Hilary Kordecki Historian There have been many diasporas over the course of history, but some that have forever left marred history include the Jewish expulsion from the Middle East, their homeland, and the African Trans-Atlantic slave trade. But let's start from the beginning. First, what exactly is a diaspora? A diaspora is defined as any group migration that may or may not be forced. Secondly, how is the Jewish expulsion from the Middle East similar to the Districts of Panem? Well, when the Jews were exiled from Judea and Israel by the Roman Empire and Babylonians, they were scattered and didn't come in contact with each other. Similarily, the people of Panem were scattered when the Capitol took over Panem and created the Districts because with everybody spread out, it is much easier to maintain control, order, and discipline.The African Trans-Atlantic slave trade relates to the Districts in the sense that it wasn't something that the people had a say in - North America had fallen apart, and the people in power who picked up the pieces and put them back together did it their own way. The slaves had no say in whether or not they wanted to be a part of the trade because they were powerless.
Another viewpoint is that the character of Katniss is like Jesus the Christ. Both Katniss and Jesus caused a rebellion - Katniss's being the uprisings in the Districts and Jesus' being his idea of a new religion. Additionally, the Capitol wa Katniss silenced, and the Holy Roman emperor wanted Jesus silenced. Additionally, another viewpoint is that the rebellion is similar to the American Revolutionary War. We rebelled against our mother country (like the Boston Tea Party - a rebellion against the highly taxed teas from Britain) because we felt that what they were doing wasn't right. Likewise, the people of Panem rebelled against their "mother country" (Panem) because they felt that the Capitol was failing to do its job in a just manner. Furthermore, the mockingjay pin represents the rebellion, as did the American flag and the picture credited to Benjamin Franklin that we used.
Need I say more?
Psychological Critic
Cinna
Cinna is that one-of-a-kind character that everyone admires. His personality is one that its very hard to not like him because his loyalty,courage, and selflessness appeals to everyone. His actions are eventually the downfall of him, but they make you like him even more. The courage and loyalty shine with the example that he stands up for a cause that he believes in (even if it might be a lost cause) and follows through until the end. His selflessness appears most prominently when Katniss realizes that her wedding dress transformation only hurts Cinna.
Districts
People can only be bullied so much before they snap and fight back. For example, victims of bullying can't take the abuse forever. Sometimes they commit suicide, and sometimes they fight back. In some way or another, they rebel. This scenario fits the Districts and Capitol's relationship like a glove. The Districts have been oppressed for so long that they're sick of it. Katniss is the catalyst that begins the rebellion and helps lead the Districts to their freedom. Their determination to keep Katniss alive, no matter what, shows how badly they want to liberate themselvse from their oppression.
Katniss is like a box of matches because it only takes one to start a fire
Peeta and Katniss
With the end of the Games, Peeta and Katniss' relationship is distant; but under the circumstances that arise with President Snow, Peeta and Katniss are forced to paint love over their true feelings for the benefit of the show because the show must go on. Is Katniss' love real or merely lonliness because "lonliness makes the heart grow fonder"? Peeta is heartbroken when their marriage is announced because he knows that it isn't out of love. Peeta's dreams of actually having a life with Katniss are crushed by the cruelty of reality made by Katniss merely marrying Peeta to save her family and everyone she knows from total annihilation by President Snow and his minions. Katniss and Peeta have a relationship based on something that only they can relate to. The nightmares of the Games have taken their toll on them. The promises that Haymitch makes to Peeta and Katniss are beyond complicated. Peeta's only request is to turn the tables and keep Katniss alive this time around in the Quell. But Katniss wants to keep Peeta alive because without him, who would feel her pain? Haymitch agrees to Peeta's request though for two reasons: 1) it's only fair that he gets a say this time through since last time he was the once kept completely out of the loop 2) There is much more to lose if Katniss dies because she is the catalyst for the rebellion - without her, there is no rebellion. In comparison to The Hunger Games, Peeta is reflected as more of a strong, self-reliant character. Peeta is more of the leader than the follower because he is able to map out the clock and unravel the secret behind the layout of the arena.
Gale and Katniss
Does Katniss actually love Gale? Or are her feelings for him merely spur of the moment? Watching a friend being whipped to the point of unconsciousness and then hearing his agonizing whimpers of delirious pain are enough to evoke some kind of emotion. Katniss and Gale have a relationship based on necessity and survival. But is need alone enough to fuel their love?
Katniss
Does Katniss actually know what she's feeling? Maybe the reason Katniss is having so much trouble figuring out who she loves is because she doesn't understand herself. Her reasons for loving someone are a little shaky. Do you love someone just because you pity them? Do you love someone just because you can relate to them? Or does love require something more? Katniss' emotional history makes it hard for her to maintain a relationship.
Finnick
Finnick at first glance seems like a stereotypical, Capitol-lavished boy who is more concernced with wooing the crowd then the Quarter Quell; however, throughout the book, Finnick slowly reveals his complexity and depth. Katniss realizes Finnick for who he really is when they are together in the forest, and the mockingjays taunt them with the voices of their loved ones - Finnick's being a "poor, mad girl back home" (348) named Annie who was traumatized after her partner was beheaded in the Games about five years ago. By the end of the book, it is apparent that Finnick is not a narcissitic Capitol baby, but rather a strong, courageous man who has endured far more than one should have to endure.
Johanna
Johanna is extremely intelligent, cold, and calculating. Those attributes led her to win the Hunger Games one year and have kept her alive. By distancing herself, she is able to protect herself from being hurt, such as the case of the jabberjays. Johanna states before going into the forest filled with Jabberjays that no one would miss her if she was gone, so she would remain unaffected by the jabberjays.
Learner
The themes that are really emphasized in Catching Fire are loyalty, perseverance, courage, forgiveness, and sacrifice Loyalty is exemplified by many of the characters including but not limited to Finnick, Beetee, Peeta, Haymitch, Johanna, Katniss, Cinna, and Plutarch Heavensbee, Finnick, Beetee, Johanna, Cinna, and Plutarch risked their lives for the cause - one that had all the potential to backfire. But they never gave up. They persevered against the odds, and even though it lands them in a bigger mess, they push on because of their courage to touch the goal they have never lost sight of.
got courage?
Forgivenes plays a major role because it allows Katniss to understand things that she wouldn't have understood had she not cleared her mind of the things that clouded her judgement. At the end of the book, Katniss is furious at everyone because they kept her out of the loop; however, she realizes that if she had known about the plan and been caught, the consequences would have been ghastly. Realizing the situation Peeta and Johanna are in, Katniss understands that she must accept that she was not informed and figure out a plan to save Johanna and Peeta.By forgiving Haymitch and everyone else who knew about the plan, she can focus her attention on rescuing Johanna and Peeta from the bloodthirsty hands of the Capitol.
Sacrifice is a powerful theme, and it often evokes some sign of emotional discomfort in the reader. For example, when the poisonous fog rolls in, and Katniss and Finnick are struggling to escape its deadly toxins, Mags volunteers to sacrifice herself so that Katniss, Peeta, and Finnick can live. She gets down from Katniss, kisses Finnick goodbye, and walks peacefully off into the fog, never to return. Mags knew exactly what she was doing, and she did it because it was for the wellfare of the group. Had she stayed, Finnick could have posiblly died saving Peeta, who could have possibly died, and Katniss, the mockingjay - the sole hope of the Districts for freedom - could have perished, leaving the revolution to wither and die.
Historian
There have been many diasporas over the course of history, but some that have forever left marred history include the Jewish expulsion from the Middle East, their homeland, and the African Trans-Atlantic slave trade. But let's start from the beginning. First, what exactly is a diaspora? A diaspora is defined as any group migration that may or may not be forced. Secondly, how is the Jewish expulsion from the Middle East similar to the Districts of Panem? Well, when the Jews were exiled from Judea and Israel by the Roman Empire and Babylonians, they were scattered and didn't come in contact with each other. Similarily, the people of Panem were scattered when the Capitol took over Panem and created the Districts because with everybody spread out, it is much easier to maintain control, order, and discipline.The African Trans-Atlantic slave trade relates to the Districts in the sense that it wasn't something that the people had a say in - North America had fallen apart, and the people in power who picked up the pieces and put them back together did it their own way. The slaves had no say in whether or not they wanted to be a part of the trade because they were powerless.
Another viewpoint is that the character of Katniss is like Jesus the Christ. Both Katniss and Jesus caused a rebellion - Katniss's being the uprisings in the Districts and Jesus' being his idea of a new religion. Additionally, the Capitol wa Katniss silenced, and the Holy Roman emperor wanted Jesus silenced.
Additionally, another viewpoint is that the rebellion is similar to the American Revolutionary War. We rebelled against our mother country (like the Boston Tea Party - a rebellion against the highly taxed teas from Britain) because we felt that what they were doing wasn't right. Likewise, the people of Panem rebelled against their "mother country" (Panem) because they felt that the Capitol was failing to do its job in a just manner. Furthermore, the mockingjay pin represents the rebellion, as did the American flag and the picture credited to Benjamin Franklin that we used.
Psychological Critic
Cinna
Cinna is that one-of-a-kind character that everyone admires. His personality is one that its very hard to not like him because his loyalty,courage, and selflessness appeals to everyone. His actions are eventually the downfall of him, but they make you like him even more. The courage and loyalty shine with the example that he stands up for a cause that he believes in (even if it might be a lost cause) and follows through until the end. His selflessness appears most prominently when Katniss realizes that her wedding dress transformation only hurts Cinna.Districts
People can only be bullied so much before they snap and fight back. For example, victims of bullying can't take the abuse forever. Sometimes they commit suicide, and sometimes they fight back. In some way or another, they rebel. This scenario fits the Districts and Capitol's relationship like a glove. The Districts have been oppressed for so long that they're sick of it. Katniss is the catalyst that begins the rebellion and helps lead the Districts to their freedom. Their determination to keep Katniss alive, no matter what, shows how badly they want to liberate themselvse from their oppression.Peeta and Katniss
With the end of the Games, Peeta and Katniss' relationship is distant; but under the circumstances that arise with President Snow, Peeta and Katniss are forced to paint love over their true feelings for the benefit of the show because the show must go on.Is Katniss' love real or merely lonliness because "lonliness makes the heart grow fonder"? Peeta is heartbroken when their marriage is announced because he knows that it isn't out of love. Peeta's dreams of actually having a life with Katniss are crushed by the cruelty of reality made by Katniss merely marrying Peeta to save her family and everyone she knows from total annihilation by President Snow and his minions. Katniss and Peeta have a relationship based on something that only they can relate to. The nightmares of the Games have taken their toll on them.
The promises that Haymitch makes to Peeta and Katniss are beyond complicated. Peeta's only request is to turn the tables and keep Katniss alive this time around in the Quell. But Katniss wants to keep Peeta alive because without him, who would feel her pain? Haymitch agrees to Peeta's request though for two reasons: 1) it's only fair that he gets a say this time through since last time he was the once kept completely out of the loop 2) There is much more to lose if Katniss dies because she is the catalyst for the rebellion - without her, there is no rebellion.
In comparison to The Hunger Games, Peeta is reflected as more of a strong, self-reliant character. Peeta is more of the leader than the follower because he is able to map out the clock and unravel the secret behind the layout of the arena.
Gale and Katniss
Does Katniss actually love Gale? Or are her feelings for him merely spur of the moment? Watching a friend being whipped to the point of unconsciousness and then hearing his agonizing whimpers of delirious pain are enough to evoke some kind of emotion. Katniss and Gale have a relationship based on necessity and survival. But is need alone enough to fuel their love?Katniss
Does Katniss actually know what she's feeling? Maybe the reason Katniss is having so much trouble figuring out who she loves is because she doesn't understand herself. Her reasons for loving someone are a little shaky. Do you love someone just because you pity them? Do you love someone just because you can relate to them? Or does love require something more? Katniss' emotional history makes it hard for her to maintain a relationship.Finnick
Finnick at first glance seems like a stereotypical, Capitol-lavished boy who is more concernced with wooing the crowd then the Quarter Quell; however, throughout the book, Finnick slowly reveals his complexity and depth. Katniss realizes Finnick for who he really is when they are together in the forest, and the mockingjays taunt them with the voices of their loved ones - Finnick's being a "poor, mad girl back home" (348) named Annie who was traumatized after her partner was beheaded in the Games about five years ago. By the end of the book, it is apparent that Finnick is not a narcissitic Capitol baby, but rather a strong, courageous man who has endured far more than one should have to endure.Johanna
Johanna is extremely intelligent, cold, and calculating. Those attributes led her to win the Hunger Games one year and have kept her alive. By distancing herself, she is able to protect herself from being hurt, such as the case of the jabberjays. Johanna states before going into the forest filled with Jabberjays that no one would miss her if she was gone, so she would remain unaffected by the jabberjays.Learner
The themes that are really emphasized in Catching Fire are loyalty, perseverance, courage, forgiveness, and sacrifice
Loyalty is exemplified by many of the characters including but not limited to Finnick, Beetee, Peeta, Haymitch, Johanna, Katniss, Cinna, and Plutarch Heavensbee, Finnick, Beetee, Johanna, Cinna, and Plutarch risked their lives for the cause - one that had all the potential to backfire. But they never gave up. They persevered against the odds, and even though it lands them in a bigger mess, they push on because of their courage to touch the goal they have never lost sight of.
Forgivenes plays a major role because it allows Katniss to understand things that she wouldn't have understood had she not cleared her mind of the things that clouded her judgement. At the end of the book, Katniss is furious at everyone because they kept her out of the loop; however, she realizes that if she had known about the plan and been caught, the consequences would have been ghastly. Realizing the situation Peeta and Johanna are in, Katniss understands that she must accept that she was not informed and figure out a plan to save Johanna and Peeta.By forgiving Haymitch and everyone else who knew about the plan, she can focus her attention on rescuing Johanna and Peeta from the bloodthirsty hands of the Capitol.
Sacrifice is a powerful theme, and it often evokes some sign of emotional discomfort in the reader. For example, when the poisonous fog rolls in, and Katniss and Finnick are struggling to escape its deadly toxins, Mags volunteers to sacrifice herself so that Katniss, Peeta, and Finnick can live. She gets down from Katniss, kisses Finnick goodbye, and walks peacefully off into the fog, never to return. Mags knew exactly what she was doing, and she did it because it was for the wellfare of the group. Had she stayed, Finnick could have posiblly died saving Peeta, who could have possibly died, and Katniss, the mockingjay - the sole hope of the Districts for freedom - could have perished, leaving the revolution to wither and die.