TBOSAS Chapters 6

Not going to lie, I’ve kind of had a difficult time collecting my thoughts for this weeks readings.

It’s really gotten my gears turning to the point that I’ve been doing my own outside research to ensure I’m seeing human nature and the like from what I believe to be the more accurate point of view. And well, there’s some unlearning I’ve had to do. 😅 That and it takes time to fully process the information to be able to put it into action and articulate. So, forgive me for not being as verbose as last week.

I’ve also decided to include some links at the end of this post that I read, since this is where my digging has led me so far.

However, once we hit chapter six, for me at least, the plot really picks up. So while there are plenty of one liners that jumped out at me, as you’ll see below, this post will most likely just include screen shots of my commentary notes throughout the chapters.

Oh and as an example of my own relearning process, I would like to apologize for any criticism I may have made of Sejanus or Lucy Gray I made in my last post. Yes, I still think they could engage their circumstances in a different, dare I say it better, manner. But they are the perpetrators of what I think is a more accurate view on human nature in this book.

Oh and almost forgot, here's the movie trailer, which has spurned on some of my plot theories discussed below. Enjoy!

Chapter 6

If I could sum this chapter in one sentence it would be this: I’m just continuously blown away by how vicious the Capitol citizens are towards the people from the Districts. And how crazy the consequences of their cruelty can be.

And then I remembered the saying “truth is stranger than fiction.” In so many ways Collins has really toned down the cruelty human beings are capable of both in Ballad and The Hunger Games series. I say this because everyday I read the lives of real men and woman who fearlessly endured real and truly unspeakable torments before ultimately meeting their death all for their faith. These martyrs have all become such an inspiration and standard for me to live by, that it got me thinking a little bit more about Ballad in a different light. What if the Districts weren’t afraid of the Capitol? And in spite of the Hunger Games, just didn’t play along? Refusing to fight and/or kill each other, forcing the Capitol to have to step in a do it themselves? Would it have just stopped or resulted in an another revolution sooner? I don’t know, just food for thought.

Chapter 7

Snow’s response to stress and grief throttling him into drawing up the proposal for betting on Tributes and sponsoring them by sending gifts in the arena on his own overnight... Kind of reminds me of someone else. 😏 If only I could write faster, maybe I’d think a little less. 🙃

Dr. Gaul’s snake test! 😱 This woman needs boundaries. But it also shows how much power corrupts people.

Chapter 8

Dr. Gaul’s line about lies are just attempts to cover up weaknesses was 🤯. It takes strength and courage to speak the truth. Got to remember that.

Also once again, I’m still not entirely sure how much Snow and Lucy Gray genuinely like each other. There’s definitely a mutual attraction, but they have also survived by “performing” for others all these years. I see it here and even more prominently in the chapters coming up.

Chapter 9

“High in the air, the bullet-ridden body of the District 10 girl, Brandy, dangled from its hook. Shackled to the truck bed, looking utterly filthy and defeated, were the remaining twenty-three tributes” 😱 This was on display at a funeral.

Chapter 10

Alright, so we go tour the never cleaned arena and a string of bombs goes off, which almost kills Snow if it wasn’t for Lucy Gray coming to his rescue. And aside from more mentors and tributes being dead, and another ghastly scene of Capitol superiority over the Districts at the funeral, the dynamic in Lucy Gray and Snows relationship has changed. Well, sort of. 😏 I still think they’re performing for each other.