For my self-select book, I chose Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins. It is about an oppressive government that forces citizens to fight to the death in an arena every year. I selected this book for a number of reasons. First, I read the prequel to this book, The Hunger Games, a couple of years ago and loved it. Also, while researching this book, I found that it would probably match the theme of honor/loyalty that we have been talking about this year. Overall I am very pleased with my choice of Catching Fire and I believe that the theme of loyalty was shown throughout the entire story.
Exposition: “Although they never mention it, I owe the people who frequent the Hob. Gale told me that Greasy Sae, the old woman who serves up soup, started a collection to sponsor Peeta and me during the Games… it made the difference between my life and death,” (Collins, 4). At this point in the novel, Katniss is reflecting on her old life and the first hunger games that she survived. She is reflecting on how the people of her district (District 12) saved her life. They chipped in and donated money for her even though they don’t have much for themselves.
Although this exact passage is not a flashback, there were multiple flashbacks right around this line. She is reminiscing about the past. This shows loyalty because the people that Katniss knew helped her in a time of need, even though they did not have much to give. The people of the Hob were loyal to Katniss because she was kind to them. Complication: “It can in no way replace your losses, but as a token of our thanks we’d like for each of the tributes’ families from District Eleven to receive one month of our winnings every year for the duration of our lives,” (Collins 25).
Peeta is telling the people in District 11 about how Thresh and Rue saved his life. He is saying that in order to thank them, he will donate money to District 11 every year for the rest of his life There are no literary aspects being used in this passage. However, on the same page as this, it uses imagery to show how thankful the people of District 11 are of Peeta. There is mutual respect between Peeta, Katniss, and District 11. This quote shows loyalty because Katniss and Peeta are being loyal to the district of the people that helped them in the past. They are being loyal to Thresh and Rue.
Complication: “I thought no one saw me sneak under the fence, but who knows? There are always eyes for hire,” (Collins 152). Katniss always sneaks in and out of the woods to hunt and have peaceful time to herself. In this passage she is questioning whether or not someone will rat her out. People will do a lot for money This is using personification to say that there are eyes for hire. It means that the Capitol could pay people to watch her. She is in danger of being caught. The theme of loyalty applies here because Katniss is questioning the loyalty of people in her district.
They might give her secrets to the Capitol for money. Even if it is at the expense of her safety. Complication: “ Peeta’s not hard to predict. While I was wallowing around on the floor of that cellar, thinking only of myself, he was here, thinking only of me. Shame isn’t a strong enough word for what I feel,“ (Collins 178). At this point in the novel, Katniss feels bad because Peeta cares about her so much and she only cares for herself. She is ashamed of herself. Suzanne Collins uses mood to reflect the thoughts and feelings of Katniss. She provides great insight into her mind and how she feels about Peeta
Katniss is questioning her loyalty to Peeta in this passage. While his loyalty to her is unchanging, she is not sure what to think about the whole situation. Complication: “The more I come to know these people, the worse it is. Because, on the whole, I don’t hate them. And some I like. And a lot of them are so damaged that my natural instinct would be to protect them. But all of them must die if I’m to save Peeta,” (Collins 234). Katniss is feeling confused about the hunger games. She feels like she does not want to kill the other contestants because she does not hate them.
However, that is what she has to do if she wants to save Peeta. There is no specific literary device that is used in this passage. She is just talking about her thoughts and emotions. Her loyalty to Peeta is the most important thing to her. It makes her able to kill people that she would not want to kill otherwise. It is just a choice she has to make. Complication: “All I wanted was to keep Peeta alive, and I couldn’t and Finnick could, and I should be nothing but grateful. And I am. But I am also furious because it means that I will never stop owing Finnick Odair.
Ever. So how can I kill him in his sleep? ” (Collins 282). Katniss is conflicted on whether or not to kill Finnick in his sleep. Only one person can survive, and her main goal is to save Peeta, but Finnick had saved Peeta in the past and Katniss owed him. The author uses vivid imagery to describe her thoughts and what is going on in the story. The reader knows exactly what Katniss is thinking at all times. Loyalty is shown in this passage because Katniss does not know if she should remain loyal to Finnick or not. She feels bad, but her main goal is to save Peeta.
Complication: “A terrible impulse to flee, to abandon Peeta and save myself, shoots through me… my survival isn’t the goal. Peeta’s is,” (Collins 299). Katniss is scared for her life and wants to run away and save herself. She can’t do this because she knows that she has to save Peeta. Similes are used in the paragraphs around this quote. They are used to help describe what is going on in the story during that time. Her loyalty to Peeta is tested when she has the opportunity to save herself and not Peeta. She resists this urge for the good of Peeta and his family.
Climax: “That’s when I remember the wire and how important it was to him. I look frantically around. Where is it? Where is it? And then I see it, still clutched in Wiress’s hands, far out in the water. My stomach contracts at the thought of what I must do next,” (Collins 304). The wire was very important to Wiress. Katniss knows this, and trusts in her ally that the wire will help Katniss in the future. The problem is that she has to swim to a dead body to get the wire. Collins uses imagery to thoroughly describe what Katniss has to do to get the wire.
It shows how important it was to Katniss. Katniss’s loyalty is tested and she remains loyal to her dead friend. She trusts that Wiress was looking out for her best interests. She goes into a dangerous situation to get the wire. Climax: “There is no question about it. For reasons completely unfathomable to me, some of the other victors are trying to keep him alive, even if it means sacrificing themselves,” (Collins 310). At this point in the story, Katniss cannot figure out why the other competitors are valuing Petta’s and Katniss’s life over their own.
The allies are helping them more than they should be. Katniss doesn’t know why The author uses foreshadowing in the context around this quote. It makes the reader think that there is a specific reason why the other people are helping katniss. Loyalty is shown in this passage. The other competitors are going above and beyond in their loyalty to Katniss and Peeta. She does not know why. Resolution: “There was a plan to break us out of the arena from the moment the Quell was announced. The victor tributes from 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 11 had varying degrees of knowledge about it. ” (Collins 310).
Katniss has been brought up into a hovercraft after she makes the arena explode. It is explained to her that there was a plan to save her and spark a rebellion the whole time. That is why the other competitors were helping her so much The Mockingjay, a bird created by the government and a pin worn by Katniss, is used as a symbol for the rebellion. THe author uses symbolism to convey this idea. The other tributes showed the ultimate sign of loyalty by giving up their lives for Katniss. The welfare of the people of their country was more important to them than their lives.
