I Cannot Overstate How Significant The Theme Of “the Garden” Is To The Hunger Games Series.

I cannot overstate how significant the theme of “the garden” is to The Hunger Games series.

Of course, for many people, alluding to “the garden” puts them in mind of the biblical Eden, and I believe this is entirely intentional. Eden is a place of dignity and of peace. Adam and Eve are expected to do two important tasks: care for the garden, and be fruitful themselves. Many a Christian theologian has therefore proposed that humanity’s original vocation was to be gardeners: and not only in the literal weeding and planting sense, but in sense of cultivating life and beauty. The narrative goes on to describe how humans reject that original calling (re: “great gift for self destruction”) and are exiled from Eden — but, perhaps unsurprisingly, the garden imagery doesn’t go away. Throughout the rest of the Bible, garden imagery is now used in anticipation of a future restoration of human dignity and peace. So what does this have to do with The Hunger Games? Well, let’s take a stroll through Panem’s gardens, shall we?

We’re going to start in the Everdeen home. I confess, I’m going to begin by stretching the metaphor a little, but stay with me. When Katniss wakes up, the other side of her bed is cold, because Prim is missing. But usually, we would assume, they sleep together: two girls with flower names clustered together in the same bed. How appropriate: Mr. and Mrs. Everdeen have created a miniature garden in their two daughters. Is it any wonder that restoration comes, in many ways, from this garden bed?

But there are more obvious examples of “flower power.” Peeta recognizes Katniss’s dignity and gives her new dignity and hope by giving her bread. His generosity gives her the push she needs to find yet another garden and maintain her own dignity in the face of poverty: this time, in the wild expanses of dandelions she and Prim gather for sustenance. And like Katniss herself, Peeta is now identified, from that point forward, with flowers. Both katniss and dandelion are flowers that can grow rampant if left unchecked once they lay down roots.

This is precisely what Katniss and Peeta do, like invasive weeds: only their invasion forces radical dignity onto Snow’s manicured, artificial rose lawn. Katniss explicitly states the beautifully dangerous nature of kind people and uses the metaphor of “rooting.”

Katniss’s burial of Rue (another botanical name) in flowers is a striking example of this radical compassion. It is not so much that Rue’s death is shocking to the people watching: it is Katniss’s reaction, stubbornly insisting upon Rue’s dignity in the face of evil, that sparks rebellion. And how does she do it? With a handmade garden cradling Rue’s body. The impact of Katniss’s garden blossoms beyond the forest where Rue died: to Thresh, and to all of Panem.

Other images in the first book include Katniss, on the verge of death in the arena, finding water among the yellow lilies, and Peeta picking flowers (well, wild onion tops) for her along the train tracks. The first image is one of restoration, but the second is an inversion of what we expect. We expect Peeta’s offering to signal a peace in their relationship, and it is jarring when the opposite occurs.

If garden imagery in The Hunger Games is most concerned with human dignity, in Catching Fire, we most clearly see the garden as a place of peace. Katniss and Peeta are most at peace when they work together on the plant book, that sunlit bedroom a small Eden unto itself. On the rooftop, in the garden, as Katniss toys with a flower chain, Peeta wishes he could stop time, and live in their fragile peace forever. Peeta also gets his own “Rue” moment with the morphling. Now, it’s not the morphling’s death scene that gives us flower imagery, but the scene that prefigures it does: when Peeta and the morphling paint (yellow, again) flowers on Katniss. Joined together with this stranger by the act of “tending a garden” as it were, Peeta is able to give her a sense of peace in her final moments.

In Mockingjay, the garden is an image of restoration. One of the very few beautiful images we see in 13 is the image of the green bird sipping nectar from an orange blossom in the meadow room. I’ll leave it up to you to read into those particular colors. Quite literally, the bird is engaging in restoration of its energy, but the picture restores Katniss’s spirits, even if for only a moment. Appropriately, the story concludes with a garden as well: Peeta once again taking on the mantle of gardener to make a memory garden for Katniss. Seeing the primroses gives her the spark to destroy Snow’s unnatural rose and reclaim her dignity and her peace yet again. It is only fitting that the last image we see of Katniss and her family is in the meadow. Despite their fears, our protagonists have been fruitful: the children are more than “a happy ending.” They are a reclamation of the original garden purpose. To be sure, it is not a true idyll. Katniss is keenly aware of the bones on which it grows, but that is not where she takes comfort. She takes comfort—though her children take it for granted—in the book, and in the words of the song that speak of a “soft green pillow” and “daisies” guarding from harm. In a way, imperfectly, “Eden” has been regained.

The Secret History: A Theories Guide

Richard Papen: The Master of Illusion

#1 Charles is Innocent: Fucking Damnit!

#2 Okay I Lied, Charles Isn't Innocent

Julian Morrow: ''Honesty Is A Dangerous Virtue''

Henry Winter Wasn't In A Car Accident.

What Led To Henry Winters Death

Bunny Corcoran: Neglect In Plain Sight

When the Hare knows the Devil is out Hunting. [Bunny Analysis]

Francis Is The Worst Character (And Why You Should Think So Too)

Camilla & Henry: A Relationship Analysis ^Character Analysis^

The Mountain Lion: It Isn't A Theory

The Secret History's Dream Sequences.

Why The Books Called ''The Secret History''

The Secret History Isn't purposely Queer. (Richard Is Still Gay though, Here's Why!) ^Extras^ If you have a theory or take or whatever the fuck—comment down bellow! If it's intriguing enough I will see if I can either 1) Disprove it or 2) Prove your theory without a shadow of a doubt (Obviously the commenter will be credited!) [ Links will be added as I post ]

2K notes View Post

speedilyimportantnerd

3 years ago

I hope you guys like this thing I made

121 notes View Post

speedilyimportantnerd

2 years ago

book quotes that i will never recover from

"he is half of my soul, as the poets say. " - song of achilles

"write me a letter telling me how to live the rest of my life without you." - how to make friends with the dark

"they were my birthday presents." - shatter me

"she had realized that she had forgotten the precise blue of his eyes and the depth of his laugh." - clockwork princess

"my name is sam cortland... and i will not be afraid." - assassin's blade

"you chose me four years ago. would you choose me still?" - these violent delights

"we were all supposed to make it." - crooked kingdom

"i remember everything." - the invisible life of addie larue

"come home and shout at me. come home and fight with me. come home and break my heart, if you must. just come home." - cruel prince

"i wasted all those yesterdays and am completely out of tomorrows." - they both die at the end

"you hated the idea of me." - the final gambit

"bob says hello." - house of hades

"abuse can feel like love. starving people will eat anything." - nightfall

"i missed you only with an ocean between us. but if death was separating us... i would find you." - queen of shadows

"i loved him. i love him. as best i could." - we were liars

"i'm the villain, even in my own story. but you were supposed to play a different role." - finale

"i will find you again in the next world—the next life. and we will have that time. i promise." - a court of wings and ruin

"i spent half of my time loving her and the other half hiding how much i loved her." - the seven husbands of evelyn hugo

63K notes View Post

speedilyimportantnerd

3 years ago

The Rest of Our Lives - percabethperfect - Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types [Archive of Our Own]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 2/? Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson Characters: Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase (Percy Jackson) Additional Tags: Marriage Proposal, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Emotional, percabeth, Love, Fluff and Smut, Sexual Content, Smut, jealous!Percy, Idiots in Love Summary:

This fic deals with percabeth’s life after all the chaos that they’ve been through. They are young adults (and cute lovebirds) who are just trying to navigate through life while enjoying each other’s company. Lots of cuteness, lots of emotional stuff going down (cause this couple owns me tbh), and some smut sprinkled on top (no minors allowed).

@miikkkkkkkka @lalelilolusworld did someone say jealous!percy? (it has a smut part as well though, so beware you guys)

Tags

pjo percabeth percy and annabeth pjo fanfic percy x annabeth no minors allowed jealous!percy domestic percabeth percabeth fluff

77 notes View Post

speedilyimportantnerd

7 years ago

54K notes View Post

speedilyimportantnerd

1 year ago

babes i need some good percabeth fic rex’s preferably not spicy lol i need some nighttime reading material 😭😭😭

I GOT YOU oh my god I love this ask

the anatomy of a hurricane: barbarianprincess (all of their fics are amazing but this is my favorite)

Of Heists and Home Economics: chellethewriter

building memories on things not said: ahecen

it's human (you can lay your hands on me): riverv (literally all their fics) (I had this labeled in my notes "Can't read without crying - so lonely" ENJOY)

there's still color: mypetersburg

the annabeth project: pjoseries (divineauthor)

Meeting Percy and Annabeth: foreverfangirlwrites (She's pretty popular (her series A Rose By Any Name is really good) but for this fic is a comfort fic so if its not here I be pretty sad)(and her fic Into A Moment of Time - made me cry so bad. Like full on sobs with hiccups so read that too)

spread your wings and learn how to fly: roomtempcupofjoe (PRINCESS DIAIRES)

Eighteen Years a Hero: romanitas

graduating class: loveliet (all their fics are good but this one hits hard)

when the sun came up (you were looking at me): TheWritingManiac (if you liked Wendy Mass as a kid, this fic IS IT)

The Blood of Olympus: MariaClaire (just trust me)

I Would (Literally) Die For You: AverageCanadian (this author haunts me and made me cry to the point where I lost count so ENJOY)

What The High Tides May Bring: myshipsaresunk

A Mere Collection of Words: sunburst_city (WARNING: its not spice but it is implied - I didn't think it was too bad but if you want just skip this fic)

A Semester Abroad: ScienceFantasy93 (shits so good your gonna love Reyna)

Post Tenebras Lux: husborth (listen to Taylors swift You are In Love you'll thank me later)

Forever Cursed: RainySteve (sad. thats it. your warning is just the word sad. good luck solider)

etched on skin: unsureavenge (also check their fic End Of The Line I've spoken about it before and ohgod its just a masterpiece)

Here I Go Again!: percabethica (a Mamma Mia AU that I read before watching Mamma Mia - yeah that was an experience)

building memories on things not said: ahecen

Witnesses: Roselightfairy (I LOVE THIS ONE - comfort fic)

Won't Leave Any Doubt: maydayparade8123 (orphan_account)

We Only Want To Help: Believer1991

i wanna tell you, but i don't know how: polypanpercyjackson (thecuspofsomething)

gravity in the words we write: percyj

dates, demigods, and other divine disasters: fuwaaa

Rite of Passage: hanpersands (self plug; I have a fic just like this too if you like - link in my bio)

we made a lot of music dancing (you and i): vll8586

Arizona Sky: husborth

I Bet You Think Your Honey Tastes Like Sugar: Lex42069

and you knew what it was: aceofdiamonds

Surprise Baby: iannageorge

Late Night Rescues: IllusionsOfInsanity

The Library Book: unsureavenger ( I have no idea if I did them already but all their fics but THIS ONE in particular - literal chefs kiss)

just practice: knuffled (bigscary)

Save the Date: oreoz314

first i love u: RainySteve

take me to your best friend's house: mcpicktwo (I laugh at this one so much)

If We Have Each Other: jasonsmclean

Days Apart: likoricke (orphan_account)

you belong with me: scrxbbler

Fireworks: katebishoop

and of course, me, Bookns has Pjo fics (you know Can I Be Him but expect another fic in a day or two)

I know its a lot but I hope you like them. Some of these are my favorite and they are really close to my heart. I've only been in this fandom for about three years so there's a lot I missed but I think I read a lot for my own good. I recommend Taylor swift entire discoraphy but especially you are in love - Enjoy Darling

267 notes View Post