Ann Akamiokhor Conflict Essay

1-28-12 Period 1

The book I read was Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. It is the second installment in the series The Hunger Games. The book begins with Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark getting ready for the Victory Tour, a few months after they both won the 74th Hunger Games. President Snow pays Katniss a visit. He tells her he is angry at her for almost committing suicide with Peeta in the arena, making Seneca Crane let them both come out alive because the Capitol needed a victor. He then tells her that to keep her loved ones safe, she would have to pretend the stunt she pulled in the arena was motivated by her love for Peeta and not an act of rebellion. After Katniss and Peeta have traveled all the districts on the Victory Tour, it is time for the Quarter Quell, a special Hunger Games held every 25 years with a twist to the rules, to be announced. That year, the Quarter Quells twist is having the tributes to the 75th Hunger Games be previous victors. This is most likely the doing of President Snow, knowing that he cant kill her without having a rebellion. But if she dies during the Hunger Games, he wouldnt be at fault. Katniss now must fight for her life with Peeta once again in the Hunger Games. The central conflict in the novel is Katniss struggle to keep herself, Peeta, and her loved ones alive while President Snow tries to make her life harder after she outsmarted him with the arena trick. It is a man vs. man and a man vs. nature conflict. The conflict arises in a series of events. It begins when towards the end of the first book, it is announced there will be only one winner instead of two, which was promised. Katniss and Peeta decide they cannot kill each other. Katniss comes up with the idea to use the poisonous berries against the Capitol and have her and Peeta both eat them, leaving the Capitol with no victor. When they are about to do this, Seneca Crane, the head Gamemaker, decides to let them both out alive. When Katniss goes back to District 12, President Snow pays her a visit. He informs her that he is in fact mad at her for basically cheating in the Games. He informs her Seneca Crane made an error letting both her and Peeta out alive. That he is now dead because of that. And that she must pretend her trick was done because she was blinded by Peetas love and not an act of rebellion, or else her loved ones would be in danger. Later on, during the announcement of the Quarter Quell, it is revealed that for the 75th Hunger Games, the tributes would be previous victors. Now Katniss and Peeta must fight to the death, again. The central conflict in the novel is resolved towards the end of the book. It is while Katniss and Peeta are in the arena with the other tributes in their alliance. Beetee reveals to the others that he had come up with a trap that could possibly harness lighting and electrocute the other tributes. He tells her that to do this, the group must split up. Katniss goes with Johanna to set up the wire around the arena. While doing this, Johanna surprisingly knocks Katniss out and cuts her arm. Johanna then runs away and Katniss is certain they just broke their alliance. While running away from the Career tributes, Katniss encounters Beetee and figures out what his real intention is. He is trying to blow the force field with the electric wire. Katniss then directs the

lightning at the force field containing the arena with her bow and arrow. The arena is then destroyed and a hovercraft picks up Finnick, Beetee, and Katniss. When Katniss wakes up, she learns from Haymitch that most of the tributes in the Quarter Quell where involved in a plan to break out of the arena and to keep her and Peeta alive. He tells her that while District 13s hovercraft was able to collect her, Finnick and Beetee, they were not able to get the other remaining tributes, which included Peeta, and they were collected by the Capitol. Gale, Katniss best friend from back home, tells her that although he got her family out on time, District 12 had been destroyed by a bombing. As a result of the resolution, many characters in the book do in fact change. One of the characters that change is Katniss Everdeen. The first time Katniss entered the arena, her main goal was to win, no matter what. She was aware that she would to kill Peeta if she had, although it would be difficult. When Katniss hears about the Quarter Quell, her attitude differs from the first time she entered the arena. This time around, she basically begs Haymitch to do whatever he can to keep Peeta alive. This is because she knows President Snow would do whatever he can to have her die and she believes Peeta can actually make a difference in the world. Katniss had become more selfless. Another thing that changed as a result of the resolution is all of District 12. Immediately after Katniss blew up the force field, President Snow started sending in hovercrafts with bombs to District 12. Only about 10% of its population made it to District 13 alive. Although the conflict was resolved, there may have been other resolutions. One way is the conflict never even really happening. If Effie Trinket never pulled Prims name out of the bowl in the first book, Katniss would have never even needed to volunteer for anyone. She probably wouldnt have participated in the Hunger Games, thus not attempting to eat the berries that made President Snow hate her so much. The Quarter Quells twist would most likely not have been having the previous victors be tributes. Katniss probably wouldnt have met Peeta, which means she would have no concern to try and keep him alive. Another resolution could have been Peeta actually winning the 75th Hunger Games. Her goal of keeping him alive would be achieved. Also, President Snow probably wouldnt kill Katniss loved ones, considering she would be dead and it wouldnt affect her.