Lois H. Gresh

We have 10 copies of The Hunger Games Unofficial Companion to giveaway!

So you've read the books at least five times and now you're gagging to watch the film, but the film's not coming till March!! So in the meantime swot up on all things Hunger Games and make the wait a little less painful with the Hunger Games Companion.

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In Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games, President Snow is the ruler of Panem. He is responsible for the creation of the Hunger Games. Author of The Hunger Games Companion Lois H. Gresh asks whether Snow and his cronies fit the bill of psychopaths . . .

A psychopath is quite different from someone who is psychotic. The psychotic person suffers from severe mental disorders that are probably caused by biological factors. For example, schizophrenics can be confused, they have delusions and hallucinations. They tend to be withdrawn, depressed, and anxious.

The psychopathic person, as defined by doctors, has a disorder of character or personality. These people are lucid, they do not hear voices or see things that don’t exist. They can be quite charming. They do not suffer from increased angst, depression, or insecurities. Many simply lack any compassion or empathy for their victims.

It’s likely that, as with most human behavior, psychopathic behavior results from a combination of biological traits and social environment. And then there’s that gray area: How extreme does the behavior have to be for a person to be called psychopathic?

President Snow, for example, exhibits all the behaviors associated with psychopathic criminals.

Psychopathic Traits, President Snow, and His Gamemakers

Personality Traits and Behaviors Associated

Egomaniac? - Yes

No compassion for others? - Yes

No empathy for others? - Yes

No remorse? - Yes

No feelings of guilt? - Yes

Meticulously plans tortures and killings? - Yes

Manipulative? - Yes

Chronic liar? - Yes

Superficially charming and personable? - Yes

Inflated sense of self-worth? - Yes

Very good at faking intimacy and compassion? - Yes

Callous? - Yes

Accepts no responsibilities for his actions? - Yes

Control freak? - Yes

Sadistic—enjoys humiliating and hurting other people? - Yes

Sexually promiscuous or selling others for sexual purposes? - Yes

Preys on others? - Yes

Extracted from The Hunger Games: Unofficial Companion