Writing
about Katniss and Finnick a few weeks ago reminded me how much I love
Cinna. He’s a relatively small
supporting character, but he makes such an impact in his limited page-time, and
though there are a lot of people throughout the series who are in Katniss’s
corner, he’s one of the first to really get through to her and make her believe
it.
The
decked is stacked in the stylist’s favor as soon as Katniss meets him in the
first book. While she’s just been poked
and prodded by her vapid prep team with their outrageous Capitol fashions,
Cinna’s style is understated and he treats her like a person rather than a
canvas on which to inflict a makeover.
(You know he’s a good guy the second he gives her low heels she can walk
in and makes sure she can move comfortably in her dress.)
Throughout
Katniss’s pre-Games time at the Capitol, I love the thoughtfulness and artistry
that Cinna brings to her outfits. He
conceives her memorable “Girl on Fire” image with his unique approach to
representing the coal-mining of District 12 with beauty, a theme he carries
into everything he designs for her. At a
time when Katniss thinks she doesn’t stand a chance in the Arena, his bold ideas
give her the gift of unforgettableness, and he’s savvy enough to keep her
makeup subtle so the audience will still recognize her once the Games start.
It’s so
intelligent, so perceptive. It’s clear
that he doesn’t just look at the Games as an opportunity for the public to see
his work; it’s the chance to help a teenage girl survive, and he takes it seriously.
I like that he makes such important contributions to Katniss’s chances
in the bloody, brutal Games through a so-called “feminine” interest like
fashion. Katniss is so rough-edged and
non-girly that it’s cool so see less physical and hunting-based talents playing
a significant part. Cinna has found his
passion, and he uses it to truly help someone who needs it. (This, by the way, is the reason I was so
disappointed with the costumes in the first movie. We learn so much about Cinna’s character
through the way he dresses Katniss, and her outfits in the film, ranging from generic
to tacky-looking, seem to diminish these great qualities.)
And can
I mention how much I love the fact that he’s a badass, subversive stylist?
As the story starts to explore the larger backdrop of the corrupt rulers
and oppressed districts of Panem, Cinna makes a stand with the clothes he puts
on Katniss. He takes dresses and turns
them into emblems, symbols of power, rallying points for people who won’t be
kept down any longer. It comes back to
him using his talents for good. I really
like the message that one doesn’t have to shoot arrows or storm a despot’s
mansion in order to make a difference.
Bows can be weapons, but so can words, paintbrushes, and even jeweled gowns.
Furthermore,
he’s a calming presence, someone with whom Katniss can openly discuss her fear
and who can give her advice. For the
extremely guarded Katniss, that’s huge, and reading their scenes together are
like an enormous sigh. There are parts
of the series that are more deeply emotional (the song and the flowers, oh my gosh,)
but Katniss’s last moments with Cinna before entering the Arena in the first
book? They get me every time.
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