Recently I was telling a friend that I had some free time and was looking forward to reading a book of my own choosing. I read a lot but lately most of my reading has been work related. She immediately asked me if I had read The Hunger Games. I told her I had already read it and she moved on to other suggestions. Actually, The Hunger Games has been the object of a lot of discussion these days among my friends. It got me thinking about famous (or infamous)  crossover movies like “Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man” and “Alien Versus Predator.”  How would Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Katnis Everdeen from The Hunger Games stack up against each other? Actually, I really am not promoting a fight between the two but I do have some thoughts about which character best represents integrity in the face of devastating adversity.  I will try to have this discussion without giving away too much of the plots for those who have not read either triology.

Both of these characters are young women who have experienced significant tragedies. Both resort to an extreme level of violence in order to extricate themselves from horrendous situations. Both have mothers who have been dramatically impaired by life’s events in ways that forces them to fend for themselves. Both have other people looking out for their interests, even though they both sometimes (often) resist and resent that help. They both champion causes but in very different ways. They both have troubled romances. They both have a basic desire to be left alone to live their life in peace.

However, I believe there are some critical ways in which they are different and in most of these differences I find Lisbeth superior.

Although they are both deeply scarred by childhood events, Lisbeth seems more able to keep from hurting innocent people by her actions. She is concerned about people in general, not just people who care about her. She could have run away and enjoyed life elsewhere but chose to stay and make things right. Katniss chose to stay rather than run but less out of a motive for greater good and more because she couldn’t figure out how to take everyone along. It is possible, if Lisbeth had more people who cared about her and about whom she cared she might have made different choices. However, she could have easily walked away and she did not.

By the end of the triology Katniss seems to have become numb to her own violent actions. She rages against the loss of people she loves but murders an innocent person in that person’s kitchen without any thought to that person’s life and loves. While some innocent people get hurt as a result of Lisbeth’s actions, she tries very hard to divert danger from others. Lisbeth is sniper like in her actions whereas Katniss sprays violence all around.

While they both embody a toughness and resilience that is admirable, Lisbeth seems more real in her self directed anger. Katniss seems willing to blame everyone but herself for most events. Lisbeth is  more likely to call things what they are and move on. Katniss’ anger is unspoken and unresolved.

Okay, this really hasn’t been about who would win in a fair fight. And honestly, I don’t care about the answer to that. But I do know if I was looking for a fictional friend I would bet all my kronor on Lisbeth.