It is suggested throughout the novels that Katniss does not want to have children, and the final decision is framed in terms of (ultimately futile) resistance on her part and coercion on Peeta’s. I further interrogate the epilogue, but not, as other scholars have done, from the point of view of the supposed domestication of Katniss, but from the character’s lack of agency and choice. Drawing on literary and sociological research, I suggest a different reading of both characters, in which the narrative allows Katniss’ mother to explore a way of mothering that allows for maternal subjectivity, complexity of character and reconciliation of personal growth with motherhood. Conversely, Katniss’ marriage and maternity have been read as a heteronormative cop-out, undoing the character’s gender-transcending work. Characterised by scholars as weak, despondent and overly feminine, Katniss’ mother has been criticised as a failure, abdicating from her maternal role. If, as has been argued, young adult literature affects how readers “on the cusp of adulthood” consider society and their place in it (Basu et al.), the way mothers and mothering are represented in the novels may have a substantial impact on the readers’ identity formation. ![]() The novels depict a range of maternal models, some traditional and conservative, some transgressive. This chapter investigates and problematises representations of motherhood in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games-trilogy.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |