Kori

READING LOG


Book Title: The Hunger Games Author: Suzanne Collins

Entry 1 Date: September 1, 2009 Summary: The first chapter of this book introduces the main characters and the setting. In the begining, main character Katniss, her little sister Prim and their Mother are all introduced. They are found in their home in District 12 of the Seam, and Katniss is sneaking out in the middle of the night. She sneaks outside the boundries of her District to go hunting with her best friend Gale. Katniss or "Catnip" and Gale after hunting go to the District market and sell their findings, after that they split up to get ready for the reaping. Reaction: My initial reaction to the first chapter of this book is that is full of suspense and will move quickly. I really liked how it took off right from the begining and didn't take five chapters to get to the plot. Something that I didn't like so much was how confused I was. At first I didn't really understand what was going on. I was confused about the way the city was run, I was also confused about what "the reaping" was and finally I was curious to find out what the hunger games were. Katniss I think is a very interesting character, she is very selfless and sincerely cares about her family. These are rare characterists to find in any normal sixteen year old. Also, the setting of the book was new to me. I think it is interesting how poor most families in this District are and how they live in such poverty. Q-words: Entrail (page 4): The internal parts.

Entry 2 Date: September 8, 2009 Summary: To sum up the the next three chapters, Katniss volunteers herself for the hunger games which is a tradional/ cultural thing. At one point there were thirteen districts in Panem, however the government destoryed the capitol long ago because they tried to rebel. Now since there are only twelve districts every year the Captiol hosts the hunger games, which is where one boy and one girl from each district compete and fight til the death. The last one alive wins and gains eternal glory. Katniss then journeys to the Capitol after saying goodbye to her mother, Prim, Gale, and the other District 12 nominee, Peeta's father. We are also introduced to the last District 12 winner, Haymitch, who is a serious alcoholic. Reaction: After reading the next three chapters my admiration for this book grew immensely, and I wanted to read all the time and could barely stand not reading it! It is very, very different which is one of the reasons I am so fond of it. I mean, I think it is completely outrageous and totally nuts that each year 24 kids participate in such madness! And what is more crazy is that the people of Panem look at this as a holiday! Also, it is hard to the beleive that the government does this just to "remind" districts to never even consider rebelling. Q-words: Blather (page 42): to talk or utter foolishly.

Entry 3 September 14, 2009 Summary: {I read more than I post, so my summaries and reactions may cover more that one chapter :)} To summarize the next three chapters of the Hunger Games, Katniss and fellow tribute Peeta get on the train and travel to the Capitol. One could say they are treated like Kings and Queens, they receive the best food, sleeping quarters, clothing and anything else they could possibly wish for. Once they get to the Capitol they go off and meet their stylists for the start of the Hunger Games. Their costumes, since District 12 is famous for coal, are real life fire suits. They wow the crowd with their blazing outfits. After that night, Peeta and Katniss go into training. All 24 tributes work in training all day doing different kinds of activities from knife throwing to knot tying. After three days of training, individually the tributes meet with the sponsers/ judges and show them their best qualities and attributes that might allow them to suceed in the Games. Something else to take note of is Katniss's feelings for Peeta. She is very fond of him and has history with him, but she is afraid to get attached because she knows that one will have to end up killing the other. Reaction: In my opinion, these chapters were interesting but not my favorite. However like I have said numerous times before and will most likely continue to say, it is because the book and setting, plot, and characters are so different is why I love it so much. I think that Katniss is very confused about her feelings for Peeta because one time many years ago when Katniss was little Peeta saved her life by giving her some food when her family was starving. I can tell she wants to trust him but she knows it will hurt her more in the end because only one can win the Hunger Games. Q-words:

Entry 4 September 17, 2009 Summary: In brief, chapter eight of "The Hunger Games" deals with Katniss's reaction and after thoughts to how her evaluation went. Evaluation is when all of the twenty four tributes display their best talents in front of a panel of judges to see if they can get someone to sponsor them, tributes are also rated between numbers one and twelve. During Katniss's evaluation she shot her arrow right into the roasted pig that the judges were eating! She did this because none of them were paying attention to her since she was the last tribute. Overall, Katniss impressed the judges scoring an eleven and after finding this out Peeta has asked to be given private training sessions. Reaction: As much as I admire this book I think it is very predictable, Before finding out Katniss's score I easily guessed that she would impress the judges. But even predictable books have a way of surprising you so I guesss I will just have to wait and found out to see what happens. I wonder what the setting for the Games will be? If they will be in jungle or forest or what. Q-words: Arduous (page 189): difficulty, great exertion

Entry 5 October 1, 2009 Summary: From my last entry to page 185 many exciting, suspenseful things have taken place! To begin, all 24 tributes have their interviews and Peeta anounces his love for Katniss... whether he was just saying this to get more popular with the sponsers or because he actually feels this way I am not sure. Also, the games begin! The tributes are all put in the arena enclosed in clear box/ cages. After 30 seconds they are released and the killings begin. Katniss, once she is released, runs far away from everyone only managing to scrounge up a backpack, sleeping bag, some crackers, special glasses, and a water jug (with no water of course...). After walking around for a few days Katniss FINALLY finds water. She also learns that some of the tributes have formed a pack. Surprise surprise Peeta has joined in on this pack. The Game creators also set fire to the forest and Katniss is heavily burned, once the fire is out she climbs up a tree to get away from the pack. She see's Rue (a little girl tribute) in an adjacent tree. Reaction: This part of the book is very very exciting and I could barely put the book down.... it's too bad I have to sleep at night otherwise I literally think I would stay up all night reading it! I think that Peeta may have said the thing about Katniss to get attention and more sponsers but I think that maybe deep down he actually does have feelings for her. Also, I admire Katniss in many ways. So far I think she is playing the games very smart. I also predecit that Rue and her will form their own small alliance. I think Rue is also overlooked by everyone and is a strong competitor in the games. I look forward to reading about how Katniss gets down from the tree and away from the pack! ​ Q-words: Ruminate: to mediate or ponder.

Entry 6 October 8, 2009 Summary: To summarize the next sixty pages, while Katniss is up in the tree hiding from the Career pack and sees Rue in a tree next to her Rue points out that there is a tracker jacket nest above Katniss. Tracker Jackets are deadly wasps and once you hurt them or threaten their safety will continue to sting you until you are severly hurt. To get out of the tree Katniss drops the nest on the Career Pack below. Katniss gets stung and one of the Career Pack members die. However Katniss gets a bow and a dozen arrows. Also, Peeta fights Cato and saves Katniss's life. After a couple of days Katniss and Rue join together and become a pack of their own. They discover that the Career Pack has all their food and supplies on top of a bomb area. Katniss shoots the supplies and it sets off a chain/bomb like reaction. It blows of Katniss's left ear. When she goes to find Rue, a boy from the Career Pack has put a spear through her stomache and she is dying. Katniss kills the boy and sings Rue to sleep, a sleep where she will never wake. Reaction: This section of the book was very interesting. It was good to see that Katniss was taking the offense and not just a defense stance. I also liked how Rue played a bigger role in the book. I was surprised/ disappointed when she died. I thought for sure that the author would keep her til the end and that her and Katniss would be the last two left, which would be really hard on them both. It will be interesting to see how the Career Pack will function now without all their food and supplies! I wonder if Peeta will ever meet up with Katniss again? Or if he will die first? I am pretty sure Katniss will not die becasue that would make for a pretty lame book! Q-words: Copse (pg. 200): a small thicket or bush. Wily (214): crafty or cunning.

Entry 7 October 8, 2009 Summary: From pages 235 to 287 many things occur. First of all, the director of the games announces that their can be two victors as long as they are from the same district. So immediately, Katniss goes to look for Peeta knowing that Cato (a tribute from District 1) has injured very badly. She finds him cameoflauged in a muddy river, Peeta laughs and says that his best offense is a good defense. However, Peetas wounds are too bad for Katniss to help, even after cleaning him up. After making camp in a little cave, the director also announces that there will be a feast in Cornucopia (the center of the arena where the tributes where released in the begining) and that there is something for every tribute left and it is something that that tribute needs more than anything else. Against Peeta's wishes Katniss goes and its stabbed in the forehead above the eye. Thresh (they boy from the same district as Rue) saves Katniss's life in repayment for Katniss helping Rue. In the bag is medicine for Peeta and he gets all better. Also, Katniss and Peeta are playing up their love affair in order to keep the audience happy and make sure that people are still sponsering them. Reaciton: My reaction to this section was very different. I was irratated with Katniss because she is refusing to admit the feelings she has for Peeta nor can she except his feelings for her. She beleives that it is apart of the games and that they are doing it to help stay alive... I think it is more than that. I was also really surprised when Thresh saved Katniss from the other Career Tribute from District 1... because even though Rue and Thresh were from the same district they weren't on the same team necessarily. I wonder how much longer the gamemakers will let the games go on without throwing something at them to drive them together... Q-words: Acrid (pg. 222) Sharp of biting taste or smell.

Entry 8 October 14 2009 Summary: In the next section Katniss returns home from Cornucopia with the backpack that holds what she and Peeta need most, medicine for Peeta that will cure his disease and gash. They continue to play up there romance and Haymitch sends them a gift: a feast!! They are given aa ton of food. After a day or two they decide to move out of their "house" in the river and go hunting and to go on the offensive send. While Katniss hunts Peeta digs up roots and berries he picks a handful a berries that are poisonious, Fox Face (one of the remaining competetors) sees Peeta gather these and eats them, it kills her instantly. Since Thresh killed Clove, and Cato killed Thresh and Fox Face is now dead there are three tributes left, Peeta, Katniss, and Cato. Reaction: This section was one of the more boring sections of the book, it was interesting how Fox Face died and I was happy to see that no one had to purposefully kill someone. I think that Peeta isn't just playing when he says he is in love with Katniss and that his feelings are true. I also think that Katniss is to naiive to see this and a part of her doesn't want to see this. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, if the Capitol will drive them together with some inhumane action or if they will let one another go after eachother. Q-words: Sated (page 187): To fill any appetite fully.

Entry 9 October 14, 2009 Summary: In the second to last chapter of "The Hunger Games" Peeta and Katniss head back to their camp by the river, they then devise a plan on what to do about their last oppenent, Cato. They decided they must act quickly because if they dont then the Capitol will force them together by an unnatural force. So the next day they head to the lake in the center of the arena and decide to face Cato face to face. After a day Cato does not appear, while Katniss and Peeta are debating on what to do suddenly Cato comes sprinting from the woods followed by a group of muttated large dogs. The Capitol created these dogs and each "dog" resembles one of the dead tributes. Cato continues past them running for his life and Katniss and Peeta quickly follow, since Peeta's leg is hurt he can not run as fast and Katniss is forced to save herself and run ahead of him. Finally, they manage to climb up and away from the mutts however Cato was not so luckly because Katniss shot him down with one of her arrows. He falls to the ground and is eaten by the mutts. Since it is only Peeta and Katniss and since they are from the same District they should technically win, however the Capitol changes the rules once again so only one of them can live. Katniss doesn't want to have to choose so she and Peeta both eat a handful of the deadly berries. But before either one can swallow the Capitol gives in and says that the Hunger Games are over and they are both the champions. Reaction: When I was reading this section I literally could not put the book down, all I did was read, read, read! It was so addicting. I think it was kinda gross and sad how Katniss had to shoot Cato down and then listen/ watch him be eaten to death by a bunch of mutalated dogs. Also, one of my favorite parts of the whole movie is when she had Peeta threaten the Capitol by eating the berries, I am glad the Capitol gave in and declared both of them winners. Q-words: Abate (page 187) to reduce in amount.

Entry 10 October 14, 2009 Summary: To summarize the ending this book, Katniss and Peeta quickly spit out the berries they had almost eaten and are carried away from the arena by a hovercraft. Once they are at the Capitol they go to the hospital and all traces of the Games are "erased" both receive plastic surgery to get rid of any scars or cuts. Peeta gets an artificial leg to replace the one that was diseased and chewed on by the "mutts." After their surgeries they go to the interview and are questioned about their experiences. However, before going into the interview Haymitch tells Katniss that the Capitol is not happy at all by the berrie performance that Peeta and she pulled and are extremely upset. Haymitch tells her that she and Peeta are walking a very thin line and that everyone is in danger. Haymitch says that the only possible way to help the situation is to continue on with the belief that Peeta and her are madly in love and that is the only reason that they did the berrie act. On their way home, Katniss tells Peeta that she was only playing the romance part because she thought it would help save her life and that she did not really believe that she was in love with Peeta. Peeta takes this very hard and is truly upset by Katniss's comment. The book ends on this note and is a true cliff-hanger! Reaction: The end of the book was so crazy to read!! It is sad that the Capitol is threatened by this stupid act during the Games, if they are supposedly so strong, great, and powerful why would they be threatened by such a silly thing? Yet at the same time I can see both sides, what the Capitol fears most is overpowerment, to be perceived as weak and this is exactly what Katniss and Peeta accomplished. I know Katniss did the romance part to help save her life but personally I want them to fall in love!! Overall, I thought that "The Hunger Games" was an amazing book and I would personally recommend it to anyone in search of a good book!!! :) Q-word: Wily (page 218) crafty and cunning.