Two female heroes are set to come back to the big screen: Jennifer Lawrence will return for the third time as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1," while Shailene Woodley will reprise her role as Tris Prior in the second installment of the "Divergent" series titled "Insurgent."
The two characters are quite distinct from each other and fans can admire them both at the same time, but how do they fare when compared to one another? Based on the books, Katniss, conceptualized by author Suzanne Collins, and Tris, brought to life by author Veronica Roth, have certain similarities.
Dystopian societies
Both characters belong to dystopian post-apocalyptic societies, which are far from ideal. Led by rather dysfunctional governments, the people are moved to dissatisfaction and discontent, which ultimately give rise to rebellion.
Both societies that the two live in are divided into certain divisions: Katniss's has districts while Tris's has factions. And they are both hemmed in by fences.
Teen dilemmas
In both novels, teenagers are placed in dire straits. In Katniss's world, they are at risk of getting picked for the dreaded Hunger Games, while in Tris's world, they are forced to make a choice between their families and themselves, and to try to discover who they are in the process.
Incidentally, the factions in the "Divergent" series are quite reminiscent of the houses in "Harry Potter's" Hogwarts: Dauntless for Gryffindor (brave and brash); Erudite for both Ravenclaw (smart) and Slytherin (for representing the bad guys); Amity and Abnegation for Hufflepuff (the nice ones). There are also headquarters for the factions, like the common rooms for the houses.
Fighting and survival skills
Both Katniss and Tris are forced to use their skills in order to survive. But while the former has been using her hunting talents for years, the latter manages to become really good at hand-to-hand combat, gun shooting, knife-throwing, and urban warfare in a matter of weeks. Other than that, she also uses a lot of mental power to overcome her fears as well as mind-control serums.
Romance
Both teenagers have their own share of romance. Tris's relationship with Four Eaton plays a big role in her life, as she is very attached to him and him to her, akin to "Twilight's" Edward Cullen and Bella Swann. Katniss, on the other hand, has two guys who are willing to give their lives for her, but unfortunately for them, she has other priorities (or fears).
Film adaptations
While there are many similarities between the two book series, the main characters are quite distinct from each other. Tris is certainly not Katniss, and the screen presence of Woodley and Lawrence makes that quite clear.
Apart from Lawrence, "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1" features Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. It is scheduled for release on Nov. 21. The second part will roll out in theaters on Nov. 20, 2015.
Woodley shares "Insurgent" screen time with Theo James, Ansel Elgort, Ray Stevenson, Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, and Zoe Kravitz. It is set to premiere on March 20, 2015. As for the film adaptation of the third book "Allegiant," part 1 will be shown in 2016 and part 2 will be released in 2017.
