The Hunger Games (Chapters 19-27)

This blog post is dedicated to the final chapters of The Hunger Games. Last time we left off at the death of Rue and a surprising rule change. The Capitol has decided that if two tributes from the same district stay alive until the end of the Games, they will both be crowned victors. Obviously, as soon as Katniss hears of this she rushes to find Peeta. Knowing he needs water to survive she follows the stream until she finds him caked in camouflage mud, a skill he gained from cake decorating. Peeta is badly injured so Katniss takes him to a cave for safety so she may take care of him until he is better. During this time his infection starts to get worse and Katniss figures out that the more romantic they become, the more help they will receive from Haymitch and their sponsors. Katniss starts to act romantic with Peeta and even kisses him. After a few days and a few care packages from Haymitch (all without medicine) it is announced that there will be a feast at the Cornucopia. Knowing this may be her only chance to get medicine for Peeta, she knocks him out with some sleep syrup she received from Haymitch and goes to retrieve the medicine. Doing so puts her life at risk as she is cut on her forehead by a knife from the other tributes. She obtains the medicine, brings it back to Peeta, and proceeds to pass out. After waking, Katniss finds Peeta healed, for the most part, and that he has taken care of her. They stay a little longer in the cave and Katniss starts to actually develop feelings for this young man. What were once fake feelings for the audience are now somewhat genuine. They are then lead out to the Cornucopia where they're met by Cato and some mutated Tributes. Cato ends up dying, making Katniss and Peeta Champions and you know how the rest goes.

Sorry for the brief summary, I just wanted to clarify what we all read.

Although there are many underlying themes and ideas throughout these last few chapters, the topic that struck me the most was Katniss' and Peeta's relationship. Due to some unfortunate events in my own personal life a week or so prior to reading this, it has definitely hit me harder than any other theme or idea. Peeta, being the stereotypical nice guy that he is, is deeply in love with a girl who wants almost nothing to do with him. This is probably the most common love story in the history of love stories, and for good reason. People, man and woman alike, are plagued by this problem throughout their wishful lives. Most everyone wants their Prince or Princesses Charming but have been hopelessly crushed in their pursuit. This theme keeps getting used again and again because it will almost always be relevant to society. Watching Katniss and Peeta grow and develop their relationship probably makes you think about your own life and your own relationships. How they started, how they grew, and sometimes, how they ended. It pulls at your heart-strings because it's something you can so easily relate. Of course, this story typically ends with a happy ending but in the case of The Hunger Games, it's not so cheery. This is how it should be though, in my opinion. It shows us that even love that's forged in the fire can have its bounds. Nothing is impervious to the shadows of despair. But, in the end, love will be obtained once more, and hopefully, until we're no more.