Mockingjay
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Did anyone else find Katniss annoying?
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Emma
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Apr 01, 2014 10:07AM
If you look at it in the one way that most people do, then yes she got annoying. If you look at it another way then you would see she was depressed and was being forced into doing something she didn`t want to do.
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Only when I was reading and I was like "Katniss don't!" And she didn't listen to me.
I really didn't like Katniss in the first two books because she seemed to cold and able to play with everyone's feelings (like Peeta's) just to get what she wanted. And she wasn't even sorry for it. But she was in a position that non of us could ever understand, so who know what we would do in her shoes. She was also kinda moody, which later appeared to be some sort of depression. It looked like she wasn't even a human, just a tool for revenge and death. And that bugged me the most. The only time she was human was when she was with Gale and it more looked like she was just some teenage girl in love and I wanted more for her. But in the third book, she actually learned to accept her emotions, but still not let it control and become just a triangle game. She was more than cold blood and more than just a stupid girl trying to choose between her boys and we could actually see it just in the third book. At least that's how it felt for me.
i love katniss, she's selfless and was a mother for so many ppl
Astoria wrote: "Mizuki wrote: "Gwynneth wrote: "A lot of people are saying that she can be excused for becoming a drug-dependent, self-absorbed whiner in Mockingjay because of all she had lived through,but I don't..."No offense, but you're both being at least a little too harsh on Katniss - she is a fighter, and although everyone went through hell in the book, Katniss's situation is a little different. You're making her out to be this whiny selfish baby, when that is the opposite of what she is. You're ignoring the good sides to her, and focusing on the flaws that she has (which make her real. If she didn't "whine" she wouldn't be a wholly believable character. Then, people would complain about her being too perfect.)
Astoria wrote: "Mizuki wrote: "Gwynneth wrote: "A lot of people are saying that she can be excused for becoming a drug-dependent, self-absorbed whiner in Mockingjay because of all she had lived through,but I don't..."It seems like Goodreads ate my long reply, and I don't feel like re-typing everything again. to this point we can only agree or diesagree. So have a nice day.
Mizuki wrote: "I doubt it's Collins' intention to make Katniss unlikable. Haven't you noticed through Katniss's narration, it's always everyone else but Katniss who is at fault? First it's her mother for 'checking out', then Haymitch for lying to her, then it's Gale for 'killing' Prim, then it's the rebels, blah blah blah. Nothing is Katniss's fault. Collins wants us to buy Katniss as the innocent victim more than anything."I agree. I think, too, that if Katniss had done all of this (blamed everyone else) and then finally came to the recognition that she was wrong to blame people, hold grudges, etc. she would have been more likable. To admit your own flaws is a big thing and if Katniss had done that at all, it would have been better in my opinion.
Honestly, i found her selfish. I know voulunterring was selfless. but the rest of the time, she only thought about her. not the greater good of the revolution, not finnick, hamitch, or anyone else. I thought almost everyone was more brave then her. and how about she takes her time becoming the mocking jay basically because she doesn't want too, when she knows its the greater good. and then theirs all she put peta and gale through. its revolution time! not i love peta one second gale the next time!
Raynebow wrote: "Honestly, i found her selfish. I know voulunterring was selfless. but the rest of the time, she only thought about her. not the greater good of the revolution, not finnick, hamitch, or anyone else...."She only took her time because she needed to adjust and learn to trust ^.^ And she was always helping people and it wasn't just her volunteering for her sister that was selfless. And she was extremely brave - going through two hunger games, taking care of her family since she was eleven, risking everything for everyone, etc.
Sandra wrote: "^^^^ Katniss WAS fighting back. Have you not read the books? She was the one who started the whole thing, even! And she wasn't the o ly one "crying" - they were all pretty mixed up."I have read the book TWICE and I don't see how whining and shooting for propos are equal to fighting back.
Ayesha wrote: "Sandra wrote: "^^^^ Katniss WAS fighting back. Have you not read the books? She was the one who started the whole thing, even! And she wasn't the o ly one "crying" - they were all pretty mixed up."..."Oi. I don't see how "whining" has anything to do with fighting back?? She had every right to be upset?? And 'shooting for propos'? Yeah bc trying to save the people in the hospital was for the cameras, right? And she was the one who started the whole thing BECAUSE SHE fought back lol
Katniss got upset when she was given the responsibility of being the Mockingjay. She absolutely doesn't care about so many people fighting and dying out there, she hardly cares about the expectations common people keep with her. She reluctantly agrees to become the Mockingjay. She runs away from responsibility. She bunks her training sessions every single day just so she can cry and whine in the corner. How is that admirable?
Sandra wrote: "Ayesha wrote: "Sandra wrote: "^^^^ Katniss WAS fighting back. Have you not read the books? She was the one who started the whole thing, even! And she wasn't the o ly one "crying" - they were all pr..."I disagree. Katniss NEVER fought back. Throughout mockingjay she is reluctant to take part in the rebellion and she never does anything great to contribute to it EVEN WHEN so many people have expectations from her. All she does is shoot for propos which imo was unnecessary and a waste of time when she could do some real fighting and leading instead.
Mariah wrote: "I agree. I think, too, that if Katniss had done all of this (blamed everyone else) and then finally came to the recognition that she was wrong to blame people, hold grudges, etc. she would have been more likable. To admit your own flaws is a big thing and if Katniss had done that at all, it would have been better in my opinion."Everyone has issues, everyone has flaws, everyone has their own share of fault, but it really gets into my nerves when Katniss keep blaming EVERYONE for 'failing' her. Hey, then how about your own fault at taking your sweet time to accept responsibility to be the Mockingjay? What about your own fault at leading your teammates to die pointlessly just to assassinate Snow for nothing but your personal grudge against him?
Mizuki wrote: "Everyone has issues, everyone has flaws, everyone has their own share of fault, but it really gets into my nerves when Katniss keep blaming EVERYONE for 'failing' her. Hey, then how about your own fault at taking your sweet time to accept responsibility to be the Mockingjay? What about your own fault at leading your teammates to die pointlessly just to assassinate Snow for nothing but your personal grudge against him?"And no other character seemed to blame her for anything, either. They had no qualms with her as far as I recall. Annie wasn't mad that Finnick died because Katniss acted stupidly, I know that. She was upset, yes, but I would have found it to be realistic if she was bitter at Katniss.
Plutarch never seemed to get mad at her, either.
Mariah wrote: "And no other character seemed to blame her for anything, either. They had no qualms with her as far as I recall. Annie wasn't mad that Finnick died because Katniss acted stupidly, I know that. She was upset, yes, but I would have found it to be realistic if she was bitter at Katniss. "You're right, Annie had lost the man of her life and the father of her baby because of Katniss, it would only be realistic for her to be bitter at Katniss.
Haymitch seems to be the only one who has gotten mad with her, but in Mockingjay, even him seems to give up caring. And Gale...for a few times he ran into argument with Katniss, but Katniss always makes it look like "Gale doesn't understand me"
*sighs*
I read this book at least two years ago but I remember for a few times Katniss talks like her self-assigned mission to assassinate Snow is for the greater good of the people, but WHO IS SHE KIDDING ANYWAY? It looks more like it to me: Snow hurt her, so she has to hunt Snow down in some way.
Sweta wrote: "I see Katniss as a regular, normal girl who would do anything for her family & loved ones but doesn't care about anything else. Part of her whining & selfish attitude is due to the hardships she has faced since her father died. She never wanted to be in limelight or the face of the revolution. All she ever wanted was food, happiness & peace for her family. We expect protagonists to be strong willed, fighting for a greater cause, for good of others, so Katniss may come out as selfish & annoying. I am not a big fan of her but I find her okay, she doesn't annoy me."I can see your point of view.
It's not the fact that she's suffering through PTSD that bothers me, nor is it the fact that she didn't want to be the Mockingjay in the first place. (Although, she does go through this time in Catching Fire as I recall, where she wonders if she pulled the berries as a sign of rebellion.)
It's more along the lines that she doesn't seek help for her PTSD; she's putting herself first ESPECIALLY with Gale and Peeta (when did she ever think of them first?); and though she doesn't train for most of the book, she still manages to earn her way into the war and her only motivation was to get back at Snow.
She doesn't go through any significant character development.
Honestly, since The Hunger Games, I always thought this trilogy would be better told in third person. That way Katniss could go through PTSD, seek help maybe, but not be the center of the novel.
Katniss is a girl in pain throughout the series, so I feel tremendous empathy for her.
She lives in a brutal world of oppression, poverty, and with the ever-present threat of death either from starvation or punishment for breaking the law to provide for her family. Later she has to deal with the fallout from her perceived act of defiance against the government.
On top of that, she is dealing with the emotional trauma of the death of her father and the catatonic depression of her mother at such a young age.
So let's take an inventory: oppression, poverty, threat of death, trauma of abandonment of the two people who were supposed to take care of her and Prim, and the burden of providing for her family. Oh and did I mention that as a resident of the Seam she is part the the most marginalized group of the most impoverished District in the country?
While some of her actions are not anywhere near perfect, I always felt her pain throughout the three novels. She is her own worst critic, full of self-loathing, burying her fears and guilt as well as her compassion and love under thick, prickly layers of self-protection. Because that's the only way she thinks she can survive - for herself and the sake of the people who count on her.
When she is introduced to Peeta's idealism and sacrificial values, her world is turned upside down. She struggles with the conflict of self-preservation versus risking her life for not only the people she cares about, but the welfare of the entire country.
I have no problem cutting her a little slack. This is why I believe that the other characters who love or care about her also don't judge her too harshly.
Her character goes through a painful journey of opening herself to love and compassion and the vulnerability that creates. She reacts to this pain in ways that feel very realistic to me.
Ultimately, when she believes she has lost everything, she lets go, does the most sacrificial thing she can do, which is spare the country of yet another despot and more Hunger Games, knowing that the penalty is death for assassinating a sitting president.
That she is in the end rewarded with a redemptive life of love and peace with Peeta, who was her "last hope," away from prying eyes and political machinations of Panem's new government, is deserved.
She lives in a brutal world of oppression, poverty, and with the ever-present threat of death either from starvation or punishment for breaking the law to provide for her family. Later she has to deal with the fallout from her perceived act of defiance against the government.
On top of that, she is dealing with the emotional trauma of the death of her father and the catatonic depression of her mother at such a young age.
So let's take an inventory: oppression, poverty, threat of death, trauma of abandonment of the two people who were supposed to take care of her and Prim, and the burden of providing for her family. Oh and did I mention that as a resident of the Seam she is part the the most marginalized group of the most impoverished District in the country?
While some of her actions are not anywhere near perfect, I always felt her pain throughout the three novels. She is her own worst critic, full of self-loathing, burying her fears and guilt as well as her compassion and love under thick, prickly layers of self-protection. Because that's the only way she thinks she can survive - for herself and the sake of the people who count on her.
When she is introduced to Peeta's idealism and sacrificial values, her world is turned upside down. She struggles with the conflict of self-preservation versus risking her life for not only the people she cares about, but the welfare of the entire country.
I have no problem cutting her a little slack. This is why I believe that the other characters who love or care about her also don't judge her too harshly.
Her character goes through a painful journey of opening herself to love and compassion and the vulnerability that creates. She reacts to this pain in ways that feel very realistic to me.
Ultimately, when she believes she has lost everything, she lets go, does the most sacrificial thing she can do, which is spare the country of yet another despot and more Hunger Games, knowing that the penalty is death for assassinating a sitting president.
That she is in the end rewarded with a redemptive life of love and peace with Peeta, who was her "last hope," away from prying eyes and political machinations of Panem's new government, is deserved.
Ayesha wrote: "Sandra wrote: "Ayesha wrote: "Sandra wrote: "^^^^ Katniss WAS fighting back. Have you not read the books? She was the one who started the whole thing, even! And she wasn't the o ly one "crying" - t..."Could you blame her? She didn't know who to trust - if she could trust Coin, Plutarch, or even Haymitch. And to your other comment, she DID care. She cared a little too much, even. And what I meant was that the whole thing started because SHE fought back. SHE had the guts to stand up to the Capital. And all the propos were her way of fighting back.
Eala wrote: "Katniss is a girl in pain throughout the series, so I feel tremendous empathy for her. She lives in a brutal world of oppression, poverty, and with the ever-present threat of death either from st..."
^^^^^^^^^
“katniss is cold, rude, and not likable at all”my friend (okay idk who it is but someone said this and it's accurate)answers this perfectly: "yes because if your father died, if you watched your mother fall into depression, if you watched your family starve to death while also starving yourself, if you were treated like garbage your entire life because of your position in society WHICH WASNT EVEN DECIDED BY YOU, if you watched your little sister get reaped to her inevitable death and volunteered for her because you’d rather die and protect her, if you had to see so much blood that it haunted you every time you laid your head down at night, if you had to be reaped back into the arena, fight for your life and see even more blood, just to come out of it without any hope, thinking you’re going to be taken by the capitol and tortured, if you found out that your friends, people you saw day to day, innocent people, were set ablaze with firebombs, if you fought in a war and watched your friends die, watched your sister THE PERSON YOU TRIED SO HARD TO SAVE, BLOW UP RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES, you would be jumping on rainbows and smiling every bit of the way???? i think not"
Sandra wrote: " SHE had the guts to stand up to the Capital. And all the propos were her way of fighting back."I don't understand how the propos were her fighting back. They were mostly District 13s ideas and they tried to make them scripted most of the time. Yes, she was the symbol of the rebellion, but she wasn't fighting because she didn't want to do them most of the time. If she was willing, I could define that as fighting, but I really don't understand your point of view.
I'd like to understand your point of view more, though.
I want everyone to know that I, personally, was not looking for someone who didn't go through PTSD or who didn't have issues with being oppressed and depressed. I don't think Collin's portrayed this well, however, personally. (For instance, she had many nightmares, but I really think that if they were caused by her PTSD they would effect her more during the day -- not just be solved because she woke up.) She never went to go get help for this, either and NO ONE suggested she did.It would have been fine for me to have Katniss behave with symptoms of PTSD if it were done better.
It's interesting to read everyone's interpretation of Katniss and her actions and motives.
Regarding the Propos, Haymitch was the first to state what a failure it was to try and get Katniss to "perform." It was agreed at a round table discussion that what made her admirable was the moments when she was acting from her heart, being herself.
I'm not an expert on PTSD, but it seems reasonable it would manifest in all sorts of ways, including her nightmares. Given all the time she spent hiding and experiencing intense emotional and physical symptoms, it seems she was suffering in her waking hours, too.
Katniss had a strong, Gale-like, side of her that wanted vengeance, but she also had the Peeta-side of her that recognized that taking down the Capitol wasn't going to fix anything if it didn't involve a sense of humanity and respect for human life. So IMHO her despair through much of Mockingjay is tied to what she fears is the futility of it all.
Regarding getting professional help... IDK, I never got a very good impression about the level of care in D13. Peeta's treatment seemed pretty marginal until he started the "Real/Not Real" game with his squad-mates, and then in particular, Katniss. Both Peeta and Katniss were valued more as pawns by the leadership of both sides, to be discarded when no longer useful.
Regarding the Propos, Haymitch was the first to state what a failure it was to try and get Katniss to "perform." It was agreed at a round table discussion that what made her admirable was the moments when she was acting from her heart, being herself.
I'm not an expert on PTSD, but it seems reasonable it would manifest in all sorts of ways, including her nightmares. Given all the time she spent hiding and experiencing intense emotional and physical symptoms, it seems she was suffering in her waking hours, too.
Katniss had a strong, Gale-like, side of her that wanted vengeance, but she also had the Peeta-side of her that recognized that taking down the Capitol wasn't going to fix anything if it didn't involve a sense of humanity and respect for human life. So IMHO her despair through much of Mockingjay is tied to what she fears is the futility of it all.
Regarding getting professional help... IDK, I never got a very good impression about the level of care in D13. Peeta's treatment seemed pretty marginal until he started the "Real/Not Real" game with his squad-mates, and then in particular, Katniss. Both Peeta and Katniss were valued more as pawns by the leadership of both sides, to be discarded when no longer useful.
Eala wrote: "It's interesting to read everyone's interpretation of Katniss and her actions and motives."I agree. That's one of the great things about reading. And then being able to discuss it like this is another great bonus.
Well i really like Katniss she's AWESOME!!!
I loved Katniss most of the time, but the amount of time most of the characters spent drugged and useless in Mockingjay was ridiculous (although I still loved the book for the most part). Katniss normally kicked butt though, and was a very strong female lead- love triangle aside. She was also brave and clever, solving her problems herself and never acting like the damsel in distress.
she did totally annoy me. negative Nancy
I meant that she was doing something by doing the propos. Plus, she did do things, like attempt to save the patents in the hospital in 8. Also, it's unreasonable to say that she didn't fight at all when she started the whole thing (I'm not talking about you I meant other people have said that.) Also, to the comment above me, she had every right to be 'negative' lol
#mrs.horanswag wrote: "she did totally annoy me. negative Nancy"Katniss was negative, but in a situation like hers'- where you were forced to fight for your life among 23 other contestants, not once, but twice, no one would be a ray of sunshine. Not to mention that she had been on the verge of death for almost her entire life, having to fight to live after her dad died and her mom sank into a deep depression. Also, at the time of the Hunger Games, she was just a child with a dim chance of survival. So, there's a reason for her negativity.
I just wanted to chime in on the fact that many of Katniss' defenders bring up her "horrible childhood" as part of the excuse for how she is. I'm not arguing that she didn't have a rough go of it- she did- but, comparatively...was it really that rough?? I don't think so. There are so many things that she had that people don't have today- much less if you consider the worst of the history of her particular area. (spoiler-ed for those uninterested in the history (view spoiler)
So, even disregarding the history of this supposedly same or similar area- let's consider what a REALLY bad life for a real teenage girl in the same geographic location would be. It would still be quite possible that she'd lose her father in a mine "disaster" (just in 2010, 29 coal miners were killed due to negligent safety standards), and that would quite possibly cut off all income for the family (also- until this, Katniss has had a very nice life, comparatively).
As there is currently such a drug epidemic in these impoverished areas (especially opiates like Oxycontin), it would be entirely plausible that not only would this teenage girl's mom be incapable of picking up the slack as she should, but that she would actually be bad off enough to use any income produced by government assistance or through the teenager's efforts on drugs instead of caring for the family. The teenager herself might also get hooked on drugs after such misery- (that quite likely could also include abuse of some sort...some research says that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused in America TODAY)- but even if her only goal is to retain custody of her little sister, she'd likely have to turn to very drastic measures in order to keep from losing her to the very flawed foster care system.
As for the "poaching," it would still be an issue, as most of the land in the coal fields is privately owned- making it just as illegal- and the environment is continually being destroyed by mountaintop removal, making it that much harder to survive by such methods. So- she could maybe work a minimum wage job (assuming she has a vehicle to transport her there and back) and still be unable to make ends meet (even IF her mother were ONLY depressed, not an addict and/or abuser), or she could sell drugs (surely I don't need to point out the riskiness of that), or even possibly end up having to sell her body...which- if nothing else had- would probably result in her turning to drugs herself.
I simply find it very hard to compare this horror with Katniss going out on idyllic hunting trips- with her super handsome guy friend who's also in love with her- which were in general fun, easy to get away with, and made her the superhero of her family. Yes, she WAS faced with the possible, eventual, and unlikely reaping of someone she knew AND the knowledge that her government does evil things (gee, wonder how that feels??? haha)...but I find this to pale in comparison to the aforementioned scenario ((view spoiler).
tl;dr
I don't think Katniss really had that hard of a childhood. There are probably many teenagers in this world alive today (not to mention those of the past) who would gladly trade places with her, even with the looming threat of a "reaping." I just find myself unable to feel sorry for her enough to excuse her attitude, thoughts, and actions.
Sorry to rant so...but I hate to think that so many people really believe that Katniss' childhood is terrible enough to warrant her type of attitude, and hope they'll reflect more on the actual suffering of actual people in our actual world- from which many people emerge not only much less bitter, but much more willing and dedicated to bettering our world however they can. (quick example to come to mind is Malala Yousafzai- she got a bullet to the head only because she wanted an education such as the one that Katniss freely received)
If you read all that- thank you! It was a lot of effort, and I hope it wasn't entirely wasted...
Kirby, your post and effort definitely are appreciated!
You bring up some very good points, and as one of Katniss's "defenders" I thought I'd expand on my ideas.
Firstly, I believe Katniss is supposed to represent an everyday, average person. We are so inundated these days with extraordinary, heroic characters in film and books, that an ordinary girl who doesn't overcome all her challenges somehow fails to impress, and for many she falls short.
Your example of Malala Yousafzai is a real-life hero, but I wonder if all of us would have responded so admirably. Certainly, it is possible to overcome hardship, but many people struggle, succumb to their circumstances, even when they aren't so extreme.
So, for me, Katniss comes across as a girl, who has challenges, deals with it pre-Hunger Games reasonably well, but as the stakes increase, her courage is also challenged. She doesn't alway win over her insecurities, but the fact that she tries, fails, then gets up and tries again is what I love about her - and not that she is a extraordinary hero who always rises above her circumstance.
You bring up some very good points, and as one of Katniss's "defenders" I thought I'd expand on my ideas.
Firstly, I believe Katniss is supposed to represent an everyday, average person. We are so inundated these days with extraordinary, heroic characters in film and books, that an ordinary girl who doesn't overcome all her challenges somehow fails to impress, and for many she falls short.
Your example of Malala Yousafzai is a real-life hero, but I wonder if all of us would have responded so admirably. Certainly, it is possible to overcome hardship, but many people struggle, succumb to their circumstances, even when they aren't so extreme.
So, for me, Katniss comes across as a girl, who has challenges, deals with it pre-Hunger Games reasonably well, but as the stakes increase, her courage is also challenged. She doesn't alway win over her insecurities, but the fact that she tries, fails, then gets up and tries again is what I love about her - and not that she is a extraordinary hero who always rises above her circumstance.
Kirby wrote: "I don't think Katniss really had that hard of a childhood. There are probably many teenagers in this world alive today (not to mention those of the past) who would gladly trade places with her, even with the looming threat of a "reaping." I just find myself unable to feel sorry for her enough to excuse her attitude, thoughts, and actions. "Thanks for bringing up all these examples, Kirby. And I like how you brought up the Battle of Blair Mountain (I hadn't heard of it before, sorry for being ignored)---you see, historically people who had a much harder life than Katniss's, actually fought back instead of lying down and let the government and the mine-owners stepping all over them.
Even if I decided to ignore history and only looked at the characters within the series, I still can manage to find a couple of examples who had suffered horribly but still they decided to be brave and fight back, which is so unlike Katniss.
To those people who think Katniss is sympathetic because OMG she had such a tough life, please look at Gale, hadn't he had it as bad as Katniss? He grew up without a father, he needed to support his family all by himself, he was whipped half to death, he was forced to watch 12 burnt down and people whom he cared about died painfully, but I didn't see him throwing himself pity party and giving up.
She started off okay, I guess, but then she went psycho. Not a good characteristic.
As far as the "typical teenager" perspective, I can see your point. However, I always felt that wasn't a good excuse for characters who acted this way. Because I felt like Katniss should have been written to be a role-model for girls. In some other book (or if she was a side character), maybe not, but she is the main focus of the trilogy.So it's not that I have a problem with reading about "typical teenagers", it's the fact that I feel in this scenario we should have been given a better role-model for the demographic this series was aimed at.
I agree with Kirby a lot. Thanks for making those points. :)
Mariah wrote: "As far as the "typical teenager" perspective, I can see your point. However, I always felt that wasn't a good excuse for characters who acted this way. Because I felt like Katniss should have been ..."Mariah, unlike you I have never expected Katniss to be a role model, but I did expect her to get a grip of herself and be strong when other people are risking their lives and fighting back.
Mizuki wrote: "Mariah, unlike you I have never expected Katniss to be a role model, but I do expect her to get a grip of herself and be strong when other people are risking their lives and fighting back."Which, of course, is fine. :) I have agreed with a lot of what you said in your discussion here, in your Mockingjay review and in your 10 problems you have with The Hunger Games rant. You have made excellent points throughout.
Mariah wrote: "Which, of course, is fine. :) I have agreed with a lot of what you said in your discussion here, in your Mockingjay review and in your 10 problems you have with The Hunger Games rant. You have made excellent points throughout."Oh, thank you! The Mockingjay-Katniss makes me regret taking THG series seriously.
Mizuki wrote: "Oh, thank you! The Mockingjay-Katniss makes me regret taking THG series seriously."Same here. I mean, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire weren't really my "cup of tea", either, but Mockingjay-everything was a huge letdown for me. I really, really feel that Suzanne Collins could have done amazing things with the trilogy and then just...didn't.
Mariah wrote: "Same here. I mean, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire weren't really my "cup of tea", either, but Mockingjay-everything was a huge letdown for me. I really, really feel that Suzanne Collins could have done amazing things with the trilogy and then just...didn't."The first two books aren't bad but they also aren't excellent, they are descent books and they hold a lot of promises, but all those promises crushed into pieces in Mockingjay. How sad.
Eala wrote: "Kirby, your post and effort definitely are appreciated!You bring up some very good points, and as one of Katniss's "defenders" I thought I'd expand on my ideas.
Firstly, I believe Katniss is su..."
^^ I love Katniss lol and I agree with you. :)
Yes!!!!!!! i think that the story is brilliant but she annoyed me. when prim died i was almost crying but she just delt with it. (IDK if it was just me.) it seemed like she wasn't dat sad at all
Aeva wrote: "Personally, I disliked Katniss.Throughout the entire series i found her to be a whining little girl without developed thought.
What really pushed me to the edge was how she voted to continue the..."
Prim meant the world to Katniss. Throughout the whole 3 books it was obvious that Katniss only truly loves (and sure of it) Prim. She thinks her mother a useless mom, she feels she need Peeta, and she never really know what her feeling towards Gale was. If Prim hadn't die, she might've voted 'no' regarding Hunger Games for Capitol kids. The whole reason, and the first reason she did this whole Hunger Games thing is for Prim. So yeah, I can understand why she voted 'yes'. She felt like all she did was for nothing because Prim had died.
Katniss is annoying in a lot of moments, yes. But I feel like her being annoying is still understandble and relateable.
Maryam wrote: "If Prim hadn't died, she might've voted 'no' regarding Hunger Games for Capitol kids. The whole reason, and the first reason she did this whole Hunger Games thing is for Prim. So yeah, I can understand why she voted 'yes'. She felt like all she did was for nothing because Prim had died."Maybe so, but it went against everything Katniss believed in, didn't it? The entire trilogy she went on and on about how horrible The Hunger Games are. Then she says 'yes' to the Capitol Games 'for Prim'? Nothing tells me Prim would have wanted that, first of all. Second of all, Katniss was disloyal to herself and her beliefs.
To me, that makes her seem even weaker. If Katniss couldn't stand up for what she believed in, how could she stand up for anything or anyone else?
Even if Prim would have wanted that, if Katniss felt so strongly against The Hunger Games, she wouldn't have been a hypocrite.
Gosh. I could NOT believe that Katniss voted for the capital games! What was she thinking! After all that the rebellion worked for, after all the deaths and horrible things that happened, don't these people realize that they are staring the cycle all over again? Don't they realize that maybe 100 years from then, after they all die, that their children are going to go through the same terrible things that they went through? The rebellion and Katniss had a chance to start a whole new empire. One where the games would be over. Now they never will. Yes Mariah, I completely agree. What a hypocrite! Throughout the books I found Katniss to be realistic. She responded to many things different that I would, but I liked her in the first books at least. When I read the 3rd book I was so mad at her! Most of the 3rd book she was making stupid choices or she was drugged and passed out.
I wasn't even sure that I should finish the book, because it was SO DEPRESSING and because I hated Katniss so much by the end. Yes, she went through a frighting and emotionally crushing experience. No, she was still a selfish idiot who didn't make the choice that mattered in the end. And she NEVER deserved Peeta.
*Sigh* Alright. I'm done ranting. :)
Mariah wrote: "Maryam wrote: "If Prim hadn't died, she might've voted 'no' regarding Hunger Games for Capitol kids. The whole reason, and the first reason she did this whole Hunger Games thing is for Prim. So yea..."I agree with Mariah, Katniss voting yes make herself look weak, voting yes in the name of Prim makes this choice seems even more worse.
As to the argument that Katniss votes yes so she could buy time to kill Coin. First let just forget Katniss NEVER explains in the book that she is voting yes just in order to buy time (in the book she just up and shot Coin), if she wants to stop the Hunger Games, killing Coin is still not the solution. But no, Katniss just had to shoot Coin because Snow told her Coin is responsible for the death of Prim. So her killing Coin isn't even really because she wants to stop the Hunger Games, it's because Prim is dead and she needed someone to take the responsibility. The end.
yes she is human after all.i gues Collins made her that way to make it look real..i hated her when she used Peeta...Peeta is way better than her and Gale.I love him more than anyone else..Kat was annoying when she overdid her "i dont like to be styled by my prep team and i hate frilly dresses" act...and she gets whiny at times even with people like Gale and Peeta.
Mizuki wrote: "As to the argument that Katniss votes yes so she could buy time to kill Coin. First let just forget Katniss NEVER explain in the book that she voting yes just in order to buy time (in the book she just up and shot Coin), if she wants to stop the Hunger Games, killing Coin is still not the solution."And then we never know if the Capitol Games went through or not. Collin's doesn't give us an answer. It's just 'oh, Katniss killed Coin. MMMK. Epilogue time. Look, Katniss has kids now'. To me, that's lazy writing.
Farnaaz wrote: "yes she is human after all.i gues Collins made her that way to make it look real..."
You can make a character look real and human without making them act terribly. Being human means making mistakes, yes. But what shows who you are is how to react to your mistakes; if you take steps to learn from them. No one ever brought to Katniss' attention her flaws (the conversation Gale had with Peeta doesn't count as Katniss wasn't supposed to hear it), and Katniss never did any self-analyization to figure out 'oh, hey. Maybe I'm not behaving appropriately'. Katniss never lived up or apologized for her mistakes. Not to herself or to others.
Any 'typical teenager' has the ability to analyze themselves and see what they're doing is wrong. The key is wanting to do that. Katniss never did.
Katniss could have been so much more likable.
Mariah wrote: "And then we never know if the Capitol Games went through or not. Collin's doesn't give us an answer. It's just 'oh, Katniss killed Coin. MMMK. Epilogue time. Look, Katniss has kids now'. To me, that's lazy writing."I am under an impression that after Coin was dead and a new president came into power, the Capitol Games was called off...somehow. I don't know why and how did it happen.
According to Coin, there are many citizens who wanted to see a Capitol Games, and why would these citizens suddenly changed their mind and decided they don't want a Games against Capitol children after Coin winded up dead? How did it happen?
As to Katniss seeing her own flaws and learning from her failure and mistakes, well...to be frank, it would only happen in your dream.
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