The Hunger Games Trilogy

[Nicolette]

I so can relate to what my husband has articulated above having been forced to fulfill a partial parental role to my siblings around the age 10 -12 until I left home as my mother had too many children and was emotionally unavailable to me and my sister from her first marriage. There is a distinct difference between having a child help to having a child fulfill an adult role.

 

[Loloma]

Totally agree Nicolette, and sympathise with you. I was put in the same position as a child from the age of eight. My mother had 14 children and being the second eldest girl I had to look after babies before and after school, cook the meals, do the washing and so forth. With her schizophrenia she wasn't able to cope and had terrible moods swings. Was not allowed friends and play time, what was that.

Having your childhood taken from you is a terrible thing. However I didn't find it traumatic at the time as it was all normal to me and just part of my life. I suppose you can't miss what you have never had, well as a child at least. Your realisation and way of thinking is different because of your circumstances. You live in survival mode the same as Katniss. We used to catch eels at the back of the zoo and pick watercress around the lake for sandwiches.

My eldest sister was rebellious and defiant. She left home early after having a baby at the age of 15. I was submissive and stayed till I was seventeen.

 

[anthony]

It is actually psychologically, statistically, accurate that when there are more than one children, the eldest typically becomes the most successful, most driven, and it has to do with their underlying childhood development because parents naturally look towards the eldest to assist in taking care of their siblings, whether it be both parents are working or the parent needs help... that is part of the reason though why the eldest as a majority becomes the most successful from the entire family.

 

[Nicolette]

However I didn't find it traumatic at the time as it was all normal to me and just part of my life. I suppose you can't miss what you have never had, well as a child at least. Your realisation and way of thinking is different because of your circumstances. You live in survival mode the same as Katniss.

Interesting Loloma as it wasn't until I left home and became a self sufficient adult that my childhood began affecting me. It was then I realised that my thinking pattern was so different to what others expressed.

because parents naturally look towards the eldest to assist in taking care of their siblings, whether it be both parents are working or the parent needs help...

Again I identify with the words "help" and "becoming the parent". I am only at chapter one of book two but do think Katniss became more of a parent to her mother than assisting (helping) her with Prim and also more of a mother to Prim than her own mother.

 

[Loloma]

In the book reaching twelve was a coming of age for these children. The ones that were picked for the Hunger Games were thought of as commodities or resources. They not only had their childhood taken from them, they were deprived of their basic rights as a human beings.

The majority of them had already experienced hardship daily and suddenly were lavished with an abundance of food and fine clothing. In a way it was as if they became preened and treated like prize exhibits in a show. As long as they followed the rules and obeyed that is.

What did stand out for me was when they reached the Capitol, Katniss commented on how the aging population did what ever they could to stay young. Whereas in Division twelve, older people were admired and respected as they had survived that long against the odds. She also found the people with their extreme make-up, clothing and hair colours ridiculous.

 

[Nicolette]

Amazing book is the only way I can express it Loloma and I have to say I normally don't read Fiction.

 

[Loloma]

Interesting Loloma as it wasn't until I left home and became a self sufficient adult that my childhood began affecting me and I realised that my thinking pattern was so different to what others expressed.

I fully understand what you are saying here. Once we become an adult our way of thinking changes to the present. It is then that the realisation hits when we look around and get to know how others live through forming friendships, talking to people in general and living in a different environment.

With me I started to see and understand what I had missed out on in terms of affection from my parents, and the loss of my childhood. I yearned for what I'd never had, found it difficult to trust anyone and didn't know how to relate to people. One thing I must say, it made me strong which came in useful over the years since.

I normally don't read fiction either Nicolette.

 

[ButterflyPEI]

That's due out on the 23rd March is it?

Yes March 23rd. I got excited thinking that it was this weekend but that was just my brain getting ahead of itself once again. I can't wait for the 23rd!

 

[Nicolette]

I wont tell anyone I got very little sleep last night as, beside leg cramps, I could not put book 2 down.

 

[Nicolette]

I have not been getting any work done as I can't put the book down. :whistling:

 

[Nicolette]

Ummm... banning myself from reading book three until I get my work issue sorted as I had to read and finish book 2 yesterday instead of working.Very addictive story. :eek:

 

[Loloma]

Talk about sleeplessness, couldn't put it down till I'd finished all three books. Was reaching till 3.30am in the morning and through the day. You become totally addicted and live with the story. I personally don't think you can really appreciate or understand fully this trilogy content under you have experienced trauma yourself. It is a PTSD nightmare!! I cried through some of it, especially towards the end. I could actually feel the sadness and the pain going on through the story.

The way of living was not what the new comers had visualised when they came to Division 13. Sure they received shelter, clothing and food. But in contrast to Division one which was very materialistic and over the top, Division 13 was more like a communist regime. Everything was regimented from the gray uniforms to time schedules, training, meal times and the whole way of life. It was all about control and following orders.

It didn't take Katniss long to develop a dislike for President Coin, but she found that the feeling was mutual. It took a short while to come to the conclusion that she was once again being used only as a symbol of the revolution. Hence keeping her alive was of importance. Once she understood this, she used it to her advantage demanding terms and conditions before she would agree to becoming the Mockingjay.