Welcome to the Hunger Games read-along! Beginning July 1st, 2010, we will be reading and chatting about one chapter a day of both The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins in anticipation of the release of Mockingjay on August 24th.

In the unlikely event that this is your first read of these amazing books, welcome! And more importantly, beware of spoilers! There will be spoilers.







Thursday, August 12, 2010

Catching Fire Chapter 16

Darius!  Katniss drops peas on the floor, and they share a hand squeeze.  Katniss dreams of mutilated tongues. 

Haymitch advised them to make friends, so she does, and so does Peeta.  In training, Katniss uses her new code to explain to Beetee and Wiress that 12 has not rebelled, and they are disappointed, telling Katniss they both found her district "interesting."  Wiress points out a literal chink in the gamemakers armor. Again, we have a high school cafeteria scene, but this time, Katniss and Peeta are among the cool kids.  And THEN Katniss shoots stuff.  They all ask her to prom.

Katniss says "I don't want to go to prom" and then holds her hand up in an eff you to the gamemakers as she walks away in her black nails, NIN tee, torn fishnets, and combat boots.

If you haven't read ahead, and I'm assuming everyone has, don't read answers to this question.  That said, SPOILER ALERT ALERT. Katniss thinks about how Mags volunteered to "save the girl."  How do you read Mag's actions? 

What do you think was the last straw for Katniss, the one that drove her to hang Seneca Crane?

8 comments:

  1. By the end of Catching Fire I was glad to see some developed friendships among the victors. Can't wait to see what rebellions are cooking. Speaking of developed friendships, I think yes, Mags was getting on up in years, but I'm sure she also knows Annie's still traumatized from the game she won--aren't all the victors traumatized? Also thinking Mags didn't want Annie in the Game with Finnick. That would have been agony for Finnick to see Annie lose it completely. Doubt Finnick could even function in the Game with Annie there having a breakdown. Mags and Finnick's relationship is lovely--glad she was his family. What are you thinking about Mags volunteering, Heather?

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  2. I was thinking that Mags volunteered herself to "save the girl," just not the girl she volunteered for. I think her self sacrifice is in favor of the rebellion, to save Katniss.

    I also never assumed that the "hysterical young woman with flowing brown hair" was Annie, but I suppose it could be! It probably is! Good thinking, Smarty Pants!

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  3. Yes, we find out Mags volunteered in Annie's place on page 347 as Peeta explains who Finnick's Annie is. Peeta is so in the know. I think you're right about Mags volunteering herself for the cause as well. Annie doesn't seem capable of assisting the cause, and she probably would have required Finnick's assistance in the Games, and then he wouldn't have K's back!

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  4. Well, I haven't gotten to page 347 yet. ;)

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  5. Heather- I like that you read it as volunteering to aid in the rebellion.I think it probably goes both ways, making the phrase "to save the girl" brilliantly ambiguous!

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  6. DANGIT. HOW FAR AHEAD do I have to be to read answers to the questions????

    Mm... I guess it won't matter, I should be done with the book by Sunday at the latest :P

    It seems to me like Mags volunteered to save the other since she doesn't have much longer left to live anyway. But I suspect there's something else going on because that's too obvious. Also, if she's in her 80s, then does that mean she's old enough to remember the First Hunger Games??!?

    My theory that Katniss will find a way to break out of the arena this year is getting more and more support...

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  7. Oh and Beetee! and Wiress! Maybe they'll tell Katniss how Landmine Boy did it?

    I'm obsessed with Landmine Boy.

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  8. Ack... forgot to answer the second question...

    I think Katniss is back into the "The worst thing they can do to me now is kill me" mode again. It sounds a bit shortsighted of her. For one thing, they could kill Peeta. Obviously these are supposed to be secret, but they could also broadcast her crime and then publicly punish Prim for them, too, just to show the Districts that they can. Katniss won't find out about it, of course, but it's something she should be aware is possible.

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