Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!
What is Panem? What are the Hunger Games?
Panem is a country that rose out of the ashes of North America. There were thirteen districts, but then came the Dark Days: an uprising of the districts against the Capitol. Twelve districts remained, but District Thirteen was obliterated. The Hunger Games came from the Treaty of Treason that gave the citizens of Panem new laws to guarantee peace and it is a yearly reminder that the Dark Days must never be repeated. The rules of the Hunger Games are simple. Each of the twelves districts provide a male and female tribute to participate in the televised event. The 24 tributes are imprisoned in an arena where they must fight to the death until there is only one tribute standing, the victor. The victor receives a lifetime of wealth and fame at the cost of 23 other tributes lives. It is the capitol's way of reminding the districts that they are at their mercy.
What are the 12 Districts?
The districts are used to produce necessities for the Capitol. Each district has a job to do. District Four is fishing. District Twelve is coal. The districts have no form of communication among themselves. The higher the number, it seems, the poorer the district seems to be. It sounds almost like multiple concentration camps.
Who are the Everdeens plus extended family?
Katniss Everdeen is sixteen years old, the head of her household, and sole provider of the family. She kept Prim and herself from being placed in a community home. Her father died when she was eleven in an explosion in the mines; her mother nearly stopped living because of it. Katniss has never forgiven her mother for blanking out and watching her children turn to skin and bones. Primrose is Katniss's younger sister who looks like her mother. She has blue eyes and blonde hair unlike Katniss with her olive colored skin, gray eyes, and black hair. Buttercup is Prim's yellow coated cat; he has one and half ears and a mashed-in nose. She has a goat named Lady as well. Katniss provides for her family by hunting in the woods with Gale. Gale met Katniss when he was 14 and she was 12. They look similar enough to be related because of the hair, skin, and eyes, but most of the people from the Seam looked like that. They hunt illegally in the woods in order to feed their families; Gale's dad died in the mines too. He's been providing for a family of five for seven years: two brothers and a sister.
What's with the three finger salute?
After Katniss volunteers for Prim at the reaping, her district touch their middle three fingers to their lips and held it out to her. Its an old gesture of their district occasionally seen at funerals. It means thanks, it means admiration, it means goodbye to someone you love.
The Male and Female Tributes: District 12's First Volunteer and Peeta Mellark
Prim's name was called in her very first reaping. Katniss did a very radical thing; she volunteered for her sister. A cry that was heard across the nation. To have your name pulled from the reaping is a death sentence. Peeta Mellark's name is pulled from the reaping as well. When Katniss's mother had checked out of their family, Katniss looked for any food for them to eat. Starvation was the main cause of death in twelve. While trying to sell Prim's baby clothes, Katniss rummaged through the trash bins of the shop keepers. Peeta intentionally burned the bread causing his mother to hit him and having him throw out the bread, but he didn't throw out the bread. He threw the bread at Katniss, and that bread was the meal between life and death for the Everdeens. They had never talked before, but to Katniss, in her eyes, would never stop owing him because the bread and the first dandelion of the year gave her hope. Now with the reality that Katniss will not be around to make sure Prim doesn't starve, she leaves instructions for their survival. Prim will sell goat milk and cheese, her mother will continue her apothecary business, and Gale will bring her herbs she needs and game. Peeta's father visits Katniss and promises to make sure Prim's eating.
Where did the famous mockingly pin come from?
Contrary to popular belief, Katniss did not get the mockingjay pin from the Hob or from Prim. Madge, the mayor's daughter, had visited Katniss before she was taken to the train station. Each tribute is allowed to wear one thing from their district in the area. She had asked Katniss to promise she would wear it in the arena.
Makeup. Wardrobe. Workout. Lights. Camera. Action.
There are more to the games then just murder. The people of the capitol need a show, something to root for to make the games more interesting for themselves. All of the tributes are fed the finest food, bathed until years of compiled dirt is removed, and dressed in the finest silk and cotton the capitol has to offer. After all they are the stars of the show. Cinna, Katniss's stylist, and Portia, Peeta's stylist, design costumes that represent District 12; they set Katniss and Peeta on fire. "No one will forget me. Not my look, not my name. Katniss. The girl who was on fire" (Collins 78). Each tribute must demonstrate their skills, social and physical, in order to attract sponsors. In the training center, they will have a chance to practice with the weapons that could be provided in the arena, and each tribute can see who they would like to become allies with. During each tribute's private session with the Gamemakers, they must show off their skills in order to get a score. The scores help predict the victor and who their opponents should focus on killing first. During Katniss's session, the Gamemakers don't make any attempt to notice her, so she shoots an arrow at them to catch their attention. It does set her apart because of her temper and she pulls an 11, the highest among the tributes. Each tribute is given a three minute interview with Caesar Flickerman, who's been hosting the interview for forty years, but hasn't age a day. In the interview each tribute has to put forth their best "them." The sponsors want to know who they are, their story.
Something to root for.
Peeta always seems to know what to say and how to act to sway an audience. He is the boy in every Nicholas Sparks book that everyone falls in love with just because of his gestures. Really, its an unachievable standard to live up to. Peeta cant win the games because the love of his life came to the games with him. Only Katniss never even knew Peeta liked her, typical. The citizens of the capitol now have something to root for; they have the star crossed lovers from District 12.
