today i'm linking up with ashley from sloanbook for her discussion about the hunger games! if you would like to participate just link up on her blog :) first of all, i have to say that i just loved this book and the rest of the books in the trilogy. i managed to fly through all 3 books within a week on my nook! i highly suggest that if you haven't read the remaining 2 books, that you should definitely get reading!
1 // Who was your favorite character in The Hunger Games? Why? This is a toss up! Even though I loved everything about Peeta, I think I'm going to go with Cinna. Even though he was from the capitol, he wasn't like the rest of the capitol people or influenced by the capitol ways. He genuinely cared for Katniss and how his influence on her costumes would either hinder or improve her lucky in the hunger games.2 // What did you feel was the most emotional moment in book? Which part was the hardest to read? The most emotional moment was the death of Rue. It was completely heartbreaking to read every moment from her yelling out to Katniss, to Katniss decorating her body with the wild flowers. I felt horrible that a sweet and innocent child ended up in such a horrible game.
3 // How does Katniss feel about the country of Panem? Why does she need to make her face "an indifferent mask" and be careful what she says in public? I believe that Katniss does not agree with how Panem in run but doesn't act upon her thought because she knows that what she says can influence whether or not her family lives or dies. This is also why she has to keep an indifferent marsk.
4 // Why do you think fire is an appropriate symbol for Katniss? Katniss is a fighter from the start of the book. She didn't allow the death of her father allow her family to starve. She did everything in her power to make sure that her family was taken care of. Once in the Hunger Games, she wasn't going to allow the capitol have control of her fate by letting herself die a pitiful death. 5 // How does Katniss’ early encounter with Peeta affect their relationship after they are chosen as tributes? Katniss realizes that she owes everything to Peeta for saving her from starvation when she was younger and will do anything to make sure that he survives the games.
6 // Did your perception of Peeta change over the course of The Hunger Games? How and why? Yes, at first I thought that he had done everything to benefit himself and also to make it easy for Katniss to kill him. But as I read more into the book, I realized that he truly did love her and he was doing everything for her protection.
7 // How does the fact that the tributes are always on camera affect their behavior from the time they are chosen? Does it make it easier or harder for them to accept their fate? The tributes are sort of forced to put on this front that they are not weak. I think it makes it harder because "most" of the tributes don't want to be there and do not want to die, but they don't want to show weakness because they are afraid of dying and believe if they show weakness the gamekeepers will kill them off faster.
8 // Before the Games start, Peeta tells Katniss, " . . . I want to die as myself . . . I don't want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I'm not." What does this tell you about Peeta? What does he fear more than death? Is he able to stay true to himself during the Games? This shows that Peeta is a truly caring person and doesn't have a signal bad bone in his body. He fears losing Katniss more than death itself and I believe he did stay true to himself. He showed that he cared for Katniss and did everything in his power to make sure that she lived.
9 // When Peeta declares his love for Katniss in the interview, does he really mean it or did Haymitch create the "star-crossed lovers" story? What does Haymitch mean when he says, "It's all a big show. It's all how you're perceived." Why do they need to impress sponsors and what are those sponsors looking for when they are watching the Games? I think Peeta does really love Katniss when he declares it in the interview but I think Haymitch pushed him into admitting it to Katniss. When Haymitch said "It's all a big show. It's all how you're perceived," he was advising Katniss and Peeta that if you give the gamekeepers and audience want they want, then it's more likely that you'll live longer in the games. Peeta and Katniss need to impress the sponsors in order to receive gifts that can be beneficial throughout the games. During the games, the sponsors are looking for Peeta and Katniss' love story to evolve.
10 // Why does Katniss ignore Haymitch’s advice to head directly away from the Cornucopia? Did she do the right thing to fight for equipment? I think Katniss realizes that if she doesn't grab something there is no way of her surviving more than a few days before having to come back to the Cornucopia or killing off others for supplies. So yes, I do think that she did the right thing by fighting for the equipment.
11 // What makes Katniss and Rue trust each other to become partners? What does Katniss gain from this friendship besides companionship? Is Katniss and Rue's partnership formed for different reasons than the other group's? Katniss first allowed Rue to follow her around in the training center and then once surrounded by the career tributes, Rue helped Katniss out by point out the nest of hybrid wasps in the tree above which ended up saving Katniss' life. Katniss gains the knowledge of healing powers from plants and how other districts in Panem are run. Katniss is also reminded of her sister Prim, in Rue which gives her the companionship and trust that she had with her younger sister.
12 // What did you think of the fact that they changed the rules partway through the games to allow two winners from the same district? I was surpised at first but then I was happy that maybe there was a chance that her and Peeta would actually end up together. I was very upset when I came to find out that it was all a ruse!Elle
