Discussing
Katniss Everdeen and Symbolic Values

In Mockingjay Part I, both Katniss Everdeen and Jennifer Lawrence refuse to be a symbol.

Not only a co-opting, but a robbing of his personhood. Christ was reluctant to be attached to a religious faction’s cause (Pharisees, Zealots, Sadducees, etc.) and instead slipped away from crowds, like he did after feeding the 5,000 and they wanted to make him king, a symbol of the prominence of Israel. I can see those parallels in how the rebellion wants to rob Katniss of her personhood in order to make her something people can rally around. She had done something great, like Jesus, and they had a way to gain power through the powerful symbol of what Katniss had done and what she meant to the people. I see, however, how the “prettying” of the Good News of Christ’s incarnation is more relevant for our audiences today. We’re struggling less today with using Jesus as a symbol of forceful power (although, you could say political power is a non-violent form of that) and more often using him as a symbol for comfort and wealth. Hence, Jesus as a light-up lawn ornament.

Yep, lawn ornament indeed. Another one (and movie-related) that came to mind as wrote this: Dogma's Buddy Christ.