What is unsympathetic about Katniss? She is shown to be a very strong-willed survivor who cares deeply for her family. When her father dies and her mother falls into a coma-like depression, Katniss works tirelessly to find clever ways to keep her family alive; literally at 9 years old she is the only source of food for herself, her sister, and her mother. Her actions are measured, her energy goes un-squandered, and her efficiency makes her formidable in the games.
When her sister is called at the reaping, Katniss is the first volunteer in the history of her district and one of the few ever in the games, an act of total selflessness and bravery that should move even us INTJs following along at home. She uses logic and strategy to quickly adapt and excel in what is unequivocally a terrifying situation, all without the advantage of natural social and emotional charm that Peeta demonstrates.
The only thing the general reading audience uses to paint her in a negative light is the falsely assumed love triangle between her, gale, and peeta. Katniss was never a willing participant in that love triangle. I suppose because society cannot look at a female protagonist and NOT have her throw herself into the lap of the first male character that "loves" her, she is seen as cold towards these two boys. Katniss is a young teenage girl who has spent half her life working herself into the ground to keep her family alive in a horrifying distopian future. She never even had a chance to start thinking of boys in a romantic light before she was thrown into the games. Gale and peeta were demanding her to engage in a developmental milestone that was beyond Katniss's capabilities at the time. There is no room in her mind for something as unnecessary as romance when she has to focus so much energy on staying alive. And yet she is criticized for not tossing herself onto gale or peeta's junk just because they are attracted to her? Is she obliged to love either of them just because they lust for her? If so, why? Gale perhaps knew her (and as Katniss herself says) probably would have been the natural conclusion for her when the time came, but peeta had never even spoken to her before the games! He didn't love her, he was just a teenager himself, it was infatuation and lust at work. And despite this, gale and peeta both spend three books pressuring and shamelessly manipulating Katniss into choosing one of them with ZERO regard for her own needs and traumatic experiences. Where is the criticism for them?
The only true love story in this series is the love between Katniss and her sister. Otherwise it's a fascinating story (as far as YA goes) about war and PTSD.
Katniss is not admirable? Not easy to sympathize with? She is left at 16 with no one to care for her beyond what she can provide for them - sexual fulfillment, barbaric entertainment, a symbol of propaganda, a tool for survival. And despite this she still works to keep her family alive, still wants to help people who are suffering, still wants to protect those who need protection. Is she a perfect character? Does she make perfect decisions? No, but who would expect perfection and wisdom from any normal teenager, let alone one in this situation?
I think Katniss is fantastic example of am INTJ, using logic and strategy efficiently to reach her goals. I was extremely happy to realize that she is an INTJ. And I think, if I can pull out another soap box, if she had been a boy then she would be less likely to be criticized for her lack of romantic submissiveness.
Annoyed (not verified)says...
What is unsympathetic about Katniss? She is shown to be a very strong-willed survivor who cares deeply for her family. When her father dies and her mother falls into a coma-like depression, Katniss works tirelessly to find clever ways to keep her family alive; literally at 9 years old she is the only source of food for herself, her sister, and her mother. Her actions are measured, her energy goes un-squandered, and her efficiency makes her formidable in the games.
When her sister is called at the reaping, Katniss is the first volunteer in the history of her district and one of the few ever in the games, an act of total selflessness and bravery that should move even us INTJs following along at home. She uses logic and strategy to quickly adapt and excel in what is unequivocally a terrifying situation, all without the advantage of natural social and emotional charm that Peeta demonstrates.
The only thing the general reading audience uses to paint her in a negative light is the falsely assumed love triangle between her, gale, and peeta. Katniss was never a willing participant in that love triangle. I suppose because society cannot look at a female protagonist and NOT have her throw herself into the lap of the first male character that "loves" her, she is seen as cold towards these two boys. Katniss is a young teenage girl who has spent half her life working herself into the ground to keep her family alive in a horrifying distopian future. She never even had a chance to start thinking of boys in a romantic light before she was thrown into the games. Gale and peeta were demanding her to engage in a developmental milestone that was beyond Katniss's capabilities at the time. There is no room in her mind for something as unnecessary as romance when she has to focus so much energy on staying alive. And yet she is criticized for not tossing herself onto gale or peeta's junk just because they are attracted to her? Is she obliged to love either of them just because they lust for her? If so, why? Gale perhaps knew her (and as Katniss herself says) probably would have been the natural conclusion for her when the time came, but peeta had never even spoken to her before the games! He didn't love her, he was just a teenager himself, it was infatuation and lust at work. And despite this, gale and peeta both spend three books pressuring and shamelessly manipulating Katniss into choosing one of them with ZERO regard for her own needs and traumatic experiences. Where is the criticism for them?
The only true love story in this series is the love between Katniss and her sister. Otherwise it's a fascinating story (as far as YA goes) about war and PTSD.
Katniss is not admirable? Not easy to sympathize with? She is left at 16 with no one to care for her beyond what she can provide for them - sexual fulfillment, barbaric entertainment, a symbol of propaganda, a tool for survival. And despite this she still works to keep her family alive, still wants to help people who are suffering, still wants to protect those who need protection. Is she a perfect character? Does she make perfect decisions? No, but who would expect perfection and wisdom from any normal teenager, let alone one in this situation?
I think Katniss is fantastic example of am INTJ, using logic and strategy efficiently to reach her goals. I was extremely happy to realize that she is an INTJ. And I think, if I can pull out another soap box, if she had been a boy then she would be less likely to be criticized for her lack of romantic submissiveness.