A 10 Yr Old’s Interpretation of the Hunger Games

 

My ten year old had asked if she could read the Hunger Games. I mulled this over in my head a good bit and perked my ears up to hear what was being said about the book. After a little info investigation I decided to read the book myself and decide if it was something we could say “yes” to in her too quickly approaching pre- teenage life.

We have to say “no” to so many things in today’s culture.  I am always looking for something that we can say “yes” to, something that will teach our girls how to discern between what is allowed and what is beneficial and also how to take what is deemed “secular” and discover how all things can be and should be interpreted in the light of Scripture.

After reading the Hunger Games myself, we let Shelby read the book.

Then she received her book assignment…

We asked her to read Matthew 5-8 and compare and contrast the attitudes and mindset of those from each district that competed in the Hunger Games with the attitude and mindset that Christ teaches us to have and she needed to choose which character, if any, most represented the image of Christ.

I thought I would share her 10 year old insight into the characters of the Hunger Games as she looked at them through the lens of the Word of God…

 

Peeta- I find that Peeta is a character by God. For it seemed as if he was actually trying to live as Jesus had commanded, trying to live as I have been taught my whole life. Here is one of the verses that reminded me of Peeta. {If your right eye makes you stumble tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to loose one of the parts of the body, than for you whole body to go into hell.} (pg 1567)

 

Katniss- At the beginning of the book when I thought of Katniss I thought of the girl who was trying to keep her family alive. At the start of the games I thought of the girl who only thought about surviving. In chapter 18 when Rue dies until the end of the book I started to think of the girl who was no longer selfish of her own life, but of Peeta’s. She risked her life to save Peeta’s. All in all this is always how I thought of Katniss. {Do not worry then, saying, what will we eat? or what will we drink? or what will we wear for clothing?} (pg 1569) 

 

Gale- Gale was the kinda guy who loved his friends and would do anything for them and hated his enemies to the core. I remember in the very beginning of the book he and Katniss were a team. They split profits evenly so they could feed their families. Gale would be a great man of God… from what I heard (well read anyway) all he needed to do was this. {But I say to you, LOVE your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.} (pg 1567)

 

Rue- When I think of Rue I think of her and Peeta’s ways in God, how they are so similar. How Rue showed Katniss the trackerjacker nest in the tree, and how Peeta saved Katniss by fighting off Cato. Rue was the background type. While she was in the games Katniss never knew she was there until she looked right at her in the tree. This is what I thought Rue was like/lived by. {Do not judge so that you will be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.} (pg 1569)

 

Prim- I found Prim like Solomon how he did not worry about his outer appearance but, his inner. Unfortunately I won’t have much to say about Prim for she was not in there long enough to get much info about her but this is what I seemed to find in Prim. {So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day is enough trouble of its own.} (pg 1569)

 

Baker- I find the baker a giver. How he gave Katniss the girl trying to KILL his son cookies, how he promised not to let Prim starve. These are some things I feel the baker would NEVER do. {Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will give him a snake, will he?} (pg 1570)

 

Cato- When I heard about Cato, I thought of a mean green killing machine. All he thought about was killing and winning. I thought Cato was Satan in a book, Cato it seemed as if he was overcome with domestic violence. Cato lived the games the opposite of this verse… every one killed but he wanted to kill, not everyone WANTED to kill… now here is the verse. {You have heard that the ancients were told, YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER and whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.} (pg 1566)

 

Thresh- Thresh and Gale both loved their neighbor and hated his enemies, but Thresh’s reasons were a little different. He loved Rue because she was from his district. The only reason he let Katniss live was because she tried to save Rue. Otherwise I find him just like Cato. So here is a verse for Thresh and how he seemed to live. {You have heard that it was said, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.} (pg 1567 )

 

Haymitch- Haymitch broke one of the rules of God. Even though this rule was not in the Sermon on the Mount, I thought I should tell it to you. Let me tell you about Haymitch first. 1. He was crazy (except when he was sober) he was okay then. Well, I will go ahead and give you the verse. It is in Ephesians 5:18. {And do not get drunk on wine, (which Haymithch did alot) for that is dissipation, but be filled with the spirit.}

 

Effie- I found Effie charming and nice, but she was ungrateful. She was griping about drawing for district 12, SHE SHOULD BE HAPPY SHE IS NOT IN THAT DRAWING!!!! You see what I mean. I think this is how she thought of herself. {You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.}

~ Shelby Vaughn

 

Why yes, I am a proud Momma 🙂