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There is one literary heroine who has been holding her own in terms of book and movie popularity. This character is Katniss Everdeen from Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games series, which includes The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay.
Katniss Everdeen is a young adult who overcomes many different obstacles throughout the book series, and readers can sympathize with her as well as admire her many strengths and talents. Katniss comes from a poor district where the community barely has food let alone luxuries. She breaks the rules when she sneaks out of the district to hunt for food to put on the table and barter in town. Her hunting helps her develop her skills with a bow. She also is savvy when it comes to traps and hunting skills. She is a regular nature rogue. In the beginning of the series this female character is already displaying traits that show her strength as a female character. She does not depend on other people to survive, and she supports her family by using her skill sets. That is a very admirable quality that many young adults, particularly girls, can look up to.
After Katniss volunteers as the female tribute for her district, she is put into the worldwide event known as the “Hunger Games,” which is run by the Capitol. Through this event, we learn that she is compassionate as well as independent. While Katniss wants to survive, she takes no pleasure in hearing about or taking part in fallen tributes. She befriends one of the younger tributes from another district and works with her to survive. After her friend is killed, Katniss shows compassion not only for that tribute, but also for the tribute’s district. She also is able to save another tribute by the end of the Hunger Games. Through her actions within the games she is able to start a revolution among all the districts against the capitol. Readers can also see Katniss as a rebel, but a rebel with a good cause.
Readers can also admire the fact that, throughout most of the series, Katniss does not lean on her male companions. Even when she is feeling weak or upset, she relies on herself and her family to pull through. In fact, Katniss saves her male companions and is the support for them throughout most of the series. Some may say that Katniss is too independent and that it would be understandable for her to lean on others throughout her trials, but she is the “rock,” making her more admirable. Katniss also has control over the romantic relationships she has with the male characters in the novel. She does not let her feelings for them, whether strong or not, distract her from what is really important to her.
The independence that Katniss shows throughout this series is something that many young women can look up to as a model and heroine. She shows us that it does not matter where you started from or the trials you are put through, you can still be strong and things will be okay. Her self-reliance and her ability to support many other characters in the novel also show her strength and independence.
Join me next time to discuss Clary Fray from The Mortal Instruments series.
– Jessica Jordan, Managing Editor
