Mockingjay: Week of 11/18

Prompt: If you were a character in this book, who would you be? Why?
If you were the author, what would you change? Why?

Analyze the author’s ability to write. What does the author do most
effectively? What does the author do least effectively?

Pages Read: 0-137

If I were to choose a character in the book, I believe I would be Prim Everdeen, Katniss' sister. The reason for this is that though Prim is young, I feel like she is a strong-willed, mature person. She also seems to be a very intellectual and perceptive type of person, who seems not to be afraid to stand up for what is right. Prim, is not often mentioned in often in the first part of Mockingjay. Often when she is introduced you see that she is patient with others and has very strong character. The reason that I believe that she has a strong character is the fact she dealt with several things in her childhood, yet has still managed to keep composure for several years.

I believe if I were to be the author, instead of Suzanne Collins, I would avoid several deaths. One of those deaths being that of Cinna's. The reason for this as mentioned in my past blog on the second book in the Hunger Games Trilogy, Catching Fire, Cinna is my favorite character. I feel that Cinna plays such an important role in the entire idea of the Mockingjay concept, and he seems to be one of Katniss' most impacting influences on helping District 13. I would probably also change the fact that Finnick was electrocuted in the second book. The reason for this is that he had such a wonderful character in Catching Fire that you wanted to read more about him, but now that he has been having a few mental problems, he doesn't act the same.

I believe Suzanne Collins effectively describes and gives the reader of an image of the character in their head. Though she doesn't often directly state what the character is like, she allows the reader freedom of imagining how they would look. Meaning that all of he personality traits are kept intact, yet the physical attributes of a character are left to the imagination. Thought Suzanne Collins is a very good writer, I believe that the Mockingjay, is on whole different level that other books in the series. The Hunger Games, left you with a rather happy ending, Catching Fire, left you with a daring cliffhanger. Yet, Mockingjay, the whole concept and the actual text seems to be bit rushed. Almost as if Suzanne was facing a deadline that she had to meet. Which somehow reminds of when I procrastinate with my work, the less time I have the more rushed and messy the concept seems. Do not get me wrong, Suzanne Collins is a good writer, but I feel that she possibly could have taken a bit more time with the idea of Mockingjay, yet I still am managing to enjoy the series.