been introduced to so far, I think he is the most
complex. Alcoholism means so many different things to so many people. It stirs
powerful emotions, no matter which end of the spectrum you find yourself in. I
think the thing I find most endearing about him at this point is that he is
willing to compromise for the sake of Katniss and Peeta’s success. He clearly
has a problem but is willing to lay it aside in order to help them. Sort of
like a hero.
Things I pondered-
- We got a good look at the capitol in this chapter. Again, I found myself inside Katniss’s head and relating to her discombobulation. I remember the culture shock I went through when I moved from a big city to a smaller suburb. Everything about this place was weird. In some ways I’m still not used to the differences. Have you ever been through your own culture shock? How did you adjust?
- We are moving deeper into the story now and are gently being assured that Katniss will hold her own in the games. Again, we have a symbol of hope in the dandelion. These are all good things. Does anyone else feel like they can’t decide if they are hopeful or slightly disappointed at this point in the story?
That’s it for this week! Come back next week for chapter 5. Happy
Hunger Games!
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4 comments:
When I saw the contrast of the capital to Distric 12 through Katness' eyes, I remembered our trip to El Salvador. One day, as I was talking about normal stuff--I can't remember exactly what now--I realized how petty and selfish my life seemed. I was talking to a man, considered middle-class in his culture, about the car my daughter would get when she turned 16 (and other things) and he didn't have a car. In that moment, it struck me how often we raise our kids to be selfish. How they come to expect certain things. I made a choice then and there to keep my daughter alert to the plight of impoverished. This awareness now follows us as we clothes shop, decide whether or not to eat out, etc.
Collins did a great job of showing all of us in America in many ways, we are the capital. Much of the products we buy quite cheaply (sugar, coffee, tea, etc) are produced on plantations rampant with child labor. Individuals making less than a dollar a day doing intense labor (some as young as eight), so we can save a buck or two at the grocery store than toss the rest away.
I remember the scene where Katness was talking about how long it'd take her to barter or gather such a fine meal. The other day, as we were leaving a homeless ministry we regularly serve at, my daughter expressed discouragement at how much food we casually throw away each day, and how much many of us overeat, while so many in our own communities are starving.
I hope the Hunger Games opens our eyes to all the "Katness'" in our world. More than that, I hope we turn our indignation into action. Even if it's just donating a tomato a week to a soup kitchen. We can all do that, right?
Jenn, you've said in one post what I have been trying to share for four straight chapters. "Father , break my heart for what breaks yours..."
Hugs! And amen!
I'm with you both on the stark view of the Capitol, and how that relates to our entire Western culture.
I was especially struck by how those in the Capitol viewed the "competitors," how little they valued human life and how much they valued entertainment. That hit right to the core... and stayed with me.
Haymitch is golden - a fascinating character that I alternately loved and hated. So cold and calculating, yet so vulnerable and transparent. Pitting him against Effie (in character roles) was brilliant.
I'm not loving Peeta at this point (to be fair, it took three whole books to love him), so I can't say that I worried about Katniss' heart being in jeopardy at this point. I'll get there, just not yet :)
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