Catching Fire

Katniss realizes that her efforts to please President Snow have failed, but instead of falling into despair, she feels relief, like “[she] can give up this game” (75) and drop the charade of pretending to be in love with Peeta. She fantasizes about escaping into the woods with her family as soon as she returns to District 12. Katniss feels more confident and at peace now that she has decided to fight back, and she decides to enjoy the Victory Tour’s final party by trying all of the food. During the party, Katniss and Peeta discover that people in the Capitol will gorge themselves on food, then vomit it up so they can keep eating. Katniss is horrified and can only think of “the emaciated bodies of the children” her mother tends to in District 12 and how “[her] mother prescribes what the parents can’t give. More food” (80). Katniss meets Plutarch Heavensbee, the new Head Gamemaker responsible for designing the upcoming 75th Hunger Games arena, who asks to dance with her. Plutarch shows Katniss his pocket watch, which has a disappearing and reappearing mockingjay on its face. Katniss notices that “There was something strange about [Plutarch’s behavior].