Peeta Mellark | The Ultimate Hero

Recently in English sessions at uni we've been looking at talk for learning, so we were asked to write and present a talk. As I'm studying to become a primary school teacher this was no ordinary English talk. The topic of the presentational talk was 'your favourite hero or villain from children's literature'. Could it be any better? Naturally I jumped in with a Young Adult book, and was spoilt for choice. 

I picked Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games as my hero, and I thought I'd share my talk with you for your reading pleasure.

A lot of people think of the hero within The Hunger Games trilogy as Katniss, the star of both book and film. But for me Peeta is Suzanne Collins unsung hero. He's right there beside Katniss in both games, she gets all the praise for volunteering in the first games, but he volunteers too! He's even missing a leg, yet for him staying with Katniss and protecting her is far more important, he'll do anything to keep her safe.

But then Snow gets a hold of him, and he stops being the Peeta we all know and love. He's replaced by a boy that is terrified of Katniss. The love gone, hijacked with hatred. And that's perhaps the saddest part of Peeta's life, not that his love for Katniss goes unreturned, but that when she finally does realise that she loves him, it's too late.

Despite being hijacked and morphing into a very different Peeta, he stops Katniss's attempt at suicide and overcomes his newfound fear to build a life with her.

Katniss does very little to aid or plan the revolution, she's the figurehead with no control or power, and in fact she really wanted nothing to do with it.

But Peeta is the hero from day one, he takes a beating from his mother to save Katniss's life, he gives her bread when she is starving. Yet for him he didn't do enough,

"I should have gone to you. I should have just gone out in the rain"

Peeta is truly altruistic, putting the needs of others before his own, making him a true hero.

He's "the dandelion in the spring, the promise that life can go on".

So there it is, some of the many reasons I love Peeta Mellark so much. Who would you pick as your favourite hero or villain from children's literature? Let me know in the comments! If you're new to the blog then I'd love you to follow me on Bloglovin'!