Reading Log Week 13

Book: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages read: 335 - 391

Katniss's ethics are nothing like Haymitch's or the Capitol's. She believes that she has to protect those she loves, and her life comes second to everyone else's, except those she does not care about. This is shown when she was contemplating running away with Gale's and her family and Peeta's family and leaving the uprisings and the Capitol behind, to take the ones she loved and leave everyone else that are not of consequence to her. Haymitch is actually very similar to Katniss in terms of personality, but his ethics are slightly different. He believes that if something, no matter how despicable, has to be done for the greater good, then it should be done. If he has to withold precious information from Peeta and Katniss in order for them to survive and let the other ones die, then so be it. For the greater good. This is shown when it says, "'Because once the force field blew, you'd be the first ones they'd try to capture, and the less you knew, the better,' says Haymitch....'For the same reason the rest of us agreed to die to keep you alive,' says Finnick." (Collins 386) it shows that Haymitch asked all the rest of the victors to sacrifice themselves for Katniss and Peeta, so they can lead the rebellion. The Capitol leads a completely different form of ethics, so different they cannot even be called morals. They do not exist. To the Capitol, there is only power, and the struggle of maintaining it.

Book: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages read: 1 - 44

What has the Capitol done to Peeta to get him to call for a cease-fire? What will happen when Gale and Katniss go to hunt? What is the weapon that Beetee has created for Katniss? I believe that the Capitol has struck a deal with him, bargaining Katniss's life for the calling of the cease-fire. I think this because Peeta thinks dearly of Katniss. She's all he has. This is shown when it says, "'This way, if the districts lose, there's still a chance of leniency for you.'" (Collins 30) because it is, in short, saying that Peeta is still trying to save Katniss's life in either way. But the rebels see Peeta as a traitor now for calling for a cease-fire, knowing at this point if they ended the war it would result in the Capitol regaining control. I think that something significant will happen when Katniss and Gale go out to hunt, because they have made it a rather large deal. An example of this is when it says, "Plutarch begins to explain the drawbacks here - the dangers, the extra security, the risk of injury - but Coin cuts him off. 'No. Let them.'" (Collins 39) This shows that the officials did not think it was a good idea, and that it was dangerous, but they are going to do it anyway. In most stories, this is when something goes awry. As for the danger that will happen, I have reason to believe that they could catch a glimpse of other districts or the Capitol or find some important refugees in the woods somehow, in order to make it more dramatic. As for the weapon Beetee created, I think it will be much smaller and less lethal-looking than Katniss thinks, when in reality it is just as deadly as any large machine.