The Hunger Games

1. The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins

2. Welcome to PANEM • Used to be North America • Disasters came: droughts, storms, fires – these left little land • Fighting began over what land was left • PANEM – “a shining Capitol ringed by 13 districts” • At first, there was peace and prosperity • Then came the Dark Days – uprising of districts against Capitol • 12 were defeated – the 13th was obliterated • Treaty of Treason – new laws to guarantee peace and… • The Hunger Games

3. The Hunger Games • Punishment for the uprising in the Dark Days • The Capitol’s way of reminding the Districts how powerful they are • Each of the 12 districts must provide one boy and one girl • This makes a total of 24 “tributes” for the games • Imprisoned in an outdoor arena – televised across country • Over several weeks, the competitors must fight to the death • Only one winner – will get “life of ease” and district will be rewarded • Capitol forces the districts to treat Hunger Games as a festivity and to celebrate them

4. Characters • KatnissEverdeen – nicknamed Catnip (by Gale) – she is 16 – loves her sister Prim – father was killed in an explosion – tense relationship with her mother – best friend is Gale – accomplished hunter – provides for her family – her name was entered 20 times in the reaping • Primrose Everdeen – nicknamed Prim – she is 12 – loves her sister and mother – has a goat named Lady and a cat named Buttercup – has been sheltered and protected by Katniss • Gale – is 18 years old – provides for his two little brothers and a sister + his mother – his father also killed in explosion – best friend to Katniss – his name was entered 42 times in the reaping

5. Characters Continued • Madge – the mayor’s daughter – not a snob, nice girl – she and Katniss are not really “friends” but are friendly to each other – her name only entered 5 times in the reaping • Mother – used to be of the wealthier merchant class – met her husband when he sold medicinal herbs to her family’s apothecary shop – her old life means much to her – nearly let Katniss and Prim starve to death after their father died – tense relationship with Katniss • Effie Trinket – From the Capitol – assigned as District 12’s escort – pink wig, green suit, Capitol accent – wishes she worked for a higher achieving district – pulls Prim’s name from the jar

6. Characters Continued • Mayor Undersee – Mayor of District 12 – Madge’s father – buys strawberries regularly from Gale and Katniss • Haymitch Abernathy – the only living past Hunger Games victor from District 12 – shows up drunk to the reaping ceremony – tries to hug Effie – embarrasses the Mayor • Greasy Sae – old woman in the Hob who sells soup – regularly buys wild dog, and other items, from Gale and Katniss • Peacekeepers – self explanatory name

7. Settings • District 12 – where Katniss, Prim, her mother, Gale, etc. live • The Capitol – ruling sector of Panem • Panem – the country • The Seam – coal mining area – where the poorer class lives – where Gale, Katniss, etc. are from • The Square – central merchant area of District 12 – actually a pleasant place – the reaping is here • The Woods – forbidden but Gale and Katniss hunt here • The Hob – the black market – in an abandoned warehouse – Katniss and Gale sell their items here

8. Tesserae • Tesserae - small square of bone, wood, or the like, used in ancient times as a token, tally, ticket, etc. • You take out a tessera for each year’s ration of oil and grain for one person. For each tessera, your name is entered in the reaping one time • Tesserae is the plural form of the word • Katniss takes out tesserae for herself, Prim, and her mother

9. Peeta • Male tribute for District 12 • Bakers • Lives in the Merchant Area • Wealthier than Katniss • How do Katniss and Peeta know each other? • School…….. • Gave her some bread one time when she was out seeking food or money