Why Peeta Mellark is NOT a Mary Sue.
I’ve seen comments online from many people who’ve read The Hunger Games describe Peeta Mellark as a… dare I say it? A “MARY SUE.” Usually, you would think our main character, the ever so delectable Katniss Everdeen would be called out as a “MARY SUE.” I mean, there are a few times where she does cross the line of Mary Sue territory. However, we forgive our heroine because it’s evident in all three books that she’s got guts to make people pay attention to her (hence why she becomes the Mockingjay) and she’s also got her cons to go along with her pros. She’s stubborn and impatient. She wants things done her way. She doesn’t know how to make friends. She can be perceived as “too cold” to others (seriously, not once has it crossed my mind that she is affectionate with others). Hell, even a kiss she gives to either Peeta or Gale without the intentions of fooling others feels FORCED. I mean, sure her name is RIDICULOUS, but not ridiculous in a Mary Sue kind of way. She’s named after roots! Nothing glamorous about roots IMO.
Peeta Mellark is a whole different story. Whereas Katniss opens up and shows us how she’s like and what she thinks and does and feels, we can only see how Peeta is through her eyes alone. If we were to read the Hunger Games through Peeta’s point of view, we would get a feel of how he can really be without the bias of other characters. Katniss may not outwardly gives us Peeta’s flaws. Maybe through her point of view, Peeta has no flaws. Or he probably does, but they might not be a bothersome to Katniss after all.
But wait! Before you give up on our perfect little angel, Peeta Mellark really does have flaws! Katniss doesn’t have to tell us what they are—she in fact, shows us indirectly what Peeta’s imperfections are. First, let’s list the positive qualities about Peeta. He is a kind person. He’s very caring and generous. He has a good sense of humor. Very polite and well-spoken. Artistic. Wouldn’t want to cause harm to others. Very likeable and has a way with words. Has a pure heart. And he bakes! *swoons* Surely, all those qualities point towards his unavoidable doom being labeled as a Mary Sue. Cause, you know, that’s very unrealistic for a person to have all of those qualities in real life.
Actually, it’s really not. I personally know someone who is JUST LIKE Peeta. May not be artistic and capable of even baking a potato, but he is a very kind person. He doesn’t like to be angry, so he never is. He doesn’t raise his voice. Loves to help out others. Pretty agreeable. Very generous and caring. Also really likeable to everyone he meets (at least, that’s what all of our friends can agree on). It might be highly rare to come across someone like him, but it’s not UNLIKELY.
Just because those two seem like they’re idealistically human, doesn’t mean they don’t have their bad sides. This person I know HAS flaws, but we’re not focused on him right now. Peeta is who we’re trying to disprove as a Mary Sue here. And do you know why he’s not perfect? Because Peeta Mellark, ladies and gentlemen (drum roll please)…
HAS NO BALLS.
That’s right. I said it. And c’mon, you know I’m right. Our lovable little scamp Peeta has NO BALLS. I don’t mean he literally has like, nothing but a wiener down there, but in the metaphorical sense of being a wuss. He confesses to Katniss he’s been in love with her. Ever since they were like, what, eight? All that time he’s seen her throughout the years and not ONCE has he ever approached her. Not even to say hi. Just to throw her some burnt bread later on, but when she’s obviously on the verge of dying though.
Sure, he’s still got confidence. But not enough to put Katniss in her place. “Listen, I don’t need this from you. If you have feelings for someone else, don’t play with mine and pretend like something might just happen between us. I’m not your puppet,” Peeta tells me in the most serious tone I’ve ever heard from him. I wanted to give him a sarcastic response, reassuring him nothing will ever happen between us anyway. Just to put him in his place. Actually, he’s put me in my place, if anything. I find myself without any words, agreeing to what he’s told me. I won’t give him the satisfaction of letting him know though.
So, instead, I fucked his brains out.
Just kidding! Oh, could you imagine if this actually came out of Hunger Games? But it didn’t though. Because Peeta is a fucking pussy and he can’t take charge like that. And that is a tragic quality for any man to have. I mean, sure, he’d rather proclaim his love to everyone in the world, but he doesn’t proclaim his love to the person who matters the most.
On top of that, he’s dependent on Katniss for surviving. He can only bake and paint pretty flowers, awww sooo cute. Put him in the woods without help from Katniss or anyone else and he’s probably a goner. He NEEDS this girl to stay alive. He’d be too vulnerable and weak without her. If it weren’t for Katniss informing him the berries he was gathering were poisonous, he would’ve not even showed up in both Catching Fire and Mockingjay. A pretty scary world without our precious Peeta to comfort us from the nightmares, right?
See? It may not be a whole lot of flaws, but these are definitely major flaws you cannot ignore once they’re put out on the table like that. Don’t get me wrong, I love Peeta. Always have. Even though he doesn’t have a lot of guts and would probably get himself killed on a stranded island, he’s still a cool character. Remember, don’t close yourself to the fact that people like him do not exist. They sure do, believe me.
At least Peeta doesn’t have a flock of fan girls following him. Or any awesome superpowers. Or is exceptional with any kind of weapon (unless you count a paintbrush or an oven). If anything, Finnick Odair is Mary Sue material!! I mean, more so than Peeta or Katniss would ever be. Just look at that guy. Or imagine him. Sexy as hell? Everyone wants to bag? Really bad-ass with a trident? I can’t even conjure any flaws for this fucking guy. And yet, us Hunger Games fans are head over heels for him. But not Peeta cause he’s a “MARY SUE.” Oh yeah, makes sense.