The Iliad and The Hunger Games

    Introduction: As the school year goes on, I want to compare the main characters of the books I read to see who would win in a battle. As I read more books, I intend to include more characters in the comparison.

Iliad: The Iliad is a story about the Trojan War. It has many different characters, none of which I would call a “main character.” The story is told from a 3rd person perspective that doesn’t really follow one specific person, instead jumping through the thoughts and experiences of many characters. If I had to pick one main character, I’d say it’s Achilles, but he hasn’t appeared very much in the chapters I’ve read so far (He just gets mad at Agamemnon, complains to his mother, and stays in his tent all day). Therefore, I’ll pick Diomedes, one of the Greek heroes who killed many Trojans and even wounded the gods Aphrodite and more impressively, Ares, god of war, with the help of Athena.

Hunger Games: The Hunger Games is set in a dystopian future America, called Panem, where the rich capital extracts resources and subjugates the districts it rules over. They host the Hunger Games, where one boy and one girl from each district is brought to the capital to be put in an arena to fight to the death. In contrast to the Iliad, the Hunger Games has a very clear main character, Katniss Everdeen. When Prim, her sister, is selected to be district twelves tribute, Katniss volunteers in her place. During the games, Katniss showcases her skill with the bow and arrow, using it both to hunt and against her opponents. She is even able to hit a bag from far away to blow up all the mines protecting the career tributes’ supplies. She also overcomes dangerous injuries, such as being stung by wasps and being sliced by a throwing knife. Eventually, after Cato’s death, she is able to win the Hunger Games alongside Peeta after they threaten to eat poisonous berries. 

Battle: Diomedes, Son of Tydeus, held his weapons at the ready. He held his heavy shield in one hand and a spear in the other. In front of him was not the high walled city of Troy which had held for 10 long years against the Achaeans, but a heavy forest. Though cautious, he felt confident in victory, for the Goddess Athena, who had helped him once before, had told him about his enemy. It was not the Trojans he faced, nor manslaying Hector, but an archer like cowardly Paris. He had faced and killed many brave archers outside Priam’s city. Today he would slay one more.

Katniss felt the weight of her bow in her arm as she raised it upwards, aiming for the armored man as she hid in the dense forest. If her aim was true, then in a few short minutes, the hunger games would be over, and she could go home to her district, to her mother and Prim. Adjusting her aim ever so slightly, she took a deep breath and released the arrow, which flew through the air. Time seemed to slow down as the arrow flew closer and closer to its target, passing between branches and rocks.

Diomedes launched into action as he saw the glimmering arrow, ducking his head downwards. He felt the arrow hit, but luckily, it had missed his head by a quarter of an inch, instead hitting his metal helmet with a clang. He turned towards the direction of the arrow, rushing through trees and bushes. Like a lion in pursuit of its prey, he charged through whatever obstacles lay in his path. Two more arrows flew towards him, but the first hit the tree next to his head, while the other was blocked by the tip of his shield. Finally, he reached his opponent, and a bow was no match against his spear.

Diomedes Wins.

Conclusion: Ultimately, while Katniss was a very capable fighter, nothing she did could compare to Diomedes’ abilities. His armor and shield could protect him from her arrows, and he has done a lot more impressive things, like wounding gods.

    Jaehyun