Blog #3

I found the ending of this book to be a surprising twist, because I didn't initially think that Collins would be able to find a way to have both Katniss and Peeta survive in a remotely believable way. I found Katniss' final act of rebellion in the novel, forcing two winners, to be very clever and it also tied in very well with the overall theme of rebellion against the government. I think that Collins used this act as an example showing that there are wholes in every system no matter how seemingly air-tight and oppressive it is. Furthermore, she is using Katniss to show that it doesn't take an especially skilled or extraordinary person to catalyze a rebellion, simply somebody brave enough. Her faking of a relationship with Peeta after they won the Games though shows that they still live under an incredibly powerful regime from whom they must protect themselves if they want to live functionally.

Blog #2

The development of Katniss and Peeta's relationship into more of a love relationship adds a significant level of interest to the novel. Katniss' reaction to Peeta's big reveal about his feelings for Katniss is very strong for she initially finds the whole idea abhorrent, "the emotions [start] to boil up inside of [her]" (133). This layer of complexity adds a new layer of interest to the novel because Katniss clearly had a fondness for Peeta so she must now explore what her true feelings for him are. This relationship will be particularly interesting in the context of the Games. It ties in to the theme of love as a motivator which Collins has already established through Katniss' relationships with Prim and Gale. Considering the dire situation that the Games put individuals in it will be interesting to see what lengths Peeta's suposed love for Katniss pushes him to.

Post #3

After finishing The Hunger Games I'm still slightly surprised with the ending. In the story, when I first learned that Peeta was in love with Katniss I wondered how Suzanne Collins was going to pull that off if there could only be one winner. I knew Katniss would have to win, seeing as she was the main character and narrator. But as for Peeta, I had no idea what would happen. At first I thought maybe he would hide and then come out after Katniss had won. But that was before I knew how the games worked.
I also had mixed feelings about Katniss pretending to be in love with Peeta. I couldn't really tell if she actually liked him or not, but I wasn't surprised in the end when she said it was all for the games. I have to take it into perspective though. Katniss was in a life or death situation. Her two options were fighting alone, or to pretend to love Peeta and save them both. Personally, this seems like a pretty easy decision but I feel like if I was in her position I would have told Peeta what I was doing in a whisper so the capital couldn't hear anything.
Overall I actually really enjoyed this book. It had a fast paced plot, and I didn't feel like there was a time when I was waiting for the chapter or scene to end.

Final thoughts

I have to say that I really enjoyed reading this book.  Collins never lost my attention, and I was able to immerse myself entirely in the story.  She wraps up The Hunger Games sufficiently, but she leaves enough loose ends to make me want to read the next book in the series.

That said, I don't really like the ending.  I get how Katniss made the Capitol look foolish by threatening to leave them with no victor, forcing them to allow both Katniss and Peeta to escape, but I wish Haymitch had come up with a better solution than "your only defense can be you were so madly in love you weren't responsible for your own actions" (357).  Forcing Katniss and Peeta to love each other can't possibly end well.  Katniss is unsure of her feelings for Peeta; she can't separate how much of what she said and did during the Hunger Games was real.  Peeta, on the other hand, is probably conflicted about whether he still loves Katniss, "It was all for the games.... forget that.  I guess the real question is what's going to be left when    we get home?" (372).  Peeta is incredibly hurt when he realizes that Katniss was mostly acting.  But I'm not sure if he's so hurt that he no longer loves Katniss.  

Haymitch's "pretend romance" plan can't possibly work.  Both Katniss and Peeta are struggling to figure out their true emotions, and it will be impossible for them to sort themselves while at the same time pretending to be completely entranced with one another.  At some point, one of them will slip up.  Probably Katniss, becasue she doesn't feel as strongly for Peeta, but Peeta could also easily decide to give up the ruse to get back at Katniss for playing with him and his emotions during the Games.

If I were Haymitch, I would have offered this idea: Katniss didn't want to kill Peeta herself, so she convinced him to eat the berries with her, never actually intending to eat them herself: Katniss was trying to trick Peeta into eating the fatal berries.  I think that solution could have worked well.  It wouldn't be hard for Katniss to talk about how she was pretending the entire time, like when she makes the "1 kiss = 1 pot of broth" comment.  The audience would have been appalled, but both Katniss and Peeta would still be alive, and they would not be forced to love each other. 

Overall though, I enjoyed reading the book, even though I dislike both of the main protagonists at times.

Blog #2: The Progression of Katniss and Peeta's Relationship

Once Katniss and Peeta are chosen to be tributes and participate in the Hunger Games, they are unsure of how to treat their relationship. Katniss remembers details she’s never really thought of about him. She remembers that he purposefully burnt the bread in his family’s bakery, knowing they would want to throw it away, so he could toss it over to Katniss. She realizes that she never got to thank him. Now, she thought to herself, it was too late. She doesn’t want to think about his nice gestures; soon they would fight to the death. As they both have to leave their home, they are forced to spend a significant amount of time together. Not only that, but their mentors and stylists tell them to always be together in public, pretend to be friends, and be matching. Katniss contemplates what his true intentions are. He’s being nice to her now, but could that just be part of a plan of his? She says, “I sense he has a plan forming...He is already fighting hard to stay alive...Peeta Mellark, the boy who gave me the bread, is fighting hard to kill me” (60). In their dinners and meetings with the mentors, however, they always get along well. They talk each other up mentioning the opponents strong points. Katniss reminds herself, “Don’t be so stupid. Peeta is planning how to kill you...He is luring you in to make you easy prey. The most likable he is, the more deadly he is” (72). Katniss starts to believe that everything is an act. She fights back the same way and kisses his bruise.

As the games progress, situations become even more unclear. Katniss learns that Peeta has formed an ally with the strongest competitors, the careers. Not only did he ally with them, but Katniss overhears them talking about killing her. When Peeta saves Katniss’s life, she realizes that his intentions and reasons for joining the careers is completely different than that what she anticipated. She now owes him again.