Katniss Everdeen grew up in District 12’s Seam in Panem, a country formed from the remnants of North America. District 12 was renowned for its extreme poverty and destitution, largely due to the treacherous coal mines. When Katniss’ father perished in a mining accident alongside others, she assumed the responsibility of shielding and providing for her mother and younger sister, Primrose, to prevent them from experiencing hunger. To accomplish this, Katniss ventured into the forbidden meadow and woods adjacent to their district where she honed her skills in hunting and gathering. These experiences enabled Katniss to flourish both mentally and physically.
In Panem, every year a boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18 are chosen through a lottery from each of the 12 districts to participate in the annual “Hunger Games.” The entire country of Panem broadcasts these games, compelling its citizens to witness participants from different districts fighting until death. These games serve as punishment for the rebellion led by the 13th district against the capital. Their purpose is to discourage future uprisings by reminding everyone of their severe consequences. Katniss has entered her name multiple times into the drawing along with her hunting partner and friend Gale. On the day of the drawing, Katniss gives her sister Primrose a mockingjay pin as a symbol of protection during the games. This pin was obtained from their district’s black market.
Stage Two The Call to Adventure
Despite the odds, Primrose’s name was chosen, prompting Katniss to quickly volunteer as the female tribute for District 12 in the 74th Hunger Games. The Capital’s representative, Effie Trinket, attempts to elicit applause from the audience for Katniss’ sacrifice, but they remain silent. Instead, they silently show their support for Katniss by placing their three middle fingers against their lips and extending them towards her. This gesture and the audience’s silence demonstrate the pain endured by the District 12 residents due to the games. In order to maintain her composure, Katniss fights back tears to avoid appearing vulnerable or weak. Subsequently, Peeta Mellark, the baker’s son, is chosen as the male tribute. This event sets the stage for Katniss’ journey throughout the movie.
Stage Three – Refusal of the Call
Katniss always accepted her responsibility. When Primrose was selected, Katniss immediately stepped forward to save her from participating in the Games. To protect her sister, Katniss willingly took on the task of battling the other tributes and overcoming the physical and mental obstacles that would be presented to her. Without hesitation, Katniss demonstrated strength, compassion, and bravery by volunteering.
Stage Four – Meeting the Mentor
Haymitch, a former Games winner from District 12, mentored Katniss and Peeta. At first, he appeared ineffective as a mentor and offered no help to them. But as the film progressed, Haymitch became essential in guaranteeing their survival and transformed into a significant figure.
During the train ride to the Capital, Haymitch displayed no sympathy for the tributes and provided them with no assistance due to his drunken state. Shortly after, he began offering them guidance on how to succeed in the games. Initially, Haymitch stressed the importance of gaining popularity and making themselves appealing to secure sponsors from the Capital who would send vital supplies and messages to help them survive. He advised Katniss that she needed to change her attitude as being confrontational would not convince sponsors to support her. Additionally, he offered advice on survival strategies.
He advises them on the importance of forming alliances, abstaining from fire building, swiftly locating water sources, and avoiding the center during countdown for supplies. Lastly, he tells them to downplay their abilities during training to prevent other district tributes from viewing them as threats and attempting to kill them. Haymitch’s final words to Katniss were, “Katniss you can do this,” indicating his belief in her ability to succeed. At the start of the games, Haymitch actively works to secure sponsors for Katniss and continuously supports her. Additionally, Katniss receives guidance from another mentor named Cinna, who assists with her appearance and boosts her confidence. As the games approach, Cinna discreetly pins the mockingjay symbol from home on Katniss, signifying the need for secrecy since he was not allowed to give it to her.
Stage Five – Crossing the Threshold
After the reaping, Katniss left the stage and got ready for her upcoming adventure. She comforted her mom, Primrose, and Gale by assuring them that she would be fine and bid them farewell. This marked the beginning of her trip to the Capitol and ultimately the Games. Upon reaching the Capitol, Katniss quickly observed a noticeable difference – everything was luxurious, well-coordinated, and sophisticated.
Upon their arrival at the apartment, Katniss and her team were greeted with a lavish feast and allocated separate rooms for both herself and Peeta. Although they felt overwhelmed, their thoughts couldn’t help but drift towards the impending journey. They fully understood that what awaited them was far from glamorous; it was merely an elaborate ruse orchestrated by the Capital. The authorities wanted to deceive the tributes into feeling honored and respected for being chosen to fight in an arena surrounded by death, when in reality, it served as a punishment for the districts. Despite this grim reality, Katniss’s team made every effort to lighten the atmosphere and prepare her for what lay ahead.
Stage Six-Test, Allies, Enemies
Each tribute had to undergo an individual test before the Games, where sponsors and the Games’ manager, Caesar, observed. Katniss showcased her prowess with a bow during her evaluation, displaying exceptional accuracy with arrows. Unfortunately, her first shot missed the target, causing the important viewers to lose interest in her. Although her second shot hit its mark perfectly, nobody paid any attention to her. This lack of acknowledgement deeply bothered Katniss and she pondered about how she could capture their attention.
While in the viewing area, Katniss notices a pig with an apple in its mouth and immediately reacts by grabbing her bow. She carefully aims at the apple and successfully hits it, leaving the spectators in awe. Showing humility, Katniss then bows and expresses gratitude by saying “Thank you for your consideration.” Haymitch finds this amusing but recognizes that it could either boost her confidence and accuracy or put her safety at risk due to her daring actions and attitude. Throughout the games, Katniss receives valuable support from sponsors outside of the arena through gifts.
Katniss forms an alliance with Rue, a tribute from the poorer districts, as she reminds Katniss of her sister Primrose and Katniss sympathized with her being chosen during the reaping. Sadly, Rue dies, which greatly affects Katniss. Determined to win, Katniss’s resilience after Rue’s death is seen as a threat by the Games’ host, Caesar. Caesar perceived Katniss’ intelligence and sought to eliminate her since he realized she could outsmart the game. He attempted to push her to the edge of the arena with fire blasts and pursued her with wolves. Caesar even altered the rules to allow two tributes from the same district to win, prompting Katniss to seek out Peeta.
In a classic love story, Katniss and Peeta were inseparable until the end as they faced numerous tests together. The ultimate test came when their survival depended on staying united. Katniss was challenged personally when she had to assist Peeta with his injury, knowing that the necessary supplies were in a dangerous area.
Despite the risks involved, Katniss took the opportunity and embarked on a mission to retrieve the supplies. On her journey, she encountered another opponent – a female tribute from a different district who wanted to eliminate her. This girl tried to exploit Katniss’ vulnerability by mentioning Rue’s death and attempting to mentally unsettle her.
However, the male tribute from Rue’s district overheard their conversation and intervened by killing the girl. This action protected Katniss and preserved her alliance with Rue which had helped both of them stay alive.
Stage Seven – Approach to the Inmost Cave
In the deadly arena of the Games, escape is only possible through death or victory. Survival and maintaining good health are arduous tasks due to scarce resources. The loss of Rue pushed Katniss to her breaking point, catching the attention of the gamekeepers who conspired against her. They announced that two individuals could emerge as winners. To ensure this outcome, Katniss embarked on a mission to locate Peeta and secure his survival. After an extensive search, she found Peeta concealed with mud, leaves, and sticks in critical condition with a severe leg wound that threatened his life. Recognizing the need to care for him in order for both of them to survive, Katniss took it upon herself to nurse him back to health. However, obtaining essential medicine and supplies proved perilous for Katniss. Despite the challenges faced, she eventually managed to acquire the necessary medicine and by morning, Peeta’s condition had significantly improved. Realizing their mutual dependence on one another for survival, they made a decision to stick together and increase their chances of staying alive as a couple.
Stage Eight – The Ordeal
Katniss and Peeta were both healed and ventured out together in search of food. Despite Peeta’s weakened state, Katniss decided to hunt while Peeta gathered potentially edible items. After some time, Katniss heard the cannon, indicative of a tribute’s death, and hurriedly sought out Peeta. They crossed paths as Peeta was gathering poisonous berries, leading Katniss to emotionally warn him of the danger. Rather than discarding them, Katniss chose to keep the berries as a precaution.
While walking, darkness suddenly fell and Peeta asked Katniss about the time. It was oddly noon, which didn’t make sense. In the distance, they heard a scream accompanied by a wolf-like sound. Peeta was terrified, but Katniss explained it was the “big finale.” They needed to collaborate and escape from the wolves in order to stay alive. Katniss was aware that the gamekeepers had engineered these wolves to eliminate either her or Peeta because they knew the truth: one of them must die. Miraculously, both of them managed to survive.
Then, they encountered one last tribute who tried to kill Peeta and Katniss. He put Peeta in a choke-hold, trying to kill him. However, Peeta managed to get loose and threw him off into the wolfs. Suddenly, it became daylight and the pair looked around and waited in confusion. A voice came over the intercom and announced that the rule they created for two people to win had been revoked. They were is utter disbelief and felt betrayed. Katniss knew she could not kill Peeta, as well as Peeta knew he could not kill Katniss. They discussed their options and decided that they would die together using the poisonous berries that Katniss had kept. They said their goodbyes and started counting down to eat the berries. Before they are about to eat the berries, the Capitol realized that they cannot let them both die, so they instruct them to stop. At that moment, Katniss and Peeta become the first two victors to win the Hunger Games in 49 years.
Stage Nine – Reward
Katniss and Peeta both achieve victory in the Games, earning them the crown. Their victory is significant because it demonstrates their superior intelligence compared to the Games. Their ultimate goal of surviving and winning the Games is accomplished. Upon returning to District 12, they are joyously reunited with their family. While Katniss receives a greater reward for her actions, particularly her sacrifice for her sister, both individuals have made history as the second victors of District 12 and the first pair to win the Hunger Games.
Stage Ten- The Road Back
Haymitch warned Katniss that the Capitol was angry with her for outsmarting them, which could potentially spark another rebellion. He advised her to demonstrate to the Capitol that she and Peeta were deeply in love and inseparable. If she failed to do so, the Capitol would see her as a threat and target her. Fortunately, their fabricated love story convinced the Capitol and temporarily eased tensions.
Stage Eleven – The Resurrection
Recognizing that both Peeta and Katniss were under threat, they realized the significance of remaining in love to evade repercussions for their deeds. The Capitol was resolute on eradicating Katniss due to her outsmarting them. Both Katniss and Peeta were ready to confront whatever obstacles the Capitol would put forth as they embarked on their fresh struggle against it.
Stage Twelve – Return with the Elixir
Despite facing targets on their backs, Katniss and Peeta recognized the importance of confronting future consequences together. They acknowledged the challenging and perilous journey they were undertaking, yet this offered hope to those who despised the Capital. Ultimately, Katniss’s personal growth and demonstration of strength not only impacted herself but also the entire nation, equipping her to confront whatever lies ahead.
