Like many, I too have been enthralled with the The Hunger Games.  The books have addictive qualities.  Short, cliff hanging chapters which means it takes great resolve to put them down. I would tell myself, “Just one more chapter and then I’ll do the laundry.”  Not so. Clothes remained unwashed in a pile which only increased in size. (Warning:  The books are addictive.) What is even better is; the movie did not disappoint. (I already can’t wait for the sequel!)

Reading the trilogy I was struck by the idea of the symbol of the mockingjay pin that the main character, Katniss Everdeen wore into the arena and what the mockingjay soon began to symbolize.  The mockingjay was a bird (crossbred in the sci-fi world) that could echo the notes of a song and offer it back to the listener with more depth and clarity.  In the arena the mockingjay unites allies and calls out warnings. Later in the series it became a symbol to unite and empower people to work together for their freedom.

Part of the beauty and attraction of Katniss (to me, anyway) was the fact that she was willing to live within the tension of the unknown.  Not an easy space to inhabit.  She did not always have an answer to her questions and she would remain in that place with her questions until she had some clarity. Often her questions were internalized, not vocalized, and sometimes the questions swirled inside her head space for a really long time.  The book (and movie) identifies how complicated and confusing relationships can be at times. Often this is the reality of life outside the pages of a book or the set of a movie.  People (and characters) change and are often not what they seem.  Lessons from the mockingjay: explore the song echoing in your heart and be willing to explore the unknown.

Mralayne Whitlock, LAPC
mwhitlock@ GROWcounseling.com