"A Case Study: Patient 4361"
Hunger Games (Mockingjay)
Peeta/Original Character
Author's Note: I don't like original characters normally. I find them intrusive, especially if they are wedged into the plot of the story. I prefer to do a close analysis of characters, like trying to cut out a moment in the story and elaborate. I try to put my own spin on it, rather than trying to invest in a whole other character that then alters the events that happen. That being said, I'm presenting an original character for the first time, but hoping, once again, not to change anything that is fundamental to the book series. In fact, my goal in doing this is to reveal more about the characters by utilizing a tool of my own creation. This is just my opinion, and I do not own anything written by Collins. I enjoyed The Hunger Games immensely, and wish to experience even a small part of it through writing this piece.
Patient number 4361, Peeta Mellark, was admitted to the hospital at 11:27pm. Records show that he stands at roughly five feet and eleven inches, weighing one hundred and forty one pounds. His physical condition is poor and but not critical. His mental condition, however, is much worse. Toxin reports show high amounts of tracker jacker venom in his blood stream. To what extent this has affected him is currently unknown, though the patient has shown high levels of aggression, and must undergo sedation to calm what we have labeled "spells." Trauma and memories from the past trigger Peeta's spells, which range from convulsing limbs to loud cries out of agony. I have given my initial diagnosis to the president, but reserve a few details for my logs.
With the attack on one Katniss Everdeen, the patient has been restrained and put into isolation. Guards are stationed for the patient's protection, and he is sedated by morphling under severe occurrences. My next step is creating a therapy that will coax him back to reality without over stimulating his senses. However, the venom from the tracker jackers has unknown effects, and my boundaries are limited by what we know. I will begin with a basic line of questioning.
Time is 3:47pm. Patient is confined to his hospital bed. He's been given twenty milliliters of morphling. I am equipped with one tape recorder while other doctors are stationed behind the double way window.
Doctor Welles: Good afternoon, Peeta. Do you remember who I am?
Patient is unresponsive at first. He maintains eye contact and only answers when asked again.
Doctor Welles: Peeta, can you remember my name?
Peeta: No.
Welles: I am Anthony Welles. I'm a psychologist. Do you know where you are?
Peeta: No.
Welles: We are at District 13.
Patient then becomes flustered. He seems to be trying to wrestle with what I am saying, as if I was speaking in a different language. After many long moments I try to continue.
Welles: Where were you being kept?
Peeta: The Capitol. Why are we here?
By asking questions, I feel that the patient is attempting to engage. This is a good sign, and I am happy to answer.
Welles: Yes. You are here because District 13 rescued you. I am here to make you better.
Peeta: How? Am I sick?
Welles: I'm afraid you'll need to speak to one of the soldiers for more details on the rescue mission. Do you feel sick?
Peeta struggles to find his next words. His hands claw at the arm rests and he tugs a bit at the restraints.
Peeta: I don't know.
Welles: Tell me what you do know then. What are you feeling at this time?
Peeta: The lights are bright… Can I have some water?
Welles: Of course. There you are. Who is in this room right now?
Peeta: Just you and me.
Welles: Good. I'm happy you're not suffering from any delusions. Peeta, are your restraints bothering you?
Peeta: Yes!
Peeta is visibly frustrated. He appears more uncomfortable than angry, though, and looks around the room.
Welles: Do you remember why we have to use restraints?
Peeta: Because I'm crazy?
Welles: You're not crazy, Peeta.
Peeta: Then why are you here? Why am I strapped to a bed?
Welles: Do you really think you're crazy?
Peeta: Answer my questions!
Welles: Very well. You're here because you've been labeled mentally unstable. You're strapped in because you've proven to be harmful to others along with yourself. The more you resist and fight, the tighter they get, I'm afraid. Now, answer mine.
Peeta seems to calm down. Defeated or exhausted.
Peeta: Yes.
Welles: Yes you think you're crazy?
Peeta: Yes.
Welles: Were you always crazy?
Peeta: I don't know.
Welles: I've told you before; then tell me what you do know.
Peeta: I know that the world doesn't make any sense.
Welles: How so?
Peeta: It just doesn't!
Welles: Try to be concrete. Let me see what you're seeing.
Peeta: It's like there is a lining to everything. Everyone is wearing a mask, and I can see the seam! I can't turn down the volume in my ears, and everything is loud. Every time I reach for something, it moves, and I never can really hold on. I can feel the world turning and moving. If I sit still, I'll slide right off of it. That concrete enough?
A few notes on the feelings the patient describes: His acute paranoia is a side effect found with many other poisons. He mentions hearing noises at a higher decibel that he "can't turn down," which leads me to believe that the tracker jacker venom has heightened his sense. Being able to see and hear things at an abnormal level, even if they are delusions, is a common occurrence in schizophrenic patients. As for his lack of depth perception and inability to remain still, I can only imagine these as other symptoms. His eyesight was not damaged in the initial diagnosis, but his eyes are slow to contract and dilate. Earlier he showed sensitivity to the light, which coincides with his warped vision sense. The anxiety he feels from his paranoia and hyper senses causes him to fidget.
Welles: Yes, Peeta, you're doing very well. Everything you describe helps me decide the next stage of the treatment. Do you want to get better?
Peeta: What question is that? Of course I do. I want to be back to how I was.
Recognition of a past self— this is the most exciting thing he has said since the beginning.
Welles: And how were you in the past?
Peeta: Happy.
Welles: What made you happy?
Peeta: Things. People. Places.
Welles: Name them for me, would you?
Peeta: No.
Welles: Why not?
Peeta: It hurts.
Welles: Where?
Peeta: Everywhere.
The patient refused to cooperate after his final response. The more I probed for him to recall past events, the less of a reaction I got. I decided to try one more technique.
Welles: Would you like to talk about her?
Peeta returned his gaze to me, but I could already see his muscles tightening. The very idea of Katniss Everdeen is like a trigger for the poison.
Peeta: Who?
Welles: You know her name. Or have you forgotten that as well?
Peeta: Katniss.
Welles: Yes. You seem angry.
Peeta: Where is she?
Welles: Does she upset you, Peeta?
Peeta: WHERE IS SHE?
Welles: Behind that window there.
Though patient Everdeen was not beyond the glass window, the thought enrages Peeta. The patient thrashes in his bed, ripping the IV from his wrist, and proceeds to yell for an upwards of ten minutes. I have not left the room and kept the guards out. After he's exhausted his already weakened body, he pants heavily. The sweat that has formed on his brow and the chaffed skin that has become raw from the restraints don't seem to affect the patient.
Welles: What did you see?
Peeta: F – Fire! Everything is gone—
The patient loses his composure and resolves into tears. I've omitted many moments of sobbing from the report in which he cries out names of friends and family members.
Welles: Peeta, how did you lose them?
Peeta: They were bombed! Over and over—I saw footage of it! The fire, and everyone dying. Why didn't anyone help? Why did that happen? N-No one deserved to die because of me…Because of… her.
Welles: You shouldn't blame Katniss or yourself for the Capitol, Peeta. Everything that could be done was, and some have survived. The cruelty of the Capitol is—
Peeta: NO! IT'S HER! SHE DID IT! SHE SHOULD HAVE DIED AND NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!
In another fit of rage, Peeta is able to shake his bed so violently that it knocks over his bedside table. I am then escorted out and the patient is sedated.
What was witnessed in this log has been perplexing to me. I have yet to be back to see Peeta. The best thing I could think of was a variety of medical concoctions that would combat the venom, but I'm beginning to think that I am focusing on the wrong thing. I understand the trigger; the Capitol has made it clear that Peeta is to hate Katniss Everdeen. The tactic is tragic, though effective. That being said, Peeta is aware that there is a world he is not in total control of. If there were a way that I could isolate him from that world, separate those memories the venom has poisoned, I could then focus working on the individual first. Then, with both our efforts, he can slowly untangle the memories. These are just my musings, and though his physical condition is improving, I will need to preform another psychological examination to evaluate his mental stability.
END LOG ENTRY ONE