Trauma in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games: Mockingjay and Its Film Adaptation

Abstract

This dissertation deals with the theme of trauma, and highlights the different techniques used to represent it in both literature and cinema. This research focuses on Suzanne Collins’ Mockingjay novel, the third part in The Hunger Games trilogy, along with its two film adaptations Mockingjay- Part 1 and Mockingjay- Part 2 as a case study for trauma representation. By following the psychoanalytical approach and Trauma Theory, the study shows how certain narration techniques, in the Mockingjay, introduce the problems of “voicelessness” and “inaccessible memory” to its young adult readers. Indeed, the literary techniques in the novel function as a lens to introduce trauma and its obstacles from a trauma survivor’s perspective. Moreover, the present study seeks to investigate the impact of camera movements, sound and lighting on the viewers of the movies and how it enables them to understand the interior struggle of Katniss, the traumatized protagonist, without her expressing it. Finally, this thesis also highlights the role of literature and film studies at initiating real life discussions about the notions of trauma and healing by explaining how the Mockingjay, Mockingjay- Part 1 and Mockingjay- Part 2 revise the idea that recovery is an immediate process. Instead, Mockingjay –the novel and its adaptation- teaches young adults that healing is a long and challenging journey that requires the survivors to invest time, show understanding, and provide support for each other in order to be able to move on forward.