Fortitude

            Visualize yourself a teenager struggling between life and death, family or friends, and love. Only having a diminutive amount of time to make the correct decision in that moment in time or how it will affect the people and atmosphere around you. The two lives of Rachel Marsh and Katniss Everdeen relate and differentiate in various ways.

            Rachel Marsh, an indentured servant to John and Abigail Adams considers whether or not she can be a true American and trying to combine the reasoning of friends and overpowering uncle. Her uncle, a strict Tory with hard hitting words is holding her back from her true potential of finding who she really is and where she would like to go with her own life. Katniss Everdeen is in the similar situation, dealing with a horrific president, shedding the blood of dozens of Panem teenagers. Once Katniss is entered, she realizes that she either she might not be able to care for her family if she were to be killed during the Hunger Games. Both considered which decisions would lead them into the right direction.

            Though they lived out similar situations, they had completely different personalities which affected the decisions they made and how they made them. Rachel, a shy but open minded 14 year old girl was pushed and pulled in different directions to meet the needs of the people around her. It affected her decision making skills, since she was manipulated by her uncle it made her believe he could only make her important decisions. Same for Katniss, though she is strong minded, those decisions made by the President effected every choice she had to make.

            As if Katniss and Rachel would never come to a realization of how to solve their problems, the President and Rachel’s Uncle will soon find their hidden but strong independences. Both young girls grew strong after tragic uprisings early in their lives. Katniss, a girl who lost her father in a mining accident supplies her sister and distressed mom with food and money. Having this self liberty gave her strength to power through the strict and orderliness of the President. Rachel overcame her uncle relatively  the same way after her father died in the war and her mother a sick house servant for her uncle. One example from page thirty six of the ‘Fifth of March” shows how much she was similar to her father and how much he hated it. “No. Like your father. That Protestant-burning father, who ran off to get himself killed.”

            Overcoming difficulties takes more time and consideration than one would think. Once you overcome them, life is much clearer and more stable after you face the fact that was in your back pocket the whole time. “Fortitude is the marshal of thought, the armor of the will, and the fort of reason.” By Francis Bacon.

             

Lorian's Prediction

Imagine being able to create a real life illusion or to heal a person that was going to die in minutes.  The book serious “The Guardian of Time Trilogy” by Marianne Curly is based off Greek Mythology and special super hero like powers called the Guard. The Guard protects the world from the evil that lurks between each realm called the Order of Chaos. What would happen if Lorian, the head of The Guard, were to become a male and drop his positions at the head of The Guard?

Lorian once took the head of The Guard Lorian decided to be a non-gender do to this fact from “The Dark” the second book in the series: ‘I was born male. Having no fixed sex was a decision I made. To be a good leader I wanted to be impartial ad fair, and I felt I could only do that if I was of no sexual persuasion and desired none.’ After the battle between The Guard and The Order of Chaos I would believe that Lorian would become a male instead of a non-gender.

Though Lorian knows why he must be a non-gender it is hard for him to keep his eyes of Lady Arabella. Rochelle, a main character in “The Key”, has her own observation and is starting to become suspicious. This is Rochelle’s experience of this unknown affection between Lorian and Lady Arabella, “I get a sense of her gaze going straight over me and my eyes follow. Ahead, Lorian is staring back. It’s as if they are the only ones in the room- in the universe! The connection is so strong, so overpowering, that it throws my thoughts into confusion. What’s going on? Do they have feelings for each other? I mean, Lorian chooses to be neither male nor female, everyone knows that.”

Even if Lorian decides to become a male once again to be with Lady Arabella, their will need to be a lot of planning to make sure someone responsibly to take the throne. Arkarian, Lorian’s only son is one of the most respected people in all of The Guard. Rochelle and Dillon, both traitors from The Order of Chaos both put their hands in Arkarian because they trust that he trusts them and that they won’t be traitors to The Guard. Lorian even looks to his son for his bigger missions. Arkarian will be the next leader to The Guard.

           

Dropping the highest position of The Guard would be one of the most difficult things Lorian will ever do. Lorian has a loving and intelligent son to take his place once he leaves and many who would agree Arkarian will be great at the head of The Guard. If it is to love Lady Arabella, she must be what he devotes himself to. Love is all anyone needs to live happily.

Text Structure

          At age 14 life can be unpredictable, twists and turns of emotion you didn't even know could happen. In 1770, Rachel Marsh a 14 year old indentured servant to John and Abigail Adams discovers one flaw in her life that she has fix before it is to late.
          Everyone around Rachel has their mind set on which side they are rooting for, the British or the Patriots. Being under the Adams household everything seems more to be on the Patriot side. Jane and Henry Knox are her friends two of the only friends she has and they are both strictly Patriot. Then there is Matthew, a British sentry she has just befriended and has so many mixed emotions about. If she were to be seen in public with Matthew and someone were to see them together holding hands and that person were to spread the rumor that Rachel was a traitor it would ruin John Adams. If she were to become a Patriot she could never be seen with or even speak to Matthew again because every knew she was lying to which side she was on to her friends and employers. In the end Rachel made the right decision to become an American, a true American and since she was transferred from that employer to a different one and Matthew was living happily back in England this was the right choice.
           Fixing her problem between coming Patriot or a British was simple; be American. Becoming an American is choice because all she wants is to be heard and to be free to herself. It does not matter if you become an Patriot or British it is finding exactly what you desire to become and that is truly American.

Point of View

Author’s Note: These paragraphs explains how the point of view of the main character effects how the reader understands certain points in the book. I would like you to comment on how everything relates to each other in one way or another. 
Tory: The British Government
Patriots: The American 

In the “Fifth of March by Ann Rinaldi comes from the point of view of Rachel Marsh. Rachel March is supposed to be an indentured servant of John and Abigail Adams during a time of rebellion for the colonies in America. Being under a Patriots’ house, Rachel is under the influence that she must respect the Adamses by following their beliefs. In 1770 British troops landed in Boston to bring peace to the colonies. A sentry by the name of Matthew Kilroy was in love with the moment he met her, though she wanted nothing to do but be friends. Matthew believed in having Tory. Having two rivaling opinions from each side confuses Rachel and also may confuse the reader because you never know what she will be thinking.

If the view point of the story would change, to say the view of Jane a pure patriot everything would change. Jane has her mind straight on that we the people should govern ourselves. No one could change her opinion, no matter how hard they tried. She was not being pulled from side to side by the beliefs of other people. Having Jane as the point of view would make the book petite and a very easy read. Though having Rachel as her friend, life would be hectic.

Misjudged

Author's Note: This piece is based on Darry Curtis a charactor from "The Outsiders" and how Ponyboy misjudges him. I would like you to comment on if I had enough background information on Darry and how he got to this point.

A teenager is always trying to figure out what life going to be like. Figuring this out can take time and during that time many mistakes can be made, especially after a death of a parent. Dropping out of school is another and this is the life Darry Curtis lives. Ponyboy misjudges him for what he has done, even though it's what Darry is doing for him and Soda. These misjudgments have made him who he is today. Is being misjudged as bad as everyone believes it to be?

When you are young it almost seems like nothing can go wrong and nothing could ever happen to you. Life is perfect, until tragedy strikes. Darry Curtis and his two younger brothers were left to survive on their own after their parents had died in a car crash. Darry was never the same after that. Ponyboy, the youngest of the three, always looked down on him because he was strict about school and house rules. All Darry ever wanted was to go to school and pursue a life other than he had, so he wanted Ponyboy to have what can’t. Darry pushed Ponyboy to do the right thing and protected him through everything though Ponyboy did not want it, just as a parent would do. One day Sodapop had run out of the house and Darry and Ponyboy chase after him to see what the matter is. Sodapop tells them that all this fighting between the two is tearing the family apart. Neither Darry nor Ponyboy suspected that was what the problem was.

Misjudging someone for pushing you to be better than they are is not a reason to dislike them. Taking the place of a parent is one of the most difficult things to do, especially when you are only 20 years old and have two teenagers to look after. Once you find that they are doing it because they love you and only want better for you than what they never had is only a reason to love them more.

Poem Analysis of "Nothing Gold Can Stay"

'Nothing Gold can Stay'
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hue is hard to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only for an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to greif,
So dawn goe down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

This poem relates to the life of Ponyboy Curtis from 'The Outsiders'. Ponyboy's life started out great, he had parents and two brothers that all loved him. But once his parents past away his life hit a dead end. Hence nothing ever stays as perfect as you want it to be. He never wanted his parents to die or get beat up by self obsorbed rich kids; he only want to have a life that benefited everyone that surrounds him. So everytime Ponyboy sees a sunset or a tragic event occurs it takes him back to this poem and how his life would have been if nothing ever went wrong: 'Nothing Gold can Stay'.

Darry from ''The Outsiders''

Authors Note: This character is from the book "The Outsiders", a intresting book based on the lives of Greasers in the eightys from a 14 year-old boy. He is the older brother of two boys as it explains in the the characer analysis paragraph below. I would like to look at the conections to the book and other characters to Darry. 

Darrel, or 'Darry' as he is called in the book is tall with broad sholders. He has sandy brown-red hair with light blue-green eyes that seem icy and are the one quality that stands out on Darry. Darry is the parent like brotoher to Ponyboy and Sodapop since their parents died in car crash. He is also catorgoized as a Greaser because he and his brother's are poor. Darry is a good person because he takes care of his younger brothers and is more sofisticated than them. Yes he is misjudged since he is a greaser and dropped out of highschool to work. I think Darry will stay the same because he is the panent like and needs to watch after the two younger boys.

Life as a Werewolf Introduction

         Werewolves are so called mythical creatures who live amongst the woods. They transform under the light of the moon and attack and eat anything that dares to confront them. Humans are the ones who accuse them of such a thing. Never thought of them as one of them or as even a blood thirsty pet. Maybe that is why they hid in the night and never transform in front of people. Would you except them to live in the same world as you?

Insane

Authors Note: Visit http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/poe/telltale.html to read the original 'Tell-Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe!

Imagine yourself a household hand of a helpless old man. How much torture would you go through?  Gentle and loving, with many stories to tell from his past. The “Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, tells the story of a man who fights insanity to the point of a murder.

When you grow old, much of your family lives hundreds of miles away, and you are left to live on your own or in a nursing home. Those who choose to live at home usually have a household hand. The old man does no harm to the main character (the household hand), yet he still scares him with his ‘Evil Eye’, as stated in the story. It is just an eye; could you not look into his ‘Evil Eye’, not let it bother you? But, for this unnatural human being it is impossible to do.

Even though the old man’s ‘Evil Eye’ was what had started all his craziness, there was more to it than you would think. The second reason, he is insane is because every night for a week at midnight, he would sneak into the old man’s room. This was not a normal way to sneak into a room. It took him hours, creaking open the door as slow as a turtle and watching the old man sleep. Don’t you think that is just a little creepy? I would have a heart attack if knew someone was doing that.

Seeing that I would have a heart attack if that happened, that brings us to the death of the old man.  On the eighth night of entering the room, the trespassing household hand had chuckled lightly on the opening of the door. He did not think that the old man would have never guessed he would be the one to kill him in the night. Once the old man had awakened he began skimming the room with a blind but did not see a thing. It was only the duel between the main character and the ‘Evil Eye’. That was the only motive for him to kill the old man. Not the treasures he had or the land, but the carnivorous like eye that stared at him right through his soul.

Though only the heart attack was what killed the old man, he had to hide the body so no one would find out. Decapitating the body and chopping of limbs on the old man does send chills up my spine. What sort of man would do that sort of thing?

The murder of the old man was the crazed insanity of a man filled with uncontrollable, out of his world eagerness to get rid of the ‘Evil Eye’.  “Insane people are always sure that they are fine. It is only the sane people who are willing to admit that they are crazy”, by Nora Ephron.   

Are you proud of your country?

          Am I proud of my country? Yes and no. I believe having freedom is the most important thing we have as a nation. There are many restrictions that hold us back from doing certain things, such as the drinking and driving or threatening someone’s life. Compared to other countries around the world like China or Mexico, America is as free as it can get and that is why so many people try to escape to America illegally. Speaking in hypothetical terms, yes I am proud of the United States.

Conclusion to "Rapunzel" Remix

Author's Note: This assignment was to be able to create a conclusion to a remix of "Rapuzel." I beleive this conclusion was good because I felt that it incoperated the main story of "Rapunzel" with a twist, still having a happy ending to this fairytail story. I would like to have feedback on the plot line: Do I have too much information or too less?

          Finally the day came for their escape. After the Witch left the tower for her daily trips, Rapunzel let down her hair as she had planned with the prince. She slid down her hair and into the prince’s arms. He then bent on one knee and asked her to marry him, of course she said yes. They rode horse-back to the castle where the Prince had lived his whole life. Rapunzel was welcomed with open arms into the Prince’s family. And they lived happily ever after.

Conclusion for "Music" Intro

Author's Note: This assignment was to create a essay conclusion by restating the thesis in a different syntax, have it be consistent, and to leave the essay with a moral like comment. I think that this conclusion is not good because it was hard to work without body paragraphs leading up to this point in the essay. I would like to have feedback on the moral like ending in the conclusion.

          Whatever language you speak or what color your skin, music connects us all. It is the one thing that we all have in common. It breaks down the walls of anger, fear, and sadness; music helps us get through everyday life.

Music Intro

            The flow of music into the ears of everyone around you every day makes you think, “What are they listening to?” There are so many different kinds of music and every single song has a meaning that is interbred in a different way. You have your own choice, because it does not matter if you love or hate it; Music and will be in everyone’s hearts for eternity. 

Dear Katniss

Dear Katniss,

          Would you ever choose a different life? It has been tough in District 12 and Panem, because it is ruled by a heart-less, blood-thirsty President. You are so brave substituting for your sister in the Hunger Games. I know that Prim must appreciate that very much and will always look up to you. She has always looked up to you for all the sacrifices you have made for your family. Did you know that Gale loves you? He would do anything for you. And your mom, who has had so much heartbreak since your father died, but has still used her knowledge of medicines for the people in your District.

          I was just thinking about your wonderful train ride through the districts. Most beautiful places you’ve ever seen; but filled with so much hatred? I would die to see the sites have seen.

          You have been helped by so many people throughout your life. The chance of Peeta, the boy who gave you bread when you were little and your family was starving, and Cinna, your stylist took good care of you, along with his assistants. That dress you wore in the ring along with all the other districts was magnificent. All other districts were jealous!
         
         When you arrived in the Capital, you were in such a beautiful place and days later you would be in the blood-shedding Hunger Games. There was no turning back for you once you enter the Games, life will never be the same. You had to protect yourself and Peeta. I can’t imagine how many times your life flashed before eyes once you were in the Games? Your family and how they were going to live without you? Gale? But now there is Peeta to care about in the games. He can’t take care of himself. And especially after you lose touch with him and become allies with Rue. But she did not deserve to die. Only so many other teens left, wanting your blood.

          What were thinking once you and Peeta were all alone, being attacked by wolves? Monster wolves made from the genes of the other teenagers. That didn’t scare you? You had so many injuries and was dragging Peeta behind. I know you love him but he said just to kill him to let you live. Why wouldn’t you take the offer? He will still love you even after he dies. The next decision you made, saved you and him. You are the most brilliant person I know. Making that kind of a move that will have President furious. You risked it all, and I the end you saved Peeta and yourself. But it is not over yet. Keep being strong and courageous, you will make through anything you put your mind to!

Your Friend,

Melanie Gray-Trier

The Story of the Wise Leader

Imagine keeping track of an adventuresome young boy who was always getting in trouble all by yourself.  Paying bills and washing muddy footprints from the kitchen floor. That would have to be the life of Aunt Polly; she had to have been the wisest leader to do all this every day.

                It all began one day in late spring,  Aunt Polly became the wise leader of the young Tom Sawyer and all the baggage that came with him. Beginning in the local hospital in the center of the town where Tom’s family and Aunt Polly had lived separately before the accident. Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer had been in  their brand new Ford Model T, when another car came speeding down the street hitting their car in the front end severely injuring Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer. They were brought to the hospital immediately and Aunt Polly had gotten a notification to go see them. On the way, she picked up Tom and they hurried to the hospital. By the time they both got there, Tom’s parents had only a few minutes of their lives left to live. Aunt Polly pulled out her hanky and wiped the tears from her eyes as Tom sat in between both his mother and father and said a prayer while sobbing as his parents left this world.

                After they had past,  Aunt Polly brought Tom to his home to pack his things in suit cases. He still had tears running down his face as she helped him pack. “Boy,” she said “I know that when your parents die, life becomes a black hole. I am here now and I will raise you till you are grown big and know what you need to know in life. You may not believe me now, but when you start your life with your own family to take care of you will then understand.” This day in her life will never be forgotten especially when Tom said “Yes, ma’am. I believe you and I love you for taking me in.”

                Despite the move in, Tom has other problems to worry about: the bully. The new kid in town was Ben Rodgers. He is now the neighborhood bully; pushing kids around like a daily use of a door. Tom had been running errands for Aunt Polly when Ben came from behind and pushed him to the cement sidewalk, breaking all the glass containers.  He got up and picked up all of the groceries capable of being eaten, and put them in the paper bag. Tom continued walking, and from behind he heard footsteps approaching, then he sprinted. Ben said, “Run! Run home mama’s boy.”

When Tom came up to his house, Aunt Polly was hanging clothes on the line to dry. “What happened Tom? Let me get you a damp cloth to wipe of the dirt and blood.” Aunt Polly asked. “It was the new kid Ben,” Tom told her, “He pushed me.” Aunt Polly replies, “All it takes is one person to stop a bully.  He can’t push you if you can’t be pushed.” Her wise words helped Tom eventually stand up to the bully: Ben Rodgers.

Aunt Polly deserves the wise leadership award because of what she has and will do for Tom to help his life and how she let him in like her own son. She leads him for the rest of his life and to the end of hers. Aunt Polly will always be known as the wisest leader that ever lived and deserves the wise leadership award.         

Deep Water

            Picture yourself drowning, trying to breathe, but only getting water. How it seeps into your lungs as your body goes limb. Fright of dying pops images of family and good friends, then black nothingness. This is how it begins; drowning: no one has found a way to prevent it, only to have lifeguards watching the water, but sometimes that does not even help. “Deep Water” by William O. Douglas, teaches you that fear can take over no matter what situation you are in.

            When you are little, there is almost nothing you can control, not even a cute little puppy. Everyone thinks that your own dog could never hurt you, but when you yank on an ear, panic races through their minds and they snap back, protecting themselves. Just as the boy in “Deep Water”, standing in the ocean when a large wave knocks him down, panic takes over and this time he can do nothing but struggle to keep himself alive. Although when I was a little girl, I had gotten knocked over by a large ocean wave in California, I did not nearly drown like the boy in the short story. I remember what it felt like to swallow the horrible salt water as it went prickling through your nose. It happens all the time, people drowning because of the panic that takes over your mind and body, and that’s when you develop a phobia of that particular thing. For the boy in the story, the phobia he had was hydrophobia, one of the top phobias around the world.

Even though phobias create panic and how that can take over your life, dying from panic is a whole different thing. Almost 1.2 million people around the world die every year from drowning, that’s about 2 people per minute according to International Life Saving Federation. Imagine what it would be like for the families of these people; what they had to go through, not even to see the person they loved one more time. At least the boy in “Deep Water” survived to see the rest of his life and to conquer his worst fear.         

While 1.2 million people die every year due to drowning and rise above their fears, what happens when you don’t rise above and eliminate the fear? “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury shows that you can be friends with a bully when you fear them, but never leave a best friend behind. Both stories relate to each other in that both main character/s develop a phobia. Social phobias occur mostly around people as for bullies that are mean and disrespectful of other people; that anger is from their life at home. Both phobias that have big effect on the people that have them and many of the people they are around.

Situations can cause fear at times and not at other times, it just depends on situation, but there is always a way to control it. As Franklin Delano Roosevelt stated “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.”

My Memory

Remember fishing with your dad; The cool breeze blowing in your face as you’re watching your bobber roll on top of the waves waiting for that bite. Then a yank, and the bobber is pulled down by a fish! All of a sudden you start to wind your line in playing tug-of-war with the fish, seeing who will win this round. Out of all the memories with my dad, catching a fish with him had to have been the most adventuresome and exciting one of all.

At six years old catching a fish as big as your dad’s hand is a giant accomplishment. Though I’m not a champion fisher-woman, many people have broken U.S. lake fishing records. The fish I caught is called a bluegill or a pan fish. Amos Gray, a record breaker, caught a 5 pound and 7 ounce bluegill. He beat the last record, holding the title of the biggest bluegill caught in the U.S. Though I never caught a fish that big, I love fishing with my dad. My dad teaches me patience, to wait for the fish, otherwise I would have left earlier and had never gotten the chance to catch a fish that made me feel as proud as a peacock.

Beyond catching a record fish, the short story of “Deep Water” plays a part in my memory. What if I drowned falling off the pontoon boat, even though I was wearing a life jacket? 1.2 million people die every year according to the International Life Saving Federation due to drowning, a percentage of that goes to falling off boats. My mom won’t let me go on a boat unless I’m wearing a life jacket.

The most adventuresome and exciting memory with my dad had to have been the time I caught a fish with him. Always cherish the memories you have with family and friends, because these memories you need the most in life.

"The Quote"

                                                                         

               Envision yourself sitting all alone feeling bad about yourself and so is the person next to you. What if you made the decision to get up and go shopping with that person? That would make both you and that person feel better. “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” by Booker T. Washington teaches you that when you are down in the dumps, help and make someone else feel better will make you feel better too.

“Beyond the Blackboard” directed by Jeff Bleckner is a true life movie with many lessons to teach children and adults about getting the best from life. Mrs. Bess is a teacher for a homeless shelter in Seattle, Washington.  The reason this movie relates to the quote is that she tries as hard as she can to get the city to pay for desks and books for the children, by doing this she is trying lift these children get their education is actually lifting her up too. So when one of the city people buys books, desks, and a new blackboard she gets very overwhelmed at what the city person did. Mrs. Bess is lifting up the school in the shelter and make herself feel better at the same time.

                Besides the movie containing the moral lesson, Booker T. Washington wrote it for the people of America to look back on. Booker T. Washington created the Universal Negro Improvement Association which was created to better the rights of African Americans. Believing that African Americans could have all the rights Americans had, following in the footsteps of Martian Luther King Jr. This quote was meant for whites and how by instead of putting blacks down for the color of their skin, they could help them, and treat them as their own. It takes much more energy to put someone down than it is to lift them up, because in the end, it lifts them up too.

                While Booker T. Washington believing in rights for African Americans, this quote relates to everyday life as well. My mom does so much for people and asks for nothing in return. She runs errands    for my grandma and helps out my elderly neighbor with things she isn’t able to do anymore. It makes her feel better that she is lifting other people up and it lifts her up too. Though they always say thank you to my mom, I believe she deserves much better.

            Lend a hand to someone in need and it will make you feel better about yourself. “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” by Booker T. Washington.

The “Hunger Game” Series

               

Envision people in a game for hunger killing for no reason, but for the enjoyment of the government and their awful president. In the country of Panem it’s called the hunger games, a ruthless bloodshed battle that takes place every year. Twenty-three people die and one becomes the victor. As this goes on, no one has learned to stop this revolting man from destroying the nation.  “The Hunger  Games”  series by Suzanne Collins teaches you that having empowerment and strength isn’t as important as having hope.

 “The Hunger Games” is an example of strength, life examples and mistakes that occur during your life. The story makes it hard to break from Katniss, and yet she’s very hard to relate to in life. Katniss and I have similarities and differences. First of all I don’t live in a 1700’s era and a 2200’s era like she does. In addition, I don’t live in a crazy country that forces two people from every district to compete in a man-killing event that takes place every year. We are similar in that we don’t like our family cats. For me it’s my 16 year old cat who acts like she is never fed, and if you don’t feed her she’ll meow louder than a trumpeting elephant until you finally give up. Katniss’ sister has a cat that absolutely hates her so she hates her back. Every time she even looks at the cat, it hisses back. Her mind-set is so much more complex than any I know, especially when her ally died in her arms during the first hanger games and for that Katniss has such consencration during the hardest moments in her life and that’s what makes her unique.    

Since it is hard to relate to life in “The Hunger Games” series, there are particular books that intersect with the life in this astonishing series. “Graceling” appears to be a different kind of book, telling of a graceling, which is a rare person, in the land of The Seven Kingdoms, that is born with an extreme skill. Lady Kasta is so much similar to Katniss; both strong willed and knowing how to live under a ruling government. Kasta’s uncle, the lord of one of the kingdoms, and for Katniss it is her own president, smelling of blood. Besides the people ruling over the, they both have powers and strong will. Graceling (Lady Kasta) and Mockingjay (Katniss) both stand as not only a tribute that holds peace but a warrior to serve for their people like the ruling government who controls and blinds them.

Seeing that both books serve as a moral lesson, why did they pick the Mockingjay stand as an icon? The Mockingjay, also called the Mockingbird, is a black, gray, white, or a mix of colors. This bird is known for the songs that they sing and the peace that they hold. Mockingjay stands for the people that don’t have hope or the strength to take a stand, as does Katniss. She has seen what the capital has done to the country and will overcome anything in her way, which is how she’ll escape the wrath of the capital.

Empowerment and hope is all it takes to overcome any obstacle. Just because you are weak doesn’t mean that you are incapable of doing anything you believe in, because whatever you set your mind to, can happen if hope is your power source.