Monday, October 11, 2010

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins



This is the third and final book of The Hunger Games series. Some of you might know about these books, some of you may not. However their is probably the most basic information I should provide you with before I reveal any of the books plot.

The Hunger Games are a series of games that twelve districts are more or less forced to participate in by the capitol. In these games two children from each of the twelve districts are selected to participate in the games. The games are basically a killing sport for the citizens of the capitol. The children face off against each other taking each one down one by one until their is only one child left who is proclaimed the winner. The books follow the problems of Katniss Everdeen, Peeta, and Gale. I suggest reading the first two books to get a greater understanding of the book and characters.

The book starts out with Katniss who is rescued from her second Hunger Game and transported to district 13. The district was destroyed by nuclear bombing when they rebelled against the capitol. Katniss finds that they have survived however building their city underground.

She is mainly unfocused and vulnerable for most of the book. Supposedly driven crazy by the games, and the fact that the Capitol captured Peeta. Peeta was the only one that survived both of the hunger games with her. She remains a useless until she finds that they are torturing Peeta. She then decides to become the 'Mockingjay' of the rebellion. Becoming President Coin's leader of the rebellion and the key to uniting the 13 districts. She continues to help them as long as they get Peeta back from the empire.

Which they do, but he has been so tortured that he doesn't even recognize Katniss. Mainly from the use of tracker jack poison, which distorts events. He even goes as far to try and kill her when they meet. "My lips are just forming his name when his fingers lock around my throat." (177) Seriously discouraged she decides to go after the empire. She wants to lose her self in the rebellion, deciding that she has nothing left in district 13.

She leads an attack on district 2. The president decides to blow up the mountain housing most of the weapons of district 2. When the mountain collapses Katniss is reminded of the cave in incident that killed her father. She begs them to help the survivors. She even goes as far to help them. However someone shoots her and she is taken to the infirmary again.

The rebellion has either taken over forcefully or converted most of the districts. The only thing left is the Capitol. Katniss begs to be in the squad that takes down president Snow, the capitols leader. "I throw myself in to training with vengeance."(246) Eventually after a lot of hard work in training she is allowed to go. She goes after the capital with a small group of people.

At this point I don't want to summarize anything else for fear of killing all the suspense and grandness of the ending. However that leads to the discussion question.

1. How do you view these killing games of the empire? Are they just a tool to keep the districts living in fear? Or are they just there for entertainment of the empire?

2.Do you think Katniss will benefit any if she kill's President Snow? Will she be somewhat satisfied having made him pay for all he has done to the districts and the people, like Peeta?

6 comments:

Josie D 7/8 said...

Personally, I quite liked your summary and it was good, despite what you thought. Anway, to the questions.

1. I believe that the Hunger Games are seriously wrong. It is extremely bad to use children for entertainment. I think that the games are just a tool to keep the districts under their thumb. The Capitol uses the games to remind the districts that they already lost one war and that (supposedly) the Capitol could beat them again. It also exerts the power that the Capitol has over the districts simply from the preious uprising.

2. I think Katniss would benifit. It would eliminate any of his plots for the future or overturning any chance of a new government. Plus, I think it really would give her somewhat of a satisfaction of getting rid of him after the pain he caused Peeta and her.

Madi Y 7-8 said...

1.I believe that these games are disgusting and unnessocary. There is no reason to use these children in unsafe ways just for entertainment purposes. I think that they really dont have a purpose. They are not to keep the districts living in fear, they are just there as entertainment.

2. I dont think that Katniss will benefit from this. I don't think it would help at all. With more killing, they are just adding more to the problem that doesnt even need to be there in the first place.

Amanda F 7-8 said...

1. I think these games are ridiculous it is completely disgusting having kids plot against each other just to have a proclaimed winner,for the fact that there is only one winner and competition is included i see the "games" a way of entertainment for the districts.

2. I am pretty undecided about whether Katniss killing President Snow will do her any good or not it may stop all of these games but in another way it could make everything worse, people could restart the games and they would be right back to where they started.

Millie W. 7/8 said...

@Josie
The question is would they benefit from a new government or would it just grow as corrupt as the old one.

Hmm I wonder if these questions count if you've already read the book and know the answers. Oh well answers are answers I suppose.

Millie W. 7/8 said...

@Amanda F.
Yes, they may be entertainment, but don't you think it might have a impact on the districts if their children are being killed in these 'Games'every year?

@Madi Y.
How would you suggest they stop these games then?

Sarah N. 7-8 said...

1. I agree with what Josie was saying. The games are horrible and barbaric in a way. I mean children killing children for fun? I also agree with Madi the games do not keep the districts living in fear, but serve as merely a form of entertainment.

2. The way you described it makes it seem that the only way for the characters to escape the games is by changing the government. If so, I think that they would benefit from it. They need to take a risk if it would mean that it would get better.