Katniss's relationship with Gale in her eyes is similar to
that between a mature brother/sister pair. They are both just young adults in the story
yet they both bear the burdens of their respective families. Because they must both put
up strong fronts for their families who rely on them, they can only look towards one
another for comfort. This quality is one of the main ways in which Katniss identifies
Gale - as the reliable, brotherly figure. In turn, this allows Katniss's personality to
still have a soft spot because she knows that even in such a difficult world, there is
still someone she can depend on and relate to. In a way, however, the way she defines
this relationship with Gale (brother/sister) shapes her attitude towards romance as
well, since it is hard for her to grapple with the thought of depending on another human
being for reasons other than mutual survival.
Katniss's
relationships with Prim and her mother are pretty similar. In both cases, Katniss is the
"rock" - the stronger individual both in physical ability (with her hunting) and in
terms of emotions. With Prim in particular, Katniss feels a deep sense of
responsibility. This explains why she steps up for her sister on Reaping Day. With her
mother, Katniss feels disappointment due to her mother's emotional breakdown after her
father's death. Yet, as the series continues, her mother earns her grudging respect
through her everyday bravery. These two relationships harden Katniss's personality.
Because she feels like the protector, she has trained herself to be very stoic and tough
emotionally. This explains her fierce determination to not break down at the Reaping and
her incredible emphasis on the practical as she discusses future plans with her mother
and Prim in the moments before she is carted off to her first Hunger
Games.
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