I would like to focus on how Katniss is characterized in The Hunger Games; clearly, she defies the stereotypical female in this book. I, particularly, like that she is portrayed as cold-hearted and guarded. Her demeanor is quite similar to mine, so I relate to her trust issues, as well as her survival instinct. However, it is not as if she were raised as a boy or to be masculine in any way-her personality and character is all a response to her childhood and the environment around her. Katniss, in fact, IS the "typical" girl. And when I say typical I mean what society deems as the quintessential female gender role. As far as we know, Katniss grew up with a loving mother and father that dressed, treated and raised her as such, up until her father died of course. Because of such a traumatic tragedy, Katniss had to grow up quickly, taking on the role that her father had played. Her mother's incapacity forced her to fend for herself and her little sister, but this is also a "mothering" role. Katniss seems to do a very calculated balancing act of gender behavior throughout  the book, to please the audience, in my opinion. And I don't mean just the Gamemakers; this includes everyone reading the book. She uses her intelligence, wit, perseverance, and hunting skills as a means to defeat her opponents--although never truly stepping out of her female gender role. Those attributes have been attached to only men or "masculine" women--only recently has that line between society-based gender roles begun to dissolve. And this book is a great example. I do admire that fact, however, I feel there is still quite a way to go in erasing the lines that separate us based on gender. Katniss, seemingly, takes on this incredible, death-defying challenge by herself, with no help from another, especially a man. She is all on her own, in unknown territory, fighting for her own survival, and does a pretty damn good job doing it. She fights terrifying weather and terrain, not to mention people trying to kill her; yes, I'd say that's very admirable. Unfortunately, in swoops a man(Peeta)to-at the very least-help and/or protect her. Why? Why couldn't Katniss do this all on her own? In fact, she had an alliance with Rue, why did she need more help? Because there needed to be a romantic involvement. Well, that is one answer anyway. I guess another answer could be that there needs to be a man involved in the winning of this story, which brings me back to the first answer: romance. I think, for some reason, it is necessary for there to be a budding romance in all coming-of-age novels, because somehow that is what captures the attention of ALL ages. I wonder why that is though. Is that why everyone is preoccupied with gender characterization? Because that is what we all yearn for? To find love with the opposite sex(or same sex if homosexual)? And so, in order to do so, we need a clear definition of gender; this is because anything other than heterosexuality is frowned upon, or considered taboo. And although we are further than we have been in the past, regarding homosexuality, society has not accepted it as a whole. Therefore, it remains an issue, and obviously something that can't be disregarded when writing a novel aimed at pleasing the present-day audience. I have a feeling that is why Collins has this romance between Peeta and Katniss included in her novel. Almost everyone wants to fall in love; this is something everyone can relate to. But why isn't the romantic part of this story between two men, or two women, or a transgender and a man, or woman? All questions point back to our societal view.