Self-determination

Self-determination is believing you can control your own destiny. Self-determination is a

combination of attitudes and abilities that lead people to set goals for themselves and to take the

initiative to reach these goals. It is about being in charge but is not necessarily the same thing as

self-sufficiency or independence. It means making your own choices, learning to effectively

solve problems, and taking control and responsibility for one's life. At one extreme of the self-

determination continuum, the most autonomous form of regulation is intrinsic motivation, which

refers to the act of performing an activity for its own sake, out of interest and enjoyment (Ryan

& Deci, 2002, 2017). Practicing self-determination also means one experiences the consequences

of making choices. It involves many attitudes and abilities including self-awareness,

assertiveness, creativity, pride, and problem-solving and self-advocacy skills. To take charge of

your own life, you must be able to set goals, evaluate options, make choices and then work to

achieve your goals.

Katniss represents the girl's power trait of self-determination. She thinks that in order to

achieve her goal, she must put in all of her efforts and remain devoted to it until she succeeds.

Katniss demonstrates her self-determined by taking all the essential steps to achieving her goal.

Katniss needs to survive in the game, and that is what she wants to do. Her behavior

demonstrates her willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve her goals in the game. “I’m

hungry, too, but I don’t dare break into my precious store of crackers and beef yet. Instead, I

take my knife and go to work on a pine tree, cutting away the outer bark and scraping off a large

handful of the softer inner bark. I slowly chew the stuff as I walk along. After a week of the finest
food in the world, it’s a little hard to choke down. But I’ve eaten plenty of pine in my life. I’ll

adjust quickly.” (Collins, Hunger Games, p. 155) It shows how Katniss is determined to find

food for her to relieve her hunger by eating pine bark. “People who are self-determined know

what they want and how to get it. They choose and set goals, then work to reach them” (Wulan ·

2019). It implies that someone who is self-determined will stop at nothing to accomplish their

own goals. In the game, Katniss establishes her own goal of surviving, and she takes the action

of consuming whatever that would enable her to do so. The line "I'll adjust quickly"

demonstrates her will to consume pine bark in order to survive. It is clear that Katniss will stop at

nothing to achieve her objective. For Katniss to achieve her goal of surviving, she is determined

to eat the pine. She is determined to consume it and will force herself to become used to eating it,

even if it will be only through eating the bark of a pine tree.

Katniss's determination in finding food to help her survive “The woods became our

savior, and each day I went a bit farther into its arms. It was slow-going at first, but I was

determined to feed us. I stole eggs from nests, caught fish in nets, sometimes managed to shoot a

squirrel or rabbit for stew, and gathered the various plants that sprung up beneath my feet.”

(Collins, Hunger Games, p. 51). It is clear that Katniss would stop at nothing to get food for her

family and herself in order to live. In the same sense, Katniss sets herself the responsibility of

providing for her family. By doing all it takes to find food, Katniss demonstrates her self-

determination in achieving her objective. Moreover the line “...I was determined to feed us.”,

shows her determination to do anything so her family can eat. Her determination in finding food

to survive also can be seen in her actions which are stealing eggs, gathering plants that sprung up

beneath her feet, etc. Thomas (2019) said that “self-determination requires the mental capacity to
make one's own choices together with the physical capacities and freedom to carry out these

choices”, Katniss shows her mental capacity in making her own decision. When she makes her

own decisions she has to think about all of the consequences and she is willing to take all of the

consequences. The line conveyed the meaning of Katniss as a self-determined woman, when she

is determined to do something, she will risk herself or take the consequences of it. It is her

decision and it is her own responsibility. When she is determined to feed her family, she also

needs to take responsibility for her own determination. Making her own decision demonstrates

Katniss's mental strength. She is prepared to accept all consequences when she takes decisions

on her own. She needs to consider all possible outcomes. The line portrayed Katniss as a self-

determined who will take risks or suffer the consequences when she is motivated to achieve

something. She makes the decision and she is accountable for it. She has to own responsibility

for her own resolve when she is determined to feed her family.

The power characteristic of a girl that is self-determined is represented by Katniss.

Katniss exemplifies how a woman will go above and beyond to achieve her goals in life. She is

also capable of setting her own objectives and has the liberty to do so. Bettis and Addams (2005)

explained that “women within girl power are daring athletes, not silly beauty queens. They are

also independent, fearless and self-determined”. She is determined to do anything in order to

reach her goal. As a woman, Katniss shows her determination by doing whatever she can in

order to survive and nothing can stop her from that. Moreover, she does not let people determine

what should she do. Katniss shows that her life is her own matter, no one can decide or tell her

what to do. She shows that she is determined to do anything to be able to reach her goal and

accomplish it.