The Girl on Fire: Katniss Everdeen and the Christian Symbolism in The Hunger Games

The three novels and the four films in the 'The Hunger Games' series give us a parable to decipher. These films are sort of a dream-like encapsulation of Western Civilization, and the Jews and the Christians are at the heart of Western Civilization. Katniss Everdeen is the deliverer of her people. If not for her the tyrant Snow would not have been overthrown. She resembles various Jewish heroes - such as Moses, who delivered the Jews from bondage in Egypt. Katniss delivers her people from famine, therefore she is like the Patriarch Joseph, who delivered his people from famine when he ruled over Egypt. She is beautiful, as queen Esther is beautiful. Esther delivered the Jews from Haman's plot and Katniss delivers her people from the plots of the Capital, i.e., Snow and his minions. The parallel between Katniss and David, the shepherd boy / warrior / future king of Israel who slew Goliath is more or less obvious. Katniss suffers and then triumphs, therefore she is like Christ, the Deliverer of Humankind. Christ is the Morningstar and Katniss is the Mockingjay. Peeta tried to strangle the one who loves him, Katniss, but she still loves him. 2,000 years ago the Jews crucified the Christ who loves them. Peeta was not in his right mind and was under the power of the tyrant Snow when he tried to murder Katniss. The Jews were not in their right minds, being under the power of Satan, when they crucified Christ.

How did the author of the novels, Suzanne Collins, a Roman Catholic, arrive at this marvelous symbolism? Was it consciously plotted or was it more the fruit of her subconscious mind? Wherever it came from she certainly used it to create a masterpiece of Christian art. The words of Jules Michelet - words which I used to conclude 'Constitutional History of the Western World' - come to mind. ''I put my trust for Christianity and Christian art, in that very phrase the Church addresses to her dead: ''He who believes in Me shall never die.'' Lord, Christianity has believed, loved, comprehended...It will appear one morning before the eyes of those who think they are gazing on its tomb, and will rise again the third day.'