The Influence of Katniss Everdeen`s characteristics towards her struggle for existence as seen in Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games.

xii

ABSTRACT

RACHMAWATI,

YULIA.

The

Influence

of

Katniss

Ever

deen’s

Characteristics Towards Her Struggle for Existence as seen in Suzanne

Collins’s

The Hunger Games. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters,

Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2015.

This study discusses Suzanne Collins’s

The Hunger Games which is about

the struggle of a girl named Katniss Everdeen who shows her existence in facing

her poverty and problems in her life. Existence is an interesting issue that occurs

in everyday life.

The aim of this study is to answer two problem formulations of the study.

The first is Katniss Everdeen’s chara

cteristics and the second is Katniss

Everdeen

’s

characteristics which influence her struggle to show her existence in

facing her problems.

This study is using the new criticism approach. This approach concerns

and focuses on the work itself. In new criticism, a literary work can be understood

only by its intrinsic literary features. Some theories such as theory of character

and characterization, theory of existence, and theory of struggle are used to

analyze and answer those problem formulations.

The writer found that Katniss Everdeen is a courageous, spontaneous,

persevering, caring, loving, clever, and responsible person. Katniss has to fight

and survive in her life and she has to show her existence in every problem she

faces. In showing her presence and existence as a human being, Katniss

Everdeen’s characteristics

determine her in the ways she decides to face her

problem and to prove her existence. As seen in the novel, Katniss decision to be a

leader and taking care of the family when her mother cannot take care and support

her family is influenced by her courageous, persevering, responsible, caring and

loving characteristics; she

volunteers herself to take her sister’s place in the

Hunger Games to protect her sister is influenced by her spontaneity,

responsibility, care and love; her characteristics which are courageous,

spontaneous, persevering, and clever influence her

to get back the Gamemakers’

attention when she lost it and she is underestimated by the Gamemakers; her

courage, spontaneity, and cleverness influence her in deciding to go against the

game rule when the Gamemakers suddenly changed it.

xiii

ABSTRAK

RACHMAWATI,

YULIA.

The

Influence

of

Katniss Everdeen’s

Characteristics Towards Her Struggle for Existence as seen in Suzanne

Collins’s

The Hunger Games. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris,

Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2015.

Skripsi ini membahas tentang novel The Hunger Games karya Suzanne

Collins. Novel tersebut menceritakan tentang perjuangan seorang perempuan

bernama Katniss Everdeen untuk menunjukan keberadaan dirinya dalam

menghadapi kemiskinan dan masalah-masalah dalam hidupnya. Eksistensi

merupakan masalah yang menarik yang masih sering dijumpai dalam kehidupan

sehari-hari.

Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah menjawab dua permasalahan utama.

Permasalahan pertama adalah bagaimana karakteristik dari Katniss Everdeen.

Permasalahan kedua adalah bagaimana pengaruh karakteristik Katniss Everdeen

untuk menunjukan eksistensinya dalam menghadapi masalah.

Skripsi ini memakai pendekatan kritik baru. Pendekatan ini berkonsentrasi

dan berfokus pada karya sastra itu sendiri. Dalam pendekatan kritik baru, karya

sastra dapat dimengerti hanya dengan unsur intrinsik karya itu sendiri. Beberapa

teori seperti teori karater dan karakterisasi, teori eksistensi, serta teori perjuangan

digunakan untuk menganalisa dan menjawab permasalahan tersebut.

Penulis menemukan bahwa Katniss Everdeen merupakan seorang yang

pemberani, spontan, tidak mudah menyerah, penyayang, pandai, dan bertanggung

jawab. Katniss harus selalu berjuang dalam menjalani hidup dan menunjukan

eksistensinya dalam setiap permasalahannya. Dalam menunjukan keberadaan dan

eksistensinya sebagai seorang manusia, karakteristik Katniss turut berperan serta

pada setiap keputusan yang ia buat. Seperti yang terlihat dalam novel, keputusan

Katniss untuk menjadi kepala keluarga dan mengurus keluarganya ketika ibunya

tidak bisa mengurus dan menafkahi keluarga dipengaruhi oleh karakteristiknya

yang berani, tidak mudah menyerah, bertanggung jawab, dan penyayang; sifatnya

yang spontan, bertanggung jawab, perhatian dan penyayang juga mempengaruhi

Katniss untuk menggatikan posisi adiknya dalam Hunger Games sebagai bentuk

perlindungan terhadap adiknya; karakteristik Katniss yang pemberani, spontan,

tidak mudah menyerah dan pandai juga mempengaruhinya untuk berusaha

mendapatkan kembali perhatian dari Gamemakers pada saat ia diremehkan oleh

mereka; ketika Gamemakers mengubah peraturan permainan secara tiba-tiba,

keberanian,

kespontanitasan,

dan

kepandaian

Katniss

mempengaruhi

keputusannya untuk melawan peraturan baru tersebut.

THE INFLUENCE OF KATNISS EVERDEEN’S

CHARACTERISTICS TOWARDS HER STRUGGLE FOR

EXISTENCE AS SEEN IN SUZANNE COLLINS’S

THE HUNGER GAMES

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the DegreeSarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

YULIA RACHMAWATI Student Number: 084214006

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2015

ii

THE INFLUENCE OF KATNISS EVERDEEN’S

CHARACTERISTICS TOWARDS HER STRUGGLE FOR

EXISTENCE AS SEEN IN SUZANNE COLLINS’S

THE HUNGER GAMES

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the DegreeSarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

YULIA RACHMAWATI Student Number: 084214006

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2015

vii

Everything will be okay in

the end.

If it’s not okay,

it’s not the end.

-unknown-viii

For

My Beloved Parents

xoxo :*

ix

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I want to thank God, my Jesus Christ because of his blessing and love. He gives me everything I need and also the chance to finish my thesis. He never leaves me and I am so grateful because He gives my life surrounding with amazing loving people.

I want to express my gratitude to my thesis advisor, Adventina Putranti, S.S., M.Hum. for her guidance, suggestion, time, ideas, and patience during the process of writing my thesis. I also want to thank my co-advisor Elisa Dwi Wardani, S.S., M.Hum. for her suggestion and time, also to my other lecturers, the administrative staff of English Letters Department, and also of the library of Universitas Sanata Dharma and the staffs, for the help and companion during my study.

I also would like to thank my parents Kansianus Suwandi, S.ST and Theresia Galuh Retno for their love, prayer, patience, support financially and emotionally even though I often let them down. I also thank my sister Claudia Monika, my auntie Fina and my big family for their support for me.

To my close friends Kardila, Anjar, Pringgodani 8, Dwi Nugroho, Vhrizca, Nur Indah, Felly, Risca, Aditiya, Resty, Yudith, Desi, Ade Daniel, Riris, Meilisa, all english letters friends and my other friends, I thank them for their support, companion, and good times. The last but not least, I thank those whose names I cannot mention one by one for their wishes and kindness.

x

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE... ii

APPROVAL PAGE... iii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE... iv

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ... v

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH vi MOTTO PAGE... vii

DEDICATION PAGE... viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS... x

ABSTRACT... xii

ABSTRAK... xiii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION... 1

A. Background of the Study ... 1

B. Problem Formulation ... 4

C. Objectives of the Study ... 4

D. Definition of Terms ... 5

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE... 7

A. Review of Related Studies ... 7

B. Review of Related Theories ... 9

1. Theory of Character and Characterization ... 9

2. Theory of Existence ... 12

3. Theory of struggle ... 12

C. Theoretical Framework ... 13

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ... 14

A. Object of the Study ... 14

B. Approach of the Study ... 15

C. Method of the Study ... 16

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS... 18

A. The Characteristics of Katniss Everdeen ... 18

1. Courageous ... 19

2. Spontaneous ... 21

3. Persevering ... 22

4. Caring and Loving ... 24

5. Clever... 30

6. Responsible ... 32

B. The Influence of Katniss Everdeen’s Characteristics Towards Her Struggle for Existence ... 33

xi

2. Taking Her Sister’s Place in The Hunger Games ... 39

3. Trying to Get Back the Gamemakers’ Attention ... 41

4. Going Against the Game Rule ... 43

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 45

BIBLIOGRAPHY... 48

APPENDICES... 49

xii ABSTRACT

RACHMAWATI, YULIA. The Influence of Katniss Everdeen’s Characteristics Towards Her Struggle for Existence as seen in Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2015.

This study discusses Suzanne Collins’sThe Hunger Gameswhich is about the struggle of a girl named Katniss Everdeen who shows her existence in facing her poverty and problems in her life. Existence is an interesting issue that occurs in everyday life.

The aim of this study is to answer two problem formulations of the study. The first is Katniss Everdeen’s characteristics and the second is Katniss Everdeen’s characteristics which influence her struggle to show her existence in facing her problems.

This study is using the new criticism approach. This approach concerns and focuses on the work itself. In new criticism, a literary work can be understood only by its intrinsic literary features. Some theories such as theory of character and characterization, theory of existence, and theory of struggle are used to analyze and answer those problem formulations.

The writer found that Katniss Everdeen is a courageous, spontaneous, persevering, caring, loving, clever, and responsible person. Katniss has to fight and survive in her life and she has to show her existence in every problem she faces. In showing her presence and existence as a human being, Katniss Everdeen’s characteristics determine her in the ways she decides to face her problem and to prove her existence. As seen in the novel, Katniss decision to be a leader and taking care of the family when her mother cannot take care and support her family is influenced by her courageous, persevering, responsible, caring and loving characteristics; she volunteers herself to take her sister’s place in the Hunger Games to protect her sister is influenced by her spontaneity, responsibility, care and love; her characteristics which are courageous, spontaneous, persevering, and clever influence her to get back the Gamemakers’ attention when she lost it and she is underestimated by the Gamemakers; her courage, spontaneity, and cleverness influence her in deciding to go against the game rule when the Gamemakers suddenly changed it.

xiii ABSTRAK

RACHMAWATI, YULIA. The Influence of Katniss Everdeen’s Characteristics Towards Her Struggle for Existence as seen in Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2015.

Skripsi ini membahas tentang novel The Hunger Games karya Suzanne Collins. Novel tersebut menceritakan tentang perjuangan seorang perempuan bernama Katniss Everdeen untuk menunjukan keberadaan dirinya dalam menghadapi kemiskinan dan masalah-masalah dalam hidupnya. Eksistensi merupakan masalah yang menarik yang masih sering dijumpai dalam kehidupan sehari-hari.

Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah menjawab dua permasalahan utama. Permasalahan pertama adalah bagaimana karakteristik dari Katniss Everdeen. Permasalahan kedua adalah bagaimana pengaruh karakteristik Katniss Everdeen untuk menunjukan eksistensinya dalam menghadapi masalah.

Skripsi ini memakai pendekatan kritik baru. Pendekatan ini berkonsentrasi dan berfokus pada karya sastra itu sendiri. Dalam pendekatan kritik baru, karya sastra dapat dimengerti hanya dengan unsur intrinsik karya itu sendiri. Beberapa teori seperti teori karater dan karakterisasi, teori eksistensi, serta teori perjuangan digunakan untuk menganalisa dan menjawab permasalahan tersebut.

Penulis menemukan bahwa Katniss Everdeen merupakan seorang yang pemberani, spontan, tidak mudah menyerah, penyayang, pandai, dan bertanggung jawab. Katniss harus selalu berjuang dalam menjalani hidup dan menunjukan eksistensinya dalam setiap permasalahannya. Dalam menunjukan keberadaan dan eksistensinya sebagai seorang manusia, karakteristik Katniss turut berperan serta pada setiap keputusan yang ia buat. Seperti yang terlihat dalam novel, keputusan Katniss untuk menjadi kepala keluarga dan mengurus keluarganya ketika ibunya tidak bisa mengurus dan menafkahi keluarga dipengaruhi oleh karakteristiknya yang berani, tidak mudah menyerah, bertanggung jawab, dan penyayang; sifatnya yang spontan, bertanggung jawab, perhatian dan penyayang juga mempengaruhi Katniss untuk menggatikan posisi adiknya dalam Hunger Games sebagai bentuk perlindungan terhadap adiknya; karakteristik Katniss yang pemberani, spontan, tidak mudah menyerah dan pandai juga mempengaruhinya untuk berusaha mendapatkan kembali perhatian dari Gamemakers pada saat ia diremehkan oleh mereka; ketika Gamemakers mengubah peraturan permainan secara tiba-tiba, keberanian, kespontanitasan, dan kepandaian Katniss mempengaruhi keputusannya untuk melawan peraturan baru tersebut.

1 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Literature or literary works is an expression and a description of people, human life, feeling, and thought. Literature can be a real experience in the author’s life. Hudson stated that literature is actually an expression of life through the medium of language. Literature can be regarded as something essential since it presents a description of a real life, people, feeling, thought, and feelings about life (Hudson, 1963:10). Literature also can educate and enrich people’s knowledge.

Literature is manifested into drama, poetry, and novel. One of the most common literary works is novel. Novel is a fictional long prose narrative that describes characters’ life, situation, feelings, history, etc. Characters in a novel have their own characteristics; some of them have a strong characteristics and more important role in the story while some others are not and just to complete the whole story. Characteristics of someone can give an influence to decide, do, act or think. Situation which describes in the novel can be varied. It can be a situation which is the characters struggle in some condition. It is often to find literature discusses the way human act in facing the problems in maintaining their true existence. Existence according to Anne Soukhanov, is “the fact or state of existing; being (1996:642)”.

When someone is in a situation, especially in a trouble, his characteristics could influence the way he acts. For example when a man accidently hit a woman walking on the sidewalk, if the man’s characteristics are courageous, honest, and responsible person, he must be approach the woman courageously, admit his guilt honestly, ask her for forgiveness and help her. His act towards his problems shows his courage and responsibility to his fault. In the contrary, if he is a careless and an irresponsible person, he might be afraid to admit his guilt or just go ahead and did not help the woman. That is a simple example how someone characteristics influence his/her act and thought.

In struggle for existence, when someone seems not visible to others could make the person feels silly. Avoid by others and treated as if not exist could make a person trying hard to show his/her existence in order to prove others that he/she is exist.

A novel entitleThe Hunger Gamesby Suzanne Collins’s is a novel which the writer wants to understand the characteristics of the main character and the struggles to show the main character’s existence. This novel exposes the main character of the story, Katniss Everdeen who shows that her characteristics determine the way she shows her existence.

Katniss Everdeen is a sixteen year old young woman who is courageous and strong. She lives in a poor district in Panem, District Twelve. After her father died, she becomes very poor and she thinks that she has a responsibility to her family. She decided to lead her family since her father pass away and her mother

who is drown in the dark world of sadness cannot take care of her and her younger sister.

Katniss also does not wait for others to save and support her family. She thinks that she has to survive in poverty. She protects her family, hunts in the woods, sells some her preys, earns some money, and feeds her family. When her younger sister has been chosen as a tribute for her district for the annual Hunger Games, she replaced her sister place and volunteered her as a tribute because she is willing to fight to the death and she knows her ability to hunt and survive are better from her sister. She could survive in the Game although she faced a lot of obstacles. Every time she faced a problem in her life, she could find a way to handle it.

The novel is chosen because there is a strong characteristic of a character in struggling for existence when she was younger until now. This novel really attracts the writer’s attention. The other reason, the writer is interested in this novel because the characteristics of the main character, Katniss Everdeen, when she shows her courage and her struggle for existence in facing her problems in her life. The author ofThe Hunger Games,Suzanne Collins tried to show the courage and the strong characteristics of the main character, Katniss Everdeen in her struggle for her existence when facing her problems in her life.

The writer assumes that existence which exists in people’s life and how people react to prove their existence to other people is an endless issue of living that is often seen in everyday life. By using this novel, the writer can learn more and deep about characteristics and how someone struggles for her existence when

others think that she is incapable. Suzanne Collins’s book entitle The Hunger Games is a good start. The writer is challenged to find out how Katniss Everdeen’s struggle for existence especially in her poverty.

From the all explanation above, the writer tries to analyze Katniss Everdeen’s characteristics in Suzanne Collins’s book The Hunger Games, and to analyze how her characteristics influence her struggle for existence in her life since the novel represents Katniss Everdeen’s strong characteristics and also represents her struggles.

B. Problem Formulation

To be able to understand about Katniss Everdeen’s struggles for her existence in this novel, two problems were formulated as follows:

1. How are Katniss Everdeen’s characteristics described in Suzanne Collins’sThe Hunger Games?

2. How do Katniss Everdeen’s characteristics influence her towards her struggle for existence?

C. Objectives of the Study

The aims that want to be found out by this study are to answer the two research questions that are stated in problem formulation above. The first is to analyze the characteristics of the main character of the novel, which is Katniss Everdeen in Suzanne Collins’s book entitle The Hunger Games. It is needed to

know since Katniss Everdeen becomes the main character of the novel. The second is to identify what Katniss Everdeen’s struggles are and how her characteristics influence her in showing her existence.

D. Definition of Terms

There are some terms that need to be clarified concerning the key words that appear in the title and the problem formulations in order to avoid any misunderstanding. The writer finds four important terms, those are characteristics, influence, struggle, and existence.

1. Characteristics

Richard Gill stated that “a character is someone in a literary work who has some sort of identity (it needn’t be a strong one), an identity which is made up by appearance, conversation, action, name, and (possibly) thoughts going on in the head (1995:127)”. So, it could be concluded that characteristics is some features or identities of a character.

2. Influence

According J. A. Drever, “Influence is any past or present condition, experienced as or actually playing a part in determining one’s behaviour, or course of thought, in the present (1958:134)”.

3. Struggle

According to Anne Soukhanov, “struggle is to be strenuously engaged with the problems or an undertaking, to progress with difficulty (1996:1782)”.

4. Existence

Existence according to Gary R. VandenBos, is “being the quality by virtue of which something is, and which distinguishes it from what is not (2007:351)”.

7

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A. Review of Related Studies

In this part the writer will review the related studies that have been found. There are two related studies in the same work. The first one is taken from David Crabb’s “The Hunger Games: A Literary Analysis from Christian Worldview”, and the second related studies is taken from Kim Scharfenberger’s “What’s So Great About “The Hunger Games”?”

David Crabb in “The Hunger Games: A Literary Analysis from Christian Worldview” put the critique of the Hunger Games from a literary-critical perspective, stemming from a Christian worldview by Ginny Owens. The critique is about violence in the book is to say something about our society and what happen to our society. The author compares the situation in Capitol with the situation in our society. People addiction to something like video games represent of similarity to Capitol’s attraction to violence.

So how does Collins use violence? How about this: Is Collins using the violence in the books to say something about our society? To suggest perhaps that out addiction to certain kinds of video games bears a similarity to Panem’s attraction to violence? Is she saying anything about war and how it affects peoples live? What about reality TV? Is Collins indicting contemporary American culture, pointing to Panem’s capitol and its frivolity, its body painting, its Epicureanism, its addiction to the spectacle of the Games, its insatiable thirst for “reality entertainment” that invades their lives 24 hours a day, its willingness to sacrifice 23 children (and later, adults) for the sake of entertainment- is Collins pointing to these things and gesturing to the not-so-distant American future? Has Collins essentially collected a sampling of what our culture is attracted to and

revealed the end point of its logical maturation? Consider those rhetorical questions. (Crabb, 2012)

In the other hand, Kim Scharfenberger’s article “What’s So Great About “The Hunger Games”?” is about what inThe Hunger Gamesare. Scharfenberger found that moral message on the topic of consumerism and self-sacrifice exists in The Hunger Games. Self-sacrifice is seen when Katniss sacrifices herself to take her sister’s place in Hunger Games. Consumerism is seen when the privileged members of the Capitol are uniformed about realities of poverty and suffering just outside their doors and remain cocooned in luxury just like what happen exactly nowaday.

One good side effect of the story is the political and socioeconomic undertones of The Hunger Games that could succeed in getting younger audiences thinking. How did Panem get this way? What are the consequences of relying on a totalitarian government? The blatant excess and materialism of the Capitol can become a jarring self-portrait of the dangers inherent in consumerism. The privileged members of the Capitol are uninformed about the realities of poverty and suffering just outside their doors and remain cocooned in luxury. Their interests revolve mainly around the latest fashions and trendiest hairstyles, and as such their social awareness and willingness to challenge the obviously corrupt system that provides them with wealth is dulled by lavish distractions.

The Hunger Games is mediocre at best in terms of ingenuity and moral message – but it’s not damaging to a young person’s social conscience either, and might even make some valuable impressions on the topics of consumerism and self-sacrifice. So if you find yourself chauffeuring your children, siblings, or friends to this newest flick, don’t despair – you’ll get more out of this series than from the likes of Twilight. (Scharfenberger, 2013)

From the two related studies above which are representing the real meaning of the violence in the book and about the moral message in the book, it can be concluded that the writer’s undergraduate thesis is different from the other

studies and it also develops other studies because there is no analysis of the main character’s struggle in showing her existence in Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Gamesyet.

B. Review of Related Theories

This part will discuss about the theories that will be used to analyze the problem formulations in this study.

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

Character, according to M. H. Abrams, is “a person presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional equalities that are expressed in what they say-the dialogue-and what they do-the action (1985:23)”.

According to Richard Gill “a character is a person in a literary work. Characters in books may have all sorts of links with the people we meet every day but we only meet them in books. Characters are what they are like because of the way they’ve been made. The kind of conversations they have, the things they do, their appearances and so on are the particular ways in which the author has chosen to characterize his or her characters (1995:127)”.

Gill also stated in his book that the novelist E. M. Foster distinguished between what he called flat characters and round characters. What he has in mind here is the degree offullnessa character possesses; a flat character (also called a type, or “two-dimensional”) has few characteristics, while a round character has several (1995:130).

Roger B. Henkle divides characters into major character and minor characters. Major characters are those people or characters whom we observe most often in the novel, whose appearances are frequent (1977:97). Whereas the minor characters, being generally less complex, or less intense, and drawn in shallower relief, present what is often only one side of the experience (1977:97).

In Richard Gill’s book states that“characterisation is the way in which a character is created (1995:127)”.

Whereas M. J. Murphy, he explained nine ways in which an author attempts to make the characters understandable and come alive:

a. Personal description

The author can describe a person’s appearance and clothes, such as: the telling details, the face, skin, and eyes.

b. Character as seen by another

Instead of describing a character directly the author can describe him through the eyes and opinions of another.

c. Speech

The author can give us an insight into the character of one of the persons in the book through what that person says. Whenever a person speaks, whenever he is in conversation with another, whenever he puts forward an opinion, he is giving us some clue to his character.

d. Past life

By letting the reader learn something about a person’s past life the author can give us a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character.

This can be done by direct comment by the author, though the person’s thoughts, through his conversation or through the medium of another person.

e. Conversation of others

The author can also give us clue to a person’s character through the conversations of other people and the things they say about him. People do talk about other people and the things they say often give as a clue to the character of the person spoken about.

f. Reactions

The author can also give us a clue to a person’s character by letting us know how that person reacts to various situations and events.

g. Direct comment

The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly. h. Thoughts

The author can give us direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. In this respect he is able to do what we cannot do in real life. He can tell us what different people are thinking. In the novel we accept this. The reader then is in a privileged position; he has, as it were, a secret listening device plugged in to the inmost thoughts of a person in a novel. i. Mannerisms

The author can describe a person’s mannerisms, habits or idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about his character (1972:161-173).

2. Theory of Existence

Existence according to Williams is “a specifically human quality, as distinct from other things and creatures which may be said to exist. Existence is again contrasted with essence, but the major and minor signs are as it were transvalued. Where a definition of essence in the sense of something fundamental or intrinsic is still required, it is derived from the qualities of existence, that is of actual being (1983:124)”. It is also stated that “existence also acquired the sense of continuity of being (1983:123)”.

It is also written that according to Anne Soukhanov, existence is “the fact or state of existing; being (1996:642)”.

3. Theory of Struggle

Problems will always happen in people’s life when they live their life. Sometimes their problems might be easy and sometimes they are not. People will have various ways to struggle to face their problems in their life. According to Abate, struggle is the situation which people make some determine efforts under their difficulties and make some efforts to keep struggling in dealing toward problems which emerging in life (Abate, 1996:1514). Another explanation, Anne Soukhanov stated that, “struggle is to be strenuously engaged with the problems or an undertaking, to progress with difficulty (1996:1782)”.

C. Theoretical Framework

There are some theories to help the writer answer the two problem formulations. The first theory that is theory of character and characterization which is used to answer the first problem formulation and to help the writer analyze the main character’s characteristics in the novel who is Katniss Everdeen. Then, the second and third theory those are theory of existence and theory of struggle are used to answer the second problem formulation. At first the writer tried to find Katniss’s problems in her life, then her struggle against her problems. After that, to find out the existence of Katniss Everdeen, the writer tried to relate how Katniss’s characteristics influence her in showing her existence.

14 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

The object of this study is a novel of Suzanne Collins, an American writer, entitled The Hunger Games. This book was first published in 2009 by Grolier International Inc. In this study, the writer uses the edition for Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia only which published by Scholastic Singapore in December 2009 and it has 374 pages.

In March 2009, Lions Gate Entertainment entered into co-production agreement with Color Force created a movie based on the novel. The Hunger Games is an American science fiction adventure film directed by Gary Ross. It was released in March 21 2012, starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth. The filming took place in North Carolina, USA.

In 2012 this movie won many awards, several of them are Virgin Media Movie Awards for Most Wanted Movie 2012, and nominated as Next Big Thing of 2012. In the same year, Josh Hutcherson won in Cinemalon Awards as Breakthrough Performer of the Year and NewNowNext Awards as Next Mega Star. Liam Hemsworth won Australians in Film Award 2012 of Breakthrough category, and Jennifer Lawrence won Best Female Performance in Golden Trailer Awards 2012.

The story in this novel is about a sixteen year old young woman named Katniss Everdeen who lives in a poor district with her mother and her younger sister. Since her father’s death when she was eleven, her family lives in poverty. She has been accustomed to hunt in the woods. She also makes money for her family and decides to lead the family because her mother cannot handle it. In the Seventy-fourth annual Hunger Games, she took her sister’s place in the games because she knows her ability to hunt and survive are better from her sister. She proves that she can survive in the Game although she faced a lot of obstacle and finally she won the Hunger Games.

B. Approach of the Study

Since this study is about the influence of main character’s characteristics in struggling for her existence that is reflected by Katniss Everdeen, the main character in the novel, the writer uses new criticism approach because the writer interprets the novel from the elements in the novel itself and in assisting the writer to analyze the topic. New criticism is an approach which concerns and focuses upon literary texts as formal works of art or on the work itself.

According to Edgar V. Roberts, new criticism focuses upon literary texts as formal works of art and the aim of the formalist study of literature is also to evaluating the artistic quality of individual works and writers, as it stated that

The New Criticism is therefore as its most brilliant in the analysis of smaller units and also utilizes a number of techniques for the analysis of larger structures. For example discussions of “point of view,” “tone,” “plot,” “character,” and “structure,” are ways of looking at literature derived from the New Criticism (1995:267).

Bressler also stated that “known as new criticism, this approach to literary analysis provides the reader with a formula for arriving at the correct interpretation of a text using only the text itself. New criticism does not represent a coherent body of critical theory and methodology espoused by all its followers. New Criticism and its adherents (called New Critics) are an eclectic group, each challenging, borrowing, and changing terminology, theory, and practices from one another while asserting a common core of basic ideas (1999:37-38)”.

C. Method of the Study

This study is a library research because all the data that are collected and needed are available in library. There are also the sources the writer used in the study. The sources are divided into two; those are primary source and secondary sources. The primary source is the novel itself, Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, and the secondary sources are some books of theories and some articles from the internet which are needed to answer the two problem formulations.

There are some steps that are taken to doing this study. They are arranged as follows: the first step was reading the novel and trying to understand the story of the novel. This first step is important because Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Gamesis the object of the study, by reading this novel the writer could understand the whole story. The second step was trying to decide the questions about the understanding of the novel. Deciding the questions about the understanding of the novel is important to pick the right issue that writer wanted to highlight. The third step was collected some data and theories to help the writer answering the

questions. The third step is carried out because the data and theories which are needed to answer the questions have to match with the highlighted issue to avoid any mistake when answering and analysing the question. The fourth was doing the analysis based on the data and the theories that had been collected. In this step the writer could answer the questions by analysing the relation between the question, the data and the theories. This step is carried out in order to make the boundaries to avoid the out of topic answer and analysis. Finally the last step was making a conclusion. To shorten and highlight the main point of the analysis is the reason why this last step is carried out.

18

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

In this chapter, the writer will answer the two problem formulations. There will be two parts of this analysis. The first part is answering how the characteristics of Katniss Everdeen are described in Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games. The second part is indentifying what struggle for existence is faced by Katniss Everdeen, and how Katniss’s characteristics influence her in showing her existence.

A. The Characteristics of Katniss Everdeen

Katniss Everdeen is one of the characters in Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games, because she is a person presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional equalities that are expressed in what they say-the dialogue-and what they do-the action (Abrams, 1985:23). As the chief character in a story, Katniss can be concluded as a protagonist. She is a round character in this novel because she has several characteristics while the other characters only have few characteristics. It is also seen in the novel that Katniss is a major character because she is observed most often in the novel and her appearances are frequent; whereas the other characters are less complex and less intense.

According to Murphy,he explained nine ways in which an author attempts to make the characters understandable and come alive (1972:161-173), but in this

analysis the writer only used five of them. They are character as seen by another, thoughts, reactions, speech, and past life. Based on those theories, the writer could analyze the characteristics of Katniss Everdeen as:

1. Courageous

The first Katniss Everdeen’s characteristic is courageous. She can handle any danger and pain in difficult situation. It is shown in many ways. The first is character as seen by another. After the reaping, Katniss is taken to the waiting room before they continue the journey to Capitol. Her family and friends could meet her for a moment in that room. Her sister and her mother came first. They were in a group conversation and her sister, Prim tried to calm and encouraged her. It is shown as “I’ll be all right, Katniss,” says Prim, clasping my face in her hand. “But you have to take care, too. You’re so fast and brave. Maybe you can win (p. 36).”

Katniss courage also can be seen through her thoughts when she faced the Games. In the first night Games, she was in the tree to rest and make herself safe. Then she overheard the Careers (the most strong opponents) talking. She was shock when she discovered that Peeta, the boy from her district was with them, but she was managing herself to not confuse or frightened. She convinced herself as it is stated, “Until I work out exactly how I want to play that, I’d better at least act on top of things. Not perplexed. Certainly not confused or frightened (p. 164)”.

She was focus on what she will do to handle the situation and to face her opponents in the Games. It is seen when the Careers found her washing her

burned leg and they ran after her. To make her safe, Katniss picked a high tree and began to climb. To release herself from the Careers who stood by to catch and kill her at the ground, she cut the branch which wasp nest hung on it by her knife just like what Rue; a twelve year old girl from District 11 told her doing. The nest smashed on the ground and tracker jackers hit the Careers, they ran away from there but two of them could not make it. They both died. At the beginning of the Games Katniss did not get any bow and arrows, but finally Katniss got them from the dead girl. Her courage is seen through her thoughts.

The weapons give me an entirely new perspective on the Games. I know I have tough opponents left to face. But I am no longer merely prey that runs and hides or takes desperate measures. If Cato broke through the trees right now, I wouldn’t flee, I’d shoot. I find I’m actually anticipating the moment with pleasure (p. 197).

Katniss bravery became stronger after Rue’s death because she loves her and Rue reminds her of her sister. She got mad to the Capitol for their treat to every tribute, force them to do and join their Games. She showed that she was not afraid of anything and she wanted to do something to shame Capitol. It is seen through her thoughts.

I want to do something, right here, right now, to shame them, to make them accountable, to show the Capitol that whatever they do or force us to do there is a part of every tribute they can’t own. That Rue was more than a piece in their Games. And so am I (p. 236-237).

She thought she will not be an easy target although she lost Rue. She would not be afraid of anything. Her loss would be the other reason why she has to win the Games. This courage is also seen through her thoughts.

I’ve no idea where to go. The brief sense of home I had that one night with Rue has vanished. My feet wander this way and that until sunset. I’m not afraid, not even watchful. Which makes me an easy target. Except I’d kill anyone I met on sight (p. 238).

2. Spontaneous

Katniss is spontaneous. It can be seen through her reactions about something that she hears and sees. Her spontaneity is also shown through her speech.

In the novel, it was told that on the third day of training, tributes were called one by one for private session with the Gamemakers. When Katniss’s session, she took a bow and arrow but she missed the target a couple of inches and lost the Gamemakers’ little attention because the bow and arrows were made different from that she usually uses. After trying a couple times, she got the feel of those new weapons. Then she could shoot excellently but only a few Gamemakers were nodding approval, the majority of them were fixated on a roast pig that has just arrived at their banquet table. She felt furious because she was being upstaged by a dead pig and her life on the line but the Gamemakers did not pay attention to her. So, she shot an apple in the pig’s mouth. Her spontaneous characteristics when she shot an apple in the pig’s mouth is seen through her reactions.

Without thinking, I pull an arrow from my quiver and send it straight at the Gamemakers’ table. I hear shout 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).

Her spontaneity to respond the Gamemakers ignorance to her is also shown through her speech when she explains to Effie that she was upset of the

Gamemakers ignorance and she spontaneously shot an arrow to an apple in the roast pig’s mouth.

“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).

It is also told that when six tributes remained in the Game, there was an announcement of rule changing. The winner of the Games could be two people, both tributes from the same district if they are the last two alive. Katniss felt so relief when she hears the news so it made her could not stop to call out Peeta’s name. Her spontaneity is seen through her reactions.

The news sinks in. Two tributes can win this year. If they’re from the same district. Both can live. Both of us can live.

Before I can stop myself, I call out Peeta’s name.

I clap my hands over my mouth, but the sound has already escaped. The sky goes black and I hear the chorus of frogs begin to sing. Stupid! I tell myself. What a stupid thing to do! I wait, frozen, for the woods to come alive with assailants. Then I remember there’s almost no one left (p. 244-247).

3. Persevering

Katniss is a persevering person. She will fight as much as she can besides to give up easily. Her spirit can be seen in the novel through speech and thoughts.

Katniss was in conversation with Haymitch and Peeta. They were talking about what Katniss and Peeta can do to survive and even win the Games. Peeta felt unconfident because he thinks he cannot do anything except baking bread and he does not believe himself. He seemed like just want to give up even before the

Games start. Katniss was unpleasant to hear Peeta’s words. Her characteristics that is persevering is seen through her speech.

“There’s always hand-to-hand combat. All you need is to come up with a knife, and you’ll at least stand a chance. If I get jumped, I’m dead!” I can hear my voice rising in anger (p. 90).

When her family came to see her before her journey to Capitol, Prim told her that maybe she could win. At first Katniss thought that she could not because she knew that there would be many boys and girls from wealthier districts who have been trained their whole lives for this Games, boys who are two to three times of her size, and girls who know twenty different ways to kill with a knife. But latter, she realized that she has to fight and do not give up because she knew that it is not in her nature to go down without a fight. It is seen through her thoughts.

“Maybe,” I say, because I can hardly tell my mother to carry on if I’ve already given up myself. Besides, it isn’t in my nature to go down without a fight, even when things seem insurmountable. “Then we’d be rich as Haymitch (p. 36).”

There would be a live interview with the tributes after the private session. Katniss was nervous about the interview. She thought that she is awful because Haymitch called her a dead slug and she just could not be one of those people he wants her to be. Then Cinna told her to just be herself because people admire her spirit. It made Katniss sure about herself as seen through her thoughts “My spirit. This is a new thought. I’m not sure exactly what it means, but it suggests I’m a fighter. In a sort of brave way (p. 121-122)”.

When Katniss found out that Peeta was with the Careers, she was shocked but she tried to make it as a plus point for her. She would show to the audience and the sponsors that she can hunt, she is a good bet and she will not be lured into traps as easily as the others will by hunger. She had to prove that she will not give up easily and look one step ahead of the game. Her characteristics which is persevering can be seen through her thoughts.

No, I need to look one step ahead of the game.

So as I slide out of the foliage and into the dawn light, I pause a second, giving the cameras time to lock on me. Then I cock my head slightly to the side and give a knowing smile. There! Let them figure out what that means! (p. 164)

Katniss’s spirit is also shown when Rue is dying to death. Rue asked her about their plan to blow up the Careers’ food, whether their plan was success or not. Then Rue told Katniss that Katniss had to win the Games. She realized that she had to win this for her and Rue. Rue’s condition made her more on fire to win the Games. It is seen through her speech.

“You have to win,” she says.

“I’m going to. Going to win for both of us now,” I promise. I hear a cannon and look up. It must be for the boy from District 1 (p. 233-234).

4. Caring and Loving

Katniss is a caring and loving person. She loves her little sister so much. She also cares about Rue. She felt touch because Rue is very young and the youngest tribute in the Game. Rue also reminds her of her sister Prim. It is shown in the novel a lot through reactions, thoughts, and speech.

At the day of the reaping, Prim was worried about Katniss and her first reaping, and so did Katniss. Katniss tried to show her care to Prim by hugging her. Her care and love is seen through her thoughts.

I hug her, because I know these next few hours will be terrible for her. Her first reaping. She’s about as safe as you can get, since she’s only entered once. I wouldn’t let her take out any tesserae. But she’s worried about me. That the unthinkable might happen (p. 15).

Katniss felt she is powerless against the reaping. She would do everything to protect Prim but it was hard at the reaping day. Her care and protection to Prim is also shown through her thoughts when she was talking to Prim and trying to force herself to stay calm.

I protect Prim in every way I can, but I’m powerless against the reaping. The anguish I always feel when she’s in pain wells up in my chest and threatens to register on my face. I notice her blouse has pulled out of her skirt in the back again and force myself to stay calm. “Tuck your tail in, little duck,” I say, smoothing the blouse back in place (p. 15).

Katniss showed her love mostly in the reaping when Prim’s name was called as the tribute. She stunned and unable to speak for a moment. It was like a nightmare to her, but her love for Prim to protect her makes her willing to take Prim’s position in the Games. Her love for her sister is also shown here through her reaction when she volunteered herself.

“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.

She protects Prim so much and did not let anything bad happen to her sister. She takes care of her sister as good as she can in order to avoid the community home. She never wants them to take Prim to live at the community home. It is seen through her thoughts.

I could never let that happen to Prim. Sweet, tiny Prim who cried when I cried before she even knew the reason, who brushed and plaited my mother’s hair before we left for school, who still polished my father’s shaving mirror each night because he’d hated the layer of coal dust that settled on everything in the Seam. The community home would crush her like a bug. So I kept our predicament a secret (p. 27).

It is also stated through Katniss thoughts that she does care for some people even though she hardly smiles. It shows that Katniss realizes she is a caring person.

It’s not as if I’m never friendly. Okay, maybe I don’t go around loving everybody I meet, maybe my smiles are hard to come by, but I do care for some people (p. 122).

Katniss loving characteristic also reveal directly through her speech when Caesar asked her about her sister in the interview with the twenty four tributes before the Games start.

“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).”

Katniss showed her care to Rue through her reactions when Rue came to her after cure her from the tracker jackers. Katniss asked Rue to eat her kills together. Then, Rue did her second cure for Katniss and then Katniss notices a

long burn on Rue’s forearm. She gave the burn medicine which she got from the sponsors to Rue. Katniss also asked Rue to become an ally because she thinks Rue is a survivor who also helped, cured, and saved her from the deadly tracker jackers. Especially Rue reminds her of her sister, Prim.

Rue stuffs another handful of leaves in her mouth, and soon I’m laughing because the relief is so sweet. I notice a long burn on Rue’s forearm. “I’ve got something for that.” I set aside my weapons and anoint her arm with the burn medicine.

“You have good sponsors,” she says longingly.

“You weren’t joking, about wanting me for an ally?” she asks.

“No, I meant it,” I say. I can almost hear Haymitch groaning as I team up with this wispy child. But I want her. Because she’s a survivor, and I trust her, and why not admit it? She reminds me of Prim (p. 201).

Latter, Katniss saw Rue really enjoy her meal. Rue told Katniss that she never had a whole leg to herself before, it made Katniss asked Rue to eat whatever part of the kills she wants. Katniss also informed her next she can get more kills and she can show Rue how to set snares. Those are really showed Katniss’s care and love to each other, and how she could not stand to see a young girl alone to survive. She also tried to help and take care of Rue as she could. It is seen through her speech to Rue.

“Oh,” says Rue with a sigh. “I’ve never had a whole leg to myself before.” I’ll bet she hasn’t. I’ll bet meat hardly ever comes her way. “Take the other,” I say.

“Really?” she asks.

“Take whatever you want. Now that I’ve got a bow and arrows, I can get more. Plus I’ve got snares. I can show you how to set them,” I say. Rue still looks uncertainly at the leg. “Oh, take it,” I say, putting the drumstick in her hands. “It will only keep a few days anyway, and we’ve got the whole bird plus the rabbit.” Once she’s got hold of it, her appetite wins out and she takes a huge mouthful (p. 202).

Katniss was worried about Rue’s safety when they decided to separate for doing their mission to trick the Careers tribute. It is clearly show through her thoughts how caring she is.

Unexpectedly, Rue throws her arms around me. I only hesitate a moment before I hug her back.

“You be careful,” she says to me.

“You, too,” I say. I turn and head back to the stream, feeling somehow worried. About Rue being killed, about Rue not being killed and the two of us being left for last, about leaving Rue alone, about leaving Prim alone back home. No, Prim has my mother and Gale and a baker who has promise she won’t go hungry. Rue has only me (p. 213).

Katniss reaction when Rue was dying after a boy from district one threw a spear into Rue’s body showed her care and love to Rue. She stayed in Rue side until Rue last breath. She made Rue comfortable by pulling Rue’s head onto her lap, brushing Rue’s hair gently, and even singing as Rue wish her to. Although she have not sung much since her father died and she does not know much song, she tried to do Rue’s last request.

“Don’t go.” Rue tightens her grip on my hand.

“Course not. Staying right here,” I say. I move in closer to her, pulling her head onto my lap. I gently brush the dark, thick hair back behind her ear. “Sing,” she says, but I barely catch the word (p. 234).

When Rue died, Katniss was drowning in sadness. She cried a lot but she was still singing, finishing her song for Rue. Then she treated Rue gently. She kissed Rue’s temple, laid Rue’s head back on the ground and released Rue’s hand. Her care and love for Rue is also seen through her reaction.

For a moment, I sit there, watching my tears drip down on her face. Rue’s cannon fires. I lean forward and press my lips against her temple. Slowly, as if not to wake her, I lay her head back on the ground and release her hand (p. 235-236).

Katniss could not stop looking at Rue. She thought she cannot leave Rue like this. She showed her love to Rue for the last through her reaction, so she decorated Rue’s body with flowers. She wanted everyone see Rue like that when the hovercraft collect the bodies of the death people. At the end, she pressed the three middle fingers of her left hand against her lips and held them out in Rue’s direction. This sign means thanks, admiration, and good bye to someone you love.

A few steps into the woods grow a bank of wildflowers. Perhaps they are really weeds of some sort, but they have blossoms in beautiful shades of violet and yellow and white. I gather up an armful and come back to Rue’s side. Slowly, one step at a time, I decorate her body in the flowers. Covering the ugly wound. Wreathing her face. Weaving her hair with bright colors.

“Bye, Rue,” I whisper. I press the three middle fingers of my left hand against my lips and hold them out in her direction. Then I walk away without looking back (p. 237).

Once again, Katniss proved that she is a caring and loving person through her thoughts. She was lying on the ground, hiding her face from camera then she remembered Rue and how Rue saved her life from the tracker jackers stings. She remembered Tresh and how Tresh saved her then let her go instead of kill her as a thank for her to took care Rue. She thought if she comes home, she will do something to help Rue and Tresh’s family as a thank for them.

Under the hood, I silently say good-bye to Tresh and thank him for my life. I promise to remember him and, if I can, do something to help his family and Rue’s, if I win (p. 309).

5. Clever

Katniss tried to trick her opponents in the Games. As the news was announced that both tributes from the same district can win the Games, Katniss started to track Peeta. Through her thoughts and the way she was using to track Peeta, it shows she is clever.

Well, it’s a place to start, anyway.

To confuse my enemies’ mind, I start a fire with plenty of green wood. Even if they think it’s a ruse, I hope they’ll decide I’m hidden somewhere near it. While in reality, I’ll be tracking Peeta (p. 250).

Peeta asked Katniss to tell him about the happiest day she can remember. Most stories she remembers involve Gale. She thought it was not good if the audience and Peeta know about it because she needs the sponsor from the audience to support good stuffs which help her in the Games. The audience love Katniss and Peeta love story which created by Haymitch. She is so clever so she decided to tell a story about Prim’s goat. She little bit changed the story and told it carrefuly in order to keep her illegal hunting as a secret. Her cleverness is seen through her thoughts.

“Did I ever tell you about how I got Prim’s goat?” I ask. Peeta shakes his head, and looks at me expectantly. So I begin. But carefully. Because my words are going out all over Panem. And while people have no doubt put two and two together that I hunt illegally, I don’t want to hurt Gale or Greasy Sae or the butcher or even the Peacekeepers back home who are my customers by publicly announcing they’re breaking the law, too (p. 268).

Katniss was in dilemma when at the end of the Games, the Gamemakers announced the changing of the game rules. The victor could not be both tributes of the same district, there would no two victors, but there would only one victor.

The Gamemakers wanted Katniss and Peeta get into fight and kill each other. She would not let it happen. She had an idea to trick the Gamemakers because they had to have a victor, if they had not, they would fail and humiliate the Capitol. So she decided to eat the nightlock, poisonous dark berries with Peeta, hoped the Gamemakers will not let them eat the dark berries. Her thoughts is shown her clever characteristics.

Yes, they have to have a victor. Without a victor, the whole thing would blow up in the Gamemakers’ faces. They’d have failed the Capitol. Might possibly even be executed, slowly and painfully while the cameras broadcast it to every screen in the country.

If Peeta and I were both to die, or they thought we were . . .

My fingers fumble with the pouch on my belt, freeing it. Peeta sees it and his hand clamps on my wrist. “No, I won’t let you.”

“Trust me,” I whisper. He holds my gaze for a long moment then lets me go. I loosen the top of the pouch and pour a few spoonfuls of berries into his palm. Then I fill my own. “On the count of three?” (p. 344)

Katniss’s cleverness is also seen in her hunting and archery. It can be proved through Peeta’s point of view. She can hunt and shoot arrows perfectly. She used to hunt with her father, who taught her hunt and archery since her childhood. She hunts to support her family. She usually sells her kills or barters them for bread or anything her family’s need. When Haymitch ask Katniss whether she is good at hunting or not, then Peeta answered it. Peeta told Haymitch how good she is at shooting arrow as he ever heard from his father. It is shown that her cleverness is seen through character as seen by another.

“She’s excellent,” says Peeta. “My father buys her squirrels. He always comments on how the arrows never pierce the body. She hits everyone in the eye. It’s the same with the rabbits she sells the butcher. She can even bring down deer (p. 89).”

Katniss’s cleverness in hunting skill is also seen through her speech. She knows how to set snare. She knows about trapping. Those things prove that Katniss is clever and skilful to defence herself in the wild.

After about a minute of this, Haymitch says, “Well, then. Well, well, well. Katniss, there’s no guarantee there’ll be bows and arrows in the arena, but during your private session with the Gamemakers, show them what you can do. Until then, stay clear of archery. Are you any good at trapping?” “I know a few basic snares,” I mutter (p. 91).

6. Responsible

Katniss is a responsible young woman. It is showed through her past life in the novel. She made a big decision to take over as head of the family when she was eleven years old because her mother could not do it since her father died in the mine accident which made her mother really desperate in sadness. She has to take care of her family and feed them.

At eleven years old, with Prim just seven, I took over as head of the family. There was no choice. I bought our food at the market and cooked it as best I could and tried to keep Prim and myself looking presentable. Because if it had become known that my mother could no longer care for us, the district would have taken us away from her and placed us in the community home (p. 27).

Her responsibility also seen through her thoughts. She told her mother firmly that she will not be there to take care of the family, feed them, and keep them alive when she enters the Games. She informed her mother and Prim about what should they do when she is not present.

My mother sits beside me and wraps her arms around us. For a few minutes, we say nothing. Then I start telling them all the things they must remember to do, now that I will not be there to do them for them (p. 34).

Her mother cannot leave again and stuck in her dark world desperation, so she had to make sure that her mother has to be strong, to be responsible of Prim and herself in every situation even in the bad ones. Her responsible characteristics is seen through her speech.

When I am done with instruction about fuel, and trading, and staying in school, I turn to my mother and grip her arm, hard. “Listen to me. Are you listening to me?” She nods, alarm by my intensity. She must know what’s coming. “You can’t leave again,” I say.

My mother’s eyes find the floor. “I know. I won’t. I couldn’t help what –“ “Well, you have to help it this time. You can’t clock out and leave Prim on her own. There’s no me now to keep you both alive. It doesn’t matter what happens. Whatever you see on the screen. You have to promise me you’ll fight through it!” My voice has risen to a shout. In it is all the anger, all the fear I felt at her abandonment (p. 35).

B. The Influence of Katniss Everdeen’s Chracteristics Towards Her Struggle for Existence

In this novel, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, there are some situation when Katniss was struggling and she tried to show her existence. Living in a society which is ruled by a cruel powerful government makes the people have a difficult life. Capitol take the whole comodities from the twelve districts of Panem as a result the people in the twelve districts live in a poverty. People in Panem are afraid of the powerful Capitol. This difficult situation makes Katniss hates the Capitol, especially her life is getting worse because of the Capitol rules. Capitol treat them whatever Capitol like as if they do not exist. Those situations make Katniss struggle for her existence as a human being because how Capitol treats their people is not an appropriate treatment for human being.

Her characteristics have some part in determining her to show her existence when she faces some problems. So when Katniss decides to do something to fight against her problems and prove her existence, her characteristics influence how she acts. According to the definition of existence, Katniss’s existence is seen because she is “being”, and she is in the state of existing which is she exists and she is able to do what human suppose to do to fight and survive in any bad situation. She shows from herself that she has the specifically human quality, which is shown in her way to deal with her struggles. Her existence is also seen when she makes responsible decisions, and decides what she wants to do to create her life and existence. All of her struggles and how her characteristics influence her to show her existence can be seen in those following explanations:

1. Decides to be a Leader and Taking Care of the Family

Katniss and her family lives in a poor district, district twelve. Her district is a part of Panem. Panem is ruled by the Capitol which is a rich and high technology area. At first her family lived so well. Her father worked in mining and her mother worked as apothecary. They could fulfill their needs even though they are not rich. When her father died in mining accident when she was eleven, no one support her family anymore. Her family becomes poor. It is seen in the novel on pages twenty seven, “But the money ran out and we were slowly starving to death. There’s no other way to put it (p. 27)”.

One day Katniss could not earn some money for her family. She was starving and her family had nothing to eat. They just had some water to drink as

seen in, “For three days, we’d had nothing but boiled water with some old dried mint leaves I’d found in the back of a cupboard (p. 28)”.

As a poor family Katniss has to signed up for tesserae. Girls and boys in the districts can have it, but if they signed up for more tesserae, every tesserae they have will be count as one additional name in the Game.

On May 8th_{, I went to the Justice Building, signed up for my tesserae, and}

pulled home my first batch of grain and oil in Prim’s toy wagon. On the eighth of every month, I was entitled to do the same. I couldn’t stop hunting and gathering, of course. The grain was not enough to live on, and there were other things to buy, soap and milk and thread (p. 51-52).

When Katniss was in train and Capitol, they always served her an expensive and delicious meal Katniss never had because she is poor and she could not buy any expensive food. Her mind went to back home how she gathers food.

I try to imagine assembling this meal myself back home. Chickens are too expensive, but I could make do with a wild turkey. I’d need to shoot a second turkey to trade for an orange. Goat’s milk would have to substitute for cream. We can grow peas in the garden. I’d have to get wild onions from the woods.

Days of hunting and gathering for this one meal and even then it would be a poor substitution for the Capitol version (p. 65).

After her father died, her mother is desperate because of losing her father. Her mother drowns into sadness as a result her mother could not take care of the family. Her mother ignored her and her sister, Prim as if they are not exist. She does not want to take care of and feed them. For her mother, it looks like she does not have anything left after the death of her husband. Her mother’s condition really affected Katniss and Prim as seen in the novel in page eight, “I try to remember that when all I can see is the woman who sat by, black and unreachable, while her children turned to skin and bones (p. 8)”.

Katniss feels her father death makes her feels she also lost her mother. Her mother locked in some dark world of sadness and did not do anything. Her mother cannot take care of her and Prim.

The district had given us a small amount of money as compensation for his death, enough to cover one month of grieving at which time my mother would be expected to get a job. Only she didn’t. she didn’t do anything but sit propped up in a chair or, more often, huddled under the blankets on her bed, eyes fixed on some point in the distance.

I was terrified. I suppose now that my mother was locked in some dark world of sadness, but at the time, all I knew was that I had lost not only my father, but a mother as well (p. 26-27).

Katniss’s father had taught her how to hunt. She often hunted in woods with her father, but after her father died she has to do it by herself. One day she had the good luck to kill a rabbit. When she was at home, her mother tried to cook the rabbit but her mother suddenly went back to her depression.

We hadn’t had meat in months. The sight of the rabbit seemed to stir something in my mother. She roused herself, skinned the carcass, and made a stew with the meat and some more greens Prim had gathered. Then she acted confused and went back to bed, but when the stew was done, we made her eat a bowl (p. 51).

This condition made Katniss thought that she has to act and do something to handle this condition. She does not want if this condition continues, then the community home know her mother cannot take care of her and Prim, the district will take them to the community home. Katniss will not let this happen. She does not want the community home take her and Prim. As a member in this family, she also has to be responsible of the family, especially her mother cannot do so, and she has to make sure that the family is alright and comfortable. To show her existence, she has to take those responsibilities so others can realize her existence and ability. So, she decided to be the leader of the family and take the

responsibility of them. Her characteristics which are courageous, persevering, caring and loving, and responsible determine her in facing her problems and showing her existence as a human being who has a responsibility. She is courageous so she could make those decisions. Her spirit makes her believe that she can. Her responsible, care, and love to her family make her willing to act as a leader of the family.

At eleven years old, with Prim just seven, I took over as head of the family. There was no choice. I bought our food at the market and cooked it as best I could and tried to keep Prim and myself looking presentable. Because if it had become known that my mother could no longer care for us, the district would have taken us away from her and placed us in the community home (p. 27).

As a leader of a family, Katniss has to earn money for her family and feed them. She did not wait for anybody to help her family. She hunts in the woods for meats and fish, she also gathers some plants. After she and Gale finished hunting, they usually trade what they got and exchange it for something they need. She tries her best to take care her family. She will do anything possible as much as she can.

We easily trade six of the fish for good bread, the other two for salt. Greasy Sae, the bony old woman who sells bowls of hot soup from large kettle, takes half the greens off our hands in exchange for a couple of chunks of paraffin.

When we finish our business at the market, we go to the back door of the mayor’s house to sell half the strawberries, knowing he has a particular fondness for them and can afford our price (p.11-12).

As a responsibility to her family, Katniss was determined to feed them. She uses her hunting and archery skill to gain some foods. She is courageous enough to explore the woods although it was slow-going at first when she did not hunt with her father anymore.

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 74th_{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.

win the games” to “there will be only one victor”. She went against the game rules by pretending to commit suicide by eating the poisonous dark berries with Peeta so the Gamemakers will not have a victor. She knew the Gamemakers will not fail the Capitol by have no victor, so she and Peeta could go back home. She courageously made a big decision about her life although the worse risk was death; she could die because of the poison.

Yes, they have to have a victor. Without a victor, the whole thing would blow up in the Gamemakers’ faces. They’d have failed the Capitol. Might possibly even be executed, slowly and painfully while the cameras broadcast it to every screen in the country.

If Peeta and I were both to die, or they thought we were . . .

My fingers fumble with the pouch on my belt, freeing it. Peeta sees it and his hand clamps on my wrist. “No, I won’t let you.”

“Trust me,” I whisper. He holds my gaze for a long moment then lets me go. I loosen the top of the pouch and pour a few spoonfuls of berries into his palm. Then I fill my own. “On the count of three?” (p. 344)

Fortunately, the odds were in her favour. Her trick was successful. She did not have to eat the poisonous dark berries at all. She and Peeta could go home together. At that time, the Gamemakers announced Katniss and Peeta are the victors of the 74th_{Hunger Games.}

45 CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

The aim in this study is to prove that the main character who is Katniss Everdeen in the novelThe Hunger Gamesby Suzanne Collins is struggling for her existence as a human being. The writer wants to conclude the result of the analysis as the answers of the two problem formulations by using new criticism. Those two problem formulations are Katniss Everdeen’s characteristics and Katniss Everdeen’s struggle to show existence which is influenced by her characteristics.

Katniss Everdeen is the main character of the story. Her appearances are frequent because she is a major character whereas the other characters are not. Then, as a round character she has several characteristics. Katniss Everdeen characteristics as seen in the novel are courageous, spontaneous, persevering, clever, caring and loving, and also responsible. Her characteristics are found through the way she thoughts, her reactions, her speech, her conversation of others, her past life, and she is seen by another.

The writer could find that Katniss’s existence seen because she is “being” and she is "existing". Her characteristics determine her to show her existence when she faces some problems. The way she makes responsible decisions and decides what she wants to do is also showing her existence.

In the novel, Katniss struggles for her existence when her family lost her father as the leader of the family, her mother ignored her family, her younger sister, Prim was selected as a girl tribute in the 74th _{Hunger Games, the} Gamemakers underestimated her, and the game rules was changed by the Gamemakers.

When her family lost her father as the leader of the family, and being ignored by her mother, Katniss tried to fix the situation and showed her existence as a family member who has to take care of the family and to be responsible of them, by deciding to be the leader of the family and taking care of them. The writer found that the way Katniss shows her existence is shown her courageous, persevering, caring and loving, and responsible characteristics.

Katniss also struggle for existence when Prim is selected as a tribute for Hunger Games. Her existence is seen towards her protection, loving, and responsibility of Prim which she shows to others she is able and exists to protect her sister’s life. Her characteristics which are spontaneous, responsible, caring and loving for Prim determine her in showing her existence by volunteering herself and took Prim’s place in the games.

Lost the Gamemakers’ attention and being underestimated by them also made Katniss struggles for her existence. Her characteristics also determine her in showing her existence. Those are courageous, spontaneous, clever and persevering. Katniss tried to get back the Gamemakers’ attention, showed them that she is skilful and exist in the room.

Her last struggle for existence is the Gamemakers change the game rule suddenly. Katniss felt the Gamemakers did not appreciate her and other tributes as a human being. In this situation, with her courage, spontaneity, and cleverness, she shows her existence by going against the game rule and refusing to kill Peeta and asking Peeta to eat the poisonous berries together so the Capitol would not have a victor.

The writer concludes that someone’s characteristics influence him/her in showing his/her existence. Katniss faces her struggle because she is not a coward person; she is not a person who will give up without a fight. She did all the thing above is because she is a courageous, responsible, spontaneous, persevering, clever, caring and loving person. If she is not, she would not take those decisions; she would be afraid to face certain situations; and she would give up before she tries to do something.

48

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49

APPENDIX

Summary of the Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games

Katniss Everdeen is a sixteen-year-old young woman who lives with her mother and her younger sister in District 12. Since her father death when she was eleven, she became very poor. Her mother ignores the family and cannot take care of them because her mother is so desperate to face her father’s death. Her responsibility makes her take the position as the leader of the family. She has accustomed to hunt in the woods. She also makes money for her family.

Every year the Capitol, which rule the twelve districts in Panem, host the Hunger Games. Hunger Games is the Capitol’s way to make the twelve districts afraid of them so those twelve districts will not do the rebellion anymore. At first, Katniss’s younger sister has been chosen to join the Hunger Games, but she takes her sister’s place in the Hunger Games because she knows her ability to hunt and survive are better from her sister.

In the games Katniss is well-known as a girl on fire and a great archer. She can survive in the Game although she faces a lot of obstacle, such as she was underestimated and tricked by the Gamemakers like a fool while her life is on the line. She has to decide between love, her district, or even herself. Finally she won the Hunger Game.