Monday, April 30, 2012

Hunger Games -Psychology (BOOK ONE- HUNGER GAMES)

(IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK PLEASE SKIP THIS POST. ONLY IF YOU READ THE BOOK YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STRUGGLES ARE FACED BY EACH CHARACTER. PLUS THERE MIGHT BE SOME SPOILERS SO I WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO TURN AWAY BEFORE IT IS TOOO LATE AND YOU GET MAD AT ME)




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These are in no specific order except by book!

I have been reading the Hunger Games trilogy and everybody talks about how it depicts the world we live in and all that political and social jazz. But no one ever talks about the psychological aspect of it. As you read the first book you see all the different effects the games have on each individual in the book.There is the moment when Primrose get picked to enter the Hunger Games and the psychological trauma that hit Katniss when she heard her sister's name called. Which caused her to volunteer.

There is the culture shock of Katniss and Peeta when they leave their home to go to the Capital. Seeing people they have never seen before who are dressed way different from what they have ever witnessed. Interacting with all these people and their lifestyles. Which is obviously going to happen however it isnt as bad because they see some of it when they watch some of it on TV. But as they say seeing it and living it are two different things.

Then Katniss is eager to win the Games and get back home to her little sister which has made her show her mentor that she is serious about leaving the Games alive. This eagerness then puts her in a vulnerable spot where she has to follow all of her mentors advise whether it makes her comfortable or not.

The Capital people not paying attention so forcing her to do something drastic which puts her in a position where other contestants are even more willing to kill her.

Then entering the arena knowing that people are trying to kill her at every point. And the living conditions may not be suitable to people who are not accustomed. For people who are middle class today would die within the first week because of the severe survival conditions. However Katniss was used to that outdoorsy conditions. There were a few people who didnt survive because of mutations that they Capital has placed in the arena, the harsh conditions caused them to do items which made them easy prey for other competititors (aka tributes), they were bad thieves, or were just brutally killed by other tributes.

Katniss being given cookies by the father of the tribute from the same district. Not sure if it was a trick to make her into trusting thus her throwing away the cookies.

Katniss seeing Peeta with the group of Careers (the tributes in district 1,2 & 4) that must have really made her thing that he was really out of it and she wouldnt care if she had to kill him.

Peeta telling everyone that he has loved Katniss since she was a little girl and she never knew until just that night. So the "odds" were not in their favor.

Katniss having to work closely with Peeta, and then on the final day of training he says that he wants to train separately.

When entering the arena and seeing all the people that would have to die just to win.

Katniss looked over at Peeta and he shook his head as in to not go into the Cornocopia  and then he runs to the Cornocopia.

Befriending Rue and then watching her die in her arms. Especially since Rue reminded her of her little sister.

Noticing that Haymitch is communicating with her through the gifts.

Having to prove that she and Peeta are actually star-crossed lovers just to survive.

Encountering Thresh who saves her from Clove and spares her life because she befriended and tried to save Rue.

Seeing the Muttations torture Cato then having to put him out of his misery by killing him with a kill shot to the head.

Getting Stung by the Tracker Jacket Wasp resulting in all that crazy ass hallucinations.

Watching Peeta telling her to run because the Careers are coming back to kill her.

Finding out from Rue that Peeta has abandoned the Careers but has been gravely injured.

Finding Peeta among the rocks after they inform everyone that the districts who win both tributes will live.

After killing Cato hearing that only one victor can leave the arena.

While on the Cornocopia having Peeta severely injured by the Mutts and then he is captured by Cato which forces her to use her arrow and shoot his hand forcing Cato to let go of Peeta and fall to his torturous doom.

Listening for hours Cato being tortured by the mutts in the Cornocopia and hearing his moans without him dying.

Having Peeta try and kill himself by trying to bleed out to death.

Coming up with the plan to commit suicide so there are no victors resulting on both of them becoming Victors.

Going back to the Capital and finding out that the President and everyone isnt too pleased with that act of rebellion forcing her to play up the star-crossed lovers bit. Making it seem like she was forced to do so because she was so madly in love with Peeta that she had to save both of them.

Going back home to Gale and her family having everyone think that she and Peeta are in love when in truth she is in love with Gale.

The nightmares which come every night. That is basically PTS which after a mentally grueling experience your brain stores everything and replays it over and over. Something that you see is common among War veterans. The thought of her Killing Peeta would have probably took her over the edge and in the day and age we live in now she would probably try to kill herself.

Her relationship with her mother before and after the Games where before she had no use for her mother since when her father died her mother went into automatic lock down. Then after she was forced to open up to her mother due to her near death experiences and her present vulnerability.

So after you read the book and you witness all of these mental back and forths that she go through you understand why she is the way she is in the final book. This is also the reason why I hated the movie. The movie hardly if at all any of these psychological issues and all of these is what makes the book what it is. But then again how can you put all of that ^ in a movie and make it interesting for everyone. You can't.

Well hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

OXXO

Mayeshah!!!


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