Katniss Role Model

Often times, in broken families, young women lack the appropriate role models in their lives. This novel, written by Suzanne Collins, is about a sixteen-year-old girl, named Katniss Everdeen, who has been placed in the annual "Hunger Games", in which two contestants from each of the twelve districts fight to the death, for a chance to win ultimate fame and fortune. Throughout the games, we learn about Katniss' personality and characteristics. In the end, we can identify Katniss as being an ideal role model for young women, because by the end of the book she has proved she is intelligent, optimistic, and protective.

Throughout the novel, Katniss shows she is very intelligent. We first see this around the beginning of games, where Katniss

For example, shortly after Peeta and Katniss team up in the arena, Peeta begins to show signs of a blood infection which can only be properly treated with expensive medicine. The Gamemakers have decided to set up a feast, in which supplies tailored to suit each tribute's need are available at one central location. In Katniss' case, it is blood poisoning medicine. Katniss has promised Peeta she will not be risking her life by going to the feast in order to get the medicine Peeta needs. Katniss puts Peeta to sleep by using cough syrup mixed with berries. Katniss plans on going to the feast and what she has told Peeta is a lie. Peeta realizes this just before he falls asleep and questions Katniss, she replies by simply saying, "I won't die. I promise" (Katniss 275) This shows how Katniss is truly optimistic about the feast. Another example of Katniss showing traits of optimism is when Katniss is saying goodbye to her sister, Prim, just before Katniss is sent to the capitol for training. Katniss promises Prim she will try very hard to win the games. (36) This is quite impressive because earlier on in the book Katniss noted there are tributes from some of the wealthier districts, who have been training all their lives for the Hunger Games. Therefore, making them much stronger and harder to beat. So, this means, even though Katniss knew she likely would not win, she still had the

We notice this trait when Katniss meets up with an opponent in the games, Rue. For a period of time, Katniss teams up with Rue, who was probably slowing her down instead of working to her benefit. Katniss knows this from the start, she even said, "I can almost hear Haymitch groaning as I team up with this wispy child". (201) Despite this, Katniss still teams up with Rue because of her protective nature. This alliance formed because of Rue's resemblance to Katniss' sister, Prim, whom Katniss is very protective of. Katniss even stated this about Rue, "Because she's a survivor, and I trust her, and why not admit it. She reminds me of Prim". (201) This proves the main reason Katniss formed an alliance with Rue is because of her close resemblance to Prim. Another example of this can be found during the Reaping. The Reaping is a formal ceremony held individually by each district, in which one boy and one girl are selected for the Hunger Games. During this ceremony, Prim's name is selected for the Hunger Games. Since Katniss is protective of Prim, she risks her life by volunteering to take Prim's in the Hunger Games. A short excerpt shows why Katniss took over Prim's place. "And then I see her, the blood drained from her face, hands clenched in fists at her side, walking with stiff, small steps up toward the stage, passing me, and I see the back of