Essay Questions

What does Katniss' three finger hand gesture mean?

Katniss is in a fight to the death with other participants of the Hunger Games. So when Rue dies and Katniss puts flowers on her, this is no small gesture. When Katniss holds up three fingers to the cameras for all districts to see, her sign is impactful. The reason is that the symbol is one of respect and love for the one who has died. It represents unity as Katniss is displaying the reality that Rue's life mattered and will be honored. She wasn't just some random victim of violence in Katniss' pursuit of victory in the Games. Katniss is rebelling agains President Snow and the Hunger Games by doing what is right and honoring Rue's life, making it have great meaning to all the districts.

How does Katniss get into the Hunger Games?

Initially Primrose, Katniss' younger sister, is chosen to participate in the Hunger Games which chooses two participants from each district between the ages of 12-18. But Katniss voluntarily takes the place of her sister as she cannot allow her younger sibling to be subject to death which will be imminent if the little girl is sent into a combat zone of violence. Thus, Katniss goes into the Game by her own will and not by that of some random selection. And her choosing this is vital to her becoming the face of the rebellion.

Why does the Hunger Games event exist, and what does it represent?

The Hunger Games exists in this story as a means for President Snow to remind all of the districts which he rules of the rebellion that was once brought against him and the aristocracies of the world. Every year the Hunger Games is a reminder of Snow's victory over the rebellion and it is a public gesture of Snow's false mercy, as though he is sparing the lives of the rebellious districts by only having two lives potentially sacrificed from each.

It also serves to turn the districts against one another as each district will certainly root for their own to come home, and to do so they must murder members from other districts. This represents a strategy of disunity that Snow has implemented in order to weaken the potential for rebellion as none of the districts will easily unite against him when they are focused on defeating one another.