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In Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games the main character, Katniss, has two love interests. The first is her life-long friend Gale, and the second is the son of a baker who she met while fighting in the arena. Fans of The Hunger Games argue over which boy is the better match for Katniss, but really, they are both two very different characters who each have good qualities.

Gale is Katniss’ best friend. He’s known her since she was really young, and has helped take care of her and her family for many years. He’s very tough because of the fact he had very little and had to provide for families from a very young age. He loves the outdoors, and has a cold, icy personality like Katniss, at least on the outside. Once someone gets on his bad side, he’s not very forgiving. He’s strong willed and very smart, but he’s a little hot-headed and reckless, and likely to just charge right into something without thinking about it. Mostly he hates the Capitol, and would fight to destroy them no matter what the odds. Inside though, he can be kind and compassionate, and a very good friend. He can hunt very well. Gale is also tall, dark, and almost every girl is in love with him. Although he starts out as just a friend to Katniss, by the end of the series it seems like there could be something more between them.

Peeta is almost the complete opposite of Gale. He is someone Katniss met and teamed up with when they were both trying to stay alive in the Hunger Games arena. His father was a baker, so he had always lived a much more comfortable lifestyle then the rest of District 12, and was less accustomed to having to fight for his food and defend himself. He is a nice, compassionate person, but he shows it to everyone that meets him. Also, when Peeta is angry, it’s very easy for him to lose his temper. He’s very open about everything and shows his emotions all the time. He has a talent for speaking and painting, and decorating cakes. Because he is so caring, he can be very ignorant and naïve about some things and the ways of the world. He’s not an outdoorsy person at all, but he can fight if he has too. Peeta is average sized and blonde. He’s had a crush on Katniss since he was very young, and since he’d saved her life on many occasions, she felt indebted to him and started to fall in love with him.

The main similarity between Gale and Peeta is that they both love Katniss and they would do anything to keep her alive. Other than the fact they both grew up in the same district, they don’t really have anything in common.

Peeta and Gale are complete opposites in every way. Looks, personalities, the way they carry themselves. They are two different people, but they are both examples of good people. A person that had both the qualities of Gale and Peeta balanced out right would be pretty much perfect. 

When my family and I visited Maine, we came across a little article in a local newspaper that suggested some words and expressions that visitors should use if they wanted to fit in with the natives and speak like  “Mainahs”. My children ended up taking the list and writing a little story, and they thought it was fun. I guess it made a good writing prompt. It occurred to me that the same idea could be used to do a larger study of vernacular in other regions or states, especially if you're on the road. Add some recordings of people speaking in the various accents, (which can probably be found on the Internet), and it could make a fun multimedia project.  

Maine-iacs

Ayuh. We were on our way to look at a prospective property that was located down the road apiece. When we got there, we all got out of the cah, went up to the dooryard, and were startled by a large, menacing-looking crittah, which turned out to be a bug. Trying to avoid the cunnin’ crustacean, gawmy James tripped over a pot and fell, skinning his prayer handle. At that moment, an old salt swung open the steel, basement doors, ascending the stairs rapidly, and giving us all a start.

"Ayuh. There's the bug!" With a swift, deft movement that belied his ancient look, the man scooped it up, and plopped it into a steaming cauldron. "My, won't that taste wicked good with some steamers and a scrid of crusty bread!"

The man looked up then, as if he finally realized we were all standing there. "Oh, hello. Come to see my house, have you? Well, why don't you stay awhile and have some supper?" He proceeded to offer Leah a scrid of the bug. "Ewww," she responded, with a look of distaste. "We were on our way to I-Hop, and now you've totally chowdahed up my appetite."

The old man shook his head, laughing. "Maine is a state of the finest kind. But people from away really seem kinda numb."

Word Key:

Ayuh: Yup. Sure. Okay. That's right. You Bet.

Apiece: An undetermined distance: He lives down the road apiece.

Cah: A four wheel vehicle, not a truck.

Crittah: Any furry animal

Bug: Lobster

Cunnin': Cute

Gawmy: Awkward or clumsy

Prayer Handle:Knee

Wicked: Very. To a high degree, such as wicked good, wicked bad, wicked exciting, etc.

Steamers: Clams

Scrid: A tiny piece

Chowdahed Up: ruined

Finest Kind: The very best

From Away: Not from Maine

Numb: Dumb. Stupid

​Supplement: Survivor Sarah:  (on location, Mount Desert Island, Maine)

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