Entry 6: Readers Responses

First Response:

I have up to and including chapter nine read of The Hunger Games. This is the first part of the novel called “The Tributes”.  I am really enjoying the book, it has a very exciting story line and so far I have not been bored at any point while reading. I have gotten up to the part when the Tributes are all getting their live interviews and Peeta, the other tribute from District 12, admits that he has had a crush on Katniss for as long as he can remember and that he does not think that winning the Hunger Games will really mean he ‘wins’ in any way because he will lose her.

After reading this the thoughts that were running through my mind were, was he being serious, does he really love her and he has just never told her? This could be possible because of the way he has treated her in the past, giving her the bread when she was starving, the dandelion after her father passes, and how nice he has been while they were just getting to the Capitol. Or is it just a part of his plan to make sure that one of the  District 12 tributes will win the game. He could just be giving them an edge. Something exciting that none of the other groups have, just so they will get more sponsors and so people will favor and cheer for them to win.  Later in the book, maybe in chapter ten I will get to find out the truth.

Another thing I have been thinking about a lot while reading this book is what The Hunger Games are really going to be like. I have a feeling that it is going to be non-stop fighting between the tributes but I wonder how long it will take until they are all dead and there is a winner. I wonder if all the rest of this book and the two books after that are all going to be of the actual games that are still continuing or if it will end, there will be a winner, and then the books continue on with a different part of the story.  Another thing is, I am confused about where they are going to get the weapons and things they need to survive the games. They have not explained that in the book yet. Maybe just before the games start they will all receive some weapons.

One of the things that I thought was very interesting is how Katniss describes her makeover artists and her stylists. She explains that they almost seem fake with all their tattoos and their coloured hair. It makes me want to see what they look like side by side. Katniss with her very natural look and them with their ‘improvements’. I also would really enjoy hearing how her mother, her sister and her friend Gale are doing, but I have a feeling that might not be until after the games are over. I feel that Gale will some how end up being a large part of the continuous story because his friendship wish Katniss is so strong. I am looking forward to reading on and finding out new things about the characters. Hopefully my questions will soon be answered.

Second Response:

I have now read up to and including chapter 18 of The Hunger Games.  This is the second part of the novel called “The Games”. In this part of the book the games begin. After numerous kills, there are now only six Tributes left. Including Katniss and Peeta, both Tributes from District 12.

A couple of the questions that I had asked in my first response have been answered. I still don’t know if the games are going to end in the first book or if Peeta really does love Katniss or if he is just pretending for the games. I have a feeling that he might actually love her because he saved her life once in the book already when he could have easily let her get killed. I now know that the games begin with weapons and other items needed to survive, available for the Tributes right at the beginning of the games, all they need to do is fight against the other tributes to get them. If I do recall one of the boys died trying to get more weapons. He probably would have survived if he did not risk it. The smarter Tributes grabbed what was close and ran off into the wilderness for safety.

There have been quite a few events in the book that have really surprised me. One thing is how simple it is for the Tributes to get killed. It almost seems like it has not been much fighting and now most of them have died. It could also seem like this because the book is from Katniss’s point of view and she has only been involved in a couple kills so far, most of the trouble she gets involved in is because of the Gamemakers. The two kills she was involved in included three people dead in two different situations. Once with the tracker jay’s hive, and the other time when she shot the boy with her bow and arrows after he kills her friend and ally, Rue. Another thing is that the “Gamemakers” the people who control the games, have the ability to kill anyone in the games they want. They do this when there has not been enough action and the games are being considered boring by the residents of the Capitol.  

Another thing I am surprised about is that at the end of this section of the book, a new rule was made in the games. This rule was that if two people from the same District end up being the last two survivors, then they can both win. Considering there has never been any speaking of rules other than waiting the sixty seconds until the horn signals the games to begin and not eating people, I was not expecting to hear a change in the games. I almost wonder why there would be a rule made now. It almost seems like that rule was made special for Peeta and Katniss, because everyone thinks they are in love with each other.

This is almost something that I thought would happen in the novel because I thought they would some how both live because they have been such a large part of the story so far and it would be a huge disappointment to see one of them die but, on the other hand I thought that something more would happen. Like they would refuse to kill each other and the rules would bend for them. My prediction for the future is that Katniss is going to find Peeta, they are going to help each other and both win the games. I also think that they will fall in love. Well Katniss will, because I think that Peeta already does love her, I think he always did.  

Third Response:


I have finished reading The Hunger Games. I really enjoyed this novel because it always kept me entertained. It was full of action, romance and even had some funny parts. The last section of the book I read was called “The Victor” it was from chapters 19 to 27. I would have to say that this was by far the most exciting part of the book. I really enjoyed the imagery that the author puts into the story. It makes it much easier to understand the situations that the characters are put into and gives me a better understanding of what the characters are feeling.

After making the rule that two Tributes can survive the games as long as they are from the same district, Peeta and Katniss end up working together. The Capitol’s audience loves this because of the romance that they have. As soon as the rule was made, Katniss knew she was going to team up with Peeta and maybe they would actually have a chance at winning the games if they worked together. When Katniss found Peeta he was in a mud puddle with his leg cut up and infected terribly. He could not even walk because the pain was to unbearable. Katniss cleaned him and his leg up and soon realized that he was slowly being killed by blood poisoning from his wound and his temperature was dangerously high. The only way he would survive any longer was if he had strong medication from the Capitol. So she put him to sleep with the liquid that they received as a donation from their sponsors and set off to get the medication to save Peeta’s life. She had to go and grab a backpack with her number on it and inside would be what she needed. Everyone of the Tributes needed something and so they had to go fight for their backpacks.

After saving Peeta, accidentally poisoning Fox face(one of the other Tributes) and watching their last enemy be eaten alive by mutant wolf monsters that were once the other competitors, her and Peeta were the last two Tributes in the games. They had thought that they had finally won but in the last minute another rule change was made. The rule was that once again, only one Tribute could survive. Peeta and Katniss did not fight. They kept the romance alive and they planned to both eat poisonous berries at the same time, so neither of them would win because they could not live without each other. Just as they were about to put the berries in their mouths and swallow a voice boomed over the arena saying that they could both win as long as they didn’t kill themselves.

They both won, Peeta got medical help, they aced the ‘after game’ interviews (which they had to be very carefully with because the Gamemakers and the Capitol were already very angry that they both won) and they were on their way home. Everything was going just perfect. Katniss admitted that she thought the whole time that Peeta was acting about loving her, but he tells her that it was all real for him. She tells him that it was acting for her but then she regrets it because Peeta will not talk to her anymore on the ride back home. Then the book ends.

My predictions for the next book are that Katniss will fall in love with Peeta for real this time. Even though she has Gale back home, her and Gale never really established themselves as anything other than very close friends. Also I  think that they are going to get into some trouble for both winning the games, whether it is having to pretend to be in love for the rest of their lives or having to go back in and fight until there really is only one winner. I am looking forward to reading on and I hope the other two books are just as exciting and action packed as this one has been.

Entry 5: Media And Images

The first piece of art that I have found to compare to The Hunger Games is simply a picture of the wilderness. Seeing this image makes me realize of how large the wild really is. There are so many things that are hidden and that unknown to most humans. It is hard to know what could happen if you are in the wild trying to survive. There are dangerous and life threatening possibilities. You could get bitten by a poisonous snake, fall into quick sand, or drown in a strong river. There is also the possibility that you could learn about one of your unknown allergies with all the plants and bugs constantly surrounding you. In other words, the wild is strange and unpredictable. There is no way to know what is going to happen. This is one of the struggles that all the characters in The Hunger Games had to face everyday that they spent in the arena. Katniss had an encounter with a tracker jay nest in one of the trees she was sleeping in, if Rue had not seen it then Katniss could have been killed by the numerous stings if she was to make any loud or sudden movements. She was not expecting it to be in the tree. I guess that is why its called the 'wilderness' because it is mysterious and unknown. There are so many surprises, some are natural and others are created by the Gamemakers to bring more excitement. Its harder to survive when you don't know exactly what you are up against. You have to take it step by step and expect the unexpected. 

Survival Of The Fittest

Whenever I get a package of plain M&Ms, I make it my duty to continue the strength and robustness of the candy as a species.  To this end, I hold M&M duels.

Taking two candies between my thumb and forefinger, I apply pressure, squeezing them together until one of them cracks and splinters.  That is the "loser," and I eat the inferior one immediately.  The winner gets to go another round.

I have found that, in general, the brown and red M&Ms are tougher, and the newer blue ones are genetically inferior.  I have hypothesized that the blue M&Ms as a race cannot survive long in the intense theater of competition that is the modern candy and snack-food world.

Occasionally I will get a mutation, a candy that is misshapen, or pointier, or flatter than the rest.  Almost invariably this proves to be a weakness, but on very rare occasions it gives the candy extra strength.  In this way, the species continues to adapt to its environment.

When I reach the end of the pack, I am left with one M&M, the strongest of the herd.  Since it would make no sense to eat this one as well, I pack it neatly in an envelope and send it to M&M Mars, A Division of Mars, Inc., Hackettstown, NJ 17840-1503 U.S.A., along with a 3x5 card reading, "Please use this M&M for breeding purposes."

This week they wrote back to thank me, and sent me a coupon for a free 1/2 pound bag of plain M&Ms.  I consider this "grant money."  I have set aside the weekend for a grand tournament.  From a field of hundreds, we will discover the True Champion.

There can be only one.

After searching for stories on Survival Of The Fittest, I found this cute little story about how only the strongest M&M gets to survive and the rest get eaten. I feel that this fits well with The Hunger Games. As most would think, the strongest usually wins because they are the best at fighting and eliminating their competition. In this novel, that was not the case. Katniss and Peeta were by far not the biggest and strongest Tributes to be thrown into The Hunger Games competition. They won because they were smart and they worked well together. They knew what to eat, where to sleep, and how to act quickly. This is the reason they won, because they were smart. This makes me think of the quotation ''brains over brawn''. Being strong sure is helpful when put into a competition like this but you won't get very far unless you know what you are doing. 


"Love is Our Weapon" by Christofer Drew Ingle. 

This song makes me think of Katniss and Peeta's relationship in The Hunger Games and how it is the reason they both survived. They are the reason the rule that 'only one Tribute can survive' had been changed multiple times. Most of the teenagers had weapons that could kill their competitors, but they did not have an edge. Katniss and Peeta's edge was the tragic romance that they shared. Only one of them could survive, they would either have to live without the other or both die. This is why the rule was changed because everyone wanted them both to survive. They played it very well and lots of people watching really did want for them to both be victorious. If you think about it, love was their strongest weapon. Peeta's love for Katniss saved her life during the tracker jay chapter and Katniss's love for Peeta's saved him from blood poisoning by getting him the medication; their love is why they both survived. In this years Hunger Games love was the key to survival. 

Sources

Proenneke, Dick. One Man's Story: Alone In The Wilderness. 2007. Sports World, Canada. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. <http://sportsworld.savvy-cafe.com/one-man%E2%80%99s-story-alone-in-the-wilderness-2007-09-28/>.

Unknown, Stella. "Survival Of The Fittest." Laugh Break : 1+. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. <http://www.laughbreak.com/stories/survival_of_the_fittest.html>.


Ingle, Christofer D., perf. Love is our Wepon. Christofer D. Ingle. Never Shout Never, 2010. Web. 21 Dec. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejagJGp7EUo>

Entry 4: Two Poems

My first poem: Survival  by: Iris Tennent Fly high bird, fly high away from man's lead death. Your feathers scorched from bullets, as you gasp for your least breath. Run fox run, your freedom depends on your speed,  as the hunters close in, they do not care how you bleed. Burrow, rabbit, burrow  dig as deep as you can.  The small beady eyes  and ferrets teeth,  you cannot hide from man. Swim, whale, swim  away from the sharp harpoon,  no peace for you  until the water is stained red  instead of blue. They call it sport,  but to an animal, or bird  trying to survive.  Life is hard enough, just to live This poem reminds me of how very important it is for everyone in the Games to know how to hunt, gather food, and find water in order to survive. If you did not know how to hunt then you would be forced to search for your food, by collecting berries and edible plants. One problem that comes with this is knowing which foods are safe to eat and which ones are planted there by the Gamemakers, in hopes that someone will eat them and die of poisoning. In The Hunger Games, the main character Katniss knew how to hunt and which foods were safe to eat because of her life back in District 12. After her father died she was the one that had to feed her family. This every day problem that she faced is helped her greatly in the Games. Near the end of the novel, Peeta was collecting poisonous berries to eat thinking that they were safe; luckily he had Katniss to tell him they were deadly before he consumed them. Foxface was not as lucky. She ate the berries assuming that they were safe because Peeta had gathered them for himself to eat. This poem reminds me how hard it can be to survive when you know so little about your surroundings.  My second poem: The Survival by: Rudyard Kipling  Securely, after days Unnumbered, I behold Kings mourn that promised praise Their cheating bards foretold. Of earth constricting Wars, Of Princes passed in chains, Of deeds out-shining stars, No word or voice remains. Yet furthest times receive, And to fresh praise restore, Mere breath of flutes at eve, Mere seaweed on the shore. A smoke of sacrifice; A chosen myrtle-wreath; An harlot's altered eyes; A rage 'gainst love or death; Glazed snow beneath the moon -- The surge of storm-bowed trees-- The Caesars perished soon, And Rome Herself: But these Endure while Empires fall And Gods for Gods make room.... Which greater God than all Imposed the amazing doom? This poem reminds me of the struggles to survive that Katniss and Peeta both endured in The Hunger Games. From the obvious ones like getting enough food and water, to the thought that they might lose each other. Every single day they spent in the arena they knew that they could easily lose the battle. They could easily give up and put an end to their struggles. Peeta was almost forced to give up after his terrible injury on his leg. He had blood poisoning and a terrible fever. Also he could not walk and that made things extremely difficult. Resulting in the fact that Peeta could not fight, he could not feed himself, and he could not look after his wound.If Katniss had not came to his rescue and helped him heal then he would most likely have had to give up because his condition was growing worse. Peeta tried to stay alive for Katniss's sake. This poem reminds me that no matter how hard the challenge, you must always try as hard as you possibly can, and not give up.  Sources Tennent, Iris. "Survival." Poem Hunter. N.p., 2 Jan. 2003. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. <http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/survival/>. Kipling, Rudyard. "Rudyard Kipling." Poetry Lovers Page . Ed. Edward Bonver. N.p., 1995. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. <http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/survival.html>.

Entry 3: Two Quotations

My first quotation is:
“One can survive everything nowadays, except death, and live down anything, except a good reputation.” - Oscar Wilde 

The meaning of this quotation is shown nicely throughout The Hunger Games. Katniss survived all the obstacles that were thrown her way while in the arena. She survived the fire balls-the trackerjay stings-the numerous attempted murders-the mutant wolf monsters-the pain of losing her friend as well as the pain that there was a good chance she could have lost Peeta. She had to survive all these things on her own, and she did. Then at the end of the novel when she and Peeta has just won, there was a change in the rules. Once again only one of the Tributes were allowed to win. So she did what no one was expecting and she made a plan for her and Peeta to eat the poisonous berries. Even though they were stopped just in time and they were both considered the winners in the end, she still got a bad reputation for the daring act. This shows that she survived everything but she will never live down the bad reputation she got for surviving it all.

My second quotation is:

“Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope.” - Oscar Wilde

This quotation means that no one can survive with out hope. If you don’t have the hope to continue on then you don’t really have anything. This quotations make me wonder how Katniss stays hopeful in The Hunger Games when she is forced to overcome these challenges every few minutes in exchange for her life. In the beginning, her chances of surviving were very low. There were twenty four Tributes competing including herself, two from each of the twelve Districts, and lots of them were stronger. Especially the ones that lived in the Capitol and had been training to win this their whole lives. The only way she was going to be able to fight was to have the hope that she could win. That she could beat all the people that were stronger than her and that she would get to go back and live her life with her sister, mother and best friend Gale, once again. This was the hope that she needed to survive The Hunger Games.

Source

Wilde, Oscar. "Survival Quotations." Think Exist. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2011. <http://thinkexist.com/quotation/one_can_survive_everything_nowadays-except_death/164666.html>.

Entry 2: Short Story Journal Reading

Mythical Short Story

What you are about to read, is a true story that was posted onto the website "Survival Spot." 

MY GRANDMOTHER INEZ used to stuff towels under her bedroom door whenever I came to visit. Steeped in Appalachian folklore, she believed that hoop snakes rolled downhill, that a milk snake would crawl into a crib to suck the breath from a newborn’s mouth, and that a baby rattlesnake—“three times more poisonous than its mother”—possessed the devil’s tongue. My fascination with the scaly creatures was a witch’s curse in her eyes, and she was deathly afraid that a serpent would crawl from my pocket and strike her in her sleep.“God knows,” she’d say when I dismissed her beliefs as so much mythology. “God knows the truth.”

Reading about this woman and the fate that she believed to be true, reminds me of the novel The Hunger Games, in several ways. It makes me wonder how the Games would have resulted in if the Tributes were this cautious about their survival as she is. I cannot imagine that if every Tribute hid out and tried to stay safe, that things would turn out very well. Some people in the Games did think this way, such as the Foxface girl. She never fought, instead she was always running and sneaking around; even she did not survive. If everyone played like this, then the Gamemakers would most likely end up causing a big fire or another 'natural disaster' to bring all the Tributes into the same area. There they would be forced to fight for their survival. Hearing this story makes me assume that this woman is just worrying for no good reason. Even if something is possible, doesn't mean it is likely to happen. It is alright for her to believe that things like this can happen, but she shouldn't spend too much time worrying about it. In the Games, if you spent your time worrying instead of trying to win, then you would probably starve in an attempt to stay away from the other tributes and their weapons. The similarity that this short story and the novel have is that you are not going to get anywhere worrying about things that might not even happen. No one should worry about death, they should just enjoy surviving. 

Source 

Jones, Donald M. "FACT OR FICTION? TOP 8 SURVIVAL MYTHS." Survival Spot. Ed. William Atkin. N.p., 23 May 2010. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.survival-spot.com/survival-blog/fact-or-fiction-top-8-survival-myths/>.

Entry 1: Introduction

The novel I read is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The main themes that are represented in this novel are courage, romance, and survival. I have chosen the theme of survival because it is clearly represented all through out the book. In the beginning of the novel, all Katniss needs is food, water and shelter to survive. In the Games she needs to survive injuries and much more. The meaning of survival to me is to continue on living no matter what the circumstances are. I am planning to do both internet research and finding more information in books so I can find as much as I can about the subject of survival. I am also going to include as many pictures as I can. I think images are a beautiful and exciting way to show things that are quite hard to explain; for a picture is worth a thousand words.