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The Hunger Games

Classroom Notes

The Hunger Games

The punishment for the uprising (the Dark Days)-Page 18

Rules are simple-each district must provide 1 boy and 1 girl (a tribute) who will

participate in a battle to the death.

Author’s Style

The novel is divided into three (3) parts:

I. The Tributes

II. The Games

III. The Victor

Shakespearean influence-

“Star –Crossed Lovers” Page 135 –References Romeo and Juliet.

First Person Point of View-The narrator is Katniss Everdeen- she is telling the

story /Present Tense-creates an immediacy to the story

Character

Katniss Everdeen- Protagonist, narrator – the female tribute of District 12. She is an

excellent hunter and tremendously resourceful

Peeta Mellark - the boy tribute of District 12 and the son of a baker. He is kind and

loyal, and he becomes Katniss’s love interest and main ally during the Hunger Games.

Effie Trinket - the escort of the tributes from District 12. She is very concerned with

appearances and her own career.

Gale - Katniss’s friend and hunting partner. Gale is probably the person closest to

Katniss, and he is the only with whom she can ever fully relax and be herself.

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Prim Everdeen - Katniss’s little sister. She is small and gentle, and Katniss volunteers in

her place when her name is drawn in the reaping.

Mother (Everdeen) - Katniss’s mother. After her husband died, she essentially stopped

caring for Katniss and Prim, forcing Katniss to become the family’s primary provider.

Cinna - Katniss’s main stylist. He becomes Katniss’s friend over the course of the story

and counsels Katniss to be herself.

Madge Undersee - the Mayor’s daughter and the only person Katniss is friendly with at

school. She gives Katniss the mockingjay pin.

Mayor Undersee - the mayor of District 12

Venia - the person who waxes Katniss before she sees Cinna, her stylist

Cato - the male tribute from District 2. He is a career tribute, meaning he has trained for

the Hunger Games his entire life, and he is large, short-tempered, and a fierce fighter.

Rue - the female tribute from District 11. Katniss and Rue become allies during the

Games, and Katniss

Foxface - a female tribute in the Hunger Games characterized by her wiliness and

intelligence. She dies by eating poisonous berries collected by Peeta.

Thresh - the male tribute from District 11. He shows mercy toward Katniss because of

the way Katniss treated Rue.

Glimmer - the female tribute from District 1. She dies when Katniss drops a tracker

jacker nest on her and some other tributes.

Clove - the female tribute from District 2. She actually defeats Katniss in a fight and

nearly kills her, but Thresh intervenes and saves Katniss’s life.

Caesar Flickerman - the ostentatious television host who interviews Katniss and Peeta

before and after the Games

Claudius Templesmith - the announcer during the Hunger Games

President Snow - the president

** Some were not said officially in books, but researched on the Internet

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Themes

Too much government control over the lives of citizens

Dehumanization is the process of consistently devaluing and looking down on a group of

people over a period of time until these attitudes are accepted within a society.

Suffering as entertainment

Totalitarian governments and the control and abuse of power

Citizen oppression often leads to rebellion

Image is everything in a media dominated culture

Appearances can be deceiving

Survival of the fittest

The power of love and self-sacrifice

Symbols/Motifs

Mockingjay-

Pin: A gift from Madge (as a reminder of home) page. 38

The Mockingjay Story Page 42 “...a slap in the face to the Capitol.”

*It symbolizes defiance but later it serves as a connection between Katniss and Rue (they

communicate with one another using the Mockingjay-Page 212)

Animal/Bird Imagery

“Little Duck”-when referring to prim (Ch.1)

“... oddly colored birds..” Page 62- when referring to the stylists

“...like a hawk..” Page 115

“...like a pack of wild dogs...” Page 181

“...crush her like a bug..” Page 27 –what the communal home would do to Prim if the

Capitol found out she was caring for her Mother and Prim.

Now it is your turn to find some examples from the novel

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Flowers/Names/Nature

Dandelions (page 40-they are in the Flashback too!

Katniss, Prim, Gale: All elements of nature (names from Districts)

KATNISS-Page 52- “As long as you can find yourself you will never starve.”

(allowed her to provide for her family).

Now it is your turn to find some examples from the novel

Fire

Opening ceremony Outfits –symbolizes District 12 and the fire created from the coal.

(Reread the description of Katniss’ dress-“The girl who was on fire”. She was literally

on fire during the games (see Page 172). Also she was one of the Victors in the Hunger

Games (Figuratively “On fire”)

Now it is your turn to find some examples from the novel

Flaskback- a transition to an earlier event or scene that interrupts the normal

chronological development of the story

-It provides crucial information/insight into her relationships with her mother, her

father, Peeta and Gale. Page 26-Insight into her initial meeting with Peeta Mellark.

Irony-

Effie trinket says, ”Happy Hunger Games” page 19 * “District 12 is barbaric” Page 75

(being on the edge of poverty and having to fight for survival is barbaric, while the

Capitol forces children to fight to the death.”

Titles and Names-Page 34 “Peacekeepers”-term used for soldiers who force people to

follow the capitols rules. The JUSTICE building –how is it justice to send people to their

death?

Now it is your turn to find some examples from the novel