Sunrise on the Reaping (A Hunger Games Novel) (The Hunger Games)
Page 73 Review
A Glimpse into District 12: A Review of “We Don’t Do Birthday Cakes”
The opening passage of Suzanne Collins’s “The Hunger Games” offers a poignant and insightful glimpse into the life of Katniss Everdeen and the stark realities of District 12. This brief yet impactful excerpt lays the foundation for the dystopian world we are about to enter, highlighting themes of poverty, sacrifice, and the importance of family. Let’s delve into the nuances of this captivating passage.
The Absence of Celebration: A Reflection of Hardship
The very first line, “We don’t do birthday cakes in my house,” immediately sets a tone of austerity and deprivation. This isn’t simply a matter of preference; it’s a necessity born from the harsh circumstances of their lives. The reason behind this lack of celebration is two-fold. First, it’s considered inappropriate on reaping day, a day of dread and potential loss. Second, it stems from Ma’s sense of fairness:
“Seems wrong on reaping day, and Ma thinks it’s unfair for her and Sid to have a cake if I don’t.”
This demonstrates the inherent sense of equality and selflessness within the family, particularly Ma’s desire to shield Katniss from any additional emotional burden on such a difficult day.
New Year’s Day: A Symbol of Hope and Tradition
In contrast to the somber rejection of birthday cakes, New Year’s Day holds a special significance. It’s a day where the family indulges in a carefully prepared treat, a testament to their resilience and the importance of tradition:
“Instead, she makes something nice for breakfast, like the corn bread and sauce, and saves all of her cake energy for New Year’s Day.”
This sets up a clear distinction between the everyday struggles and the moments of shared joy that the family cherishes.
The Labor of Love: A Mother’s Sacrifice
The preparation for the New Year’s cake is described in meticulous detail, emphasizing the effort and sacrifice involved. Ma starts months in advance, collecting the necessary ingredients:
“She starts setting things aside months in advance: the dried apples, the sorghum syrup, the white flour. The spices — ginger and cinnamon and whatnot — are so costly she buys them in little twists of paper from the Marches’ apothecary.”
The mention of the spices being bought in “little twists of paper” underscores their rarity and expense, further highlighting the family’s limited resources. This meticulous preparation is a clear indication of Ma’s love and dedication to her children. The ingredients are precious, yet she willingly saves them to create a moment of happiness.
The Creation of a Masterpiece: Patience and Anticipation
The baking process itself is a labor of love, requiring patience and careful attention:
“A couple days before New Year’s, she makes the apple filling and bakes the six layers of cake, and alternates them — cake, filling, cake, filling, until it’s in one big beautiful stack. She wraps it all up in a towel so it can rest, and that sweet apple filling soaks into the cake.”
The description of the cake, with its layers and the apple filling soaking in, evokes a sense of warmth and comfort. The act of wrapping the cake in a towel allows the flavors to meld together, symbolizing the family’s unity and interconnectedness.
A Small Window into a Larger World
This short passage is rich with symbolism and foreshadowing. It introduces us to the Everdeen family’s values, their resourcefulness, and the hardships they face in District 12. Through the simple act of baking a cake, Collins paints a vivid picture of a society struggling to survive. The passage showcases the love and resilience of family in the face of adversity, setting the stage for the powerful and compelling story that unfolds in “The Hunger Games.” It demonstrates that even in the darkest of times, there is still room for hope, tradition, and the simple joys of life, epitomized by a meticulously crafted New Year’s cake. The contrast between the stark reality and the cherished traditions sets the tone and primes the reader for the complex emotions and events that are to come.
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Read more: Games Commentary: Strategy, Selflessness, and Survival