"Catching Bible"

While I was thinking and contemplating on what to possibly write for this blogpost I realized the Susan Collins sneaks in many different kinds of allusions and I went on a hunt to hunt down possible allusions or references. Thinking that this book hints out many situations that may possibly be occurring in our society, such as, income inequality, social class inequality and diversity, capitalism, and so on. Not knowing which to write out I figured that I would search for biblical allusions from the book Catching Fire. Now, I don't really think Susan Collins wrote this book in order to reference Christianity, but hey, it seemed like it could be a fun scavenger hunt. :)

Here are some references, examples, and possible allusions that I found……

THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR

During biblical times, while Jesus was on earth, he was accused by the officials for many reasons. When Jesus was sent to Pilot, one of his punishments was receiving a certain amount of lashes while being stripped down of clothes or garments and being tied to a pillar or post. This scourging at the pillar was a popular punishment given in order to dehumanize, humiliate, severely hurt the victim, and publicly display the consequences of doing that crime. Jesus was given 40 lashes, and in the same way Gale from the Hunger Games was accused and brought to the pillar or post in the center of town, he was given the scourging at the pillar punishment as well. Gale was given 40 lashes shirtless, just like Jesus, and he too served as a public example to those in town.

“Gale’s wrists are bound to a wooden post.” (Anderson 104)

“His jacket’s been cast aside on the ground, his shirt torn away. He slumps unconscious on his knees, held up only by the ropes at his wrists. What used to be his back is a raw, bloody slab of meat.” (Anderson 105)

“He was brought to the square, forced to plead guilty to his crime. by the time I showed up, he’d been lashed at least forty times. He passed out around thirty.” (Anderson 118)

BAPTISM IN THE ARENA

Another reference I found took place in the arena, while Katniss and the others were in the jungle, a huge poisonous fog set in and surrounded them. It created blisters and sores on their bodies causing a whole lot of  pain. This poisonous fog represents evil surrounding us, engulfing us in pain, and corrupting us. However, when Katniss places her hand into the water, the sores dissolve away and she feels relieved after submerging her complete body under the water. This can represent the idea of baptism. Baptism is the belief that one has corruptions, pains, and sin and after they submerge under the waters, all of that dissolves away as they come out new. 

“Tiny, searing stabs. Wherever the droplets of mist touch my skin.” (Anderson 298)

“Droplets spring free of the body of vapor. They burn, but not like fire. Less a sense of heat and more of intense pain as the chemicals find our flesh, cling to it, and burrow down through the layers of our skin. “ (Anderson 299)

“And through the blue layer of water, I see a milky substance leaching out of the wounds on my skin. As the whiteness diminishes, so does the pain.” (Anderson 304)

“…opening my eyes underwater, sniffing water into my sinuses and snorting it out, and even gurgling repeatedly to wash out my throat, I’m functional enough…” (Anderson 304)

THE PLAGUES

Another quick comparison involves the clock shaped arena. Every section represented an hour and at each hour, a deadly challenge would be placed in that section. In the Bible, God sent 10 plagues to the people of Egypt, these plagues were horrible and some even deadly. For example, one plague that occurred in Egypt included the river of

 blood, similar to the rain of blood that came upon Johanna in the arena during the Hunger Games. 

“We thought it was rain, you know, because of the lightning, and we were all so thirsty. But when it started coming down, it turned out to be blood. Thick, hot blood. You couldn’t see, you couldn’t speak without getting a mouthful.” (Anderson 319-320)

“Tick, tock. Tick, tock.” (Anderson 320)

“My eyes sweep around the full circle of the arena and I know she’s right. “Tick, tock. This is a clock.”” (Anderson 325)

“A clock. I can almost see the hands ticking around the twelve-sectioned face of the arena. Each hour begins a new horror, a new Gamemaker weapon, and ends the previous.” (Anderson 326) 

-Leslie T. 

WORKS CITED:

Anderson, M.T. Feed. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2002. Print.