2005, Form B. One of the strongest human drives seems to be a
desire for power. Write an essay in which you discuss how a character in a
novel or a drama struggles to free himself or herself from the power of others
or seeks to gain power over others. Be sure to demonstrate in your essay how
the author uses this power struggle to enhance the meaning of the work.
When the Hunger Games trilogy by Susanne Collins hit
the best-seller list, the main attraction was the love battle between the teen
heartthrobs Gale and Pita. Once unwrapping the text, the reader discovers the
books represent much more then just a petty love story. They are unwrapping and
exposing issues in government and society. The whole book is based on a future
society where “The Capital” holds the power to control every aspect of the
“districts” and Katniss Everdeen is attempting to destroy the powerful, evil
controlling machine.
When her beloved little sister is chosen to take part
in the annual Hunger Games-- a Capital controlled activity in which 24 children
were thrown into a harsh environment and forced to kill each other until there
is just one survivor-- rebellious Katniss Everdeen steps in and volunteers to
take her innocent sister’s place. As the story rolls on and Katniss moves closer
and closer towards the heart of the corrupt government, she wants nothing more
then to strip away it’s power. Katniss becomes a symbol of rebellion and
freedom: a light that shines over all of the Capital controlled districts.
The
whole book revolves around the idea of corrupt power. The Capital has sole
control over all of its districts. It controls what they do, eat, wear, and
survive. Susanne Collins uses this idea to propel the story and put the pieces
together. The reader inevitably hates the Capital and everything they stand
for. We give all of our love to Katniss. She holds the future of the Districts
as they place their power into her hands. Power is a motif that represents not
only aspects of the plot but individual characters as well.
By using Katniss Everdeen, Susanne Collins seamlessly
intertwines a magnetic love story with a power struggle. The book revolves
around a heart wrenching confrontation: The Capital vs. Katniss Everdeen and
the rest of the districts. In the end, it is all about power: who has the power
to win, to love, to fight, and to conquer.
Nice job, once again!
ReplyDeleteReading this reminded me of an opinion an older friend of mine has about the Hunger Games book and series. She is convinced that the "deeper" message of the book (their government, and how it relates to our (corrupted) government) has been downplayed by the more popular love story in it, which you kind of hit on when you said that after "unwrapping" the story you discover more.
I'm trying, but I'm not sure I can think of any criticism, besides that while I know it doesn't really matter, you might want to change the spelling of Peeta. (I'm guessing spell check did that? I'm just too much of a fan to let that one go.) :) Also, I'm not sure how using the Hunger Games would fly on an AP-style exam, since it's not really one of the "great" works, but I sure like it!
This is an excellent post, Sam! You have dug deeper into this popular book and have eloquently written an essay on its hidden meaning. Your intro paragraph is excellent in that it effectively introduces the book that your are going to talk about and why it supports. I also liked that your body paragraphs did not have a lot of summary and instead relate back to the claim you made in the first paragraph. Like i said in the last set of peer reviews, you word choice is excellent! I loved how you described the plot as "seamlessly intertwined" with a love story and power struggle.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kenzie in that this book may not "fly" with those that grade the AP Exam essays. Ms. Holmes said that it must be a classic. I don't know if this book fits in that category. However, if I were grading the AP Exam I would definitely give you a high score. Overall, great job Sam!!
Overall, good job Sam! I love your introdcutions. The body pargraphs are also very well organized. You used great detail and backed up your point flawlessly. However I do agree with Kenzie and Saloni, this isn't considered a classic. Therefore, you did't really fulfill the requirements for this essay. But if it were a classic, you would have nailed it!
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