Social Ecofeminist Analysis of Katniss, as The Main Woman

Character from The Hunger Games

THESIS

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Sarjana Pendidikan

Gabriella Lisa Danica

112011047

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM

FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

SALATIGA

2015

ffiPERPUSTAKAAN UNIVERSITAS

TINIVERSTTAS KRISTEN SATYA WACANAfl. Dponegoro 52 - 60 Salatiga Sfrt I

JamTmgah, lndomiaTeV. 0298 - 321212, Fu. 0298 321433

Email; libruy@adm.uksw.edu ; http://libra.v.uksw-edu

PERNYATAAN TIDAK PTAGIAT

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Pembimbing

Dengan ini menyatakan bahwa:

1. Hasil karya yang saya serahkan ini adalah asli dan belum pernah diajukan untuk mendapatkan gelar

kesarjanaan baik di Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana maupun di institusi pendidikan lainnya.

2. Hasil karya saya ini bukan saduran/terjemahan melainkan merupakan gagasan, rumusan, dan hasil

pelaksanaan penelitiarlimplementasi saya sendiri, tanpa bantuan pihak lain, kecuali arahan pembimbing

akademik dan narasumber penelitian.

3. Hasil karya saya ini merupakan hasil revisi terakhir setelah diujikan yang telah diketahui dan disetujui oleh

pembimbing.

4. Dalam karya saya ini tidak terdapat karya atau pendapat yang telah ditulis atau dipublikasikan orang lain,

kecuali yang digunakan sebagai acuan dalam naskah dengan menyebutkan nama pengarang dan dicantumkan

dalam daftar pustaka.

Pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sesungguhnya. Apabila di kemudian hari terbukti ada penyimpangan dan

ketidakbenaran dalam pernyataan ini maka saya bersedia menerima sanksi akademik berupa pencabutan gelar

yang telah diperoleh karena karya saya ini, serta sanksi lain yang sesuai dengan ketentuan yang berlaku di

Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana.

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COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

This thesis contains no such material as has been submitted for examination in any course or

accepted for the fulfillment of any degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my

knowledge and my belief, this contains no material previously published or written by any

other person except where due reference is made in the text.

Copyright@ 2015.

All rights reserved. No part of this thesis may be reproduced by any means without the

permission of at least one of the copyright owners or the English Department, Faculty of

Language and Literature, Satya Wacana University, Salatiga.

Gabriella Lisa Danica:

v

TABLE OF CONTENT

Cover ……………………………………………………………………………………………………... i

Approval page…………………………………………………………………………………………….. ii

Copyright Statement………………...……………………………………...……………………………. iii

Publication Agreement Declaration ……………..………………………………………………………. iv

Table of Content……………………………………………………….…………………………………... v

Abstract………………………………………………………………………....……………………........ 1

1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………..………………………….1-3

2. Theoretical discussion………………………………………………………..………………….……3-6

3. Summary of The Hunger Games……………………………………………………………………...6-7

4. Discussion………………………………………………………………………...……………….…7-15

5. Conclusion…………………………………………...………………………………..……………15-16

Acknowledgement……………………………………….………………………………………… …... 16

References………………………………………………...……………………………………………….17

Abstract

There are more problems that appear on ecological matter. The increasing demands

from people to fulfill their needs are the stem of the problem. The oppression from the

hierarchy system and economic condition perforce people to exploit nature. Women

are associated with nature, which is devalued by the society. Hence Ecofeminism

believes that both women and nature should be liberated. This research analyzes

female main character that is close to nature struggling in capitalist environment in

the novel of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The purpose of this research is

to see how the main character of the story is viewed with the theory of Social

ecofeminism. The finding of this research is that Katniss, the main woman character

of The Hunger Games is a liberated woman since she could fight the oppression by

the economic condition and dominate hierarchy system.

Keywords: Hierarchy, Power, Nature, Culture, Hunting, Social ecofeminism

Social Ecofeminist Analysis of Katniss, as The Main Woman Character

from The Hunger Games

1. Introduction

Nature is seen less important and being oppressed by the demand of humans’ need.

The result is a lot of illegal logging happened to forests in the world. Some animals are facing

extinction because humans hunt them illegally and take their body parts. Since the forests are

cut down, the world is getting hotter. We now are facing a critical condition when the earth’s

temperatures are rising, and it gives impact to everything. The weather has different circle

than they used to be, also the ice in artic are melting, and so many more problems. As the data

taken from worldwildlife.org (WWF) “illegal wildlife trade has exploded to meet increasing

demand for elephant ivory, rhino horns, and tiger products, particularly in Asia.” It is a fact

that

The world is dealing with an unprecedented spike in illegal wildlife trade, threatening

to overturn decades of conservation gains. Ivory estimated to weigh more than 23

metric tons—a figure that represents 2,500 elephants—was seized in the 13 largest

seizures of illegal ivory in 2011. Poaching threatens the last of our wild tigers that

number as few as 3,200. (WWF, “Illegal Wildlife Trade”)

Further the data by WWF said that Sumatran tiger’s population is now less than 400 tigers left

in the forest. The decreasing of the Sumatran tiger’s population is caused by the illegal

hunting by people to take the tiger parts and sell it in an open market in Sumatra. Not only

caused by the illegal hunter, illegal logging also becomes the cause of the problem as stated in

the report by WWF. Not only animals on land, shark is also one of animals that comes to its

extinction caused by the demand of shark fin in Asian market as stated in greenpeace.org.

Indonesia as a country with rich natural resources should maintain its sustainability of its wild

life yet in case of Sumatran tiger and shark we become the biggest contributor to the

ecological issue.

I am one of those people in this planet that concern about the ecological condition of

the earth. I try to reduce my activities that might harm to nature such as not using plastic bag

anymore, I make people aware to the illegal wildlife trade by sharing news and reports from

WWF and Greenpeace, etc. Besides being friendly to nature I am also a kind of person who

think equality is very important. I always say to my boyfriend later if we get married there

will be no “my job” or “your job”. I always think there is no such work that only woman

should do or vice versa, if you can do it then do it. Also as woman I am not really depended

on man, there was one time when the gas for my water heater was out, I needed to change it

and my bathroom is on the second floor, which mean I needed to carry the 12 kg of gas to the

second floor. It would be a difficult thing to do for a woman, but instead of waiting my uncle

or any man in my family get home and ask for their help, I did it by my self. I carried the 12

kg of the gas up to the second floor. Who said woman couldn’t do that?

The novel of The Hunger Games touches both issues on nature and woman. Since

there is oppression for both woman and nature in this book, Ecofeminism theory would fit as

the basic theory to analyze the story. Ecofeminism is a new theory in literary theory that

concerns on ecological crisis that is happening today and the connection with women’s

oppression. It sees the oppression on women and nature are caused by the patriarchy system

in the society. The aim of the theory is to make people rethink the relationship between

human and non-human subject. Social ecofeminism believes that the root of the ecological

problem lies on the social hierarchy system and economic condition happen, to end the

problem is to fight against the hierarchy system and economic condition. That is why it is

essential for us to start looking at eco-feminism theory to analyze a literary work that contains

ecological issues to enhance our awareness on taking care of nature.

I found the novel The Hunger Games interesting because I see that the depiction of

nature in that novel is quite unfair. The forest is only found at the districts, the place where

poor people live. While in the capitol, the place where the government and elite group live

there is no sign of nature at all. There is one depiction of nature shown in capitol in the arena

of the Hunger Games, but it is a man made arena where the president and the game maker can

do and create everything toward it. Then the main character in this novel is woman, a heroine

named Katniss. The central question of this research is how Social Ecofeminism views the

main woman character, Katniss, in the novel of The Hunger Games?

2. Theoretical discussion

Feminism is a wide theory that basically fights against women oppression from

patriarchy system. Tong said in her book that feminism uses different “approaches,

perspectives, and frameworks…to shape both their explanations for women’s oppression and

their proposed solutions for its elimination.” (1). Feminism concerns with any issues of

equality between men and women.

Ecocritcism itself is “the study of relationship between literature and the physical

environment” which “takes an earth-centered approach to literary study” (Glotfelty xviii).

Different with the other literary theory that focuses on human, ecocriticism focuses on non-

human subject. The aim of the theory is to make people rethink about the relationship

between human and the earth. Glotfelty believes that students who take literature class and

study ecocriticism will then be motivated to rethink the relationship between human and

nature, the issues happened in nature, the “environmental crisis, and about how language and

literature transmit values with profound ecological implications.” (xxv).

Merchat said “The term ‘eco-feminisme,’ was coined by the French writer Françoise

d’Eaubonne in 1974 as part of her call to women to save the planet”. This theory was started

by just a term to persuade women at that time to save the Earth. Then the theory appeared in

the 70s. It essentially thinks that women and nature are in the same position (184).

Ecofeminism believes that both women and nature are being oppressed by the system of

patriarchy as a condition when men are in the higher position, when men have the absolute

power. Hence in this point where patriarchy system oppressed nature is the condition when

humans oppressed non-human nature. Janet Biehl said, “That the idea of dominating nature

stems from the domination of human by human.” (qtd. in Merchant 194). It means that the

hierarchy system from capitalist environment makes the oppressed groups oppress nature.

Merchant believes that the oppression of nature is the cause from the political condition that

demands the development of the industrial area (184). Most of people who have power in

politic in most countries in the world are men that is why it is said that nature also oppressed

by patriarchy system.

There are 4 different focuses in eco-feminism theory, but this research only focuses on

social ecofeminism. Social feminists concern about the criticism on patriarchy. Social

ecofeminism believes that to end the oppression on both women and nature, we need to

“overturning [overturn] economic and social hierarchies” these days that “invades the womb

[nature]” (Merchant 194). Social Hierarchy alone is power structure that is constructed within

society, and it occurs throughout the divergence across one as separate or classes on any

favorable aspect. A person will get higher position in the hierarchy system if one got status

and power as the principal aspect of hierarchical divergence (Magee and Galinsky 351-398).

Magee and Galinsky give definition on power as unequal domination above favorable

resources in community interaction, while status as the scale of how one is approved by the

community. Related to the theory of ecofeminism, the favorable resources here are the natural

resources that come from the wild or nature.

The term of nature would become the key term in this research. Ortner argues that

universally women are believed to be closer to nature rather than men, and women are

devaluated by this. Since the beginning nature is always connected with woman. It is not only

because men oppress both but also Merchant argues, “The word ecology derives from the

Greek word ‘oikos,’ meaning house. Ecology, then, is the science of the household—the

Earth’s household” (qtd. in Sandilands 4). The connection between the Earth and the house

has historically been mediated by women.”1 Women will always be connected to the domestic

works; furthermore the correlation between women and domestic work resulted to the idea

why women are closer to nature. Ortner further explains, “Various aspects of woman’s

situation (physical, social, psychological) contribute to her being seen as close to nature.” (87)

Ortner also defines on what are included on nature as “Something that every culture devalues,

something that every culture defines as being of a lower order of existence than itself. Now it

seems that there is only one thing that would fit that description, and that is ‘nature’” while

“’culture,’ is…the process of generating and sustaining systems of meaningful forms

(symbols, artifacts, etc.) By means of which humanity transcends the givens of natural

existence, bends them to its purposes, controls them in its interest. We may thus broadly

equate culture with the notion of human consciousness, or with the products of human

consciousness (i.e., systems of thought and technology)” (72). It means nature is everything

that naturally happens that is seen defenseless on culture which is something human-made to

“bends” and “controls” nature for their justification. Women are seen closer to nature rather

than men basically because of her social role as a mother that who should work nursing their

kids, beside women are the one who take impact on “species” inside of her body (read: ovum)

as her physical condition. Also women are so nature because they are reproducing, while men

are culture because they are producing something. Ortner further argues, “Male activities

involving the destruction of life (hunting and warfare) are often given more prestige than the

female’s ability to give birth, to create life.” (75) As the example of hunting and giving birth,

what considers nature is something that reproduces like giving birth. Hunting in the other

hand is the opposite of giving birth; it takes life to produce something. It is clear, then, that

1 Merchant,Earthcare,139.

based on Ortner explanation nature attitude can be classified as “nursing” and reproducing,

while culture attitude is classified as a “product” from nature, cultivation or producing

something.

3. Summary of The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games is the first book of the trilogy adventurous novels written by

Suzanne Collins, published in 2008. The story takes place in The Hunger Games Universe2

where there are 12 Districts and the Capitol. Begins with the rebellion of 13 Districts over the

legislative center, the Capitol that wins the war, demolish district 13 and make The Hunger

Games as the recompense of the rebellion. Two teenagers from every District will be picked

arbitrary in “reaping” as a tribute to play in the Hunger Games; they need to fight each other

in an arena until there is only one survivor.

Katniss Everdeen is a 16 years old girl from District 12 who volunteers herself to the

game to save her little sister Prim Everdeen, who is the name picked up in “reaping”. Raised

in a family with her father who teaches her how to hunt and needs to replace her father’s

position as the breadwinner in the family after the mine explosion that killed her father make

her tough. After the death of her father she needs to take care of her family by her own, in

order to stay alive she does hunt to find food. Then she meets Gale in the woods and he

becomes her hunting partner. During the Hunger Games, she meets Rue3 and makes Rue her

alley. At the end, Katniss wins the game along with her partner from District 12, Peeta Melark

by browbeating the Capitol to kill themself with poisonous berries.

4. Katniss, The Girl who is oppressed as or oppresses nature?

Women and nature are both oppressed by the hierarchy system and economic

2 Is an anecdotal world showing up in the trilogy of The Hunger Games. 3 She is a little girl, tribute from District 11.

condition (Merchant 184), The Hunger Games shows the phenomena of oppression on both

women and nature through the character of Katniss. Since the rebellion, Capitol rules the

Hunger Games Universe and secludes the 12 districts left. As the punishment every District is

forced labor to serve the Capitol. The people inside every District have a hard life; they need

to find other sources of food quietly in order to survive.

Electrified or not, the fence has been successful at keeping the flesh-eater out of

District 12. Inside the woods they roam freely, and there are added concerns like

venomous snakes, rabid animals, and no real paths to follow. But there’s also food if

you know how to find it…Even though trespassing in the woods is illegal and

poaching carries the severest of penalties, more people would risk it if they had

weapons. (Collins 5)

When humans are forced by the urge to stay alive, they will look for any available sources

surround them. Humans will defend themselves by the rights given by God as written in bible.

Gaard argue “…That right-based ethics…evolve from a sense of self as separate, existing

within a society of individuals who must be protected from each other in competing for scarce

resources.” (2). It means that humans are willing to fight against each other to get other

sources to fulfill their needs from nature. In the story, humans oppress nature in the name of

their rights to fulfill their own needs. This happens as resulted from the economic condition

and the hierarchy system created by the dominance of the Capitol over Districts.

Katniss as the oldest daughter who lost her father makes her become the only one who

has to take care of the family. Her position as a young woman makes her be in the difficult

condition. Katniss is too young to work since she is only 16 years old, yet she is a woman

who lives in a district which is known by its mining. May be it would not be as difficult as if

she was from District 11 which is known by its farming. It is to one’s liking for a young

woman to work as a farmer rather that as a miner. The associations that place woman as close

to nature (Ortner, 72) become the reason why farming would be more bearable for Katniss.

Farming is a work that is associated with nature for its characteristic of nurturing the plants.

Besides, the reason why women close to nature because the biological condition of

reproduction, farming is also seen as a reproduction work since the people will grow the plan

again. While mining is a work that is associated with culture, for it is a work that produces

something and does not reproduce. To become a miner one needs a great physical condition to

do the works that is disadvantageous for Katniss as a young woman. For 2 months her mother

couldn’t recover from the shock being left by her husband, she left her children in hunger.

The economic condition forced Katniss to try everything she could to get food, until someday

she decided to go hunt in the woods as her father taught her a long time ago.

I try to assembling this meal myself back home. Chickens are too expensive, but I

could make do with a wild turkey. I’d need to shoot a second turkey to trade for an

orange. Goat’s milk would have to substitute for cream. We can grow peas in the

garden. I’d have to get wild onions from the woods. I don’t recognize the grain, our

own tesserae ration cooks down to an unattractive brown mush. Fancy rolls would

mean another trade with the baker, perhaps for two or three squirrels. As for the

pudding, I can’t even guess what’s in it. Days of hunting and gathering for this one

meal and even then it would be a poor substitution for the Capitol version. (Collins

65)

This evidence from the story shows that Katniss’s economic condition back in District 12

makes her may not be able to have good food without hunting. The family hardly eats good

meals before Katniss took the decision to go hunt in the woods. Only if Katniss does not go to

the woods to do hunting, the family will still be having a hard time to have a proper food.

Indeed she might grow something in her garden but that won’t sufficient to be trade with

meat. Still she needs to hunt to get another source of food and money. The difference between

hunting and gardening here is more on the money it would result; gardening seems get less

money rather than hunting. Based on the theory of culture versus nature by Ortner, hunting

could be seen as a masculine act, because the act of hunting goes under the culture attitude.

Being dominant, become the breadwinner and replace the father’s position in the

family also requires Katniss to make great decision too as the evidence stated before.

Decision-making is something that only one with power could do. Hence by taking such a

decision about what to do for maintaining the economical condition of the family shows that

Katniss has power over the family. Katniss’ mother is a kind of woman who needs a heroine

in her life to help her survive her own life.

We hadn’t had meat in months. The sight of the rabbit seemed to stir something in my

mother. She roused herself, skinned the carcass, and made a stew with the meat and

some more greens Prim had gathered. Then she acted confused and went back to

bed... (Collins 51)

The death of her husband is like the end of her life because her husband is the breadwinner of

the family before Katniss take over the position. She is a loyal housewife who leaves her job

as apothecary to serve to the family (Collins 8) that she could not do anything else but

mourning when the family lost the only one who brings food to the kitchen table. While Prim

is Katniss younger sister, different with Katniss who close to the father, Prim never learn

about hunting with her father. This evidence shows the reason why Katniss is the only one in

the family who has the power to maintain the economical condition of the family. To be

powerful and dominant make Katniss be on top of the hierarchy system in the family. The

family depends on her to stay alive, only if she never took the chance to go hunt the story

would be any sadder.

There is another evidence that shows Katniss as a woman who is portrayed as close to

nature but having patriarchal attitude. The father’s death forces Katniss to replace his position

in the family, makes her inconsistence on her attitude whether she is in favor of maintaining

the nature or cultivating the nature.

Sitting at Prim’s knees, guarding her, is the world’s ugliest cat. Mashed-in nose, half

of one ear missing, eyes the color of rotting squash. Prim named him Buttercup,

insisting that his muddy yellow coat matched the bright flower. He hates me. Or at

least distrust me. Even though it was years ago, I think he still remembers how I tried

to drown him in a bucket when Prim brought him home. Scrawny kitten, belly swollen

with worms, crawling wit fleas. The last thing I needed was another mouth to feed. But

Prim bagged so hard, cried even, I had to let him stay. It turned out okay. My mother

got rid of the vermin and he’s a born mouser. (Collins 3-4)

One reason why women are seen closer to nature than men is because women’s role on the

domestic work, such as nurture their children. The evidence from the story shows that what

Katniss concern about is only how to feed the family member that makes her less “nature”

than her mother and Prim. Her mother and Prim are the perfect depiction of woman with her

domestic roles that makes woman seen closer to nature rather than men. They nurture the

vulnerable cat. The hierarchy system shown here is Katniss as the top of the power pyramid

since she is the one who has the power over the family’s economic system; her sister and her

mother as the second, because they need Katniss to stay alive; and the cat as their pet is the

last, its position is vulnerable only if Prim and the mother do not save her, she might got

killed by Katniss. Katniss is the one who controls what necessary and what is not for the

family. While further evidence from the story on how culture Katniss is, is when there is a

victim from mine accident is brought to her house to be cured by her mom as an apothecary.

He lay on our kitchen table…I got a glimpse of the wound on his tight, gaping,

charred flesh, burned clear down to the bone, before I ran from the house. I went to

the woods and hunted the entire day, haunted by the gruesome leg, memories of my

father’s death. What’s funny was, Prim, who’s scared of her own shadow, stayed and

helped. (Collins 178-179)

How Katniss prefers to hunt and kill animals rather to help her mother to cure the victim,

shows how culture she is in the evidence as stated by Ortner that women’s “ability…to create

life”. Taking care of the mine explosion victim could be categorized as nature attitude since it

is maintaining the life. Otherwise she could not become more nature because the victim of the

mine accident reminds her to the memories when the father is passed away because of the

same reason. Another evidence found in the game when Katniss needs to take care of her

partner, Peeta. There is a changing rules in the game, in order to win the game each District

needs to win as a couple with their partner. Katniss finds Peeta wounded and takes care of

him despite her weakness over wounded body that reminds her over her father’s death.

(Collins 247-288) this evidence shows that regardless of the culture attitude, Katniss shows

her nature side when she has no other option. In order to win the game and go back home to

take care of her own family she needs to cure Peeta.

Despite the way she thinks and acts become more culture after the father passing,

Katniss also shows the nature side of her. While in the game, Katniss makes alley with a little

girl, tribute from District 11 named Rue. Then there is one male tribute that kills Rue and

Katniss kills the male tribute then sings a lullaby for Rue until her last breath. (Collins233-

237) Katniss kills the man, who kills Rue because she is defending Rue and herself. This is

nature attitude to nurse Rue like a mother who sings lullaby for her child before sleep. The

nature attitude comes because of the lost Katniss feels since Rue is the one who reminds her

to Prim and home. The evidence also shows Katniss position as the superior in the top of the

tier. First as when she kills the man who kills Rue, though Katniss is a young woman she

shows her domination by killing the man. Second as she won’t leave the inferior, she needs to

protect Rue and gives comfort for her. Rue asks Katniss to sing to her while she is dying and

Katniss does it.

Women’s domestic roles place them to be closer to nature rather than men, because

men tend to produce something and kill, which makes them culture according to Ortner.

Protecting her family and always be there for the family seem to be her priority of life,

including the reason of the culture attitude. Sometimes the culture attitude comes as the result

of her lost, as shown in the event of one victim from mine accident, the reason why she

prefers to do hunting rather than help her mother taking care of the victim is just because the

victim reminds her to her father, who is died in mine accident too. The culture attitude might

be a result of the impingement of her lost, because by hunting she also could remember her

father in less painful way because it is good memory. While Katniss in the other hand is close

to nature in term of taking care of an infant, Prim and Rue. Hence the story shows how

inconsistent Katniss on her attitude whether she acts culture or nature because of her life

condition.

Apart from the reason why Katniss could become inconsistent on her attitude whether

she acts culture or nature in some conditions, her ability to hunt could not be separated from

the role of her father. “My father knew and he taught me some [hunting skills] before he is

blown to bits in a mine explosion.” (Collins 5) This evidence shows that her father takes part

on Katniss’s culture attitude. As Figes argues that father has the big role in deciding what his

son and daughter will be in society. “Not what she is [as herself want to be], but should be

[what the father want her to be]” support the idea that society has standard on how women

should be, and Katniss’s society starts from her own family that must be ruled by her father.

Social Ecofeminism argues that to end the oppression on both women and nature

people need to change the social hierarchy system and the economic condition (Merchant

194). As her position as the breadwinner of the family and a hunter in society, Katniss is a girl

with power over social hierarchy. As the understanding on the term Social Hierarchy, Katniss

has the “power” over favorable sources, which is food by becoming the breadwinner of the

family and a hunter in society. Katniss’ family approves her power by positioning themselves

as being dependent on her. They make Katniss be the breadwinner of the family and the

society also approve her power by giving a good decent on her hunt in the trading as the

evidence shows “the butcher…named Rooba…she gives you one price, which you can take or

leave, but it’s a fair price. We took her offer on the deer” (Collins 270). Hence the story

shows that Katniss has both power and status in her society.

In her family, when Katniss’s father is passed away and her mother gets shock and

becomes silent, Katniss feels like she is losing both her parents who make her need to be the

head of the family (Collins 26-27). This part of the story shows how Katniss turns into

someone patriarchal that she is on top of the hierarchy system in the family. She takes over

her father’s position in the family as the man’s position. As stated above that power means

one who has domination over favorable sources, the story shows that by becoming the head of

the family she needs to look up the food for the family by hunting in the woods and becoming

the breadwinning of the family that make Katniss has authority over the favorable source that

is food.

Outside the family circle, Katniss might accept the condition that puts her back as the

second tier in the hierarchy system by allowing Gale4 to devalue herself.

“Hey, Catnip,” says Gale. My real name is Katniss, but when I first told him, I had

barely whispered it. So he thought I’d said Catnip. Then when this crazy lynx started

following me around the woods looking for handouts, it became his official nickname

for me. (Collins 7)

The part of the story shows how Katniss lets Gale to devalue her as when he calls her by

“Catnip” instead of her own name. The common view on the hierarchy system in society

would be consisting of men, women, and nature. In society there are these levels of power,

which has men on the top of the pyramid, followed by women and then nature. The power

structure occurs in the situation when Gale calls Katniss by a name calling “Catnip”, it might

seem a simple thing happened to make a twist for the story, but with further analysis name

calling could be a sign of the hierarchy system.

As a man, Gale has this power to do anything he wants, as Figes said, “we are born

into a world where the great discoverers, philosophers, artists and scientists have almost all

been male…even the God perpetuated in tradition…is male. Our whole code of morality is

formulated by men.” (18-19). Men use their own manliness to put power over themselves that

makes them become apathetic with women. In the story Gale does not give attention on

Katniss even he calls her by a name-calling, his man-made name for Katniss. What does name

4 Gale Hawthrone is a boy from the District, a friend, and a hunting partner who Katniss falls in love into.

matter? It matters a lot because name is one’s identity. When someone name calling other,

they do not respect the existence of that other.

Katniss meets Gale for the first time in the wood when they both go hunting. It is

winter when Katniss gets struggling to catch a game because there are not many animals went

out in winter. Then when she goes home she finds a dead rabbit caught by a snare that

belongs to Gale. Since that they both became a friend who share hunting tactics to each other.

(Collins 109-111) those are the fountainhead of their encounter but then Katniss feels

something else.

Gale gave me a sense of security I’d lacked since my father’s death. His

companionship replaced the long solitary hours in the woods. I became a much better

hunter when I didn’t have to look over my shoulder constantly, when someone was

watching my back (Collins 112)

This part of the story shows the reason why Katniss accepts her hierarchy position. The

acceptation of the hierarchy system happens because of the feeling of having back her father

in the existence of Gale near her. It comforts her and replaces the longing of the feeling of

being protected. She puts away her power of domination over the same sources as Gale by

needing Gale’s protection over herself. Nonetheless to be dominant in social hierarchy system

one needs both power and status as stated above, outside the family circle Katniss is still

equally powerful in case of owning the access of sources of food in the District as Gale does,

in term of status Katniss also has it. “’Katniss, it’s just hunting. You’re the best hunter I

know,’ says Gale” (Collins 40) is the evidence of the status that Katniss has. The

acknowledgment of Katniss’s hunting ability, here power, by Gale puts Katniss on top of the

hierarchy system again whereas she underestimates herself and lets Gale devalue her.

The fact that Katniss could use her power and capability in hunting to use nature as a

source of food, support Biehl’s and Merchant’s theories. Katniss’s power here might mean

different by the power in explanation before, here the power is more on the ability of Katniss

as a human to dominate the non-human group because of the oppression by the other human

(the Capitol).

Then when this crazy lynx started following me around the woods looking for

handouts, it became his official nickname for me. I finally had to kill the lynx because

he scared off game. I almost regretted it because he wasn’t bad company. But I got a

decent price for his pelt. (Collins 7)

By killing the lynx she shows her power over non-human group and takes advantage over

nature for her own good. Katniss can always let the lynx alone, but because it bothers Katniss

by following her she shows her power over the lynx, that she could do anything over the lynx

by killing it. These conditions make Katniss become one of patriarchal women who

challenges the common view that men are always on top of the system. The social and

economic condition of her family make Katniss take the decision to go hunt gives her power

over her family and her society that now she is on the dominant tier in the social hierarchy

system, then by hunting Katniss shows her power over the other oppressed group which is

nature. Essence Katniss is the depiction of a woman on power yet she supports the idea that

the social hierarchy and economic condition that oppress humans oppress nature.

5. Conclusion

Katniss is one of powerful woman that could rule her group because of the death of

her father. This could be used by the ecofeminist as the tool to show to the reader how the

cycle of hierarchy power and economic condition give impact to the ecological condition

happening now. As one is oppressed by the higher power above her or him, then she or he

would oppress the lower group. The story also shows the unfair interaction between human

and non-human group, people in all Districts exploit nature by its own districts’ natural

wealth because of the exploitation of the domination of the Capitol. The hierarchy system

between the ruler Capitol and the slaves 12 Districts is the underline problem of the non-

human group exploitation.

From the perspective of Social Ecofeminism, Katniss is seen as a liberated woman.

Katniss might be oppressed by the economic condition and the hierarchy system of Capitol,

but she could fight and dominate the system. Despite her position as a woman with different

capability of physical and biological aspects from man, does not make Katniss be devalued by

the society. Her capability to hunt shows how liberated she is, although she gets the ability

from her father which make her already the product of patriarchy. Her father is the one who

creates the powerful woman, Katniss, as she is in the story.

As the one who support Social Ecofeminism, I agree with Katniss’ decision to take

place the father’s position. This act shows to the reader that women could fight and dominate

the hierarchy system by not accepting the idea of her nature. Though Katniss earns the

position not by questioning or fight for it. Still, by doing her father’s job makes her dominate

the system. Women could choose how they’re existence in society, whether they will be the

weak females who need to be saved, or the heroine. Even though in some occasion Katniss

could be inconsistence with her position in the society, but this is normal for someone that

does not really belong to the position. I am not seeing it as a radical movement that Katniss

should be in one position only. Besides this happen because of her lost of her father.

Acknowledgements

My greatest gratitude is addressed to GOD for His blessing so that I could finish my research.

I would like to give thanks to my super advisor, Purwanti Kusumaningtyas, M.Hum for her

guidance, patience, and kindness to give me advises. I could not accomplish this research

without her guidance. I would also give thanks to my second reader Mrs. Deta Maria, M.Hum

for her suggestions. I would give my special thanks to my parents and brothers for their

support. I am thankful to Asvergi, my momma, my true geng literature, who always with me

side by side until the end. Thanks to Pinus Family, Theodora, Tirza, Alberta, Hezky, Alin,

Clarissa, Allen and last Raisha for the support. Last is for my “Appah” Chrisandy Demmio

for everything.

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