Amidst our world today, we fail to realize that things are changing all around us every second of every day. The renowed book and now prized film, the Hunger Games, pictured a dystopian society recognizing our future if we fail to change in the right direction. Most people have read the book as 100 million copies have been sold globally, but we’ve all wondered, was there more? What sparked the hunger games? What led people to behave like animals, enjoying kids being sent to slaugheter each other and fight to the death? 

Well, the old movie trilogy was portrayed in the point of view of Katniss Everdeen, a female tribute, 16 years of age, from District 12. She and the other male tribute from District 12, Peeta Mellark are sent to participate in the 74th annual Hunger Games and for the first time, two tributes have been crowned victor, a mistake that will not be repeated. They go on to fight againnst the capitol and overthrow the president, due to the dictatorship that was taking over the nation, “Panem.”

In the new book/movie, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”, a tribute from District 12 named Lucy Gray Baird is chosen to fight in the 10th Annual Hunger Games. You can already start to see some obvious differences between the two books/films. You would think the book would be through her perspective, but instead, it is from Corniolanus Snow, current capitol student, and future dictator of Panem as we see in the later trilogy. This book slowly captures his descent into a power hungry lifestyle and features a love interest between him and tribute, Lucy Gray, as he does everything and anything to keep her alive in the arena, even if it means risking his life. The more he descends into chaos, the more he pushes her away into a mystery that will haunt him for the rest of his life. 

Now here’s the real question you’ve all been waiting for, Lucy Gray Baird or Katniss Everdeen? Well, you have to understand that both their Hunger Games experiences had been different, considering the significant amount of time that passed between them. During the 10th Hunger Games, the tributes were kept in a monkey exhibit at the zoo with no food for days, no beds, and ridden with bugs. They were beaten and by the time the games started, 10 were already dead. Meanwhile during the 74th Hunger Games, the tributes were given a penthouse, proper meals, huge rooms with clean clothes, and a proper training arena. Most tributes were lethal and others were cunning. This can reflect on both their personalities as well, considering Katniss is stronger, has more knowledge of her surroundings, and prepared to win. Meanwhile, Lucy Gray is agile but not strong, delicate and carries her power through her voice as opposed to fists and weapons. Both, however, have a sense of kindness and loyalty which you can see with their adjoining District 12 tributes. They have both been referenced in each other’s book, Katniss as a plant in the Ballad, and a previous district 12 victor in the trilogy. Overall, they were thrown into difficult situations and did the best with what they had, but I think Katniss Everdeen would be my favorite, just because of her independence but they are both respectable people.