Hunger Games: Plot
What yearly event gives the story its name, and why is it held?
The Hunger Games is a televised fight to the death between 24 tributes. The Capitol uses it to punish the districts for a past rebellion and remind them of its power.
Why does Antonio borrow money from Shylock?
Antonio’s ships are at sea, and he needs money so Bassanio can court Portia.
What does Katniss value most?
Family and loyalty — she risks everything for Prim and for her friends.
What drives Shylock’s anger?
Years of being insulted and treated as less than human for being Jewish.
What emotion connects both stories at the start?
fear
What brave choice does Katniss make at the Reaping, and why?
he volunteers to take her sister Prim’s place, showing love and self-sacrifice. It’s the moment that defines her courage and sets the story in motion.
What are the terms of the bond?
If Antonio fails to repay the loan on time, Shylock may cut a pound of Antonio’s flesh.
How is Peeta different from other tributes?
He’s kind, artistic, and refuses to let the Games turn him into a killer — he wants to stay himself.
How does Portia show intelligence and courage?
She solves the riddle of the caskets and outsmarts trained lawyers in court — proving women can be wise and brave.
Q: Both Katniss and Portia pretend to be something they’re not. Why?
Katniss fakes love to survive; Portia dresses as a man to save Antonio. Both use disguise to gain control in unfair systems.
How does Katniss use symbols and strategy to survive?
She pretends to love Peeta, allies with Rue, and uses the Mockingjay symbol to win sympathy. Her survival depends on clever thinking, not just fighting.
How does Portia save Antonio in court?
Disguised as a lawyer, she argues Shylock can take his pound of flesh but no blood, using the law to trap him.
How does Rue influence Katniss?
Rue reminds Katniss of Prim and shows her that unity and compassion are stronger than violence. Her death sparks Katniss’s rebellion.
What lesson does Antonio learn by the end?
.
That mercy is powerful — but also that prejudice and pride can destroy compassion
Q: Which character in either story shows true bravery without violence?
Peeta — stands by his morals; Portia — uses wisdom instead of weapons.
What rule change near the end changes everything?
The Capitol says two tributes from the same district can win—but reverses it later. Katniss and Peeta threaten suicide with berries, forcing the Capitol to declare them both victors.
What happens to Shylock after the trial?
He loses his wealth and is forced to become a Christian — a punishment that feels harsh rather than fair.
What does the Capitol represent?
It symbolises greed, control, and entertainment built on suffering — a warning against losing our humanity.
What theme connects money and friendship?
A: True friendship, like Antonio’s for Bassanio, shouldn’t depend on wealth — yet money causes most of the conflict.
Q: What do both stories suggest about fairness?
Rules often protect the powerful — real fairness depends on compassion and courage, not law or money.
Why is the berries scene such a powerful ending?
It turns the Capitol’s own game against it. Katniss chooses defiance over obedience, showing that dignity and love can defeat cruelty.
How does the ending raise questions about justice?
Antonio lives, but Shylock is ruined. The Christians celebrate, yet mercy and fairness seem forgotten — showing that “justice” can depend on who has power.
Why is sacrifice central to the story?
Nearly every act of love costs something: Katniss risks her life for Prim, Peeta for Katniss, Rue for friendship. True survival comes through compassion, not cruelty.
Q: How does the play question who deserves mercy?
A: The Christians preach mercy but show little to Shylock, suggesting that justice isn’t always moral or equal.
Q: Choose one innocent victim from each text. How does their suffering expose injustice?
Hunger Games: Rue’s death shows how innocent lives are lost for entertainment.
Merchant of Venice: Shylock’s forced conversion shows cruelty disguised as justice.
Both reveal that systems built on power, not mercy, destroy the weak.