Law 1

Introduction
Society has claims on us all and it is us as individuals, who ultimately have a choice. In the
novels The Hunger Games and Pride and Prejudice, Katniss and Elizabeth reveal the importance
of living in society and living with the choices that define them. They do not let societys game
define them as they make a life of their own. The Hunger Games lays a foundation of what it
means to live in a society. Katniss is in a literal game when she steps foot on the arena in the
Hunger Games. When she is at home Katniss is playing a figurative game. She is playing the game
of survival and the rules in which her society creates. Within the parameters of the actual games,
there is a game that is hidden. The Hunger Games Trilogy reveals the way in which societies
operate. Parallels can be seen in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice and this idea of game theory in
which there is a strategic element for everyone. Katniss and Elizabeth have a strategy all their own
throughout the novels that allows them to overcome their destined circumstances. Katniss and
Elizabeth are unique in that they do not allow society to control the very essence of who they are.
In both novels there are distinct moments that cause a shift between them merely playing their
societys game for survival and playing their societys game to defy it.
As readers, we first enter worlds that our not our own. Pride and Prejudice, with its famous
first line, It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune,
must be in want of a wife (Austen 5), delves us into the predicament of 18
th
Century England. In
The Hunger Games, Katniss escorts us personally into the world she is living in, on the most
important and most dreaded day of the year in her society. We get a glimpse of what society
demands in 18
th
-century England and in Dystopian America as we succumb to the pages of the
world we entered.
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In the world of The Hunger Games, Katniss lives in a nation called Panem that was created
after the governments in North America collapsed a hundred or so years in the future. The Capitol
is a place of power where they rule over twelve districts, city states as it were.
Pride and Prejudice is set during a completely different time period with a different motif
and plot entirely. Jane Austen was a critic of her own society and revealed her critiques in her
novels. Elizabeth Bennet is also an observer and mocker of her society. Austen reveals her satire
through her characters; each one, through their personalities, reveals a problem or flaw that Austen
saw in her society while others reveal a way to overcome it.
The Game
There are two scholars who have developed this idea of game theory for The Hunger
Games and Pride and Prejudice separately, but no one has put together both novels in a
conversation on game theory. According to Diana Peterfreuno in Hunger Game Theory the
definition for game theory is this,
Game theory is the mathematical approach to the study of decision making. Its
about strategy, about how people are programmed to respond in various social
situations, and about the forces that can predict the ways in which living things,
companies, communities, and even nations will act. (Peterfreuno 127)
Michael Suk-Young Chwe in Jane Austen, Game Theorist, says that Jane Austen employed
game theory in all six of her novels. He says, Strategic thinking, what Austen calls, penetration, is
game theorys central concept: when choosing an action, a person thinks about how others will act
(Chwe 1). Elizabeth fits this description almost to a t; shes an observer and a critic of those
around her and of the system. Katniss, from the very beginning breaks her societys rules, by going
Law 3

under the electric fence into the forest to hunt. She does it to survive, not to take over her society.
It is not until the Reaping that she takes a step toward defiance.

The Reaping
Katniss wakes up on the day of the reaping in District 12 in the lowest part of the district
called the Seam. The reaping is not something those in Panem anticipate with joy. Katniss tells
us that her sister Prim is sleeping with her mother due to bad dreams because of the reaping. Bree
Despain in Community in the Face of Tyranny says, The districts must sacrifice their children,
a most precious commodity in any community, to the Capitols sick idea of amusement (Despain
240). As a 12- year- old, this is Prims first time being eligible to be in the drawing for the Hunger
Games as an amusement for the Capitol.
Katniss too, though she has been eligible for the reaping for four years, cannot escape the
one time a year that the Capitol demands a boy and girl from each district to participate as tribute
in the Hunger Games. Katniss tells us, Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one
another while we watchthis is the Capitols way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy
(Collins, The Hunger Games, 18). At the reaping, everyone gathers and waits as one name is
drawn from a bowl that is full of girl names and another bowl that is full of boy names. The boy
and girl whose names are randomly chosen are whisked off to the Capitol to undergo makeovers
and training before they are put in an arena to fight to the death until there is only one victor
standing.
The majority of District 12 is very poor, only a few like Peeta and Madge do not know the
life of the Seam and live relatively comfortable lives like the Bennets. Katniss says that if families
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are desperate enough, desperate as in starving, then they can opt to get more food, but in return
they have to put their names in the drawing for the reaping multiple times; this is called tesserae
(Collins, The Hunger Games, 13). Ironically, Peetas name is chosen whereas Gale, whose name is
in there 42 times because of the tesserae, does not and the same with Primher one name is
chosen among thousands. Katniss volunteers in place of her sister and this is the first turning point
in the book in which Katniss will see firsthand what she is up against in these games. Andre Risko
says in Katniss Everdeens Liminal Choices that she is unique when she volunteers because no
one else could have made this kind of choice because the Careers volunteer for their own glory
and the others the Capitol chooses.
The reaping in The Hunger Games is a part of society, almost like a coming of age party,
but not as fun as a party. In 18
th
-century England, girls were presented in society at a certain age.
When Elizabeth is at Lady Catherines, Lady Catherine asks her if her sisters are out in society.
Elizabeth says they are all out. Lady Catherine exclaims, All!What, all five out at once? Very
odd!And you only the second.The younger ones out before the elder are married (Austen
162). Just as Elizabeth has never been married, Katniss has never been called as tribute. Her sister
is called in the reaping just as Elizabeths sisters are out in society before Jane or Elizabeth is
married. Elizabeth volunteers for her sisters and replies,
But really Maam, I think it would be very hard upon younger sisters, that they
would not have their share of society and amusement because the elder may not
have the means or inclination to marry early.The last born has as good a right to
the pleasures of youth, as the first. And to be kept back on such a motive!I think it
would not be very likely to promote sisterly affection or delicacy of mind. (Austen
162)
Law 5

Elizabeth and her family defy the rules so they may be closer. Elizabeth, in a way, volunteers her
propriety for her sisters joy. Elizabeth volunteers her own happiness to save Lydia from a life of
degradation when Lydia runs away with Mr. Whickham. In An Evolutionary Approach to Jane
Austen: Prehistoric Preferences in Pride and Prejudice, Mate Choice or Male Selection Michael
J. Stasio says, Being a very formal society, 18
th
-century England placed tremendous emphasis on
the moral implications of the individuals polite performance (Stasio 137). By telling Mr. Darcy
about her family, Elizabeth volunteers her chance to marry him because her and her sisters will be
unsuitable for marriage. Elizabeth realizes she loves Mr. Darcy after she tells him of the scandal,
It was, on the contrary, exactly calculated to make her understand her own wishes;
and never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him, as now, when all
love must be vain. But self, though it would intrude, could not engross her. Lydia
the humiliation, the misery, she was bringing upon them all, soon swallowed up
every private care. (Austen 265)
She sets aside her happiness for her sister to be saved from a situation in which Lydia created,
selfishly, for all of them.
Directly after the reaping, in The Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta are taken from their
home and whisked off to the Capitol where they will begin the game and Katniss will see the
difference firsthand that will help her with her strategy. Elizabeth during her game sees the
difference in class and she sees that class does not change who a person is. Class does not
automatically equal propriety.


Law 6

Different Worlds
Katniss is a part of two very different worlds. She is limited to her own district, but she gets
a glimpse because the Capitol regulates schools and education within each district, so she knows to
some degree, what is going on in the other districts and the Capitol. In the essay, Class is in
Session: Power and Privilege. Chad William Timm says, What children learn in Panem, at
home and in school, prepares them to take their place in the social order (Timm 278). The
Capitol shows its strength and power through broadcasting the Hunger Games. Katheryn Wright
in Revolutionary Art in the Age of Reality TV says Collins trilogy explores the aesthetic
dimensions of popular culture by creating the dystopian world of Panem, in which television is the
populations primary means of communication (Wright 106). Before Katniss goes into the games,
she is constantly aware of the Capitols power and oppression. She sees second hand the difference
in lifestyles and she observes and knows the workings of her society. She says,
When I was younger, I scared my mother to death, the things I would blurt out
about District 12, about the people who rule our country, Panem, from the far-off
city called the Capitol. Eventually I understood this would only lead us to more
trouble. So I learned to hold my tongue and to turn my features into an indifferent
mask so that no one could ever read my thoughts. (Collins, The Hunger Games, 6)
The districts are so used to these televised events that they know the odd accents of the
Capitol people. Besides, Katniss says, the Capitol accent is so affected, almost anything sounds
funny in it (Collins, The Hunger Games, 8). It is not until Katniss, at the reaping, when her
sisters name is called, volunteers in her place and is taken to the Capitol and sees the differences
first hand.
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When Katniss and Peeta first enter the train that will take them to their impending deaths,
Katniss first sees the aesthetic beauty of the train that represents the Capitols wealth. Katniss says,
The tribute train is fancier than even the room in the Justice Building. We are each given our own
chambers that have a bedroom, a dressing area, and a private bathroom with hot and cold running
water. We dont have hot water at home, unless we boil it (Collins, The Hunger Games, 42). She
sees the greed and the excess that the districts provide. She sees and uses things that she would
have no need. She eats foods that are so rich and are considered delicacies. Back in District 12 she
ate squirrel, leaves, soups, bread-- on good days, etc. She fattens up on the food she receives in the
apartment in which the tributes stay.
On several occasions Katniss expresses the ludicrous things that are in the Capitol; the
excessive food, trinkets, clothes, plastic surgery, etc. Everything seems to be shallow and at the
surface level. Anthony Pavlik in Absolute Power Games says, Capitol citizens are more
concerned with their appearance, food, and entertainment than with politics or the fate of the
districts that they consider beneath them (Pavlik 33). When Katniss meets her prep team, to
make her presentable for the televised interview, she observes how they are basically just like dogs.
She later calls them her pets. As they work on her and look at her naked she says, I should be
embarrassed, but theyre so unlike people that Im no more self-conscious than if a trio of oddly
colored birds were pecking around my feet (Collins, The Hunger Games, 62). This is only an
initial culture shock. Katniss later learns and can see passed the faade. She sees this in the games
and throughout the rest of the trilogy to use to her advantage.
Elizabeth sees a world like the Capitol several times in the course of the novel. She first
gets a glimpse of high society when she goes to Netherfield to see and take care of Jane. She lives
as they live for several days. She sees it again when she visits Charlotte and Mr. Collins, and they
Law 8

are invited several times to dine with Lady Catherine at Rosings. From the entrance hall, of which
Mr. Collins pointed out, with a rapturous air, the fine proportion and finished ornaments
(Austen 158). Her visit to Mr. Darcys home Pemberley reinforces this whole new world, in which
she could have been the mistress of his estate she thinks to herself,
And of this place, thought she, I might have been mistress! With these rooms I
might have been familiarly acquainted! Instead of viewing them as a stranger, I
might have rejoiced in them as my own, and welcomed to them as visitors my uncle
and auntBut norecollecting to herself that could never be: my uncle and aunt
would have been lost to me: I should not have been allowed to invite them. (Austen
236)
She observes in Pemberley, The rooms were lofty and handsome, and their furniture suitable for
the fortune of their proprietorwith more real elegance (Austen 236). Elizabeth is not used to
this. She is a gentlemens daughter, but not in the same rank. The Bennets are minor landed
gentry, which today would be called upper middle class. They have enough that they are not poor,
but they are far from being wealthy like Mr. Bingley and definitely Mr. Darcy. Katniss and those
living in the Seam are at the far end of society. The Bennets are more in the position of Peeta and
his family. This sets the stage for the games that these heroines are, at first, forced to play.
Sponsors
Sponsors, in The Hunger Games and Pride and Prejudice, are the most important part of
the games because they ensure the survival for the players. Gamemakers design and control what
goes on in and out of the games. This sets up a control that the players cannot fight, but Katniss
and Elizabeth find a way.
Law 9

In The Hunger Games, Gamemakers, on the surface, do it all for entertainments sake, but
deep down it is something more than that. Peterfreuno says, The designers of the Hunger Games
are not trying to create a game, they are developing a strategy for keeping the people of Panem,
both in the games and out, under their power (Peterfreuno 127). The name of the game is
survival, for everyone in and out of the games.
The waving, the wooing, and costuming are all for the sake of gaining sponsors. The rich
and/ or powerful place bets on who will be the victor of the games. Sponsors can ensure their bets
survival by providing food, water, and medicine. Again, among the Capitol people, these childrens
lives are all for the sake of entertainment, in this case gambling. There are many factors that go on
in the pre-games to attract sponsors such as, designers, scoring, and with Katniss, love. Amy L.
Montz in Costuming the Resistance: The Female Spectacle of Rebellion refers to the star-
crossed lovers routine, At first Katniss plays the structure to survive the Games but, what
Haymitch calls, just the perfect touch of rebellion (Montz 79). These come into play for Katniss
to attract sponsors for her survival. She wants to play it just right, for now.
All twenty-four tributes are assigned a designer who makes clothes that they are presented
in before the people of the Capitol. In the open ceremonies, the clothes of the tributes represent
their home districts. Katniss and Peeta are fortunate enough to have fashion designer Cinna who
sets their costumes ablaze, instead of dressing them as coal miners. When Katniss and Peeta enter
with their costumes ablaze, but not consumed, Cinna ensures that they will have sponsors. Katniss
also realizes this because she says, Every head is turned our way, pulling the focus from the three
chariots ahead of us (Collins, The Hunger Games, 70).The only time Katniss is feminine is when
she is in the Capitol before the Games. There they shave every square inch of hair she has on her
body, scrub the grime and dirt, untangle her hair and color it, and put makeup and dresses on her.
Law 10

Here the Capitol is molding her into a person she is not. Visually, she is transformed into an image
people expect. Sponsors want to see an attractive young lady rather than a tomboy covered in dirt.
Another part of the pre-games for Katniss is showing off her abilities, a her chance of
survival in the games Katniss says, For the first time, I feel a flicker of hope rising up in me.
Surely, there must be one sponsor willing to take me on! And with a little extra help, some food,
the right weapon, why should I count myself out of the Games? (Collins, The Hunger Games,
70). Katnisss skill is shooting a bow and arrow. In order to attract more sponsors, Katniss needs a
high rating by showing her skill. Katniss misses her target and therefore loses the attention of rich
sponsors. She shows them she will not play by their rules and will accept a low score. She shoots at
their roasted pig to get their attention, because she says her life is on the line and they do not even
have the decency to pay attention to her (Collins The Hunger Games, 102). Surprisingly her act of
defiance earns her an 11 out of a 1-12 scoring system. She was expecting for them to hate her, but
her refusal to play the nice girl paid off.
Something Katniss does not control in attracting sponsors is love. Along with Cinna,
Haymich, the sole victor of District 12, serves as an advisor for Katniss and Peeta. Haymitch and
Peeta also help to ensure sponsors for Katniss. Peeta, in his interview where sponsors can get to
know the tributes, announces he is in love with his fellow tribute. Katniss thinks in the eyes of
sponsors that this announcement of love makes her look weak. Haymitch corrects her and says it
makes her look desirable, because if Peeta wants her then sponsors will want her. Jessica Miller in
She has No Idea the Effect She can Have says, Initially skeptical, Katniss eventually sees the
merit in using romance with Peeta to make herself more likable. It means she can get the kind of
assistance during competition that and adoring fan base can provide (Miller, 156). At this point
Law 11

and time, Katniss goes back and forth between playing and defying, for now she is playing for
survival. She cannot think of anything else at this point.
Elizabeths game is not as obvious as the annual Hunger Games. Marriage is Elizabeths
Hunger Games. Marriage is societys form of power and oppression. According to Shea Stuart in
Subversive Didacticism in Eliza Haywoods Betsy Thoughtless, courtship was the one power
women had in the game of marriage.
Balls were like an arena where women had to play the game that controlled them, but balls
were a place for women to possess power. A ball is organized by gamemakers who choose the
venue, music, and theme. This competition is a fierce game known as capture the most eligible
bachelor. Like The Hunger Games, there are sponsors who try to ensure their tribute is a winner.
In Pride and Prejudice, parents, especially mothers, are the sponsors. Mrs. Bennet does whatever
she can to get her daughters married to the most eligible bachelor. She moves about the ballroom
forcing conversation and dancing. Later when Jane is invited to the Bingleys at Netherfield, Mrs.
Bennet sends Jane on horseback in the rain in hopes to prolong her time there so that she can win
over Mr. Bingley. Mr. Bennet sarcastically comments on his wifes control in this and says, ...if
your daughter should have a dangerous fit of illness, if she should die, it would be a comfort to
know that it was all in pursuit of Mr. Bingley, and under your orders (Austen 32). Just like the
sponsors, Mrs. Bennet has her daughters or the tributes, survival in her hands.
Designers also helped in the process of getting a man. There are not professional
designers, but mothers or sisters help each other to look their best. At the ball the girls parade and
walk around the ballroom to spur on the request for a dance. The number of dances with a man
was like the scoring system in The Hunger Games. In the first ballroom scene Jane receives a very
high score. She dances with Mr. Binlgey twice. It seems the odds are very much in her favor.
Law 12

Elizabeth is not so fortunate to get a high score. She plays by the rules at the first ball. She
mingles, walks around, and waits to be asked to dance. Elizabeth does not present her true self. In
this scene she plays the game. Her willingness to play does not work in her favor. When Mr.
Bingley tells his friend to dance and he suggests that he dance with Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy admits
She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me (Austen 13). It is not until she is at
Netherfield that Elizabeth defies the rules and refuses to dance with Mr. Darcy, and that is when
Mr. Darcy becomes bewitched by her.
Elizabeth is not playing at all for a chance at happiness and well-to-do life. At first she does
not even aim at all for a husband, but when she does, she aims for both love and happiness.
According to Spacial Anxiety: Adapting the Social Space of Pride and Prejudice says, Only
Elizabeth, we understand, will ever move beyond social boundaries (Neckles 39). Charlotte Lucas
represents the atypical view of marriage. She is twenty-seven, plain, and already a burden to her
parents. She knows that love in marriage is not an option for her. She tells Elizabeth that,
Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance (Austen 24). This is why she marries Mr.
Collins, even though he is ridiculous and has less social grace; he can offer her a comfortable life
and home. Miss Lucas, who accepted him solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an
establishment, cared not how soon that establishment were gained Elizabeth disagrees with
Charlotte when Charlotte tells her that Jane needs to take the opportunity of fixing him [Mr.
Bingley] (Austen 22). Your plan is a good one, replied Elizabeth, where nothing is in question
but the desire of being well married, and if I were determined to get a rich husband, or any
husband, I dare say I should adopt it (Austen 23). Like Katniss, Elizabeth love is only a way of
entertaining herself in her observations of others. Even though she is well aware of this part of the
Law 13

game, she does not want to play and it is not until she lets down her guard that she is able to use it
to her advantage genuinely.
There are a variety of people at balls, especially public ones. The Bennets would reign
from District 12, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, and his sisters would be the Careers. Careers, in The
Hunger Games, are tributes from Districts 1 and 2. They are well-to-do and bred to fight in the
Hunger Games; they win the games almost every year. Miss Bingley was bred in high society. Odds
were that a woman in her position would have easily snatched up a Mr. Darcy. She would have
been the lone victor, but Katniss and Elizabeth, with the lowest odds possible, win. In the article,
Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austens Patrician Hero Kenneth L. Moler says, Miss Bingley courts
Darcy in the traditional manner, Elizabeth makes him the butt of her wit, the prime target of her
attacks on snobbery (Moler 504). Playing by societys rules does not work for these heroines.
There are certain times, in which they must, but when it comes down to whom they genuinely are
they act accordingly.
The Rules of the Game
In The Hunger Games and Pride and Prejudice, the rules of the game are in every part of
life. As discussed for both, the reaping, Sponsors, Gamemakers, designers etc. are all part of the
rules of the game. In this section these rules are made up by the Capitol and by 18
th
-century
English society. These are the rules that Katniss and Elizabeth must follow in order to survive.
These rules also have a hold on their families, communities, and there are even rules when it
comes to the men in their lives. Katniss and Elizabeth realize that these rules cannot be followed
exactly how their societies dictate.
Law 14

Katniss lays out the exact rules of the annual Hunger Games before the Reaping. She says,
The rules of the Hunger Games are simplethe twenty-four tributes will be imprisoned in a vast
outdoor arena that could hold anything from a burning desert to a frozen wasteland. Over a period
of several weeks, the competitors must fight to the death. The last tribute standing wins (Collins,
The Hunger Games, 18). This is just the rule for the Hunger Games, Katniss deals with rules
every day in District 12 and later when she is in District 13.
The Capitol gives only a few ways for the districts to survive. They generously offer a food
amount if families are willing to put their childrens names in a number of times for the Reaping.
Gales name is in the bowl 42 times for opting for this extra food called the tesserae. Katniss does
not consider the tesserae as an option for survival. She tries to sell her sisters clothes to survive,
she illegally hunts, sells cheese from Prims pet goat. She barters and sells at District 12s black
market called the Hob. Coal mining was another option but it was very dangerous. Katnisss father
died in a coal mining explosion. It truly seems that following the Capitols rules is the only option,
but Katniss refuses to do so. In the New York Times article, Tested by a Picturesque Dystopia:
The Hunger Games, Based on the Suzanne Collinss Novel Monohla Dargis says, Again and
again Katniss rescues herself with resourcefulness, guts, and true aim (Dargis). Katniss finds
loopholes and works around them to survive.
Katniss drums to the beat of her own heart. When she acts from her heart she can move a
nation to move. She is in her purest form when she acts on her own instinct. In the last book,
Mockingjay, while in District 13 President Coin and everyone try to control her. She cannot be
controlled. When they need her to spur on the revolution their lines and prompts do not work.
They were Katnisss says Gale quietly. No one told her what to do or say (Collins, Mockingjay,
75). This is where Katniss and Elizabeth have the strongest commonality. In face of the rules, they
Law 15

both act out of their own senses and perception and their outcomes reveal the reward of their
independence.
Elizabeth deals with a different set of rules entirely, but what these rules have in common
for these heroines are choices when there does not seem to be any. Marriage gave the illusion that
the individual had freedom in choices, but the choices were very limited. The system of marriage
was part of Austens society in which she believed needed to change as seen in the very first line of
the novel. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good
fortune, must be in want of a wife (Austen 5). The majority of people in 18
th
-century England were
in need and want of marriage. A man of great fortune was the most desirable for women of small
fortune, no fortune at all, or for equally rich women who needed to marry a man with an important
family name. Chwe says, A person has numerical pay offs for each alternative and chooses the
one with the highest pay off (Chwe 11). Marriage was the main source of income and livelihood
for women. Marriage, the majority of the time, was not for love, but it was more of a business
transaction. Stasio says, It was a culture that valued and emphasized companionate marriage both
in and out of fiction (Stasio 133). Elizabeth and her sister Jane are not convinced or persuaded to
marry under so little motivation. Both sisters dream of love in marriage and also the added benefit
of a good livelihood. Karen Newman in Can this Marriage Be Saved: Jane Austen Making Sense
of an Ending says, Austen exposes the fundamental discrepancy in her society between its
avowed ideology of love and its implicitly economic motivation (Newman 695). Balance of both
love and economic gain, for Austen, was ideal.
In Pride and Prejudice the rules are all for one purpose marriage. The first step toward
marriage was actually meeting the opposite sex. There was a specific way in which was proper and
appropriate for women to meet men and for men to meet women. Forms of introduction were
Law 16

based on, The strict hierarchical rules, which governed social intercourse and stipulated that
individuals had to be formally introduced (Tanner 374). At the beginning of the book Mrs.
Bennet is in an uproar because a new single man of 5,000 a year, Mr. Bingley, just moved into
the neighborhood. Mrs. Bennet sees their new neighbor as a potential husband for one of her five
girls. It is her sole purpose in life to marry off her girls to rich single men. The business of her life
was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news (Austen 7). Unfortunately, her
daughters cannot make his acquaintance until Mr. Bennet calls on him.
Once Mr. Bennet does call on Mr. Bingley, the Bennet girls are then allowed to be
introduced to him. Like the interviews in The Hunger Games, after introductions were made, they
were able to interact in the arena or ballroom for the grander purpose of marriage. According to
Chwe, Austen argues that strategic partnership, two people joining together to strategically
manipulate a third person, is the surest foundation for friendship and marriage (Chwe 6). In
introductions we see Mr. and Mrs. Bennet as sponsors trying to secure their daughters chances of
marriage, as discussed, in some cases, means survival.
The Bennet family is at a disadvantage when it came to the rules of the game. A family with
five daughters was not ideal. Mr. Bennet tells his wife that his cousin is coming to town; the cousin
who, when he dies, can turn Mrs. Bennet and her daughters out whenever he pleases. Mrs.
Bennets life mission, to marry off her girls, stems from the fact that when Mr. Bennet dies, her
girls will have nowhere to go, unless they marry well, then they will have a comfortable home and
lifestyle. Even if one or two marry well, they can take care of their single sisters and widowed
mother. Ironically Mrs. Bennets efforts ward off the men that their daughters choose by her
impropriety. Mr. Darcy writes to Elizabeth after she refuses him, The situation of your mothers
family, though objectionable, was nothing in comparison of that total want of propriety so
Law 17

frequently, so almost uniformity betrayed by herself, by your three younger sisters, and
occasionally even by your father (Austen 193). Mrs. Bennet is a silly, ridiculous character who has
no sense of propriety and acts foolishly and out of turn, so much so she almost ruins Janes and
Elizabeths chances with Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy.
18
th
-century England gave some options to survive as the Capitol did. Elizabeth has a
chance to save her family by accepting Mr. Collinss proposal. She would become the mistress of
his estate and also her own when her father dies. She could take care of her mother and unwed
sisters. Elizabeth cannot resign herself to this because she has hope there is more to life than what
is expected of her. Mr. Collins tells her, it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage
may ever be made you. Your portion is unhappily so small that it will in all likelihood undo the
effects of your loveliness and amiable qualifications (Austen 106). Elizabeth cannot marry a
puppet. Mr. Collinss desire for a wife is only for his images sake. When he is with the Bennets he
reads Fordyces Sermons, which was a conduct book for women. Shea Stuart in her article
Subversive Didacticism in Eliza Haywoods Betsy Thoughtless says, The problem Haywood is
highlighting with her presentation of conduct-book advice is the all-encompassing application;
there are no exceptions to the rule (Stuart 571). Elizabeth and Katniss are the exception.
Elizabeth cannot have her rights and give her husband all of his rights at the same time. Elizabeth
does not believe in the rule that a husbands rights trump hers. (Stuart 569).
Society has claims on us all; and I profess myself on of those who consider intervals of
recreation and amusement as desirable for every body (Austen 86). In this quote, Elizabeth
realizes societys power on them, but she has no thought of changing that; she only has a way of
coping with it. She says she will amuse herself, and she thinks everyone should amuse themselves
to get by. In Intelligence in Pride and Prejudice: Intellectual and Moral Growth, Susan Morgan
Law 18

says, We watch Elizabeth as she moves from a belief in her own logic to a more fluid
interpretation of knowing and of intelligence in terms of the background, contexts, and particulars
inform truth (Morgan 54). Elizabeth starts to see the truth as she grows closer to Darcy and
realizes the importance of balance in her statement. She sees that society even has its hold on men
as well as women. When Elizabeth meets Colonel Fitzwilliam she realizes they would have a very
nice companionate marriage if he had enough money to support such a marriage, but their
positions in life forbid it. Even he has needs and must abide by some rules. He was the younger
son so he had to make his own way; he could not rely on his fathers inheritance. He tells
Elizabeth, Younger sons cannot marry where they likeOur habits of expence make us too
dependent, and there are not many in my rank of life who can afford to marry without some
attention to money (Austen 179). Elizabeth realizes this as well. As she progresses in the novel,
she realizes the importance of her circumstances, but she does not allow it to control her. These
heroines also do not allow such rules to come near their families; they go to great lengths to keep
their families safe as they are fair game to control the heroines.
Family and Community
Family
Katniss and Elizabeth both have families that rely upon them heavily. They are both
portrayed as the most decisive in the family and most of the time the head of the household.
Katnisss mother was not reliable after her father died. She had a dead father and absent mother.
Elizabeth is forced, in many situations, to be the parent, because her parents are ridiculous and are
not exactly appropriate role models. It does not seem that Katnisss mother is an appropriate
mother either. Even after Katnisss mother comes out of her darkness, Katniss does not trust her
and becomes, permanently, the head of the home. Katniss loved her father and they spent so
Law 19

much time together. She is more like her father and therefore takes her fathers place. By being
the head of the household, in a sense, these heroines are given the opportunity and are created
through their circumstances to change the rules of the game.
When Katnisss father dies, her mother becomes psychologically vacant, and they all begin
to starve to death, but Katniss fights to keep her family alive. She does what her mother could not.
Her mother was expected to get a job after the appropriate time of mourning. Katniss describes
that her mother was, locked in some dark world of sadness, but at the time, all I knew was that I
had lost not only a father, but a mother as well (Collins, The Hunger Games, 27). This is what
defines Katniss. At a young age she was forced to be a parent to Prim and even her mother. She
goes alone into town to sell Prims old baby clothes, but is unsuccessful. Right when she is about to
give up, Peeta burns two loaves of bread on purpose, takes a beating from his mother, and throws
the loaves to Katniss. Katniss says this is what gave her hope to keep going. Bree Despain in
Community in the Face of Tyranny says, With her hunger lessened for a moment, she was able
to realize that she could buck the system, toodefy the Capitoland slip under the non- electrified
fence in order to hunt for her family (Despain 244). Her familys need ultimately pushed her to
defy the rules, it was a small step, but it was a step toward ultimately overthrowing the Capitol.
Family is precious to Katniss; they are her strength, but also her weakness. Even though she
does not trust her mother, she still loves her and secretly longs for her touch. In the first games,
when she and Peeta are in the cave and he is holding her she says, No one has held me like this
in such a long time. Since my father died and I stopped trusting my mother, no one elses arms
have made me feel this safe (Collins, The Hunger Games, 299). On the rare occasions when she
receives affection from her mother, she can be a daughter. She can let her guard down and she
allows herself to feel protected and her mother can be her mother. In Mockingjay she says, My
Law 20

mother wraps her arms around us. I allow myself to feel young for a moment and rest my head on
her shoulder(Collins, Mockingjay, 147). Her sister, Prim, is the only person she knows for a fact
that she loves. Prim is the reason she keeps going in the games. At the reaping, when Peetas name
is called, she notes that no one volunteers in his place. She knows he has brothers, but she says
that family members do not usually volunteer for their siblings; what she does is radical (Collins
The Hunger Games, 26).
In the games, Katniss constantly thinks about getting back to Prim. She teams up with Rue,
a girl from District 11 who is Prims age. Katniss says that Rue reminds her so much of Prim,
except for her darker complexion. When it comes down to it, Katniss exists to protect Prim. Risko
says, By choosing to die in place of Prim she has already defied the Capitol by refusing to let her
sister take the fall. So later she can take revolutionary actions (Risko 88). Prim is gentle, sweet
natured, and nurturing. Katniss says she is delicate with light skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. It is
unthinkable that the Capitol would put a little girl, like Prim, through the Games. In Mockingjay
Prim, is older and is in a position to save Katniss from her own fears. She comforts Katniss and
brings hope in every bad situation. In Mockingjay, Prim comforts Katniss when she is in her lowest
spirits because Peeta was tortured in the Capitol and hates Katniss as a reslult of this torture. Prim
reminds Katniss that this is not Peeta. Peeta loves her more than himself. She reminds Katniss that
he has been poisoned. Prim promises Katniss that they will get Peeta back. Prim is also the one
who explains to Katniss how much power she truly has as the Mockingjay (Barnes 23).
When Prim is killed in the Capitol, Katniss resolves to take her own life. Trapped for
days, years, centuries maybe. Dead, but not allowed to die. Alive, but as good as dead (Collins
Mockingjay, 349). Months afterwards, she cannot move, think, or feel. Her reason for existing is
taken and all that she had worked for seems lost. She must make another life for herself with the
Law 21

person who cared for her more than life itself, Peeta. In Team Katniss, Jennifer Lynn Barnes
says Katniss chose to go onagain. She chose to loveagain, but she survivedand she loves her
children just as fiercely as she loved Prim (Barnes 27). She can because in a sense, Katniss is
Peetas Prim. Prim taught her how to love so she could move on and love Peeta and their children.
Elizabeth loves her family, but must deal with parents who do not act like appropriate
parents. Whereas Katnisss father is literally gone and her mother checks out psychologically,
Elizabeths parents are absent figuratively. Her mother acts more like Kitty and Lydia and only
cares about physical beauty, instead of their emotional well-being. Mrs. Bennet wants Elizabeth to
marry Mr. Collins without even discussing how Lizzy feels about it. In the 18
th
-century, Duty to
parents comes before choice (Stuart 568). She is obsessed with the goal of marrying off her girls,
nothing less and nothing more. Like Katnisss mother, Mrs. Bennet is void of any real emotional
connection with her daughters, but is overly dramatic with her feelings. Elizabeth, like Katniss, is
her fathers favorite daughter. They both have the same wit and admiration for mocking the
ridiculous. Mr. Bennet is absent in the way that he prefers solitude rather than spending time with
his family. His office is the only place he finds peace. He is only close to Elizabeth and mocks his
other daughters. They have none of them much to recommend them, they are all silly and
ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters (Austen 7).
He does not get to know them, and when it comes time to parent, he does not and Lydia runs off
and elopes with Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth advises her father not to let Lydia go. She tries to tell him
that it is his duty, as a father, to keep her from going to Brighton where she would be the most
determined flirt that ever made her family ridiculous (Austen, 223). In Darcys letter to Elizabeth,
he points out her familys impropriety even on occasion shown by her father. This is one of the
reasons why he convinces Bingley to depart from Jane and Netherfield. In many instances, like
Law 22

Katniss, Elizabeth is forced to be the parent, and unlike her parents, she has her sisters best
interests at heart.
When it comes to her sisters, Elizabeth would sacrifice her own happiness so that they may
thrive. Elizabeth loves all her sisters, but she is particularly close to Jane. Jane is always at the
forefront of her mind. Jane is the one person in the world Elizabeth confides in. Prim and Jane are
very similar. They both have sweet dispositions and they see the world as good and hopeful.
Elizabeth says this about Jane, You never see fault in any body. All the world are good and
agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in my life (Austen 16).
Elizabeth walks three or four miles to see Jane when she is ill, and stays in a house with people,
who she does not particularly like. When Bingley leaves Jane, Elizabeth does everything in her
power to convince her that Bingley loves her. When Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, for the first
time, Elizabeth knows that he was the one who separated Jane and Bingley. She says,
You dare not, you cannot deny that you have been the principal, if not the only
means of dividing them from each other, exposing one of the censure of the world
for caprice and instability, the other to its derision for disappointed hopes, and
involving them both in misery of the acutest kind. (Austen 187)
She cannot accept him, even if he is worth 10,000 pounds, she cannot accept the man that forever
ruined the happiness of a beloved sister (Austen 186). It is clear how important her sisters are to
Elizabeth because Darcy knows he must change and show Elizabeth he is the one for her. He does
this by reuniting Bingley to Jane and also rescues Lydia from a scandalous affair. He also does this
so that her and her family will not be ruined. Jane, like Prim, helps Elizabeth see the truth about
Darcy and about herself. Morgan says, And her [Janes] role as the opponent of negativity is
central to the understanding Elizabeths mistakes, her choices, and her intellectual growth
Law 23

(Morgan 64). Darcy knows that Elizabeths sisters are the most important thing to her, so he goes
to great lengths to show her how important she is to him and she eventually sees this.
Community
Community, people, and family serve as a driving factor in these heroines lives.
Community is very important to Katniss and Elizabeth as they decide what to do in their current
situations. Katniss is constantly surrounded by people who love her and protect her. She risks her
life to save them, but Katniss would be dead if it were not for her community. Prim, her mother,
Gale, Peeta, Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, Madge, and so many others that extend throughout the
Capitol serve as a hedge of protection for Katniss. Where ever she goes, Katniss creates this
community. Bree Despain says, Around her, small shoots of community begin to thrive
(Despain 244). The Capitol does not anticipate Katnisss ability to create community. President
Snow realizes the danger in community. The games were created to stomp out any potential of
community; this is why there is no communication allowed between the districts. He knows the
right amount of hope to feed the people of Panem to keep them in line. If there is too much hope
a fire ignites. President Snow says, Katniss Everdeen, the girl who was on fire, you have provided
a spark that, left unattended, may grow to an inferno that destroys Panem (Collins, Catching Fire,
23). Katniss becomes that hope and sparks a fire. Those around her know this, but she is the only
one who can inspire it.
In some ways Elizabeth does not have such a strong community surrounding her. She is on
her own most of the time in her thoughts and the incidents that take place. How can she have
community when her family resembles those in the Capitol? Kitty and Lydia act like Katnisss prep
team, bouncing and giggling all over the place. They know what fashion is in, what they should all
wear to dancestheir scope is very narrow and materialistic. Mrs. Bennet and Effie are one in the
Law 24

same. They both tell the heroines what they should do and try to coach them to be victors, but
their efforts are futile because their character and demeanor are in opposition to their intent.
Haymitch picks on Effie and says derogatory things to her. Mr. Bennet finds joy in tormenting and
insulting his wife. He tells her, You mistake me my dear. I have high respect for your nerves.
They are my old friends (Austen 7). It is a little release he gets from marrying such and
obnoxious woman. This causes dissention in Elizabeths household. Morgan says, Raised by a
foolish mother and a cynical father who has abdicated all responsibility and encouraged to
distinguish herself from her sister, Elizabeth sees the world as some sort of entertaining game
(Morgan 61). The only people Elizabeth can truly rely on are Jane and the Gardiners, their aunt
and uncle help her to see past the game. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are like Cinna and Haymitch in a
way; Mrs. Gardiner, like Cinna, councils Elizabeth in her thinking and how she presents herself.
Elizabeth tells her aunt, Stupid men are the only ones worth knowing, after all (Austen 152).
Mrs. Gardiner puts her back in perspective by saying, Take care, Lizzy; that speech savours
strongly of disappointment (Austen 152). Elizabeth identifies with her aunt and uncle because
they are respectable and support Elizabeth in whatever she does. Elizabeth, because her lack of
parental guidance makes a community of her own with like-minded people, this is one of the
reasons she marries Darcy and finally sees how alike they really are.
The Men behind the Women
Katniss and Elizabeth get sucked into a love triangle that is neither wanted nor pursued.
Elizabeth is blinded by Mr. Wickhams charm and her own pride and prejudice against Mr. Darcy.
When it comes down to the truth and her own thoughts; Mr. Wickham does not have control over
her. It is clear in his first proposal that Mr. Darcy does not have any sway over her either. When
Law 25

entering into these romances, the couples complement each other rather than overtake one
another in importance or rank.
Romance is not on Katnisss agenda or to do list, yet it makes itself a priority. When
Peetas name is called in the Reaping, Katniss says, Oh, no. Not him (Collins, The Hunger
Games, 25). At this point in the book she has never spoken to him. She knows him through school
and how he gave her hope when there was no hope to be found. Unbeknownst to her that hope
was an act of love, Peeta was in love with her his whole life. He tells her that he fell in love with her
the first day of school when they were five. He said she had a red plaid dress and her hair was in
two braids instead of one. He said when she sang in music assembly, the birds fell silent just like
they would when her father would sing and thats when Peeta knew that he loved her (Collins, The
Hunger Games, 300-301).
Katniss had no idea, even when he announced his love in front of the entire population of
Panem, she thought it was a tactic for the games, but Peetas love is genuine and he also uses it as a
tactic to protect Katniss. In Why Katniss Chooses Peeta Looking at Love through a Stoic Lense
Abigail Myers says, But Peeta Mellarks schemes force Katniss to consider the true nature of
romantic love for the first time and to make a choice that will set the course for her life after the
Mockingjay revolution (Myers 134). Katniss is thinking in calculations for now. When Katniss
realizes the star-crossed lover routine equals food, she decides to put on a show, but Peeta thinks
her feelings are real. Katniss is not cold-hearted. She does realize playing up the romance equals
her survival, but when she thinks about Peeta dying, she realizes that she does not want him to die.
She says, And its not about the sponsors. And its not about what will happen back home. And
its not just that I dont want to be alone. Its him. I do not want to lose the boy with the bread
(Collins, The Hunger Games, 297). Here, she is conflicted about her feelings for Peeta because
Law 26

she has never had cause to think in terms of romance. In her mind, the Capitol has taken that part
of life from her.
The love triangle in The Hunger Games Trilogy is more complex than the one in Pride
and Prejudice. It does send Katniss spiraling and it does affect her decisions. What makes Katniss
so independent is acting on her own feelings and thoughts. When she interacts with Peeta and
Gale it is not for an ulterior motive, but from genuine feeling. The love triangle is less present in
Mockingjay, where we finally see Katniss make choices on her own. When Peeta comes back from
the Capitol and hates Katniss, Katniss gives up and gives in to being with Gale. She says, Despite
what I feel for Peeta, this is when I accept deep down that hell never come back to me (Collins,
Mockingjay, 199). Gale and Peeta realize this when they talk in the Capitol. Gale says, Katniss
will pick whoever she thinks she cant survive without (Collins, Mockingjay, 329). Gales words
hurt Katniss; her best friend is saying she will choose based on calculation of what the best mate
can offer (Collins, Mockingjay, 330).Even this love triangle is a game. It is a game when Katniss
uses Peeta to survive. Miller says, Initially skeptical, Katniss eventually sees the merit in using
romance with Peeta to make herself mere likable. It means she can get the kind of assistance
during competition that an adoring fan base can provide (Miller 156). It is a game when she uses
Peeta for comfort, it is a game until the game has ended and she can allow herself to feel
something other than the need to survive.
Maybe Katniss thinks that if she fights and survives she can finally start to live. At this point
she cannot think of things beyond what is right in front of her. Lili Wilkinson in, Someone to
Watch Over Me, says, At first Katniss is just trying to play the gameto appeal to sponsors who
can help her survive (Wilkinson 71). This is one reason why she cannot sort out her feelings for
Peeta or Gale. They both dream of a future with Katniss that she cannot conceive because of their
Law 27

circumstances. She tells Gale, Gale, I cant think about anyone that way now. All I can think
about, every day, every waking minute since they drew Prims name at the reaping, is how afraid I
am. And there doesnt seem to be room for anything else (Collins, Catching Fire, 97). Peeta and
Gale believe in a world that she inevitably brings about, but ironically she cannot picture.
Katniss is the face of revolution. She is the mockingjay. Everything is put into motion by
her actions. Peeta and Gale see and help her to see the flaw in the system and that something
needs to change. Peeta gets, way before she does, that something needs to be done. The night
before the games Peeta tells Katniss, Only I keep wishing I could think of a way toto show the
Capitol they dont own me. That I am more than just a piece in their games (Collins, The
Hunger Games, 142). He understands the inner workings of the games. He knows they must defy
their society, but he just does not know how. When Peeta tells her about his wanting to sustain his
identity, all Katniss can register is how to survive her present circumstances. She cannot grasp the
bigger picture, but it is Peeta who helps her see it. She says that she gets what Peeta was trying to
tell her on the roof the night before the games. Gale tells her in Catching Fire that they cannot just
run away from their problems, he says, Safe to do what? Starve Work like slaves? Send their
kids to the reaping? You havent hurt peopleyouve given them an opportunity. They just have to
be brave enough to take it (Collins, Catching Fire, 99). This quote reveals that Katniss is the one
who sparks revolution and change; she only needed a little help to see it from the two men who
love her.
Elizabeths love life is a little different from Katnisss in terms of the men. She pursues Mr.
Wickham out in spite of Darcy. She finds Wickham handsome, but once she finds out his story
about Mr. Darcys ill treatment toward Wickham, she is blinded to the truth and is tricked. Like
Gale and Peeta, Mr. Darcy reveals Elizabeths flaws: her vanity, pride and prejudice toward the one
Law 28

person who is like her and who she truly loves, him. Morgan says, Instead, Mr. Darcy offers
Elizabeth an understanding of herself, one that is moral and affectionate and sound (Morgan 68).
Elizabeth prides herself on her objectiveness to the world, but like Katnisss only instinct to survive,
it causes prejudice so she cannot see the bigger picture.
Elizabeth first meets Mr. Darcy in the arena; at the Meryton ball. Mr. Darcy accompanies
Mr.Bingley, and the women think he is more handsome than Bingley and he has 10,000 a year,
but his countenance quickly shows that he is inferior to Bingley.
The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies
declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at
with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a
disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be
proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his
large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most
forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared
with his friend. (Austen 12)
The way Darcy behaved, by not talking to any one at the assembly or dancing with only those witin
his party, made him not desirable. Later Elizabeth will hold him accountable for his behavior,
because gentlemen were scarce, and many women were sitting down, Elizabeth Bennet had been
obliged, by the scarcity of gentlemen to sit down for two dances; (Austen 13). Bingley is described
as quickly becoming better liked than Mr. Darcy, even though he had only 5,000 a year. Darcys
first impression is the first phase of Elizabeths strong prejudice toward him.
Law 29

The second phase of Elizabeths blindness is a potential love interest, Mr. Wickham and
his made up sob story about Mr. Darcy. Before she meets Mr. Wickham, she starts to warm up to
Mr. Darcy, when she stays at Netherfield. Mr. Darcy says, Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But
pridewhere there is a superiority of mind, pride will be always under good regulation. Elizabeth
turned away to hide a smile (Austen 56). She starts to see his virtue and starts to understand him.
When Mr. Wickham tells her his story, she is so quick to believe him, because it is what she
wanted hear, and she no longer wavers on her feelings; she hates Mr. Darcy. Karen Swallow Prior,
in the Atlantic says, Despite being well-matched in both intellect and passion for each other,
Elizabeth and Darcy have to undergo painful chastening, admit their perspectives, and see matters
through the eyes of each other before they can love each other (Prior). It is not until after Mr.
Darcys letter that she fully understands Wickhams true nature and Darcys true intention in
separating Jane and Bingley; it was out of service to a friend. These things will come when there is
a change in the game for Elizabeth.
Peeta and Mr. Darcy have one thing in common, they both love women who are
emotionally unavailable. These men love these women without their even knowing it. Katniss and
Elizabeth do not have a clue and it both hits them out of nowhere. Peeta makes a declaration of
love for everyone to hear with Katniss stunned. Mr. Darcy, abruptly, tells Elizabeth, In vain I have
struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how
ardently I admire and love you (Austen 185). Both of these declarations of love come way out of
left field and become a game changer for Katniss and Elizabeth.


Law 30

A Change in the Game
These heroines are exemplary because they do not fit the mold society would have them
fill. They are not your typical doe-eyed damsels in distress that are in need of a rescuing hero.
They save themselves and do much more. Elizabeth and Katniss share many admirable qualities.
They both think for themselves. They are observers and mockers of their society; they know what
is right and what they want, or at least, what they think they want. They are strong, intelligent, and
independent female leads that make a difference.
It is a fine line these heroines tread. Each plays according to what they believe to be true,
but society has a part in it as well. Katniss and Elizabeth know, in the back of their minds, that
there are certain rules they must abide by to keep their families and themselves safe. They are
always conscious of those rules. The balance between the two is what defines the whole game.
Katniss clearly does not give a damn in Mockingjay. The majority of the novel she is unconscious
or hiding in a closet. She realizes she never leaves the game. Peterfreuno says, In Mockingjay,
Katniss is constantly reminded that though she may have left the arena the Games are still in
session (Peterfreuno 141). Her actions in the previous novels give her liberty to clear the
consciousness of her society for a while.
Elizabeth has the same feeling as Katniss, in Mockingjay, early in Pride and Prejudice.
Elizabeth has the pride and arrogance that she thinks she has earned. Morgan says, Elizabeths
freedom, in so far, as it leads to judgments she likes to presume are untouched by commitment or
concern, does not bring understanding (Morgan 66). When she denies Mr. Collins and Mr.
Darcys first proposal, she does not have the consciousness of her society. She dismisses them as
ridiculous. It is not until she reads Darcys explanatory letter that she is conscience of her lack of
balance. She thinks to herself, She grew absolutely ashamed of herself.Of neither Darcy nor
Law 31

Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd
(Austen 201). Society cannot be ignored completely. It is not until both heroines find the balance
that they find a society that works for them.
In the first novel, The Hunger Games, there are three distinct moments in which Katniss
breaks the rules. The first moment is when she volunteers for her sister. This was not a
forethought to defy the Capitol, but out of sisterly affection. The second is when she puts flowers
on Rue to hold the Capitol accountable for her death, she clearly defies the Capitol. Wilkinson
says,
At first, Katniss is just trying to play the gameto appeal to sponsors who can help her
survive. But then things start to change. Katniss starts to use her position, her visibility, as a
message. She decorates Rues body with flowers as a protest against the unrelenting
violence of the Games (Wilkinson, 71).
The third and most calculated move is when she and Peeta threaten to kill themselves with
nightlock berries. She says that the Capitol must have a victor. This is what makes every nut and
bolt work. Wilkinson says,
Then come the berries. Katniss realizes that she has the power to save both
herself and Peeta. She threatens the Capitol and the Gamemakers with an
engineers disastera reality TV show with no ending. No winner. No
Victory Tour. No interviews. The ultimate letdown. And so the
Gamemakers relent, and let them both live. (Wilkinson 71)
If they do not have their victor the game is destroyed. This act shows that there is a way to
defy and defeat the Capitol. Katniss slowly figures out how she can. These are the three distinct
Law 32

moments that change the game and all the rules. Katniss realizes she has a choice and she will not
choose the Capitol. Peterfreno says, For Katniss Everdeen, it is life and death and in the end,
everyone in Panem comes to learn that the only way to truly win the game is not to play at all
(Peterfreuno 142). Finally Katniss realizes this, but it had to be played for something to change.
In Catching Fire, Katniss realizes there is a flaw in the system. When she discovers the
force field in the arena and realizes who the real enemy is, she realizes the flaw. Haymitch reminds
her to think of the true enemy. In the Quarter Quell, Katniss still has the mentality she had in the
first Hunger Games. She still wants to play by the Capitols rules where there is one winner, and
she is determined that Peeta be that winnereveryone else is the enemy. When she is faced with
choice to shoot Enobaria, she realizes the truth in Haymitchs words. She knows the other districts
and their children are not her enemies, President Snow is her real enemy. She says, Haymitchs
last words of advice tome. Why would I need reminding? I have always known who the enemy is.
Who starves and tortures and kills us in the arena. Who will soon kill everyone I love(Collins,
Cathing Fire, 378). The Capitols real power is spinning everything so the Districts would forget
who the real enemy is and so they would kill each other instead of the Capitol; even Katniss was
deceived. She prided herself on defying the rules by hunting out of the districts boundaries and
trading at the Hob. It is not until she finds out that the Capitol has blown up her home that she
truly sees and shifts into revolution.
Three distinct moments happen for Elizabeth for her to finally love Mr. Darcy. Darcys
first proposal is the climax in the novel and the shift in misconceptions. The first change in the
game is Darcys letter. He explains himself and apologizes for his pride when he said his rank in
life was above her own. In his proposal he says, Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority
of your connections? To congratulate myself on the hope of relations, whose condition in life is so
Law 33

decidedly beneath my own? (Austen 188). He apologizes in his letter and says, Pardon meit
pains me to offend you (Austen 193). Moler says, Mr. Darcy, through Elizabeths behavior,
comes to see himself as he really is, and to repent of his pomposity and pride (Moler 505). He
tells her his side in Mr. Wickhams story and reveals Wickhams true character. After she reads
the letter the next remaining moments she sees him in a different light.
The second shift is when she sees his estate, Pemberley, and realizes what she gave up. The
testimony from his housekeeper is so different from her formed opinion and those around her.
Mrs. Reynolds says, I say no more than the truth, and what every body will say that knows him,
replied the other. Elizabeth thought this was going pretty far; and she listened with increasing
astonishment as the housekeeper added, I have never had a cross word from him in my life, and I
have known him ever since he was four years old (Austen 238). When she meets his sister, she
sees how affectionate and caring he is. He proves this to her by saving Lydia and by reuniting
Bingley and Jane.
The third and final moment is when she refuses to promise Lady Catherine that she will
not enter into an engagement with Mr. Darcy. Lady Catherine cannot fathom that her nephew
would propose to a person in Elizabeths position, especially when he is engaged to her daughter.
Lady Catherine says, And will you promise me never to enter such and engagement? (Austen
337). Elizabeth replies, I will make no promise of the kind (Austen 337). Elizabeth tells Lady
Catherine they are equals, she says, In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as
quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; I am a gentlemans daughter; so far we are equal (Austen
337). Mordecai Marcus says in A Major Thematic Pattern in Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth
and Darcy are able to stand up against excessive social claims (Marcus 277). This moment
Elizabeth is free from the game she had to play and can love and marry Darcy.
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Katniss wrestles with the dilemma of playing along or defying her society. After she figures
out the flaw in the Capitol in Catching Fire, a shift happens in her reality. Katniss breaks from the
Capitols mold, but she is not free and neither is anyone else. She escapes one tyrant just to be
under another. President Coin rules District 13 and heads up the revolution. Katniss becomes the
Mockingjay but she admits, All I have to do is play my part (Collins, Mockingjay, 34). Her time
at District 13 is her coping with trauma from the Quell, District 12 being blown up, and from Peeta
being tortured in the Capitol. As she did in District 12, Katniss gives her rights up to President
Coin. Sarah Littman in The Politics of the Mockingjay says, Coins name is no accident. The
leaders are, as the old saying goes, two sides of the same coin (Littman, 209). Katniss knows that
she must kill Coin so that another wave of tyranny does not take over. Myers says, At the end of
Mockingjay, Katniss can finally contemplate a life that goes beyond mere physical survival. At last,
after her ordeals in the arena and in District 13, she has an opportunity to live again in fidelity to
her highest values (Myers 143). The end of Mockingjay gives Katniss a peace and understanding
of society and the games we all must play.
Conclusion
Just a girl from District 12 and just a girl from a family of small fortune were never
expected to do what they did or to win the game. Katniss should have never won the Hunger
Games or had become a symbol for revolution. A person in Elizabeths position could never be
expected to marry a man worth 10,000 pounds a year. Yet they do, but even though they win they
never leave their society. Society, in The Hunger Games made it so a career and the Capitol
should have won. In Pride and Prejudice, Miss Bingley, like a career, who was bred in high society
should have married Mr. Darcy. Katniss and Elizabeth both defeat the odds against them and
overcome the game that was given to them. Austen scholar, Darryl Jones notes, Elizabeth is a
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heroine willing and able to articulate an effective resistance to power structures of class, money,
gender: a radical, therefore, even potentially, a revolutionary heroine (Campbell 155). Katniss and
Elizabeth are well-liked and esteemed because they do what they want and what they feel is right.
This is how they won the games.
Even though they win, they never really leave their societies. Katniss realizes she never left
the games. Even though she marries Peeta and has two children, she must live with her traumatic
past and her new society. Katniss says of her life with Peeta and their children, Its like a game.
Repetitive. Even a little tedious after more than twenty years. But there are much worse games to
play (Collins,Mockingjay, 390). Even with that she must live in a society where Prim is dead.
Elizabeth marries for love and becomes the mistress of Pemberley, but she does not change
societys game for every woman. Katniss and Elizabeth still live in a game, but they change it for
themselves and for those they love. They both realize you never leave the game, but they both
know that that is not an excuse to stop fighting for a better game.







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