Post #3- The Hunger Games

In chapters 4-10 we begin to see that Katniss knows she is truly in the games alone and that she can't depend on Peeta to be her friend because in just a few days they will be literally stabbing each other in the back to survive.  Page 92:" It's such a joke!  Peeta and I going along pretending to be friends!  Talking up each other's strengths, insisting the other take credit for their abilities.  Because, in fact, at some point, we're going to have to knock it off and accept we're bitter adversaries."   We also learn about the regret and sorry that Katniss is faced with when she sees that red headed Avox girl in the capital training center.  Katniss feels remorse for not trying to help the girl as she saw her running through the woods back home.  The girl was trying to escape the hovercraft from the capital that was chasing her, but Katniss and Gale just hid out of sight so they wouldn't be caught too.  Page 85:  " I'd set out to tell her I was sorry about dinner. But I know that my apology runs much deeper.  That I'm ashamed I never tried to help her in the woods."  The gamemakers bring out a side of Katniss that hasn't been seen in the earlier parts of the book.  As she goes before them to show off the skills that she has only a handful are paying her any attention.  The others are stuffing themselves with food and drunk on wine.  Katniss is so overtaken by anger at the fact that her life is in the hands of these people and they don't even have enough respect to watch the talent that she has.  Out of anger Katniss raises her bow and arrow and shoots the apple right out of the pigs mouth that the gamemakers are feasting on.  Page 101-102:  " Suddenly I am furious, that with my life on the line, they don't even have the decency to pay attention to me...Everyone stares at me with disbelief."      

The most interesting thing that we learn about Peeta in this section comes out during his interview.  Peeta admits to the interviewer that he is in love with Katniss.  Page" Well, there is one girl.  I've had a crush on her as long as I can remember.  But I'm pretty sure she didn't know I was alive until the reaping... she came here with me."  This was not really a surprise to me however, because i felt that there was quiet a bit of foreshadowing leading up to this moment. One of the pieces that I felt foreshadowed this moment was when Peeta gave Katniss the burnt bread many years ago when she was starving.  Even though he knew he would be punished himself for his act of kindness Peeta was willing to take the risk.  Another event that foreshadowed this announcement was shown by the way that Peeta held on to Katniss' hand so tightly while they entered the capital for the first time, page 71 "I look down at our linked fingers as I loosen my grasp, but he regains his grip on me.  "No, don't let go of me," he says"  also was a clue to me that he had stronger feelings for Katniss than anyone knew about.  This section of the book still portrays Peeta as being loyal to Katniss and the friendship that they have.  Even though they start to pull away from each other because they know that every boy and girl will be fighting only for him/herself in the arena Peeta still is kind to Katniss.  When she pushed him into the glass vase causing to break and stab into his hands he didn't get angry with her.  Page 134:  The urn tips and shatters into hundreds of tiny pieces.  Peeta lands in the shards, and blood immediatley flows from his hands...I'm embarrassed about my reaction. I force myself to acknowledge Peeta.  " I'm sorry I shoved you." " Doesn't matter", he shrugs."   

In these chapters we learn that the capitol is a very wealthy place to live and that the people who live in the capitol are very different from those from district 12.  Page 63:  "Most of the stylist they interview on television are so dyed, stenciled, and surgically altered they're grotesque."  Page 75: " The shower alone has a panel with more than a hundred options you can choose regulating water temperature, pressure, soaps, shampoos, scents, oils, and massaging sponges."  The capital just sees the games as a big party or festival.  They don't seem to take in the fact that 23 lives will be lost in the process of fining a winner.  The games are a big deal and a call for celebration.  Page 71:The twelve chariots fill the loop of the City Circle.  On the buildings that surround the Circle, every window is packed with the most prestigious citizens of the Capital."  The people that live in the capital have a much easier life than the citizens of the other districts.  Especially district 12.