Team Peeta

As you guys should know by now, I have some serious love for The Hunger Games trilogy by the brilliant Suzanne Collins. And as you may have guessed, I am Team Peeta. Very much so. Now, don't get me wrong, Gale is an interesting character and he plays a very important role in Katniss' life, but of the two I think Peeta is the better match for her. Let's dissect why I believe that, shall we?

Also,

WARNING

THIS POST CONTAINS SO MANY ***SPOILERS*** FOR THE HUNGER GAMES AND CATCHING FIRE, IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY. DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOKS.

AND ALSO, WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU THINKING NOT HAVING READ THE BOOKS YET? GO OUT AND GET YOURSELF A COPY IMMEDIATELY.

Ahem. Now that that's out of the way...

Let's start with how our two leading men are introduced. Before Katniss' world changes drastically, we have Gale.

There's never been anything romantic between Gale and me... It took a long time for us to even become friends, to stop haggling over every trade and begin helping each other out.

Besides, if he wants kids, Gale won't have any trouble finding a wife... You can tell by the way the girls whisper about him when he walks by in school that they want him. It makes me jealous but not for the reason people would think. Good hunting partners are hard to find. (Both excerpts from Hunger Games, p. 18)

These passages tell me that Katniss depends on Gale and cares for him, but I don't get even a hint of romantic feelings from Katniss. However, I think it's clear that Gale loves Katniss, and I think on some level she knows this, even before he kisses her in book 2.

I believe that a great deal of Katniss' internal conflict choosing between Peeta and Gale is because she knows Gale loves her, and while she may not feel the same way, she cares for Gale a great deal and does not want to see him in any pain. Gale is also very close to her and very close to her family. Their relationship would be a "smart" match, as they compromise and get along well with each other for survival. But what if they didn't live in a world where people married so they could better survive?

Then Peeta is introduced as his name is pulled from the jar. And Katniss initially freaks out.

Oh, no, I think. Not him.

Why him? Then I try to convince myself it doesn't matter. (Both from Hunger Games, p.26)

But clearly it does matter. A little bit later, we have Peeta and Katniss being set on fire for the parade. They make a deal to rip off each other's capes before they burn to death, they laugh about Haymitch not being near open flames, and they hold hands as their chariot takes them around the loop. And at the end, Peeta compliments her.

"I'm sure they didn't notice anything but you. You should wear flames more often," he says. "They suit you." And then he gives me a smile that seems so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that unexpected warmth rushes through me. (Hunger Games, p. 72)

After this passage Katniss reminds herself that Peeta is planning to kill her, and that they are enemies. But isn't it odd that she has to remind herself? It seems to me that she's already warming up to him.

When Katniss first meets Gale, they act like enemies, they act like they are in competition, though there's enough wildlife to go around. When she meets Gale she is not in a situation where it is certain that only ONE of them will survive. It's not a competition. And still, they have a hard time learning to work together.

But with Peeta, it IS certain that only one will survive. It is a competition. But before they even get to the arena, Katniss and Peeta are becoming friends.

Peeta takes off his jacket and wraps it around my shoulders. I start to take a step back, but then I let him, deciding for a moment to accept both his jacket and his kindness. A friend would do that, right? (HG p.83)

Once in the arena, Katniss and Peeta risk their lives over and over again to save one another. Peeta teams up with the Careers to keep Katniss safe. Katniss goes to the "feast" to get Peeta medicine. When Katniss and Peeta are away from one another collecting food and Peeta does not return Katniss' signal right away, she freaks out. She's upset and yelling-- she's scared. She thought she lost Peeta, and that terrified her more than Cato does.

At the end of Hunger Games, Katniss refuses to leave the arena without Peeta. If her and Peeta don't leave together, then neither wants to. So they eat the berries, hoping the gamemakers will save them both, but if they don't, they both would rather have no victor than be the lone victor of District 12.

I think a lot of what Katniss feels for Peeta in the first book confuses her more than anything. She shouldn't be feeling for this boy-- this boy she barely knows, this boy she has been pitted against in a battle to the death. I think Katniss convinces herself that the romance is not real, that her feelings aren't real because she doesn't know how to deal with her feelings if they are real.

How can she manage loving someone so much when they could be killed at any moment? It's the same reason she doesn't want to have children. She doesn't want to love anyone because then they can be taken away from her. Loving someone opens her up to possibility of pain and heartbreak.

I want to tell him that he's not being fair. That we were strangers. That I did what it took to stay alive, to keep us both alive in the arena. That I can't explain how things are with Gale because I don't know myself. That it's no good loving me because I'm never going to get married anyway and he'd just end up hating me later instead of sooner. That if I do have feelings for him, it doesn't matter because I'll never be able to afford the kind of love that leads to a family, to children. And how can he? How can he after what we've just been through?

I also want to tell him how much I already miss him. But that wouldn't be fair on my part. (HG p. 373)

Then...

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Peeta extend his hand. I look at him, unsure. "One more time? For the audience?" he says. His voice isn't angry. It's hollow, which is worse. Already the boy with the bread is slipping away from me.

I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go. (HG p.373-374)

Now let's get to why I don't think Gale is good for Katniss. Someone on Team Gale argued that Gale is a man, whereas Peeta is a boy. Gale hunts and works himself half to death to support his family. He's super protective of Katniss. But he's also possessive over her. Gale is a very strong character, I will say that much, but just because he assumes responsibilities like an adult, doesn't mean he is one.

In book 2, when Katniss suggests running away from District 12 to Gale, he is all for it. Laughing, hugging Katniss, telling her he loves her. Until he finds out Katniss wants to bring Peeta along as well. Gale gets all scowly and snappy at Katniss. His mood changes in an instant.

Then, when Katniss is thrown back into the arena with Peeta, we have someone showing true love for her. Peeta plans to protect Katniss no matter what. He plans to die for her so that she can go home. To Gale, if he is what makes her happy.

I realize only one person will be damaged beyond repair if Peeta dies. Me. (CF p. 352)

Peeta truly loves Katniss, and wants what is best for her, what makes her happy. Even if that's not him. Gale cares for Katniss too, but his love is selfish. He wants Katniss for himself, he doesn't want to share.

This is getting rather long, so I'll present my final argument:

In book 1, Katniss is brainstorming how to act as though she is in love with Peeta.

Never having been in love, this is going to be a real trick. I think of my parents. The way my father never failed to bring her gifts from the woods. The way my mother's face would light up at the sound of his boots at the door. The way she almost stopped living when he died. (HG p. 261)

And then at the end of Catching Fire, something horrible happens. President Snow has captured Peeta, and Katniss is feeling helpless because there's no way she can rescue him. So what does she do?

I give up. Stop speaking, responding, refuse food and water. They can pump whatever they want into my arm, but it takes more than that to keep a person going once she's lost the will to live. I even have a funny notion that if I do die, maybe Peeta will be allowed to live. (CF p. 389)

Hmm, isn't that how her mother reacted when her father died? Seems like Katniss fell in love after all.

Of course, I have a great deal more to say on the topic, so feel free to carry on the discussion in the comments.

Are you Team Peeta, or Team Gale? Why?

I'm especially interested to hear from those who favor Gale. Give me your best argument. Show me your reasoning. You probably won't convert me, but I'd love to hear your take on it all!

Cheers,
Kat