by Emily Moore | Photo Editor

Ever since the premiere of The Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence has been in the spotlight. Little do most people know that she was on the big screen before the ‘Games’. Another one of Lawrence’s leading roles is Ree Dolly in Winter’s Bone.

Ironically enough, the two lead roles are very similar in nature.

Winter’s Bone is about Ree’s quest to find her father after his failure to show up for court threatens her livelihood. Since the film is rated R, and contains several disturbing and frightening scenes, I don’t recommend watching it alone- but I do recommend watching it.

The Hunger Games, as I’m sure most of you already know, is the story of Katniss Everdeen as she goes to partake in the 74th annual Hunger Games; a televised fight to the death.

What’s most unusual about both of these films is that despite several obvious differences, the story lines are very close to each other.

In both the ‘Games’ and ‘Bone,’ Lawrence is looking for her father; just not always in the same way. Katniss looks to her memory of her father for guidance and fond moments of her life before the Games, while Ree is literally looking for her father so that she can save her house.

Lawrence is also a very strong protector over her younger siblings in both films. Katniss protects and devotes her life to her sister, Primrose, while Ree is looking after and caring for her sister Ashley and brother Sonny. In both films, Lawrence’s character acts completely selfless in order to insure the safety and well-being of her family, becoming the sole provider and caretaker in the family due to an absent father and absent minded mother.

Both of the movies are able to portray violence as an upper authority’s way of maintaing control, and have Lawrence fighting back against this authority and keeping true to what she knows needs to be.

Jennifer Lawrence has a tremendous ability to showcase true loss, and to adapt to the surrounding thrown at her. Her characters are on point to the plot, and both perfectly portray the message the film is trying to get across.

Whether she’s being thrown into the arena of the ‘Games,’ or battling the many ‘cooks’ of Winter’s Bone, Lawrence never looks out of place, and is a always a good fit for the role.