Surviving Alone, The Hunger Games-spoiler alert

I'm reading The Hunger Games by Susanne Collins. The protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, feels like her mother was completely irresponsible and careless. She feels this because when Katniss's father died, her mother went into a state of shock and depression and couldn't take care of herself, let alone her children. Katniss had to take on the job of taking care of her mother and her younger sister Prim. Now that Katniss is a tribute in the annual Hunger Games, she will not be there to care for Prim. She is anxious that her mother will do the same thing she did before, where she completely thought about herself and didn't take care of her children.

On one hand, I understand that losing someone in the family can be a big trauma. You may even feel like part of you has been broken off. I understand that her husband died, so I do feel sympathetic towards Katniss's mother. Maybe she didn't know how to cope without her husband and she felt she would be unable to raise her children without him. She may have felt stressed to have to take care of these kids with absolutely no help. The people in district 12 couldn't care less. Everyone is struggling to survive.

On the other hand, I understand why Katniss is frustrated with her mother. In a time when Prim and Katniss needed her most, their mother just wasn't there for them. It was already saddening enough that their father died and now they are probably terrified because their mother can't take care of them anymore. I think what Katniss's mother did was very selfish because when something big happens like a death in the family, you need to think of your children first. You need to go through the difficult circumstances together and not leave them alone in the dark. They are already scared because their father is gone, and they may even have to worry about losing their mother because she is pining away in front of their eyes.