The Right to be Rebellious

Just like how sunflowers are destined to grow towards the sun, people are compelled to thirst for what's right. People’s willingness to contribute to what they believe is one of the reasons that make us humane and motivates us to fight. The Hunger Games explores that topic freely as we wander in the perspective of Katniss Everdeen, a victim of corruption.

As we follow along with Katniss’s point of view, we begin to witness Katniss’s acts of defiance throughout the story. Even from before the games began, she was a rebel, illegally obtaining food and resources to survive in this cruel, unjust world that treats her with disdain and disregard.

During the games, every thought she manifested in her mind is towards the benefit of her for the game, her emotions, her posture, even her romance is for the audience. This meticulous thinking also contributed to her rebellious deeds. When Rue died, Katniss carefully adjourned her body with flowers as she grieved over the little girl, reminiscent of the short but precious time they spent in the games together. She thought about the audience, about District 11, and how Rue’s death affected people. As a gesture of respect and remembrance, she puts her fingers to her lips. This series of actions automatically betray the intent of the Hunger Games: to parade to the people how cruel and ruthless the Capitol can be. Katniss’s heart-wrenching burial for Rue reminds the world that there can be warmth even in the coldest places; how a lilac still thrives in the dead land. This moving gesture proved to people that there are still flaws and weaknesses in the Capitol’s brutality that can be overcome by kindness. As people see this, they are reminded of themselves and how they could take action and make a difference.

As the final and most profound act of defiance, an act of direct rebellion towards the corrupted government, she dares the game makers with risk: either risk losing her and Peeta, or name both victors. This enraged the Capitol, because by using their strategy against themselves, Katniss and the upcoming rebellion taunted the supposedly all-powerful front of the government as they played right into her game.

When a leader arises, people tend to follow. This pattern appears in The Hunger Games as Katniss became the unanimous symbol of rebellion, sparking people’s motivation to fight for what is right. As Katniss outsmarts the Capitol by finding the loophole in their ultimate weapon of oppression, the Hunger Games, the hope of freedom and liberty suddenly becomes tangible. That’s what the Capitol is afraid of the most. By leaving the tributes helpless in the arena, they maintain their superiority throughout the games, and with salvation given by sponsors, who are mostly citizens of the Capitol, they depict themselves as the kind souls that lend their hand to help the weak; instead of the cruel, twisted minds that captures the darkness of what is the Hunger Games.

The acts of defiance signify the end to the tyrannical and barbaric rule and the beginning of hope for humanity. Katniss’s series of actions affected the people in their society, resembling the butterfly effect, which is reflected in our current lives. Sparks of protests all over the world all started just like that; with a leader bravely marching through towards the glimmer of hope they see, just like how as the sun rises, sunflowers move in unison to face the light. The Hunger Games laid out the concept of defiance and taught us the importance of being rebellious, as sometimes, it is up to us to make things right.