Character Analysis Of Katniss Everdeen In 'The Hunger Games'

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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. She has
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Katniss is thrown unwillingly into the spotlight and made a celebrity for The Hunger Games. She is wracked with nerves for every interview and appearance she has to make in the lead up to the sadistic reality show but she puts on a smile and fights through it. Katniss is described by her mentor Haymitch as “sullen and hostile”. Throughout the games, Katniss has the internal struggle of choosing between two things, her allies and friends she makes during the games or survival, which means getting back home to her sister Prim and her best friend Gale. At one point, Katniss even attempts to sacrifice herself and a friend in an act of rebellion against the cruel, vindictive President Snow that has supressed, starved and tortured the districts for 74 years. Katniss’ astonishing courage and fierceness is shown in this small act of rebellion and soon, these characteristics will lead a revolution.

Katniss’ ally in the Hunger Games is Peeta Mellark, a 16 year old boy that was the male tribute reaped for the 74th Hunger Games. Whilst Katniss and Peeta have contrasting opinions and personality traits, they share the same quality that lots of other characters have in this franchise, the need to protect others and survive. Of course, Peeta hasn’t had as much practice at survival as Katniss has due to his ever-so-slightly kinder upbringing. Peeta’s character

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