Here's my assignment for English, a character development for peeta from the hunger games (not my choice)
Any feedback?
Peeta, is a male character from the Best-selling book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The book, set in a dystopia-like future, the government forces lesser countries (districts) to compete in a cruel, Gladiator like games that forces teenagers to kill each other. The Children (tributes), a boy and a girl from each district, are randomly selected to fight for their survival against each other to the death.
Peeta, is a sixteen year old boy who was apprenticed to his father in a bakery. The heavy-lifting made him strong, and the delicate pastry’s made him slow but skilful. As a boy, peeta develops in the chapter where katniss reflects over who he is. The Baker boy. The boy who gave her bread when she was starving, against the will of his mother. Showing his caring interior towards katniss. Over the Reaping’s Peeta puts up a shy, strong type character to confuse other players and to try to win over katniss with kindness. Peeta however did show strength of mind, when on the train, when Haymitch (the mentor) was drunk and not listening. “Suddenly he lashes out at the glass in Haymitch’s hand. It shatters on the floor…”(pg.65) This part of the book shows that Peeta however shy, will stand up for himself when the need arises.
Before the games, Peeta realises that he has to impress the crowd in order to survive. In the parade, Cinna (the stylist) decides that the pair would work well in matching outfits. To represent their district better, instead of coal uniforms to set them apart, Cinna sets them on fire. Katniss is afraid and scared in this scene. So Peeta holds her hand to comfort her. “He grabs my right hand in his left and we look to Cinna for comfort”.(Pg.80)Again Peeta is trying to comfort Katniss in a time of need. During the training Peeta stays with her and they learn skills together and defend themselves against the other tributes. This escalates further during the interview.
During the interview, Katniss goes first with her dazzling dress and wins over the crowd. Peeta is the last person to be interviewed, on stage the announcer talks about his home life and brings up the topic of love. Peeta seems fidgety when he says this so he presses. “Handsome lad like you must be someone?”
“Well there is this one girl,”
“Here’s what you do, you win the game and then she can’t refuse eh?”
“It’s not that simple”
“Why not?”
“Because she came here with me”.(Pg.151) In this scene, Peeta is talking about Katniss and how he loves her, but he can never her. Pulling in the crowd with his lovey-dovey charade. This further proves how Peeta’s thinking has developed, Peeta without his training would never have thought to do this. Now Katniss has to follow along to win sponsors from the crowd. Clearly Peeta’s thinking has changed a lot.
With the training and interviews done, the games are now here for Peeta. But Peeta now has a strategy, draw in sponsors with his love story, and ‘join’ the strongest competitors. When the games star, Katniss doesn’t know where Peeta is, so he disappears for a while without any related text. But when Katniss is hunted down by Careers, she finds out Peeta is with them. She is devastated, and when she meets Rue she hatches a plan to destroy the Careers. She drops a tracker-jacker nest on their heads, causing serious injury and death to those below, including Peeta.
Peeta is seriously injured and when he tries to protect Katniss from Cato stabbing her, Cato slashes a gaping wound in his abdomen. This distraction allows Katniss to escape. Peeta still manages to run away in the cave and heal, Katniss finds him and nurses him back to health. Which leads to some interesting character development, such a finding out they ‘like’ each other and the story about Katniss’s goat. Later over the PA system they find out that two tributes from the same district can win.
Finally when Peeta is healed, they head out to find the final contestants. Eventually only Cato is left but after a couple of skirmishes, both parties back off from each other until the mutations arrive. A final surprise from the game makers hoping for a blood bath. Cato is gravely wounded and feigns unconsciousness. Peeta and Katniss head to high ground and start to pick the mutations off. Katniss then finishes off Cato after finding him still alive. But in a final cruel twist of fate, the announcer says there can now only be one winner. Shock. That is what they feel, but Peeta agrees with Katniss’s plan to eat poison berries to kill each other. Threatened with no winner, the game makers submit to their will, meaning they both win.
After the games and the lovey-dovey interviews, the train ride home is solemn and sad. Peeta talks about their acting and says he never was. Saying he loves her and wants to know what she feels. Katniss says she doesn’t know.
“Well let me know when you work it out”.(Pg.435) Leaving the book on a note of dread, because they know that they have done something that is traitorous in the world of the Capitol.
In conclusion, Peeta is smart, quirky, strong and solemn. He shows a tender heart, but can be rock solid when the need arises. Over the course of the games he has changed from a generally nice guy to a love crazed killer that would do anything to protect Katniss. This may lead to tragedy in the future, as Katniss is not a clingy person and may move on. In short it will be interesting to see what happens in the next book, of these two ‘love-struck’ killers.
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