Capitol Logic

[Amber]

In his interview with Caesar Flickerman, Peeta announces that Katniss is pregnant and the Capitol people become outraged.

Pg256 "...accusations of injustice and barbarism and cruelty flying out in every direction. Even the most Capitol-loving, Games-Hungry, bloodthirsty person out there can't ignore...How horrific the whole thing is."

I love the books and agree that this is indeed horrific but, it is still horrific even before the idea of Katniss being pregnant.

They are still sending people into an arena to fight to the death. In some instances they are still children at 12yrs old.

So why are they outraged at a pregnant woman being in the arena when the whole "Hunger Games" is outrageous? What, its barbaric to send a pregnant woman into the arena but not a 12-18yr old?

Either way pregnant or not, or any age for that matter, it is barbaric!

[Sophie]

Why are anti-abortion politicians in the US so concerned with unborn children but not with expanding government benefit programs so those children don't starve when they are born? *shrug*

[Ericka]

Yeah, I think we're meant to see the illogical hypocrisy of the whole thing. So....this thing tweaks people's conscience but all these other outrages against humanity are entertainment and appropriate social control? But it still doesn't lead to a questioning of the system (if I remember right); it just ups the pathos and hence the entertainment value.

[Line]

Sophie wrote: "Why are anti-abortion politicians in the US so concerned with unborn children but not with expanding government benefit programs so those children don't starve when they are born? *shrug*"

Couldn't agree more...! (And just to be fair to americans, it's an 'epidemic' across the western world)

[Kristen]

I think because to them, it's a game, played by competent people. Yes, some of the Tributes are only 12, but it's still old enough to be in the Games. If they are smart or strong enough, they could potentially win. And obviously babies are helpless and in the situation of someone being pregnant, hinders the tribute's ability.

Although, I think they were really just surprised. Notice that they didn't protest or anything.

[AgCl]

I think its because they've been desensitized with the hunger games. Its been around for 70++ years so the capitol people just take it for granted and well they sort of see the people in the districts as beneath them or of another species. So when you introduce something new and something they can relate with like "pregnancy" i suppose it acts as something like a wake up call that those tributes are actually people like them.


Its kinda like when people protest "non-humane" ways of slaughtering animals. They're like saying its okay to butcher the pig as long as it doesn't suffer.

[Paul]

I believe that the citizens have accepted the status quo after 74-75 years of the games.
The brainwashed masses have become numb to the idea especially since the capital celebrates it as a holiday and the citizens of the capital are not taken as players but the pregnancy throws a wrench in the status quo for the many and varied, obvious reasons that pop into mind when an unborn child and pregnant mother are involved.