Katniss Everdeen, and Character Strength from Unexpected Sources

[puella_nerdii]

The promised essay for womenlovefest. Some of this is taken from comments I made at Mark Reads; a lot of it is new. HUGE GIANT SPOILERS for Mockingjay, so be warned.

Katniss Everdeen, and Character Strength from Unexpected Sources
by PuelKatniss Everdeen is not the easiest character to like. She's distrustful, judgmental, and prickly; she reacts to kindness

Comments

[kawaiigami]

Very nicely written. :) I need to reread the books, I think, because when I read them I was not in the best mental state to be fully taking them in and, well, post-apocalyptic isn't usually my cup of tea. I do remember having difficulty with Katniss's character--though I sympathize with her frustration with her mother. Long story there. That aside, this is a great tribute to her, and I do love it when people recognize and praise strength that isn't physical.

[puella_nerdii]

Post-apocalyptic is a tough genre in general, and though I've recommended THG far and wide, it's brutal and graphic and not for everyone. I'm glad you appreciated this, though -- Katniss is difficult to get to know sometimes, but there's a lot more to her than her surly exterior.

[aimmyarrowshigh]

THANK YOU for writing something so eloquent that addresses what has become (very unfortunately) referred to as "Team Allegory" (AKA reading the books with any literary understanding IMO).

This is lovely and I agree with everything you said, even if I don't necessarily love reading Katniss for her own sake (I prefer reading her for her world's sake?). You brought up a lot of points about her that I always forget really ARE TRUE in canon (and not just in fanon) and that just didn't unfold in a narrative way that I'm used to/fond of -- but that doesn't diminish their veracity, and I sometimes forget that. So thank you! :)

[puella_nerdii]

Team Allegory, huh? Well, I suppose I prefer it to the alternatives, but the whole "team" thing does make me grind my teeth a little.

And you're welcome. I'm glad you took the time to read this. :D I can definitely understand falling in love with the world more than the (main) character(s) -- though I'm a fairly character-centric writer, what usually convinces me to stick around and write fic for a canon is the world it's set in -- but I think that because of the way Katniss's narrative unfolds (like you mentioned), people can overlook her journey. Some of her most important moments are a lot quieter than, well, shooting down a hovercraft.

[aimmyarrowshigh]

Actually, for me, I think I just prefer (and read more of) narrators who sort of mull over their decisions for a long time before and after making them and have the luxury of taking the time to do that. Katniss makes her decisions -- and grows -- on the fly, and doesn't go back to question things or think over them again afterwards (which for me is the pacing issue of Mockingjay that makes it so jarring, but since it IS in an active war zone, it makes sense). I think I'm just more immediately able to empathize with overthinkers, lol, since I am one. Katniss grows an incredible amount without seeming to acknowledge it herself, which makes it harder to acknowledge as a reader, I think? I don't even know if that makes sense. I think maybe I've just gotten used to reading more narrators who say, "I realized that when I ___________, it meant that I ___________" and Katniss doesn't do that as much (which may honestly be better storytelling, come to think of it).

[puella_nerdii]

*nodnod* Katniss is a tricky narrator if you prefer more introspective ones, definitely. I think zorabet made a good point about Katniss a while back, in that she tends to interpret her actions in the worst possible light and is so used to reacting to her circumstances and being defensive that she's not always sure what motivates her when she does take a stand. But because Katniss doesn't always know what's going on in her head, it requires more effort on the readers' part to know what's going on with her -- and what's going on with the rest of the cast, because it takes Katniss a while before she's able to connect with other peoples' feelings. I don't know whether Katniss's unreliability and growth on the fly makes for better storytelling than the style you're describing, but it requires a different way of reading. (And a certain amount of acceptance for Katniss's F in emotions, which I think she eventually gets to boost to around a D.)

[ura_hd]

Excellent analysis! I agree with everything you said.

[puella_nerdii]

Thanks so much for reading, and I'm glad you appreciated this~

[digiphantom]

Okay, okay, I've thumbed at the page corners long enough. I just went to ask my sister for her copy of The Hunger Games. I hope you're HAPPY.

Though really, this was a great essay, and I can't wait to love Katniss (I knew I would, I like the prickly pears). Thank you! For getting me off my butt, and I'll get back to you, I hope.

In the meantime, cause I've wondered this for a while, you seem to really appreciate YA-aimed things, have you watched Avatar: the Last Airbender? I think you'd get a kick out of it.

[puella_nerdii]

I am indeed. :D And I'm glad you enjoyed the essay, and do get back to me about what you think of the series -- and of Katniss herself, because she's one of my favorite YA heroines.

And yes, I have! I love AtLA, it's such a well-done and smart series, and I can't wait until The Legend of Korra comes out.

[puella_nerdii]

Completely with you on the ending; sometimes the best thing you can do when every choice is awful is to say "fuck you, I'm not playing your game" and leave, which is kind of what Katniss ends up doing at the climax of all three books.

Thanks so much for reading!