The Hunger Games Feminist Analysis

Improved Essays
Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of The Hunger Games would be an example of the second. The novel became a phenomenon in the United States and sparked debate of feministic themes. Everdeen holds many ‘feminine’ and ‘masculine’ characteristics. She is a nurturing care giver, and yet is lethal with a bow and arrow. After analysis of both feminism and The Hunger Games separately, it is obvious that there are overlapping sections. Everdeen can be seen as an embodiment of third-wave feminism in its flexibility of sexuality and support of female empowerment. An area of further study would be to look into the second leading character: Peeta Mellark. This male character does equally as much gender quality swapping as Everdeen. Melark is a cake decorator, …show more content…
By taking the role as the head of her family, Everdeen asserts her domination; she assumes the typically male role of being the “bread winner.” And yet, despite her authority, Everdeen displays genuine ‘feminine’ characteristics when interacting with her family members. In the first scene of the movie, she tenderly embraces her younger sibling and provides comfort from a nightmare. Everdeen even sings to her sister in a motherly and nurturing gesture. While providing for her family is her job, Everdeen shows no interest in advancing professionally or exerting more work than is needed to keep food on the table. Everdeen is the authoritative head of the household and, yet, is family-centered. An obvious example of Everdeen’s masculinity is her knowledge and skill with a bow and arrow (though her use of said skill is in a ‘feminine’ way). “Katniss has qualities usually given to boys: a hunter who’s kept her mother and sister from starving since she was 11, she’s intrepid and tough, better at killing rabbits than expressing her feelings, a skilled bargainer in the black market for meat” (Pollitt). Despite her accuracy with a deadly weapon, she is not 10 boastful or ruthless. Within the novel, Everdeen is never the aggressor and only kills out of self-defence. These gender-mixed traits are explained by viewing “Katniss as a version of the goddess Artemis, protectress of the young and huntress with a silver bow and arrows like the ones Katniss carries in the games” (78). Everdeen is a distinctively different type of cinema

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In the Hunger Games, the main character and narrator is 16 year old Katniss Everdeen. Katniss is strong, resourceful, and very mature. Katniss is the backbone of her family which consists of, her mother, and her younger sister, Prim. Katniss is extremely protective of her younger sister, and she volunteers as tribute to…

    • 1025 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The movie “The Hunger Games” is a science fiction movie which is filmed very well from my opinion. The movie is a 2014 American movie about war. The director of the movie is Francis Lawrence. The film continues to follow the main character Katniss Everdeen who is the person who have twice survived “The Hunger Games”. Subsequently Everdeen finds herself in District 13.…

    • 404 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins takes place in a post apocalyptic society where the only way to keep the “districts” in check is by hosting an annual program, known as a celebration, called The Hunger Games. During The Hunger Games one male and one female between the ages of 12-17 are chosen from each district. They are forced to fight to the death until only one remains as the victor. This year Katniss Everdeen, a poor girl from district 12, volunteers to take her sister’s place in the games. Katniss uses her wit and survival skills to conquer the games along with her new love interest, Peeta.…

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Equality and Katniss: Both Similar and Different The author of Anthem and the author of The Hunger Games trilogy never shook hands, but the extensive similarities and sizeable differences between Katniss and Equality are clear. Similarities and differences possess the ability to be unified with each other to recognize strong characters and heroes throughout literatures; however, they can also be put up against each other as opposing forces in constant battle. It is important to take a step back and remember that both similarities and differences should be looked at and admired, as it is what makes each character in a story unique from the others.…

    • 1319 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the beginning of the movie The Hunger Games Katniss Everdeen commences her "Hero's Journey". In the beginning of the film Katniss' ordinary life is shown to the audience, including her poverty-stricken district, her small-knit family, and her friendship with a boy named Gale. The first step in the Hero's Journey is "The Ordinary World", in which the hero's normal life is examined before they go on their actual journey. On the day of the infamous reaping, in which two tributes (a girl and a boy) are chosen from each district to participate in The Hunger Games, Primrose Everdeen (Katniss' sister) name is drawn.…

    • 984 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Katniss Everdeen’s Hero Journey The morning of the reaping, Katniss assumed it was going to be like all the others. She never expected that just one piece of paper would cause her to go on a crazy adventure. From that morning on, Katniss would become a whole new person. She would become more confident and powerful, rather than a poor beggar.…

    • 929 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Fatal Attraction Women

    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Adrian Lyne is portraying two different women in society; Alex is the working woman and Beth is the housewife. Therefore, this movie support male dominated society and how women are portrayed as needing a man in their lives to feel completed. In a male dominant society, the male is the rule maker. Things must always be approved by him.…

    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sociology is the study of social aspects that regard human groups; relationships, structure and function. Movies, music, television shows and the internet, among many other sources are forms of media that most people use in their every day routine in one form or another. Although we may not always be aware, sociology is tied closely to every type of media we interact with. Movies often reflect social reality, but are not always a perfect mirror. In the film, The Hunger Games, the society is very different than our own.…

    • 1528 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The capital feels humiliated by Katniss’ rebelliousness on live television. Katniss says, “… The Hunger Games are their [the capital’s] weapon and you are not supposed to be able to defeat it” (Collins 358). But Katniss did and she is now the hope and the face of rebellion for the districts. Athletic, clever, compassionate, modest, and rebellious are all words that explain what makes Katniss Panem’s heroine. The all around qualities is what makes her such a unique and powerful character.…

    • 2648 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    This hierarchal struggle also highlights the feminist critical theory through symbolism and events in the novel. Throughout the…

    • 996 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Katniss Everdeen, the iconic protagonist of The Hunger Games, is a 16 year old girl who lives with her 12 year old sister Primrose and her mother in dirty and poor District Twelve. Since her loving father died in a mining explosion when she was just 12, and her mother became depressed and distant, Katniss was forced to fill her father’s shoes and feed and support her family in this cruel country. Despite the rules and the risks, Katniss hunts by bow and arrow in the forest of District Twelve to keep herself and her family alive. When her sister is reaped for the Hunger Games, Katniss sacrifices herself to take her place. Katniss isn’t a terribly sentimental character which sets her apart from other girl heroines in literature today.…

    • 807 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Social Stratification in The Hunger Games Many people consider their daily lives to be “normal.” To someone with privilege, being picked up from school in a Lexus and going home to a 6,000 square foot house is typical. To someone less fortunate, this is outrageous when buses and apartments are the norm. The world is divided up into social classes, from rich to poor, and those found in between.…

    • 1492 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This means that women are somewhat under-represented in plays. They are considered as secondary characters to men and are only in the storyline to substantiate a male character’s life. Literature Review According to (Wilfred. L.Guerin, 2005), feminism is not just about white, educated and heterosexual women but it is about…

    • 1795 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Marxism in The Hunger Games If there is any perfect representation of Marxism in film it is in The Hunger Games. For this case study, I will be focusing on the first movie of the trilogy. This paper will overview the way Marxism is shown in The Hunger Games using a few examples from the movie. In this paper, I argue that The Hunger Games’ plot line has Marxism theories extremely exposed and almost blatantly exposed. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels developed Marxism in the early 1900s.…

    • 753 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    To this day, his legacy has motivated many to do the same. In the fictional movie, The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen shows that she is a born leader through her hard working actions. She says, “Some walks you have to take alone.” As she also has to make many sacrifices during the movies, such as volunteering herself in place of her sister to represent her district in the Hunger Games. She never gives up and is extremely brave.…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays