Jackson’s Letter Essay #12: “Catching Fire”

I finish the book Catching Fire for the third time.  As you may know that this is the second book the Hunger Games series written by Suzanne Collins. She wrote the three books called Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. If you have not heard of these books, I would be shocked because this because has so many awards. They also made movies on these books(p.s. Books are better than the movie).  So as you know in the Hunger Games the main character Katniss Everdeen is a sixteen year old girl fighting for her life and to get her family goods and to win for their district. She comes home to all these sad people who lost their family members. Soon after it’s the 75th annual Hunger Games. Every 25th game is known as a Quarter Quell. The Quarter Quell always houses a change in the rules to celebrate the landmark, for example, the 50th games had twice as many competitors as normal. The twist to the Quarter Quell this time around is all competitors will be previous victors. So they are being re-invited to the Hunger games again. This time their can only be one victor but the people they are facing are extremely handled people in the hunger games. But during the ending things go wrong and change the whole story. Catching fire really sends the person from reading the Hunger Games into reading Mockingjay. I decided to read this book again because I wanted to pick up more from the book. One quoted part  I would say that is very important is, “Let’s sit.” President Snow takes a seat at the large desk of polished wood where Prim does her homework and my mother her budgets. Like our home, this is a place that he has no right, but ultimately every right, to occupy. I sit in front of the desk on one of the carved, straight-backed chairs. It’s made for someone taller than I am, so only my toes rest on the ground. “I have a problem, Miss Everdeen,” says President Snow. “A problem that began the moment you pulled out those poisonous berries in the arena.” That was the moment when I guessed that if the Gamemakers had to choose between watching Peeta and me commit suicide—which would mean having no victor— and letting us both live, they would take the latter. “If the Head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane, had had any brains, he’d have blown you to dust right then. But he had an unfortunate sentimental streak. So here you are. Can you guess where he is?” he asks. I nod because, by the way he says it, it’s clear that Seneca Crane has been executed. The smell of roses and blood has grown stronger now that only a desk separates us. There’s a rose in President Snow’s lapel, which at least suggests a source of the flower perfume, but it must be genetically enhanced, because no real rose reeks like that. As for the blood … I don’t know. “After that, there was nothing to do but let you play out your little scenario. And you were pretty good, too, with the love-crazed schoolgirl bit. The people in the Capitol were quite convinced. Unfortunately, not everyone in the districts fell for your act,” he says. My face must register at least a flicker of bewilderment, because he addresses it. “This, of course, you don’t know. You have no access to information about the mood in other districts. In several of them, however, people viewed your little trick with the berries as an act of defiance, not an act of love. And if a girl from District Twelve of all places can defy the Capitol and walk away unharmed, what is to stop them from doing the same?” he says. “What is to prevent, say, an uprising?” It takes a moment for his last sentence to sink in. Then the full weight of it hits me. “There have been uprisings?” I ask, both chilled and somewhat elated by the possibility. “Not yet. But they’ll follow if the course of things doesn’t change. And uprisings have been known to lead to revolution.” President Snow rubs a spot over his left eyebrow, the very spot where I myself get headaches. “Do you have any idea what that would mean? How many people would die? What conditions those left would have to face? Whatever problems anyone may have with the Capitol, believe me when I say that if it released its grip on the districts for even a short time, the entire system would collapse.” I chose these ten paragraphs because it shows how much that the whole fallen society theme like in Divergent, Maze runner, and The Giver. It shows how much that one little thing can effect everyone and that in the Hunger games that they can’t have that because it would start a huge civil war. Most of these fallen societies already had some sort of civil war to be at what stage their at. I know this is part of the begging of the book but this is why the Capitol run like it is in the book and how they are all in poor districts and from being Poor to Rich. I would rate the book 8 out of 10 because I like the series but I don’t love it too much because it is almost repetitive but I really enjoy this book. Also who reads this, thank you, hope you have a great Summer.

– Jackson Connor

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15 thoughts on “Jackson’s Letter Essay #12: “Catching Fire”

  1. This letter essay was really good. I read Catching Fire a few years ago. It was really great. It was really well written.

    1. I have read catching Fire before. I was probably my favorite book from the Hunger games series. Nice letter essay!

      1. Catching Fire is my favorite of the series, too. And I’m considering reading it next year as a Read Aloud.

  2. Nice letter essay Jackson! I really liked your quoted passage you choose to include in your essay. Overall nice job!

    Michael Farnen

  3. Hey Jackson GREAT Letter-Essay! I haven’t read much of the Hunger Game series but now I would like to read more of it. I liked your quoted passage. Also have a great summer!

    1. Jake,
      I’m wondering if you saw any similarities between The Hunger Games and Divergent, since you read Divergent this year, right?

  4. Great letter-essay Jack, I really did not know that much about Hunger Games but you explained it really will and nice passage! Maybe I will read the Hunger Games now!

  5. This sounds great and geez is it long I saw the movie but never read the book. I am thinking about reading it now thanks to this letter essay.

  6. Nice job Jackson! I have read the first two books of the Hunger Games Trilogy, yet I still haven’ t come to read the third one…… Anyway, great letter essay and I really liked how you explained the book so well! Also, have a great summer as well!

  7. Jackson,

    Your letter-essay was great. I read Catch Fire a few years ago and it was my favorite book of the series. I agree with you about how books are better than the movies. What other books have you read?

    Trevor F.
    http://www.flags8.org

  8. Jackson,

    I love this book so much. I also recommend you read mocking jay, if you haven’t already done so. This is one of my favorite books of all. Have you ever had to make tough choices like Katniss does in the books?

    http://www.flags8.org

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