What does it take to be a hero? Analytical views of Bella vs. Katniss.

 An analytical perspective written by: Lindsay Brookshier

 

In a male dominated world of heroes- what does it take to be heroine in our society?

In the Twilight Saga and The Hunger Games series the authors present us each with a female protagonist. They both have different qualities and characteristics that influence the way they interact with the other characters and the impact they have on those of us that love them. Picking apart the strings that connect Katniss Everdeen and Bella Swan to their prospective fandoms might give some answers into how an ordinary girl becomes a heroine and what it takes to be respected.

Katniss Everdeen: The Girl On Fire!

Huntress

 Katniss Everdeen is no ordinary girl, even for the complex world she lives in. In District 12, she avidly breaks the law by hunting on the outer territories to provide her family with food and a way to survive. She is an accomplished hunter; a skill passed down to her by her father. Katniss is a complex girl with many different aspects and twists to her personality. The thing that strikes me most about Katniss is her personality. She is cold, calculating and logical: all the traits a hunter should be. Her emotions are very masculinized to feelings such as anger, aggression, confidence and bravery. Is this why she succeeds in a male dominated action packed fantasy world? Many of her traits fit directly in with the stereotypical assumption of what it means to be masculine. Is that what it takes for a woman to embrace the role of being a hero? In order to be taken seriously as a figure of power and as a leader- do we leave femininity behind? It seems to be that way, from the portrayal of Katniss in the movie (and the novels) as well as in our contemporary society. Women with roles of power in the government cannot show true emotions, they have masculinized themselves to avoid criticism by society for being too 'weak' for their job position. Are we devaluing feminine traits altogether? Are traits like nurturing, compassion, love, friendship and sensitivity things that are not to be taken for value? In my opinion, I think our world would be a better place of people in positions of power encouraged these personality traits instead of denying them.

The Girl on Fire

However, Katniss is not always a figure of masculinized identity. After she volunteers to be tribute and is taken to the Capitol one of the first things they do is mold her into a feminine image. Her legs are waxed, her hair is styled, her clothes are strategically designed and her entire outside appearance changes.This is not an image that Katniss is comfortable with and it is not an image she chooses for herself. What makes the Capitol want to transform her into a beauty queen? Was all this work just a way to transform the tributes into sexual objects before they are sent into the Arena? I think it was a way of giving them a personality, even if it was one they did not identify with. This was a way for the Capitol to draw their viewers in and make the tributes seem more appealing to look at and therefore, more appealing to connect to for the vain minded people of the Capitol.

Does a heroine have to be de-feminized to be taken seriously?

Effie Trinket and Katniss Everdeen at the Reaping.

  This is a question that faces many pop culture icons. Where does a creator draw the line between feminine characteristics and sex appeal? Can a heroine have both of these things or is she just limited to a masculinized identity? This concept becomes complicated when analyzing the character of Katniss Everdeen. She would definitely fall into the popular cultural nickname of a 'tom boy'. Does this make her more appealing and powerful as a leading protagonist? Would Katniss have the same level of power and influence in her personality if she embraced feminine characteristics? On the same note, the Capitol tries to give Katniss a sex appeal that she did not possess (or felt she possessed) until she entered The Hunger Games. Why do they present her with this level of sex appeal? This sends a message that while, it is not acceptable for a woman in power to hold feminine personality traits, it is more than acceptable to present herself with a level of contained sexuality. The sexuality she presents is okay as long as those in power are containing it to a reasonable level. So for example, her first appearance on TV was a moment of her sexuality being presented and then afterwards, it was quickly contained.

As the trilogy unfolds, we begin to see a darker side of the Capitol and what happens to the winners of The Hunger Games. In the final book of the series, Mockingjay, Katniss discovers the horrors hidden behind closed doors in the Capitol halls. A fellow winner and tribute, Flynn, reveals to her how he was bought and sold as an object of prostitution and how he was passed around between various powerful members of the Capitol. This revelation shows a little insight into the way the tributes are sexualized when they are first presented on live TV to the capitol audience. This is one of the first moments that the viewers can see the tributes up close and personal before they enter the Arena. If the possibility of sexual trafficking exists for a tribute after they win the games; the moment when the tributes are presented as beautified sexual objects makes a clear connection to the motivation behind the Capitol's actions of cleaning up the tributes.

The journey of Katniss Everdeen through the violence.

 
Katniss has a vibrant personality that transforms itself throughout The Hunger Games trilogy. In the first book, she is cold and calculating, doing whatever it takes to survive in the arena. She might internally challenge the violence taking place but as the games continue on she finds herself desensitized to the carnage around her in a numb state of mind. And I do not hold that against her- what else could she have done to ensure her survival?

Before we can talk about violence- we need to talk about patriarchy. For a detailed look at the different aspects click here for a basic rundown of the societal structure. Violence is a key tool of patriarchy; stemming from the male identified emotion of aggression. Aggression is a more acceptable emotion in our society due to the masculinized associations that go along with it. Aggression and violence are portrayed everyday in popular culture. Whether it is in video games, movies, television shows or novels you will be hard pressed to find popular icons that do not integrate violence. Most feminists agree that violence is a form of patriarchy; an extension of aggression and control used to undermine those with less equality in society. So, if violence is a form of patriarchy- what does this mean for Katniss?

In the first book of the series, Katniss resists the idea of violence before she enters the arena. This resistance is short lived, once she volunteers as tribute and travels to the Capitol she soon encounters the mindset of- "kill or be killed." She means to survive at all costs in order to be able to return to her family and continue to care for them. With this goal in place- what option does she have other than to embrace the violence? She does not kill if it is not necessary; she kills as a means of survival and she does not relish in it.

However, as the books unfold violence becomes a way of life for Katniss. Her second trip into the arena in Catching Fire continues this cycle of pain, death and violence. In this book you can see how the Games have taken their toll on her mind psychologically and the bond that begins to strengthen with Peeta. Her inward struggles with violence seem to falter in this book as she begins to disregard her conscious and fight without a second thought. This makes her even more deadly and skilled as a hunter- but what does this mean for her humanity? This trend continues on to the last book in the series, Mockingjay. At this point Katniss has been injured physically, psychologically and heart broken by the results of the power of the Capitol. She reaches a point where you can see how disturbed her mind is becoming and how her anger is becoming to consume her towards the government. The most remarkable part in the book and a huge part of her development as a character is when she resists to the Rebel's plans to destroy the Nut and all the workers deep inside. She stands up against both sides of the movement to draw the line in what she sees as an unmistakable crime. That is the beauty of Katniss Everdeen: right when you think you have her figured out, she turns around and surprises everyone.

So where does this leave us? Does Katniss see the error of violence when it's in a situation that isn't affecting her personal safety? Does she only condone it as a means for survival?

These are hard questions to answer, Katniss has been through immense emotional trauma throughout the trilogy and she has lived a life filled with blood, gore, revenge, death and violence of all sorts. One would argue, that to resist a patriarchal structure you can not participate in the tools it uses as an oppressive force. Another view could argue that everyone participates in a patriarchal structure, in one way or another, and that Katniss is merely just a small piece in a larger picture. There is no easy answer to this paradox of Katniss and violence. I think that Katniss resists the violence internally, she objects to it in many different scenarios throughout the novels and stands up to forces greater than her own strength to defend what she believes to be right. Even though she may participate in the tool of patriarchy, violence, she uses it to maintain her own survival and as a weapon against the Capitol to bring down this oppressive society. Katniss might not fit the true definition of a feminist icon but she seems to fit a more intense view of a radical feminist.

What do you think about Katniss and the role of violence? Do you think she is defeminized in order to be taken seriously as a female heroine? Fire away your opinions, thoughts and answers in the comments!

 

Bella Swan: Switzerland in the triangle of love.

 

Bella Swan

 Bella Swan is an interesting character in the Twilight Saga. She is the main focus of love interest between Edward and Jacob throughout the series. In the beginning of the series she is presented as a typical 'plain' teenage girl; with nothing extraordinary or special about her except perhaps her extreme clumsiness. This is how Bella primarily sees herself throughout the entire series until she is transformed into a vampire in Breaking Dawn. Her self esteem is rather low in the beginning of the series. She constantly under estimates her abilities, her physical appearance and her mental well being. Bella is not concerned about fashion or the way she looks. It seems her self esteem is so minimal that she makes no effort to do anything about her appearance. This could have good and bad connotations. While she is going against the norm as a teenage girl by not being overly concerned with her appearance- the reasoning behind it is due to poor self esteem with an attitude of 'you can't fix what is already broken'. Bella goes through a few major character developments throughout the saga. In Eclipse she has a major revelation as she finally chooses between Edward and Jacob. She chooses her life with Edward, as a vampire and to leave her human life behind. She finally quits the tug of war between Jacob and Edward and chooses her set path. This is a big moment for her as she spent the entire book of Eclipse in turmoil about her choices. In Breaking Dawn we see Bella evolve even more once she becomes pregnant with Edward's child. Her emotions about being a mother are revolutionary for her character since she has never considered the option of having children until she becomes pregnant. She is ready to sacrifice her life and the well being of those around her to follow through with this pregnancy. This is a strong conviction for Bella; showing again that she puts the love of others before her own well being. Bella's transformation into a vampire is the biggest change in her character development in the entire sage. She is transformed into a supernatural being with extraordinary powers that seem to explain why her human life was less than extraordinary.

Team Edward: Bella and her Romeo

Edward's goodbye to Bella

Bella's entire existence is centered around Edward Cullen. Once she falls in love with him her entire world shifts to circle around Edward and his love. This is especially evident in New Moon. When Edward leaves Bella- she completely unravels at the seams. She begins engaging in daring and life threatening tasks in order to hear his voice in her head (which makes you wonder about her mental stability) and this continues in a self destructive pattern. This pattern of anxiety, depression, self destructive behavior, night terrors and apathy progresses until the moment when she goes to find Edward at the end of the book. Once her love between Edward is reconciled all her mental instabilities begin to recede.

My issues with Bella as a role model stem from the way she utterly depends upon Edward's love to make her happy. Her entire world revolves around him and she lives with this out of date idea idea that if love dies then you must die along with it. I do not feel this is a good role model for youth. Stephanie Meyer is going for a Romeo and Juliet based idea of love which incorporates the tradegy along with it but this is not a realistic idea to present to young readers. Life will not end if your relationship ends; there are ways to regain your independance and recover from heart break. Bella's actions and emotions send a dangerous message to readers about how to handle a broken relationship.

For more on relationships and how they relate to The Hunger Games and Twilight Saga click here.

The famous love triangle of the saga.

Jacob and Bella

Bella and Jacob have a good friendship right from the start of the books. This friendship is not enough for Jacob as the novels progress. He begins to fall in love with Bella and begins the tug of war over her love. There is constant rivalry and strife over Bella's affection between Edward and Jacob. This continues until the end of Breaking Dawn. Bella becomes transformed into this object of love; being passed back and forth between the two men. Bella feeds this cycle by leading both the male characters on this quest for her love, even if it is damaging to their emotions but she later then rationalizes it to herself. Bella has a lot of stereotypical feminine qualities; much more than Katniss. She cries easily, frightens quickly, is loving and compassionate towards the people in her life and she is usually portrayed as the 'damsel in distress'. She is often rescued throughout the sage by Edward and Jacob; she is constantly in the path of danger so the male characters have every opportunity to prove their masculinity by coming to her aid.

This love triangle says a lot for how Bella is depicted in the books. She is depicted as a love interest, the damsel in distress, the object of male affection, etc. Could we call her a heroine with this sort of entanglement taking place? This is a hard question to answer. In the first three books; Bella is primarily protected, safe guarded, sought after and loved by both Edward and Jacob. Yet she is a brave character; even if her choices aren't exactly the most logical, she will risk her own life to save those she loves. That is the defining characteristic of Bella Swan. She has a martyr like mentality to risk everything to save those she loves. She proves this time and time again in every book. In the first book, Twilight, she offers her life up to the sadistic vampire James in order to save her mother. In the second book, New Moon, she risks her life at the end to travel with Alice to save Edward from the Volturi. In Eclipse, she uses herself as a distraction by slicing her arm open to try and save Edward from Victoria during their fight scene (it's the thought that counts- Edward was never in any real danger). These actions in the first three books clearly show her love and her bravery in a tough situation. This is a redeeming quality to Bella and an admirable thing to hold up to the light, despite the other downfalls.

Bella as a vampire!

 

Bella Swan as a vampire

Bella becomes transformed into a vampire after giving birth to Renesmee. This moment in the book is huge for her character development as all her attitudes about herself quickly change. Bella's self esteem does a complete turn around. Becoming a vampire is natural to her in every way; she is able to overcome her thirst for humans, excel at hunting, and every part of her life seems to fall neatly into place. She finally feels like she belongs after feeling so out of place when she was a human. This is when Bella's strengths begins to shine for the first time in the series. One of the biggest reasons she becomes such an asset to the Cullens is the special ability she brings over into her second life. Bella becomes a "shield"- a talent that can be used to protect herself and those around her from other supernatural vampire talents.

Bella Swan becomes a heroine

In the end of the novel, Breaking Dawn, Bella Swan is the one that saves the day. Her ability to shield her family and the vampires allied with them is a huge factor in making the Volturi retreat. Her large ability strikes fear, highly unusually for such ancient vampires, into the Volturi's leaders and they choose not to continue their war against the Cullens. It is not often in popular culture that the hero saves the day without using some sort of violence; even if it is portrayed as justified violence. Bella Swan does the opposite of this; she saves the day and her family by using her shield as a defense tactic of protection. This is a pretty different circumstance for our culture. The thing that makes her a heroine above all is her love for her family and friends. This love is what errupts her anger into making her shield even more powerful than she could of ever imagined. Her love is the driving force behind her power and defense. What does it take to be a heroine? In some cases, aggression, masculinity, and less feminine traits- such as Katniss Everdeen. But in Bella's circumstance her love, passion and defensive abilities is what saves lives in the end of Breaking Dawn. Her love is her greatest power and her greatest gift that pushes her to become such a brave and powerful wife and mother. This concept pushes at conceived notions of what it takes to be heroine. Bella's strong feminine traits are what enables her strength and power in the end of the novel. This is an idea that threatens contemporary society that constantly devalues feminine traits and presents powerful female roles in a strictly masculinized or sexual light.

What do you think about Bella and her role as a heroine in Breaking Dawn? Do you think her feminine traits enable her power at the end of the series? Was this a rewarding ending considering her lack of power in the first three books? Fire away your opinions, thoughts and answers in the comments!