KATNISS EVERDEEN (The Hunger Games)
Brief Summary (spoilers)
Strengths: The heroine who survives at all costs. The Mockingjay that defies the Capitol and resembles the rebellion. The protector who creates family wherever she goes. The sister that volunteers. The girl on fire.
Weakness: What comes with being one who is willing to at all costs protect the ones she loves? Sacrifice. Which resembles a weakness if one knows how to use it against her. Unfortunately Katniss is too legit to quit and lives happily ever after with the boy with the bread.
- Courtesy of cns49
Born into poverty in District 12 and essentially orphaned following the death of her father, Katniss was forced to grow up much faster than other District 12 children. Becoming the sole provider of her family, her younger sister Prim and an emotionally unavailable mother, 11 year old Katniss learned to be self-reliant and untrusting of others. These circumstances prompted her to build a wall between herself and everyone else, save her sister Prim-the only person she is certain she loves, and her best friend/hunting partner Gale-the only person she trusts. The unwavering love for her sister is the driving force behind almost all of the decisions Katniss makes, most notably volunteering at the reaping. She is fiercely independent and cannot deal with owing anything to anyone, which makes her relationship with Peeta Mellark so challenging for her. Ever since he gave her the burnt bread when her family was starving she has felt indebted to him. She struggles with the thoughts of having to kill him in the games because of this debt she feels she owe him. However knowing that she is largely responsible for his survival in the games, by the time they enter the Quarter Quell her desire to keep Peeta alive is no longer based on a debt she feels she needs to repay. It is not until she is free from this debt that she can begin realizing her true feelings for Peeta. Even though Katniss is a very strong person, she is still vulnerable. Once she has won her first games and is able to get out of bed and leave her room, the first thing she does is run to Haymitch and throws herself in his arms, which up to this point has been uncharacteristic for her. This shows how even through her tough exterior, she is still just a girl, one who went through a very traumatic ordeal. She is human. Throughout all of the books Katniss is consistently manipulated by someone, constantly playing the role of a puppet, and rarely realizing it. She is weaker than she thinks she is and shuts down a number of times, which brings realness to the character. She ends the series a much weaker person, which is only natural given the trauma she endured. Katniss’s realistic set of weaknesses make her a much more relatable character.
- Courtesy of thgadminjessi
Why we like her
I really like Katniss as a character because I think she is very believable. She has skills that are unusual for someone of her age and situation, but I think it makes perfect sense that she can hunt, and forage and trade. I also like the side of her that loves Prim. One of my favourite things about her is how focused she is on survival. I think this is related to the need she feels to keep Prim alive, but it is also something that comes completely from herself. She does whatever she needs to to get by. My favourite side to Katniss is her in Mockingjay. She goes through such change and developement, to me it’s almost like two different people comparing the Katniss at the start to the Katniss at the end. Throughout the series we see her grow and become both stronger, and more vulnerable. Time and time again, we see her break. We also see put herself back together. – uchihakatniss
I really admire her strength. – Burdge-bug
ALEC LIGHTWOOD (The Mortal Instruments)
Brief Summary (spoilers)
Alexander “Alec” Gideon Lightwood is a Nephilim. Alec is described as having a thin, wiry build and black hair and striking blue eyes.
Alexander Lightwood was the eldest child born to Maryse and Robert Lightwood. Two years after him, his sister, Isabelle Lightwood, was born, and his younger brother Max was born when he was nine. They are related to the Penhallows. When he was eleven years old, Jace Lightwood was adopted into their family, and Alec had an instant liking for Jace and they eventually became parabatai.
Despite their similar looks, Alec is very much the opposite of his sister in the sense that he is self conscious and serious. In the special “Kissed”, Alec is described as straightforward by Magnus and is said to be blunt as it is the only way he knew to be. Clary perceives that Alec appears “uncomfortable in his own skin.” This is possibly due to his fear of admitting to others that he is a homosexual. He convinces himself to believe he is in love with Jace as a way to escape his fear of being hurt by falling for Magnus. Alec is very protective of his family and assumes the most responsibility as the oldest of his siblings. He and Jace are parabatai, meaning that they are warriors who fight together and are closer than brothers.
He seems to pride himself in being allowed into the Court in City of Glass, him being the only one of the Lightwood children to go.
Alec is often soft spoken and serious in most situations. He tries his best to act wisely, and is shown not be as brave as Jace is. Up until later in the story, he had never killed a demon. However this is more because he puts Jace and his sister’s safety before killing demons, frequently putting himself in danger to protect them. He shows himself to be extremely caring of the ones he loves, and is willing to do anything to save them, also he is said to be “easily guilted”. Between the whole group, Alec is the most clever. Alec, as seen in City of Fallen Angels, can also become extremely jealous.
-Courtesy of TheShadowhunters’ Wiki
Why We Like Him
Alec is a fierce young fighter with an old soul. Of The Mortal Instruments teens, he has the most knowledge of the Shadowhunter world and is perhaps the only one with the ability to stop and think things through. He’s mature enough to be treated as an adult, but he’ll still defy authority figures to stand up for what’s right. Alec may be a bundle of conflicted nerves in the first books, but he’s also the first to find love and be his true self, to hell with the consequences! His life may not be easy, but he is still the ever-resilient rock upon which the other characters rely.
I loved uncovering Alec bit by bit, he was lovely to read about- I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic to him. – Burdge-bug
VOTING CLOSES END OF 8/25/12
