Hello! This is Sarah B., and I’m back with another book blog about The Hunger Games! In today’s edition, I’ll share my view on the raging debate: Gale vs. Peeta. Did Katniss make the right choice choosing Peeta?
Let’s start off by addressing Gale. He was Katniss’s childhood friend and grew up with her. He hunted with her and helped her family survive in District 12. As for Peeta, he was the “bread boy”. When Katniss was at her lowest, right after her father died, her family was starving. Peeta tossed her some bread, which landed in a patch of dandelions, inspiring Katniss to start hunting. Katniss viewed him as “saving her life,” even though she mostly saved herself.
Although Gale seems alright in the first book, we start to see his true colors in the second book. Gale kisses Katniss in the woods after her first hunger games, endangering her life (although he didn’t know that). Later on, his anger issues come to light as he loses emotions like compassion and empathy, turning into a monster he never intended to become in his fight and hatred against the capital. Although I can’t fully hate him, since his intentions were (sort of) in the right place, his actions leading to Prim’s death was my last straw for him. I would have rooted for him all throughout if he didn’t, inevitably, change for the worse. But who could blame him after everything he’d been through. And from a romantic aspect, imagine how horrible it must have been for him to watch the girl he’d been in love with for years fall in love with a random boy she barely even knew. Gale truly deserved better.
Let’s talk about Peeta. I loved him at the beginning of the series. Their relationship was so cute, even though Katniss was faking it. But at times, even through the first hunger games then went in, Katniss clearly wasn’t faking her love for him. They survived the first hunger games because of each other, and that blossomed their relationship from classmates to lovers. Peeta was always the calmer one, able to suppress his emotions in a way Gale never could. But Peeta has his bad parts too. After he was kept prisoner by the capitol, he was never the same. They killed the optimistic lovebird he once was and turned him into something else. Not a monster, but a broken mess of a human. The Capitol tortured him to the point where he saw Katniss as a threat he needed to exterminate. And although he fell in love with her again, he was never truly the same.
So who do I believe Katniss should have ended up with? I believe Katniss, in a perfect world, where her sister would still be alive, she would live with her. That should have been the ending for poor Katniss. But if I was her, between Peeta and Gale, I would choose…
Finnick. ;)
(I would choose Peeta is it were just Gale vs. Peeta though.)
- Sarah Bijoy
Wow! I haven't read The Hunger Games yet but I am so interested in this novel! The way you described the characters and overall analysis of the novel is so engaging! The plot sounds unique and fun to read. I'll have to check it out!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog post! While I haven't read this series, I heard a lot about their debate from my friends who have (their general conclusion being that neither are good options lol). The novels as a whole do sound rather interesting, I guess it's about time I check it out!
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah! This is a really well-written post! I would personally pick Peeta as Gale.. he's a little strange. I'm glad you would agree if Finnick wasn't in the picture! I should definitely re-read the series though, and maybe my opinion will change!
ReplyDeleteThis is super well written, and you are able to summarize the characters and their character arcs super well in a shorter blog post. Neither of the characters are amazing options but I can see arguments for both. Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteHey Sarah! I agree that if it were between Gale and Peeta, I would choose Peeta for Katniss. Finnick is awesome though.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Peeta is the better choice when deciding between him and Gale; I always found Gale to be uhhh- well, stupid. Wasn't there one scene during the first book (or maybe beginning of 2nd?) where he becomes angry at Katniss for faking a relationship with Peeta despite it being to save her own life? Overall, I find that he lacks (what I believe to be) common sense. He also seemed incredibly self-centered. I definitely agree with you that he lacked compassion. Though I will say Finnick is definitely better than Gale OR Peeta, but ultimately, I don't know if him and Katniss would work out together in a relationship.
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