Tuesday, 19 June 2012

Compare/ Contrast Essay- The Hunger Games

Katniss Everdeen & Chris Stewart
Imagine being only 14, having to take care of your family, worrying about shelter and food for your whole family. This was the situation Katniss Everdeen and Chris Stewart were put in. Something like this rarely happens and it’s not fair to the kids that is does. Normally you can’t compare fictional characters and nonfiction characters. However; in this situation it is very easy because they both had a similar childhood and upbringings. They both came out on top with a lot of pride, toughness and perseverance and the willing to take care of others.

Katniss Everdeen is a fictional character in the book The Hunger Games. She is 16 years old and lives in a district called Panem in the poorest part of town called, The Seam. She lives with her mother and younger sister. Her father passes away during a coal mining explosion when she was 11 years old. After that tragedy Katniss’ mother went into deep depression and was unable to take care of her daughter’s, Katniss and Primrose. During her Mothers depression Katniss had to come and step up to take care of the family. Her family was on the verge of survival and on the brink of starvation. “I was determined to feed us...I kept us alive” said Katniss. She did whatever it took to take care of them from walking miles to try and find scrapes from garbage’s in the rich part of town, to hunting in the forest for plants. That’s how her father got most of their food hunting illegally in the forest for plants. Katniss did something remarkable that changed her life forever by using these four words “I volunteer as tribute”. She saved her sister from basically dying at The Hunger Games and putting herself in that situation. She called it an ancient sign for saying “admiration” and “goodbye to someone you love.” She was also very skilled in archery, hunting and trapping. Having learning those skills from her father, she saved her family from starvation and survival.

Chris Stewart is and N.H.L hockey player who currently plays for the ST.Louis Blues in the NHL. He is 25 years old and is the son of Norman and Sue Stewart. In 1974 his father Norman immigrated to Canada from Jamaica his mothers Sue was stay at home mom. During his childhood Chris was evicted from home and moved to a subsidized shelter in what has been described as a "rough" neighborhood of Scarborough, Toronto. Chris did not have a lot of money. Chris’ father worked during the days and his mother was a stay at home mom so there was no one to get food for the family. The family relied on Chris to get food for them. Chris did just that he went out on his own hunting for food to save their family from starvation and survival. However after his childhood he grew up to play in the NHL. His life was described as “One of the NHL’s most unlikely success stories”

Katniss Everdeen and Chris Stewart are similar because the have the same background and similar stories. However they do have their differences. Katniss is a non fictional character and Chris is a fictional character. One is a boy and one is a girl, but their similarities are most interesting. Both had to to face life changing challenges at young ages and both came out on top. They had to take care and fend for their families at a very young age. In the end, they both are very successful Chris followed his dreams and went on to be an N.H.L hockey player while Katniss made it to the last two in the games and took care of her family.

In conclusion, it doesn’t seem easy to compare a fictional and non fictional character however in this situation it was. Having similar upbringings it made it easier to compare these two heroes. They had courage and the willing to fight for the ones they love. Learning about these two people makes me thankful for everything I’ve got, how lucky and fortunate I am. Both are true heroes and people I will always look up to no matter what.  They are great role models.

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