Blame is a fascinating concept. People, both in real-life and in fiction, love to place blame for multiple reasons; maybe it makes them feel better about understanding the cause of an outcome, maybe it makes them feel better that they can impose justice. However, in the case of the Hunger Games, there isn’t much logic for participants in the games to look for blame. After all, the Capitol are the ones putting on the games, and considering their perceived strength at this point in the trilogy, finding time to blame them is not a key point of survival. This is probably one of the reasons the Capitol has been in such complete power for so long- people who actually experience the Hunger Games (and live to tell the tale) don’t waste their time thinking about justice or who should be held responsible for the atrocious event. Haymitch Abernathy is a prime example of this; as one of only two tributes from District 12 to ever win the Games and Katniss Everdeen’s mentor, he understands the nuances of being a tribute trying to survive (ie. acting likable to get sponsors), and essentially plays by the Capitol’s rules because he knows that it is the best way for either of his tributes to survive. While Haymitch clearly is not the Capitol’s biggest fan, he never really places blame on them for holding the Games- after all, he feels this would serve as a distraction to Katniss in the arena. Even after she and Peeta win the games and he reveals to Katniss that she is in danger from the Capitol for outsmarting them, he convinces Katniss to blame her decision at the end of the Games on her love for Peeta, as opposed to making it a declaration against the Capitol’s atrocities on live television. This shows that Haymitch is willing to put aside the blame he feels toward the Capitol in order to play their game and thus help Katniss survive.
Despite the feelings of her mentor, Katniss feels differently- throughout the novel, she consistently focuses on the blame she places on the Capitol for the Games, especially when dealing with an emotional situation. For example, as Katniss explains in the immediate aftermath of Rue’s death, “My hatred of the Capitol has not lessened my hatred of my competitors in the least. Especially the Careers. They, at least, can be made to pay for Rue’s death” (Collins, 238). Katniss’ thought process shows that she places the entire blame for the Games on the Capitol, but unlike Haymitch who chooses to put aside his blame and focus on doing whatever he can to promote the survival of his mentees, Katniss acknowledges that it is improbable that she will ever get justice against the Capitol and instead projects her blame onto the Careers. It does make sense that Katniss feels hatred toward these tributes- they glorify the Games by training their whole lives for them- but, in essence, these people are being subjected to the same atrocities that she is, and the Capitol is seemingly to blame for that fact. Therefore, while Katniss’ projection of blame onto the Careers positively affects her survival, it also illustrates the nuances of blame itself in the Hunger Games- after all, taking the anger she feels toward Rue’s death out on the Careers is exactly what the Capitol wants her to do.
Mack, your blog post brings up a lot of good points about the difference between Katniss and Haymitch's placement of blame throughout the novel. Where Haymitch may have started out with resentment toward the Capitol, it's clear that years of mentoring children only to have them die and engaging in heavy drinking have made him numb and compliant to the Capitol's wishes. However, I think his relationship with Peeta should also be taken into account. Before the Games start, Peeta makes it clear to Katniss that he feels a touch of rebellion stirring inside him. He tells her on the roof, “…I keep wishing I could think of a way to… to show the Capitol they don’t own me. That I’m more than just a piece in their Games… I mean, what else am I allowed to care about at this point?” (142). Whereas Katniss seems to only focus on her own survival, Peeta thinks about the bigger picture and the impact that he could make on their society. Haymitch then works with Peeta to come up with the “star-crossed lovers” plan for the arena. While this plan was formed to keep the District 12 tributes alive, it is also clearly a defiant act against the Capitol. Haymitch knows that the Games survive because everyone is forced to play by the Capitol’s rules, and that causing an uproar among the people may be a way to create their own rules. His involvement in such a calculated plan reveals that he may be internally placing more blame on the Capitol than is displayed solely from his interactions with Katniss.
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