In The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Peeta Mellark is introduced as the foil to Katniss -- he is the opposite District 12 tribute, the son of a baker with "medium height, stocky build and ashy blond hair" (Collins 25). He is a very kind and caring character, with a very likable personality. According to Cinemablend, however, 58% of voters thought Peeta "sucked", because he is viewed as a character who offers nothing but being nice and lovestruck.
Peeta is first introduced as the male reaping for District 12, where he is described as "[struggling] to remain emotionless" but "blue eyes [showing] alarm" (26). His first moment where he truly stands out, however, is when he embarrassingly claims he wouldn't be able to date his crush if he wins, "'because...because..... she came here with me'" (130). From that moment on, he is known as "Lover Boy" by those around him, which describes the only way he acts from there on out (161).
From that point on, Peeta's only personality trait is being lovestruck. While he initially appears interesting, seemingly having aligned with the Careers, he is revealed to have only done so to watch out for and protect Katniss. He is then found camouflaged after being attacked by Cato, and his first request is for Katniss to "'kiss him anytime you feel like it'" (253). His purpose for the rest of the games is purely to act as Katniss' lover, in order to gain more sponsor gifts. He is not unique or interesting in any way, as he does not have the passion or intensity for anything aside from Katniss.
Peeta's very plain and basic personality is the forefront for why many reading the book don't like him as a character. He only survives the Hunger Games because "viewers sympathize with young love", sending him medicine and food (Rawden). In fact, his general incompetency is the only way he kills Foxface, inadvertently baiting her with poisonous berries that would have killed him as well, if not for Katniss. At the end, he is willing to kill himself for the sake of Katniss, further reinforcing the idea that himself, and his personality is based off of Katniss. Peeta, in my opinion, would be more well-liked and favored if he were to have any traits only for himself.
Rawden, Mack. “Hunger Games: Am I the Only One That Hates Peeta?” Cinemablend, 2012, www.cinemablend.com/new/Hunger-Games-I-One-Hates-Peeta-30146.html.
Although I do agree with you that Peeta is a foil to Katniss throughout the novel, being charismatic and kind, I disagree that Peeta does not have an identity for himself. While some readers may interpret Peeta’s actions as simply “lovestruck,” I believe Peeta’s actions are much more deep than this. When the train enters the Capitol, Katniss steps away from the crowd of people out the window, while Peeta “holds his ground, actually waving and smiling at the gawking crowd” (Collins 60). Peeta plays into what the viewers want and presents himself as a charismatic tribute by appearing to enjoy the attention. Katniss even reflects on Peeta’s waving as she realizes, “He hasn’t accepted his death. He is already fighting hard to stay alive” (Collins 60). Because Peeta is able to play into what the Capitol and rich sponsors admire in tributes, humanity and kindness, he is able to help himself gain sponsors and supporters. Additionally, while his declaration of his love for Katniss is honest, his timing of this declaration is very strategic as it makes the Capitol viewers sympathetic for him and gives him a memorable reputation right before he enters the arena. Despite Peeta having characteristics that people may perceive as weak, his strategic actions to improve his image prior to entering the games provides him with a better chance of survival. His actions, while appearing to simply be lovestruck, are actually extremely smart and most likely the reason he won the Hunger Games.
ReplyDeleteI think this is an interesting take on Peeta. I personally think he is a relatively dynamic character, one who certainly acts as a foil to Katniss’s hardened, tough, and traditionally “masculine” personality. However, I am not sure I agree that most of his actions and characterization are done in an effort to solely propel Katniss forward and keep her alive. When he declares his love for her in the interview before the Games, for example, Katniss is enraged, “slam[ming] [her] palms into his chest,” knocking him into an urn (132). She is horrified that he would say something so personal, so private onscreen. Peeta, however, reveals it was his idea, and Haymitch tells Katniss “He made you desirable…you were about as romantic as dirt until he said he wanted you” (133). Peeta is pragmatic where Katniss is rash. He is a people pleaser, a strategist, and a slower decision-maker. Personally, I think her high temper and quick thinking is why Katniss made such a great icon for the eventual revolution and a much more entertaining character for the viewers of the Hunger Games to watch: she was more interesting, more unpredictable. But Katniss’s ability to read and control a room, devise an effective collaborative strategy, and play the long game are no match for Peeta’s. I think those qualities are what set him apart and make him a complex character.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do agree with a lot that you said, I think it is always important to play devil's advocate and approach the issue from a different point of view. As we all know, Peeta and Gale are the two 'love interests' of Katniss even though Gale does not make a physical appearance after the reaping. This leaves Peeta with Katniss throughout the games. The term "Lover Boy" benefits Peeta in no way as we come to find out as Peeta says Haymitch has sent him "not a thing" (254). So, the sponsors have not sent him anything helpful for his antics and the other tributes have it out for him. He really did sacrifice himself for Katniss by taking on this negative nickname.
ReplyDeleteOn top of this, Peeta dedicates his entire time in the games to defending Katniss. He is not mentioned much in the beginning of the games until Katniss comes across him with the Careers. Peeta intentionally aligned himself with the untrustworthy and dangerous Careers to keep them off Katniss' trail. As Katniss is talking with Rue, Peeta's work behind the scenes begins to come to light as she says “You [Rue] know the boy from my district? Peeta? I think he saved my life" (203). In the midst of pain that Katniss caused him, Peeta still returned to make sure Katniss got away before the Careers returned. He then had to face Cato alone and disappear into the forest for his actions. Although not explicitly said throughout the book, it is clear Peeta dedicates his time in the arena to helping and protecting Katniss. This may be because he never thought he would win the games anyway or because he actually loved her, either way Peeta is vital to Katniss' success and therefore the book.