Stories of Misfortunes

Throughout Catching Fire, Katniss encountered many misfortunes that made her who she is through the games. The reason why I wanted to write a short story using the way the Suzanne Collins delivered her book is because at this time, a lot of tension is being built up one after another. I feel that the author chooses this method to have the reader worked up so that everything gets resolved at its own pace and creates an end game that will result in contentment for the reader. I want to use that specific mechanic in my short story because in every storyline, there is rising action leading to the climax and then to its falling action. In this case, there is a lot of rising action. For instance, the build up of President Snow suspicion on Katniss and Peeta’s relationship leading them into a supposed marriage and announcement of a future pregnancy during the interviews. The relationship between Katniss and Gale and the ever evolving relationship between Katniss and Peeta through their triumph of the new games of the Quarter Quell. Another instance is of the future complications including the symbolism behind Katniss’s dress and the relativity to the symbol of resistance and revolt, the mocking jay. Katniss is also faced with the decision of running away or staying and resisting the Capitol and saving those she cares about including herself. In my short story, I will create a character who is dealt with continuous problems. He will be faced with many decisions that could either benefit his situation or complicate things even more.

           

I woke up roughly around 2 pm with the decision to either get up and deal with my ever so stressful day or to stay in bed and hideaway until I realize that I needed food. Suddenly, I became extremely hungry. So I got out of bed and proceeded to the kitchen. At that moment, I was filled with regret because I decided to delay the trip to the grocery store the other day so I could watch some movie in which I can’t remember.

I dreaded getting ready and headed out. I was dressed in my white button up, my hair was set back out of my face, and I wore my most comfortable shoes for this long day in the city. In my head I kept a visual checklist of how my day would go from this point on. As I stepped off my porch, I heard her yell out my name. It was Angela.

“Benny, are you excited for today?” she yelled.

“Yeah! I can’t wait--- wish me luck!” I called back with lies between each word.

I walked out into the city trying to find the closest coffee shop. I needed an energy booster. I found one about 6 blocks away because each place I passed by had a line that stuck out the shop. When it came to my order, I got something completely different than what I ordered. I tried to make it work because one, I was starving for something to consume and two, it was a long walk to get here. I caught a glimpse at my watch and realized that I was late. I got myself together and ran.

I told myself every step of that awful sprint that it wasn’t my day. I just thought about every possible negative outcome to this presentation that could possibly happen. Suddenly, my stomach dropped. I forgot my presentation boards. They were everything to this project. How could I forget them? I didn’t have time for this and I continue to run my unfit self to this building that felt more than miles away.

I arrived without a breath and  I saw her again. Angela was at the receptionist desk and she smiled at me almost so instantly. Oh how I loved that smile, but this wasn’t the time or place to think about all that because I was at war. I was at a war with myself to either walk into the room and tell them what they want to hear so I can get this new position or to turn around and again--- hideaway.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just nervous. My whole life depends on this and I can’t wrap my head around it.”

“Just breathe,” she said with reassurance.

I somehow mustered the energy and the will to revolt against my beliefs of myself. I went into that conference room and spoke highly of myself and gave the best presentation of my life. At my first breath after my last word, I could see that most the faces in the room were impressed. I finished and walked out after shaking everyone’s hand on the way out.

I didn’t know what to expect after my day of misfortunes. I was overwhelmed and surprised that it was already the end of the day. I know I wouldn’t know until the next day about my overall performance and if I got that promotion, but I felt confident.

Sonthavy Kem 
Prompt 1 

yeah I sort of CAN RELATE TO THE WEREWOLF

I remember this one time, I mean a very long time ago when I had to put myself way out of my comfort zone. I was facing a hunger games especially created for me within my own mind. Will I be ostracized from the rest of my peers if I do not perform well enough? Do I even want to do this? Why does this have to be so challenging, and will I get the part? I was auditioning for my 6th grade choir graduation solo. The song my choir had been rehearsing for the last couple months was called, "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus. Even though the song was originally meant for a female vocalist, I still wanted to be the one to take center stage. I was excited to be graduating, and I wanted to be the voice that lead my class out of elementary school and into a whole new world called middle school. Right before it was my turn to audition I had thoughts in my head similar to those of Katniss Everdeen from the novel "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire."  

NOO I DON'T WANT TO GET UP, MOM!

"I can’t fight the sun. I can only watch helplessly as it drags me into a day that I’ve been dreading for months" (Collins 3). Just like Katniss I was going to face a challenge in my life where I didn’t know how prepared I was. I wanted my audition time to be delayed a day longer, and I wanted time to drag its feet. But I was forced to take on the inevitable, which is how life works. Just like Mrs.Everdeen, I had to realize my situation, take on the responsibility, and change my attitude to a more confident one. "Life in District 12 isn’t really so different from life in the arena.  At some point, you have to stop running and turn around and face whoever wants you dead" (Collins 118). I auditioned and I nailed it. My voice paved the way to a new chapter in all of my peer's lives. 

Realizing that the rebellion was necessary, Katniss's change of attitude helped her cope with the responsibilities she was facing. This pivotal moment did not only help the novel move along at a steadier pace, but it also helped me grow a new sense of admiration and respect for the protagonist. I related to her fear of the unknown before, but I then learned to admire her coming to self. I believe the author had intentionally made the protagonist evolve in the novel, to hopefully set an example for readers who struggle to overcome their fears. 

However, Katniss is not the only character that deserves the credit for the development of her heroic mentality and actions. "Let’s show a little district pride for a change, Miss Everdeen. Hm?" (Collins 11). That quote was spoken by Darius, which was one of Katniss's many team members. Throughout the novel, we see that Katniss was not alone, and had a strong support system by her side. Peeta, Effie, Cinna, Haymitch and many more were there to assist the protagonist through difficult situations. Mrs.Everdeen may have started the revolution when she sabotaged the prior hunger games, but she did not carry all the weight by herself. While reading the novel, there is a process and development period where the reader can see a hesitant, afraid, mostly ordinary young women become a leader and a fighter.  

Ultimately, I believe Suzanne Collins, the author of the "Hunger Games" series, created Katniss Everdeen for many purposes. Although I have not finished the novel or series, a few of those motives have become clear to me. Rebellion would be one. Suzanne wants readers to question their surroundings. Pinpoint the things in their lives that seem fishy or need to be changed, and make a change. She also wants readers to take on a new attitude towards life. Following the bravery and riskiness of Katniss Everdeen could promote a happier lifestyle for those readers who are too afraid to defy the norms of society. I will definitely try to take away as many positive traits as possible from Mrs.Everdeen as well...

WORK CITED 

Collins, Suzanna. Catching Fire. New York: Scholastic Inc.,2009. Print.

-Chris H

How Are You Katniss?

Throughout Catching Fire you can see that Katniss is basically a certified badass. Katniss is meant to be seen as a hero no matter what book of the Hunger Games series you are reading. Katniss’s efforts are meant to be seen as heroic and brave. Katniss is a one of a kind character that I have not seen in any other novel.

Katniss reminds me of Spider-Man. In district twelve Katniss is looked up too and is a symbol of hope. Today, kids growing up have that same figure, but that figure is Spider-Man. I don’t know of anyone that wouldn't want to be Spider-Man, everyone wants to be Spider-Man even though I believe Katniss would kicks Spider-Man’s ass in a fight, but that’s besides the point. Anyway, Katniss in Catching Fire shows many examples of heroic efforts. Also, the reasoning for Katniss’s efforts and actions makes her an even more likeable character. Trying to save her little sister and her family make her a character that you can simply have to like. Fighting for her district is almost as similar to a high school football game. You may be thinking, what the hell is he talking about. But don’t you worry, let me explain. Most of you reading this have graduated from high school, or at least I hope you did. Anyway, most high school’s have a football program. So most of you know the feeling and resemblance that I am shooting for here. The anticipation in the air on a Friday afternoon, waiting for that first kickoff at seven o clock under the lights. Cheering for your hometown team is like cheering for Katniss. Your team is representing your hometown and what you represent as a community. That is exactly what Katniss is fighting for. Except, in Catching Fire, you simply don’t lose the game, you lose your life instead. This alone makes Katniss’s efforts and actions ten times more likeable.

Katniss family ties and bond with Peeta and her close companions show you that she is more than just a caring person. “I realize only one person will be damaged beyond repair if Peeta dies. Me.” (Collins) stated by none other than Katniss herself. With quotes like these how could you possibly not like Katniss. It shows that she is a loving, kind, and extremely relatable. To me, for a character to be considered likeable in my book, that character must be relatable. I know for a fact, that in your life you have at least one person that if you lost them, you would be torn forever. This is how Katniss feels about Peeta and also her family. Being able to relate to Katniss on a personal level is a must for her to be considered likeable. I believe that is why Suzanne Collins made Katniss the way she is. If Collins created Katniss with any other different characteristics, then I believe that Katniss would not be the heroic and loving character that she is made out to be. If Katniss was any different it would be like Spider-Man without his web. It just simply would not work. Collins created the perfect blend of relatable, emotions, and actions to create the perfect character for the Hunger Game series.

So, let’s put this all in perspective. Spiderman? Football games? What the hell is he talking about? Let me tell you. Collin’s created the perfect character, Katniss Everdeen. Her characteristics make her a very lovable character. This paired with her heroic actions make her a character that you just want to root for. If Collin’s created a cold hearted b*tch, do you think people would like her and root for her? Not a chance. Katniss is like a modern day Spider-Man. Everyone loves Spider-Man just as everyone loves Katniss. It may be corny but it is the truth. Katniss is just a loveable character. Katniss’s efforts in the games remind me of my experiences going to high school football games. Katniss is just a loveable badass, if that makes any sense to you. I would suggest to not be on Katniss’s bad side on the battlefield. But then she will come home and show you the deepest of affection. She truly is a loveable character.    

Joe F. Prompt 6

Works cited

Collins, Suzanne, and Elizabeth B. Parisi. Catching Fire. Print.

                    

Are social classes divided in more ways then we think in America , like Panem?

                                   

In catching fire there many parallels of economic inequality and division of social class i see in today's society. I believe it touches upon forms of racism that segregated the poor districts from the rich ones in catching fire  because they don't want any integration to occur among the districts.the same could be said for america around 50 years ago that did not allow black and white integration to occur but not only that but poor African Americans to attend school and not become victims of the poor working class. Panem segregated the poor working class in different districts and there is a major division that district 12 and district 1 have.Katniss had a taste of the luxurious life district 1 has when she began stuffing her face with food. Katniss tastes everything in your vision and says “every table presents new temptations ”, “I pick up a small roasted bird and bite into it and my tongue floods with orange sauce,Delicious.But i make Peeta eat the remainder because I want to keep tasting things, and the idea of throwing away food, as i see so many people doing casually, is abhorrent to me”. ( Collins, page 78). I have felt that same way as my parents face such hardships of having a enough food to eat in a day and have been conditioned by my parents to not throw away food.i doubt other families of wealthy class in America today ever wonder the value of food and not throw it away, like when Katniss was describing what the people in district 1 did. She filled her gluttonous self to the point she said “ I couldn't hold another bite. (Collins,  page 79).

We see a major economic inequality here that people not only don't value food and its abundance but purposely regurgitate it  because they want more and more! Flavius gives Peeta something to drink and Octavia shrieks “not here” and Venia say “you have to there it in there” as she was pointing to the door of the toilets. Peeta asks indirectly the point of this  and Octavia says “of course so you can keep eating” ( Collins, page 79)The people in district 1  drink a liquid to make them vomit so they can have more food and I draw parallels to  how we in the united states abuse our abundance of  food by having it so  cheaply by the $ as well have massive portions or plates of food that feed more than a single individual. While in the mean time there are millions of people around the world starving, let alone the thousands who starve in the America, who don't even have the luxury to choose what they eat, let alone have an overabundance in America. I think ,Suzanne Collins does draw faint parallels of social division and class, using food as a crutch, to compare America’s own social and class division.

In La weekly, Andrew Simmons talks about how Lisa Miller dissects a Barney’s campaign in November 22,2010 about how food has become fashionable and cites a 80,000 diamond necklace “garnished” with octopus tentacles (Simmons, 2010) .She also states a billboard she saw by Barney featuring  a model and says “looks like a  crown of chocolate ganache florets piled atop her head and a fat cherry tucked between her dark-red lips like an edible ball-gag. "Have a foodie holiday," reads the script in piped icing font.  

She continues saying  “Food is already a mighty dividing line in America. The richest Americans are getting richer; the poorest Americans are getting no less poor. Rich people buy $20 hunks of raw-milk cheese and talk about ramps; poor people eat frozen dinners, suffer from obesity, and die before they should. Thus, it's sort of grossly perfect that a high-end department store has seized upon the idea of pairing sex and impeccable produce to push luxury togs.” It seems the more our capitalist  society feeds into the consumerism hole we need to fill , the more we buy ridiculously  expensive items, like an octopus garnished diamond necklace advertised, the more divided we become in terms of social class.  

This is just one example of how division of  social class that happens in our society that we should be aware of.Should we question how our culture participates in relation , to how the capitol in Panem participates, into fulfilling a void of consumerism? Are we also being blinded, like the people in the capitol, into fulfilling our materialistic desires and ignore the bigger issues of economic inequality by division of social class ?

By Erik L.  Blog assignment:Text to world

References cited

Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2009. Print.  

Simmons, Andrew .”The Dinner Divide,Discussed:Or,Food + Class in America”, LA Weekly, 2010.Website

http://www.laweekly.com/restaurants/the-dinner-divide-discussed-or-food-class-in-america-2378151

Do we Know Everything or Do we Know Nothing ?

It has taken me almost the entirety of this book to understand what is actually going on. I have never seen or read any of The Hunger Games movie and sequels, but I see how I can make a strong connection of the book to our everyday lives. Whether it is political,economical, and basic rights and dignities this reading has the whole package. 

Politically, Panem is under complete control of the capital. Many people are blind to the fact that how much power the government actually has over them. Katniss Everdeen is the protagonist and up to this point in the book has learned quite a lot about what the Capitol is doing to the districts. 

During the games Katniss began to have a fake Crush on Peeta. He was a gentleman to her and kept her alive. Before they embark on their “Victors Journey” President Snow Drops by for a visit. He states “I’m only interested in how it affects your dynamic with Peeta, thereby affecting the moods in the districts” (28). Katniss never ate the poisoned berries in the hunger games so she stayed alive resulting in two victors. President Snow wants her to fall in love with Peeta and only Peeta, this is another reason why the games have two victors. Snow knows about Gale and basically takes away her rights of being with him. If she was to leave Peeta all hell would break loose. “Only you’ll have to do even better if the uprising are to be adverted”  says Snow (29). In return Katniss says “I know. I will. I’ll convince everyone in the districts that I wasn't defying the capitol, that I was crazy in love” (29). The victors tour goes through all the districts and stops lastly at the winner’s home district, which would be 12. Once they begin the tour of districts Peeta and Katniss meet outside. “My faces breaks into a big smile and I start walking into Peeta’s direction. Then as If I can’t stand it another second, I start running. He catches me and spins me around” (42). Basically showing Snow that she understands his’ rules. During the reading I see that on their journey Katniss points out many differences between districts. 

District 11 was their first stop, both Peeta and Katniss are from 12. 12 is the farthest and least guarded of the districts. Katniss always used to just slip outside the fence and went hunting with Gale ( her other lover of some sorts.) Pulling into 11 is much different. Katniss states “We slow slightly and I think we might be coming in for another stop, when a fence rises up before us. Towering at least thirty-five feet in the air… It makes ours in back in district 12 childish” (55). District 12 doesn’t even have close to something like this. Katniss and Gale go into the woods right through the fence all the time. Here you could see no one could get or get out. Katniss also sees that 11’s economics are in ruins “In some districts the victors ride the whole city…maybe because there’s not much of a city to begin with” (56). Everything is run down and she states that the Justice building “must have been a thing of beauty, but time has taken it’s toll”(56). As they begin to leave the justice building all hell breaks loose outside. Katniss gave a speech and thanked Rue and her family for what she had done for her in the games. Katniss sees a man look at here and gave each other a weird, but targeted glance at one another. “I only meant to express my thanks—but I have elicited something dangerous…this is exactly the kind of thing I am suppose to be defusing” (62). A full riot has began outside the justice building at this time. 

Another part that I believe shows a large impact is when they go to the visit The Capitol. Katniss states “The forty-foot ceiling has been transformed into the night sky” (76). Here Katniss and Peeta are awe at how much food there is too eat. Katniss says “Tables laden with delicacies line the walls” (77). As Katniss eats and becomes full other people come up to them and speak to them and ask if they enjoyed the food. Katniss obviously loves the food as she says “I could just eat this all night” (78). The problem is she begins to feel extremely full not even half way through her first plate. They point her to a table with glasses that have clear liquid in them. Octavia says “everyone does it, or else how would you have any fun at a feast” (79). It is a type of concoction that makes you puke so you can eat more than usual. 

President Snow seems to be very happy as Katniss has been doing well with loving Peeta. Peeta had proposed to Katniss. This is exactly what he wanted. He knows if Katniss does not do this other Districts will rebel something that cannot happen. 

On the way back they go to their justice building in district 12. Katniss knows the majors daughter Madge. Katniss goes up to see her, but passes by The Mayors office. She peeks her head in, but he is not there. The TV is blaring though the doorway. Katniss can not help, but watch the TV. She sees a breaking news title come across the screen “instinctively I know this is not for my eyes.. she warns that conditions are worsening and additional. Forces are being sent into district 8” (88). It shows that district 8 has rebelled. Katniss goes crazy at the fact that all this happening. She blames herself as she has created the rebellion by rebelling during the games. 

 As of right now all these connections can be made with our government and how it is ran. We see in the book that people do not believe their rights are being taken away from them because they do not know any better. In America this happens all too often, we are uneducated and do not know how powerful we actually are. 

Another example would be the economics,.specific areas of America are run down. This all has to do with the Economics. The city of Detroit Michigan used to be prospering, during the car manufacturing industry in that part of the country. Now a house can be bought for 2,000 dollars. Like we see in District 11 the area is run down, but you can that it used to be something great there just like in Detroit. 

The government hides so much information from us it’s ridiculous

Works Cited
Collins, Suzanne, and Elizabeth B. Parisi. Catching Fire. Print.