With so much hype surrounding this week's release of The Hunger Games, those unfamiliar with Suzanne Collins' novels (on which the film is based) may well be wondering who on earth Katniss Everdeen is? Her name is mentioned in almost every article about the forthcoming movie, which is expected to perform astonishingly well at the box office this weekend.
Katniss Everdeen is the central character in this, the first instalment of the Hunger Games' franchise. She's played by the Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Lawrence, who has spoken about her admiration for the character. In the movie, Katniss volunteers to replace her sister, Primrose, when Primrose's name is called out to take part in Reaping Day, an event in which one boy and one girl is selected to fight to the death, in a televised battle. Katniss takes part in the contest, alongside Peeta Mellark. She uses her knowledge of hunting and archery to survive and eventually becomes a symbol of rebellion, thwarting the governing Capitol' attempts to force then to kill each other.
The Hunger Games has already drawn much comparison to Twilight, mainly for being aimed at a similarly aged audience. Many have commented, though, that the character of Katniss Everdeen is far stronger than the female lead in Twilight, Bella Swan. Lawrence herself has said that she wants young female audiences to connect to Katniss by understanding that she's loyal, she told the National Post, "She fights for what's right. And she's not quiet when something's wrong."