Lucy Gray Baird and Katniss Everdeen : representation of women in Hunger Games

This article explores the representation of women in the novels of Suzanne Collins, 'The Hunger Games' trilogy (2008-2010) and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020) via a comparative analysis of the two main heroines, Katniss Everdeen and Lucy Gray Baird. Due to the success and the cultural impact of the Hunger Games dystopian universe, it is important to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the heroines who came to represent the current cultural trend for strong female main characters in Young Adult novels. This work utilizes feminist literary frameworks and analyses previously done in studies of 'The Hunger Games' universe to highlight the underlying feminist messaging of the books, as well as aims to demonstrate the parallels and differences between the heroines. Specific focus is on their gender presentation, constructed personalities, feelings of identity, performing roles and the effect their respective backgrounds have on the narrative.