A Fight for Survival free essay sample

She tried to encourage the tributes to be happy about being chosen; that it is somewhat of an honor to be selected to participate in the Hunger Games, yet was unsuccessful. The Hunger Games is the first book in an amazing trilogy written by Suzanne Collins, that follows the story of Katniss Everdeen and how she survives The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is an annual tournament where the Capitol randomly picks one female and one male from each district to compete against one another for survival. Katniss follows the Hero’s Journey in The Hunger Games because she met her Mentor, was Tested and made Allies and Enemies, and went through an Ordeal. When the Hero meets the Mentor she is looking to gain confidence, insight, advice, or training for the Ordeal. The Hero also seeks experience and wisdom from her Mentor. A Mentor in The Hunger Games is the victor of the previous or past Hunger Games who is meant to train the tributes from their district to survive. Haymitch, the last living victor of District 12, becomes the official Mentor of Katniss and Peeta. He tells them to get the people of the Capitol to like them so they can gather sponsors, who will give sponsor gifts during the Hungers Games. Haymitch mentions that even the simplest things could save them. Before the Hunger Games began, Haymitch tells Katniss and Peeta to stay alive and not to go to the cornucopia; to go to high grounds and to find water. If she steps off the pedestal before the Hunger Games begin, bombs will go off (The Hunger Games). At one point in the story, Katniss was burned and needed medicine. Haymitch tried to get her some sponsors so they can give her gifts that will help her heal; in this case Haymitch managed to convince a sponsor to send Katniss some medicine (The Hunger Games). Not only did Katniss meet her Mentor, another part of The Hero’s Journey that Katniss followed next was the Tests, Allies, and Enemies. As the movie progresses, Katniss is tested in many different ways that will show her who she can trust and who she cannot. Katniss, along with the other tributes, were tested based on their training scores, their first mpression, and their performances during The Hunger Games. Katniss impressed the sponsors during her training and scored an eleven. Cinna, her stylist and probably the most normal person Katniss meets in the Capitol, becomes her ally. He was there for Katniss when she admitted to him that she is afraid of not being able to impress anyone during her interview process. Cinna suggested that she should be herself and to imagine that she is ta lking to him instead (The Hunger Games). Another ally Katniss made was Rue, a 12 year old tribute from District 11. Their alliance began when Rue warned Katniss about the nest of tracker jackers; which helped Katniss get away from the other competitors who were surrounding her. Rue also helped Katniss blow up their enemy’s food and supplies; which resulted in Rue’s death (The Hunger Games). Katniss’s enemies are the other tributes of the Hunger Games. Her main enemy however, is Cato; a fearless, over confident District 2 tribute. Cato is the Shadow of the story. The Shadow does whatever he can to stop the Hero, Katniss, from succeeding. Katniss’s encounter with Cato and the other competitors, including Rue and Peeta, happens in the Ordeal, which is another step she follows in the Hero’s Journey. The Ordeal begins as soon as the cannons fire and the tributes step off the pedestal. Right off the bat, eleven out of the twenty-four tributes died. Katniss manages to survive and climbs up a tree to stay safe (The Hunger Games). Game-Makers are the people who control and manipulate The Hunger Games. They control the number of deaths, creates and designs the arena, as well as the animals that were generated. Game-Makers are the Threshold Guardians; providing tests and obstacles during the Hero’s Journey. An example of an obstacle is when the Game-makers created a fire to try and kill Katniss because she was too far away from any the other tributes and any danger. Katniss survives but was severely burned. Her mentor, Haymitch, tried to gather sponsors for her so they can send a sponsor gift. He succeeds and Katniss receives medicine to heal her burns (The Hunger Games). An announcement was made that two people may win the Hunger Games as long as they are from the same District. After Katniss and Peeta Mellark, the other Tribute of District 12, are caught up with each other, Katniss helps Peeta recover from his injuries. Peeta, in this story, is the Shape Shifter. The Hero never knows the true intentions of this character as he puts doubts in her mind and is never really on one side. An example is when Peeta was once allied with Cato and his small group, who were out to get all the other tributes, including Katniss. She was surrounded by Cato’s group and the only way she managed to escape was when she let a nest of tracker jackers fall over the group while they were asleep. These genetically altered wasps cause extreme hallucinations and are so deadly that they can cause death (The Hunger Games). Many of the tributes in Cato’s group died because of the tracker jackers and Katniss managed to get away with Peeta and Rue’s help. However, Katniss was stung and suffered with hallucinations, taking her a few days to recover. When Peeta was well enough to move on, after Katniss brought him medicine, the Game Makers created mutant dogs that chased the last three survivors, Peeta, Katniss and Cato, all to the Cornucopia. Cato, Katniss, and Peeta struggled on top of the Cornucopia as the mutant dogs tried to attack them. Cato tried to use Peeta to stop Katniss from killing him but failed, fell off the cornucopia, and died. Right then, an announcement was made that only one victor is allowed to survive. Katniss outsmarted the Game Makers and decides to commit suicide with Peeta and he agrees. Before the deed was done, the Game makers changed their mind and agreed to let both tributes of District 12 become the victors (The Hunger Games). Meeting the Mentor, being Tested and making Allies and Enemies, and going through an Ordeal was how Katniss Everdeen followed the Hero’s Journey in The Hunger Games. Her Mentor, Haymitch was successful in helping Katniss gather sponsors that may as well have saved her life. Allying herself with Rue and becoming the enemy of Cato was how Katniss followed The Tests, Allies, and Enemies step of The Hero’s Journey. Finally, going through an Ordeal where the Hero confronts her most difficult challenge and defeats the enemy; these three steps are how Katniss Everdeen followed the Hero’s Journey in The Hunger Games.