Symbolizing The Game

Susan Collins novel “The Hunger Games”  is written in a way that expresses symbolism. These symbols represent both good and bad things throughout the story. It makes the reader feel different types of emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, and many others because of the different symbols that are used and the way they used it. It influences the readers by giving them something they can look forward into seeing throughout this book and how it affects them.

The mockingjay pin which shows Katniss representing her district. In the book it states “ “Your pin?” I say. Wearing a token from my district is about the last thing on my mind. Here I’ll pin it on your dress, all right? She leans and fixes the bird to my dress. “Promise you’ll wear it into the arena, Katniss she asks. Promise? “Yes” I say. Page 38.” This is shown on page 38. The reader realizes that this symbol appears a lot in the book because in a way that the mockingjay pin does not only represent her district as in good but it also represents a rebellion to the capital because of the experiment with the jabberjays. Which causes the reader to feel power because it brings a dramatic sense of representation to the district.

Another symbol is the three finger salute which shows respect for when people die and tells them that god is in our favor. In the book it states “Every member in the crowd touches three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it out to me. Page 24.” Which the reader can tell that it is used throughout the book right after it is first shown when Katniss first volunteers to be in the games and people stop when the games are over. It makes the reader feel  more comforted that the people in her district care about her and the symbol meaning god is in your favor.

Another symbol is killing for survival which shows that if they are in the games they are representing to win for their district. In this book Katniss is entered in the game and by her winning does not only mean she survives but it also means that her district survives as well. In the book it states “ All year the Capitol will show the winning district gifts of grain and oil and even delicacies like sugar while the rest of us battle starvation. Page 19.“ This causes the reader to feel anger and hope. Anger because the reader is mad how they are letting kids in this game to fight for their own survival which could cause them to die. Hope because it is the only thing the reader can think of as the game is going on. They are hoping for their favorite character wins. Also the reader has hope because they give the winning district great gifts.

The last major symbol in the hunger games is the poisonous berries which katniss and peeta were going to eat the poisonous berries to kill them both to create a rebellion against the Capitol to show them that they do not need one victor. Hungergames4b3.wordpress states “These symbolise power. They offer the power to kill and the power to persuade the game maker to let the two of them live. Poisonous berries- Night lock. (Represents deception, harsh, rebellion)” When They are about to eat the berries the readers feel mixed emotions because it is a good and bad thing that Katniss and Peeta are doing. It is good because they are going against the Capitol which they think would put an end to the Hunger games and showing them how powerful Katniss and Peeta care for eachother that they would die for each other. The bad thing is if they died then they would have been gone and that would have been the end of the books series and the readers would have gone crazy if they both died and no new book was created.  

Symbolism is shown in many different places without people even noticing them but their are others that are very clear of what and how they represent a certain thing. For example in the movie the Master of disguise it shows a triangle with an eye and designs in it that is a symbol of Pistachio being the master of disguise and it keeps reminding him that he is one even when he doesn’t think he is one throughout the movie. Every movie or book has its own symbol which gives you a great idea of the main idea of the movie or book. Symbolism can represent anything whether its a person or even an object that lets you understand the greater meaning of it.

          This structure is really important because to the readers these symbols represent different aspects of the book like how the mockingjay pin represents a token of the district and its rebellion.  Also The three finger salute which represents respect and means god is in our favor and the Killing for survival which they represent their district . Without the mockingjay their will be nothing showing what her district or the rebellion so the reader would feel as if they don’t have something to look forward to and it gives them the wrong impression of the district showing that what is their to represent when district12 is poor anyway so who cares, without the hand sign it would show that no one cares so the reader would have a outlook on people which would make the people of the districts look bad and look like cruel people, and without the killing for survival it would show how they don’t want to represent their district and stay alive when the reader would start expressing sad and angry emotions because the ones they wanted to win did not appear.  All three of these are shown throughout the entire book because they are what make the story unique.