Use of fire in the novel Hunger Games - Essay Example

Use of fire in the novel ‘Hunger Games’ ‘Hunger games’ is a science fiction/action novel written by Suzanne Collins, and published in September 2008. 16-year old Katniss Everdeen is the protagonist in the novel. Despite her age, Katniss is a tough hunter who puts food on her family’s table. Although hunting is illegal, and carries a death penalty, Katniss still takes it upon herself to do it in order to support her family as starvation is common in the area where she lives. Her father is dead and she lives with her mother and sister Prim in District 12 in the country of Panem. Every year the capitol of Panem hosts an event called hunger games, where two tributes, a boy and a girl, are drafted from each of the 12 districts and brought to an arena to fight to the death. The process of selecting the tributes is called reaping. At age 12, one is listed as a candidate and an entry is entered each year until they get to age 18, at which time they are no longer eligible for the games (Collins 32). This acts as punishment for past rebellion against the Capitol. Only one person can win the hunger games. The aim is to remind the country not to question authority. When Katniss little sister Prim, is selected for the games, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Peeta Mellak, the baker’s son is also selected. Katniss and Peeta are taken to the Capitol, by train, where Haymitch Abethany, victor of the 50th hunger game is their mentor. The tributes are shown on television, which aims at winning ‘sponsors’. During the games, Katniss and Peeta show a romance stategy to help them survive. Although Katniss cares for Peeta, her feelings for him are not as strong as his feelings for her. In the end, both Katniss and Peeta survive, as the rule for only one winner is changed to that two survivors from a District can win. As the hunger games is set in a hunting community, fire is of great significance to them. In the opening ceremony for the hunger games, Katniss and Peeta are dressed in jumpsuits that were on fire. This draws attention to them. The significance of the outfit on fire is that District 12 is where they mine coal, which is associated with fire. The stylist who dressed the two contestants in fire is Cinna. It is evident that Cinna also wanted to give the audience something to remember, whether the two contestants lived or died. This outfit earns Katniss the nickname, ‘the girl on fire’. This ploy is also seen as a way of wanting to win sponsors. Sponsors can supply aid to their favorite contestant in the form of food or survival supplies (Collins 64). The fire outfit had replica of flames that appeared like real fire, but did not burn Katniss and Peeta. During the opening interview, Katniss wears an outfit that becomes engulfed in flames as she twirls. We usually relate fire to rage and ferocity which is the image that Katniss seemed to portray. Katniss is seen to be fierce in the fact that she does hunting, although it is illegal and in the way she aggressively protects her younger sister. In the novel, during the games, there are significant tribute fires observed. When Katniss teams up with Rue, who is a female tribute from District 11, they decide to destroy Careers’ supply. To do this they employ fire. Rue is to start fires in different places to confuse and draw out the Careers, then Katniss is to destroy Careers’ supplies. Also, we see a District 8 girl light up a fire at night, which was rather foolish of her as she is visible in the dark night. She is therefore killed by the careers and Peeta. After the girl is killed by the careers and Peeta, Katniss takes some coal from the fire which she lights and cooks a rabbit meal with. From these incidents we observe a number of things about the fire; first that fire is used to destroy. This is when Katniss and Rue team up to destroy Careers’ supplies. Secondly the use of fire by the District 8 girl makes her easily seen and she is thereafter killed. Finally, Katniss uses fire to prepare a rabbit meal for herself, out there in the jungle. What this tells us about the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen is that she is a girl well aware of the nature of fire. As a provider for her family, Katniss knows how to use fire in the jungle. Katniss, is not your typical 16 year old girl. We could well put this to the fact that her father was dead, and she did not have a brother in her family (Collins 64). This forced her to be ‘the man of the house’. During the games in the jungle, she knows how to use fire to destroy an opponent’s supplies and therefore weaken the opponent. She knows it is foolish to light up a fire at night at night as you can be easily sported. Katniss herself says “fire burns brighter in darkness”. Katniss also knows how to use fire to prepare a meal for herself in the jungle, which gives her necessary energy to survive. In general, we see that Katniss is familiar with the properties of fire. In hunger games, fire is used to influence the games and add to the suspense and excitement of the audience. The game makers decide control the movements of Katniss. The game makers lighted fire at the edge of the arena to force Katniss to move towards the lake were the carriers would be. The fire they create is huge and it is evident that the fire was not natural fire. Thereafter fireballs made from oil and pulled by a catapult are thrown at Katniss. The fireballs burn Katniss legs and hands. The fire also affects the Careers and weakens them. Due to always being hard on herself, Katniss says that she thinks Cinnas flaming costumes had brought on this her. She notes that it would be ironic if the Girl on Fire was burnt to death. In hunger games, fire is used as weapons to fight opponents. Beete and Gale used weapons that had fire elements. We also see that Katniss and Gale’s weapons are at times also comprise fire explosives. The explosives that killed Katniss father, Primrose Everdeen, were either fire or explosives. Katniss later says that she sees dreams of this fire engulf her. We see that the challenges that Katniss faced when growing up work to her advantage in the games. Her toughness and resourcefulness, which she has developed due to always hunting for food for the family, become her assets as she uses the tactics she has learnt to stay alive in the games (Collins 56). Due to her immense responsibilities, we observe that Katniss has always been focused on surviving that she had little interest for the boys before the games. Although Katniss develops feelings for Peeta, due to the compassion he had showed her by giving her bread from his family’s bakery she has no deep romantic feelings for him. She also becomes aware of Gale’s interest for her, but this remains a non priority for her. In conclusion, we see that fire is of major importance in the novel ‘Hunger Games’. When Katniss and Peeta are introduced to the audience in the game they are dressed in flames. This earns Katniss the nickname, ‘The girl on fire’. Fire is used to create forest fires, destroy the opponents weapons, to cook and also as a weapon. The use of fire in the novel aid to show Katniss’ toughness and awareness of how to use fire to survive. Work Cited Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games 2008. Print. Read More