The woods became our savior, and each day I went a bit farther into its arms. It was slow-going at first, but I was determined to feed us. I stole
eggs from nests, caught fish in nets, sometimes managed to shoot a squirrel or rabbit for stew, and gathered the various plants that sprung up
beneath my feet p. 51.
Katniss family is so poor. She has to work hard to fulfill her family needs; at least she has to have something for them to eat. One day, she has nothing.
Although she tried to trade Prim’s old baby clothes in town, she did not earn some money and she did not have any food to eat. For three days, she and her family
only had boiled water with some old dried mint leaves. Going home was not a good idea remembering her family without a food. She was less energy, for a
second she thought to give up and starve to death, until she got two loaves of bread with a little burned area from a boy outside the bakery. She quickly shoved
the loaves up under her shirt and walked swiftly away even though the heat of the bread burned into her skin. After she reached home, she forced her mother to join
them to eat. Although she does not like her mother ignorance to the family, she still shows her love and be responsible to her mother.
By the time I reached home, the loaves had cooled somewhat, but the insides were still warm. When I dropped them on the table, Prim’s hands
reached to tear off a chunk, but I made her sit, forced my mother to join us at the table, and poured warm tea. I scraped off the black stuff and sliced
the bread. We ate an entire loaf, slice by slice. It was good hearty bread, filled with raisins and nuts p. 31.
From all the things that Katniss did above, really show her struggle for her existence. She showed her existence by doing her job well and stating indirectly
that she is there, able to be the leader of the family, and she can take care of them with her responsibility, courage, and love.
2. Taking Her Sister’s Place in the Hunger Games
In the 74
th
Hunger Games, her 12 year old younger sister, Prim is selected to be a girl tribute of district 12 for Hunger Games. Katniss was shocked when she
hears it. As a citizen of Panem which their districts are ruled by the Capitol, so every twelve until eighteen year old boys and girls have to will as a tribute for
annual Hunger Games. This annual Hunger Games is the way to remind the twelve districts about the past rebellion which the ex-thirteenth district rebelled
against the Capitol and how Capitol destroyed that district. So it will make the rest twelve districts afraid of Capitol.
Effie Trinket crosses back to the podium, smoothes the slip of paper, and reads out the name in a clear voice. And it’s not me.
It’s Primrose Everdeen p. 20. Katniss could not believe what she just heard. A lot of slip of paper in the
bowl with so many names in it, but why Prim’s name is called. There must have been some mistake. This can’t be happening. Prim was
one slip of paper in thousands Her chances of being chosen so remote that I’d not even bothered to worry about her. Hadn’t I done everything? Taken
the tesserae, refuse to let her do the same? One slip. One slip in thousands. The odds had been entirely in her favor p. 21.
She hates the reality that Capitol rules the twelve districts so the citizen of all districts has to join the Hunger Games and she could not believe her sister’s
name being chosen unexpectedly from thousands names. It had stated before Katniss was in dilemma when Prim’s name was being called as a tribute from
District 12. Katniss could not believe what she just heard. The fear of sweet twelve year old Prim as a tribute going to the games arena and the duty to protect
her sister makes Katniss volunteer herself, replace her sister place in the Games.
In this situation Katniss as an older sister has to love, protect, to take care of and to be responsible of her younger sister. Her love to Prim makes her able to do
anything for her younger sister, Prim. Her characteristics which are spontaneous, caring and loving, and
responsible also determine her in her struggle for existence. She wanted to show that she is able to protect her younger sister. She showed her existence by taking
Prim’s place in the Games. “Prim” The strangled cry comes out of my throat, and my muscles begin
to move again. “Prim” I don’t need to shove through the crowd. The other kids make way immediately allowing me a straight path to the stage. I
reach her just as she is about to mount the steps. With one sweep of my arm, I push her behind me.
“I volunteer” I gasp. “I volunteer as tribute” p. 22
Her willingness to take her sister place in the Hunger Games also seen when Katniss and her team watch the recap of the reapings across Panem. The
recap was showing Katniss volunteer herself. “Last of all, they show District 12. Prim being called, me running forward to volunteer p. 46”.
At the interview with the twenty four tributes from the twelve districts before the Gamemakers start the Games and send them to the game arena, Caesar
Flickerman asked Katniss about Prim. From Katniss’s answer it is shown that she decided to volunteer herself because she loves her sister a lot.
“Let’s go back then, to the moment they called your sister’s name at the reaping,” says Caesar. His mood is quieter now. “And you volunteered.
Can you tell us about her?” No. No, not all of you. But maybe Cinna. I don’t think I’m imagining the
sadness on his face.”Her name’s Prim. She’s just twelve. And I love her more than anything p. 129.”
3. Trying to Get Back the Gamemakers’ Attention
Katniss was in trouble when she is in a private session with the Gamemakers. Before the Game started, tributes had to show their best skill to get
a high score in order to make the sponsors easier to place their bet. To win the Gamemakers’ heart Katniss has to show her ability in the games, to win the
games, and to follow the game rule. When Katniss’s session, she failed to shot the target in a first one shoot because the bow and arrow are not made the same as she
usually used at home. It made her being underestimated by the Gamemakers. Even though she tried again and she could make it for a couple times, she still lost
their attention. I miss the dummy by a couple of inches and lose what little attention I had
been commanding. Without pausing, I shoulder-roll forward, come up on one knee, and send
an arrow into one of the hanging lights high above the gymnasium floor. A shower of sparks bursts from the fixture.
It’s excellent shooting. I turn to the Gamemakers. A few are nodding approval, but the majority of them are fixated on a roast pig that has just
arrived at their banquet table. Suddenly I am furious, that with my life on the line, they don’t even have
the decency to pay attention to me. That I’m being upstaged by a dead pig. My heart starts to pound, I can feel my face burning p.101-102.
Katniss was angry because the Gamemakers did not pay attention to her after she failed to shoot at the first one shoot. She did not like being ignored by
the Gamemakers. It is stated in “What was I thinking, shooting at the Gamemakers? Of course, I wasn’t, I was shooting at the apple because I was so
angry at being ignored p. 103”. Katniss felt so furious because the Gamemakers did not pay attention to
her. They did not even appreciate her to her effort. Her anger made her want to
show her existence to the Gamemakers that she can shoot the arrows and she is skillful. So, she tried to shoot excellently and she had to get their attention back
because her life on the line. Then she shot an arrow right on the apple in the roast pig’s mouth which is located on the Gamemakers’ table. Her characteristics which
are courageous, spontaneous, persevering, and clever determine her in showing her existence. Her spontaneity and her courage make her made a fast and brave
decision. She did not give up easily so she tried to shoot as best as she can again and again to show her ability and skills. Her cleverness makes her shot in the
centre of the Gamemakers’ attention so she could get back their attention to her. It can be concluded that she shows her existence to the Gamemakers and got back
their attention by shooting the apple in their roast pig’s mouth. Without thinking, I pull an arrow from my quiver and send it straight at
the Gamemakers’ table. I hear shouts of alarm as people stumble back. The arrow skewers the apple in the pig’s mouth and pins it to the wall behind
it. Everyone stares at me in disbelief p. 102.
When her team knew that she shot an arrow to the Gamemakers’ table, everyone seemed so curious and shocked. When they asked her for a reason,
Katniss explained she did that because the Gamemakers were ignoring her. So, she was in anger at that time, because she has to survive and fight for her life, but
the Gamemakers ignores her. “I shot an arrow at them. Not exactly at them. In their direction. It’s like
Peeta said, I was shooting and they were ignoring me and I just . . . I just lost my head, so I shot an apple out of their stupid roast pig’s mouth” I
say defiantly p. 106.
4. Going Against the Game Rule
In the middle of the Games, the Gamemakers announced that both tributes from the same district can be the victors. It made Katniss more on fire to find
Peeta so they both can win the Games and go back home. After she reunite with Peeta and there were only both of them alive, Gamemakers were not announce
them as victors but they revised the game rule from both tributes from the same district can be the victors to there will only one victor. It made Katniss upset.
“Greetings to the final contestants of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games. The earlier revision has been revoked. Closer examination of the rule book
has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed,” he says. “Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor.”
There’s a small burst of static and then nothing more. I stare at Peeta in disbelief as the truth sinks in. they never intended to let us both live. This
has all been devised by the Gamemakers to guarantee the most dramatic showdown in history. And like a fool, I bought into it p. 342.
Katniss did not like what she has just heard. She hates the idea that the Capitol rule and own the twelve districts including the people in the districts, so
the Capitol can decide what they want to do to their people and they can even decide people’s destiny. As the Gamemakers, they changed the game rule as they
want; hopping the audience will like more the show’s twist. In other side, Katniss as a tribute wanted to win the games; and as a friend from the same district, she
could not kill Peeta and wanted to go home with him. This situation made her go against the game rule. She showed her existence and she wanted to show that the
Capitol do not own them. Her characteristics which are courageous, spontaneous, and clever determine her in showing her existence.
Her cleverness and spontaneity made her able to trick the Gamemakers when they changed the game rules from “both tributes from the same district can
