TBOSAS Discussion Questions Part 2

Once again, as a note to this post, I am answering these questions from my understanding of the world as an Orthodox Christian. Whether you share my worldview or not, I pray that my personal reflections below inspire you to think more deeply about yourself. And how those so-called “insignificant” thoughts truly do impact our world.

1. Why does Coriolanus have such a visceral revulsion toward the mockingjays? What is it that he hates about these birds?
   I think his revulsion is due to his first interaction with them. I mean who wouldn’t be wary of birds that repeat the final words of a dying man in an eerie, inhuman voice? Don’t know about you, but I got chills reading that part of the book. 😅 However, at the heart of Snow’s hatred for these birds is how they spontaneously came to be. Oh, how did he put it? That nature took what the Capitol created and made something that should’ve never existed. Thus mocking not only the Capitol, but him personally. I also think Snow can’t stand seeing a living example of how life is just beyond our control, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You must learn to accept whatever comes your way, determined to love and live rightly regardless.
2. If you are familiar with the original Hunger Games trilogy, how is the world as presented here different from the one you came to know there?
   Far more broken than I imagined. What I mean by that is it seemed like Panem was a well oiled machine that was no longer necessary. Hence the story that ensues in the Hunger Games trilogy. But here in Ballad, I realized that the Panem I thought I knew was really just a gilded shack on the brink of collapse. It brought me more insight to Snow’s conversation with Katniss at the beginning of Catching Fire. Because indeed Panem could’ve been brought down with berries at any point in time. I was just blown away by how much the twisted machinations of one woman’s mind changed the course of Panem’s future, when the nation as a whole was ready to make a change for the better. Sure there were still open sores for both District and Captiol citizens at the time of the 10th Games, but on a whole it seemed most everyone was in agreement that it was time to move on from the Games. Of course, had that happened, we would have no Girl on Fire or Mockingjay, would we?
3. Coriolanus makes a number of choices with fatal outcomes. Did anything about seeing the world from his point of view surprise you? What would you have done in his place?
   I was surprised by how scared and full of himself he was. 😏😂 But I ranted about that in my previous posts on Ballad. Anyway, if I was him I would’ve just swallowed my pride and figured out how to humbly get by. Made genuine connections with people, and in time rise into my own. President or not. But I guess that’s the main difference between Snow and I. I know there’s something beyond myself that’s worth spending a lifetime seeking after. Something that has no material value, but brings me joy and life and love, which are truly more satisfying than anything man or this life alone could give me.
4. Snow is clearly shaped by the war and deprivation that took place before this book begins. Can you pinpoint the forces in your own life that shaped your character?
   Well, as I kind of just mentioned, knowing God really has shaped my character. Through every moment of it, pain and suffering or blissful joy, I know He’s been there helping me work out my salvation with fear and trembling. And I know that I’ve changed for the better. I think it’s changed the world around me too. And I say that in all humility.
5. What meaning do you find in the title The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (particularly with the plurals of songbirds and snakes)?
   The meaning I find in the title is that it goes beyond just the characters in the book. In that there’s a constant pull between the necessary poisons of the powerful and influential people in the world versus the weaker and lesser known. That we can’t completely write each other off, and it’s only by willingly helping each other that we can live in harmony.
6. Margaret Atwood has argued that dystopian fiction isn’t a prediction of the future but an interpretation of the present. Do you see any parallels between the way Capitol operates and the world we live in today? Did any scenes resonate with you and echo your lived experience or our current events? In what ways is our nation like or unlike Panem?
   Yes, I do see the parallels between the Capitol and our world. The us vs them mentality, the excess of materialism, the nationalistic pride, and how much we live in our own little worlds, completely out of touch with reality. The scenes from the book that resonated with me were all the times the Tributes were dehumanized during their stay in the Capitol. The blatant brutality was not only a reminder of all the race wars, shootings and countless violent crimes happening around the world, but how much I’ve personally failed to love the people around me. And I would say that we’re a lot like Panem. We consume violent entertainment, romanticize war, rationalize taking innocent life, vote our problems away in order to remain comfortable and complacent, and don’t take into account the ramifications of all our choices and actions. And well, I’m kind of done playing this game. I don’t want to be a piece in their games... But I guess there are much worse games to play. 😏