Kayleigh’s Letter Essay #3: “Mockingjay”

I recently finished reading Mockingjay, a 390 page science fiction novel. Mockingjay, the third book in the Hunger Games trilogy was written by Suzanne Collins. This book was published on August 24 in 2010. Suzanne Collins is one of my favorites authors, her Hunger Games books have become extremely popular. Suzanne Collins was previously a children’s television show writer. I have read Mockingjay before and before reading it I read Catching Fire so I decided to read it again.

Mockingjay picks up after Katniss escapes her second Hunger Games. Katniss is now in district thirteen with Haymitch, Gale, Finnick and her mother and sister, Prim. She is the face of the rebellion against the Capitol and her mockingjay pin is their symbol. The rebellion is lead by Plutarch Heavensbee and district thirteen’s President Coin. After the games, Peeta was taken by the Capitol. Katniss wants Peeta back she has no idea what they are doing to him so, when they finally rescue him and bring him back he tries to kill Katniss by choking her. Everything goes wrong, the Capitol brainwashed and tortured him into believing that Katniss is his enemy. Peeta is the Capitol’s weapon. Katniss desperately wants the old Peeta back, she needs him. This makes her hatred and anger for President Snow grow even larger. The rebels are plotting to kill Snow and overthrow the Capitol.

I didn’t understand why Katniss seemed to change between Catching Fire and Mockingjay. In Mockingjay she seemed different, she was less brave and fearless than she was before. She made choices that I thought the would never make. I was surprised when I found out that Peeta had been taken and hijacked by the Capitol, he was barely in the first half of the book. It was interesting when he came back but I wish he had come back sooner.  It was clear Katniss was confused and missed him. I liked how the author kept most things surprising and suspenseful. She never did what you expected which made the book more fun and interesting.

This passage is when Katniss sees Peeta for the first time since the games. “Peeta’s awake already, sitting on the side of the bed, looking bewildered as a trio of doctors reassure him, flash lights in his eyes, check his pulse. I’m disappointed that mine was not the first face he saw when he awoke, but he sees it now. His features register disbelief and something more intense that I can’t quite place. Desire? Desperation? Surely both, for he sweeps the doctors aside, leaps to his feet and moves towards me. I run to meet him, my arms extended to embrace him. His hands are reaching for me too, to caress my face, I think. My lips are just forming his name when his fingers lock around my throat.” Page 76-77.

I liked this passage because it shows the suspense. No one expected Peeta to kill Katniss, everyone thought he loved her.

I thought this was a pretty good book, it had a lot of action. I would rate Mockingjay a 7 out of 10.

Sincerely,

Kayleigh

 

 

 

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2 thoughts on “Kayleigh’s Letter Essay #3: “Mockingjay”

  1. Kayleigh,
    I enjoyed reading your letter-essay. As you and I discussed once in class, I loved reading “The Hunger Games” and “Catching Fire,” but HATED “Mockingjay.” Maybe my feelings would change if I re-read it; maybe not. Katniss remains one of my favorite fictional characters of all-time. I loved how, when her back was against the wall, she’d do and say whatever she needed to do. Like in “The Hunger Games,” when she is showcasing her skills and the judges are more interested in the food than in her, and she gets so mad she fires an arrow at them, piercing the apple that was in the roasted pig’s mouth. But, in “Mockingjay,” I remember her just being a slobbering, pathetic mess of a person, a shell of what she was; and I was mad at Suzanne Collins for what she did to her heroine. I’m sure she did it for a reason, and, if I re-read it maybe I’d understand. But at the time I didn’t.
    In the scene you quoted, Collins does something she does really well as a writer: she uses situational irony (there are three types: verbal, dramatic and situational). Situational irony is when the thing that happens is the opposite of what we (the reader or viewer) expect. Yes, we expected Peeta to hug and kiss Katniss (so did she); we did not expect him to try and kill her. That’s a good literary technique; try it in your own writing.
    Sincerely,
    Mr. Jockers

  2. Kayleigh,
    You wrote a great letter essay and it seemed like you enoyed that book. I liked the passage that you quoted and how it includes suspense and action. The summary that you wrote really painted a good picture of the book and it makes the book sound interesting and packed with action. I enjoyed reading ypur lette essay.

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