Introduction
Children endure many challenges around the globe to change their perspective to understand aspects of life. Suzanne Collins has given children the major character role in her books and series to act like young adults. However, contrary to other books such as Twilight, Harry Porter Series, the Hobbit, and Lord of Rings, The Hunger Games give a different perspective regarding setting and environment. In The Hunger Games by Collins, guilt has been used to determine major characters' actions prompting them to different people and others doing certain things.
Katrina was guilty of the actions he had to endure to survive since she was not a killer. The decision of Suzanne Collins giving hers that character compelled her to deviate from normal life for survival. Basing on the experience, she had gained from the Hunger Games arena that changed her actions; she knew the Game makers would change the rules to make her and Peeta kill each other. As the Game makers would say, "No deaths, perhaps no fights at all. The audience at the Capital will be getting bored" (Collins, 209). Both Katniss and Peeta came from the same District; thus, the idea of killing each other is perceived as a guilt action. To circumvent death, she utilizes her intuition and the experience gained from the game in giving the audience what they may want to see. Her objective was to prompt the audience to demand the game makers to keep her alive (Irwin, 36). Together with Peeta, they played as star crosses lovers in which they were able to get sponsors (Irwin, 36). They were medicated, fed, and watered, proving that their strategy was coherent to make it to the final three (Irwin, 36). Katniss and Peeta play of the romance to get gifts from the sponsors. However, deviating from the Game's rules conveyed her as a prime object of rebellion, raising the Capitol's suspicion. Katrina later discovers that the Game makers intend for her and Peeta to reach the final nevertheless, "they never intended to let us both live" (Collins, 416). She tries to convince the Game makers to declare both winners as per previous rules (Hethorne 102). She then challenges all the rules set by the Game makers by threatening them with poisonous berries. With such action, the game will end up with two winners or no winners at all. According to Collins, such action would "subvert the ideological purpose of the Games, which is to dramatize the government's absolute power over its citizens" (Henthorne 102). Their threat to commit suicide on live television showcases independence and resistance against the capital. With such actions, Katniss and Peeta are perceived as officially displaying an act of rebellion towards the Capitol. The threat later becomes a symbol of independence and opposing the oppressing regime. Such rebellion actions act as the genesis of personal growth and developments of Katniss. Relating to Katniss and Peeta's actions, it is evident that the outcomes' guilt influences them if the vice versa happens. The action depicts how Suzanne Collins uses guilt to determine the actions of Katniss.
Peeta endures a hard time preparing for the Hungers Games due to the guilt he felt. He wishes to retain his own behavior thus remain who he is but in a contradictory way as katniss. Even before they began, she wanted to quit earlier, hence prompting her to devise survival strategies in the Hunger game arena. Peeta, on the other side, had no problem in indulging in the Hunger Game. He says, "I want to die as myself. (…) I do not want them to change my mind there. Turn me into some monster that I am not. (…) I keep wishing I could think of a way to show the capital they do not own me that I am more than just a piece of their Games" (Suzanne, 171-172). Such utterances by Peeta depict the guilt he endures in acting in a certain way without his wish. However, Peeta's approach to rebellion is more psychological than physical to avoid being perceived as a resistance to the Capitol. Peeta believed that he could only keep his mind command if he manages to reserve his values and beliefs in the arena (Hamre, 52). The Capitol is perceived to alter anyone's ways of thinking to fit its standards hence having full authority over the Panem population. The real self of Peeta is not extinguished, which influences the audiences to watch romance on the screens, something the Capitol cannot ignore (Hamre, 52). Such reason is also what makes Katniss' bold actions manage to pull audiences alive as compared to the dead (Hamre, 52). Such facts evaluate how people can change their reality on television. However, forgetting humanity and indulge in murdering to stay alive is totally overboard. Even though they fought and retained their true self, the killing action was full of guilt. Such facts clarify how the author used guilt to determine Peeta's actions.
The transformation of Katniss into what is perceived as sexual objects is guilt to determine her actions. Katniss, just like other contestants in various reality shows, was objectified to be attractive to the viewers. The other contestants, unlike her, appreciate and adore their transformation as their main goal is to get the viewer's attention. Since she is compelled to devise ways of survival in the Game, she realizes that being attractive got her more sponsors. As Collins puts it, "The Hunger Games is not a beauty contest, but the best-looking tributes always seem to pull more sponsors" (70). Katniss was less concerned about her looks before the emergence of the Hunger Games. However, even though she realized the value of good looks, such action was impelled by guilt to attract more sponsors for survival in the Game. The facts discussed evaluate how Katniss' actions to embrace beauty were as a result of guilt.
Capturing the Capitol audience's attention was not her idea, but she followed her mentor and stylist's expectation of her. The attention was purposely to secure chances of getting good sponsors from the arena. That would eventually compel the Game makers to keep her alive. The changes were not easy for her and Peeta. Katniss is hosed down severally in the Game, soothing she dislikes. She was perceived as an easy target of which, in a real sense, she was not. Peeta's action declaring his love for her on live television made her furious and being a girl, she was not expected to act rude and curt. Even though she argued that Peeta made her look weak Hyamitch objects by saying that "he made you look desirable" (Collins, 164). Eventually, selling of Katniss and Peeta as star-crossed lovers worked for their advantage in the Game arena. That perception gives them attributes and characteristics that interest the audience. However, evaluating how the Hunger Games work, she protests, saying they are not lovers. All the facts evaluated clarify how most of her actions were determined by guilt and not her willingness.
Introduction
Finally, guilt is depicted to influence the action of major characters in the novel. Both Katniss and Peeta's actions are made unwillingly. Katniss was forced to impress the audience to get sponsors for her survival in the game. The transformation she went through made her appear more like a sex object than one of the players in the Game. Even though she later embraced the transformation at first, it was a means of survival in the Game. Peeta wanted to remain himself in the Game, but he was supposed to kill to live. Even though they liked to be in the game, he was not a killer. Together with Katniss, they dare the Game makers to announce both of them as winners of end up with no winner at all. The guilt they felt for killing other children to survive in the Game influenced them to threaten the Capitol, which was feared by even the adults in Penam. The suicide threat acted as a rebellion against the Capitol that was perceived to be powerful. The factors discussed evaluate how guilt influenced the actions of major characters in the novel.
