The Hunger Games

This article is about the book, The Hunger Games''. For other uses, see The Hunger Games (Disambiguation).''

The Hunger Games is a young-adult, post apocalyptic novel written by Suzanne Collins. It was originally published on September 14, 2008. The book is the first in The Hunger Games trilogy and is followed by Catching Fire then Mockingjay. In the novel, the Hunger Games are an annual televised event where the ruthless Capitol randomly selects one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts, and puts them against each other in a game of survival where they are forced to kill until only one remains.thumb|300px|right|The Hunger Games book trailer.

Characters

 * Katniss Everdeen –The story's main character, a sarcastic and strong-willed teenager. Katniss lives in the coal-mining District 12, one of the poorer districts, and often hunts outside of the District's walls in order to feed her family. When Katniss' sister Prim is reaped for the Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Her hunting and archery skills are a boon to her in the Hunger Games.
 * Peeta Mellark – The male tribute from District 12, Peeta is a baker's son. He has been in love with Katniss since they were five, and he once saved her from starving. Peeta is characterized by a likable personality, strategy, and selflessness.
 * Cinna – Katniss' stylist who later becomes her close friend. Cinna is clever and supportive.
 * Rue – The tribute from District 11. Small and bird-like, you wouldn't assume that she could last long, but her knowledge of trees and how to hide keeps her alive. She warns Katniss about the tracker jacker beehive, mutations that were once set out by the Capitol to ease away the rebellion. Unfortunately Rue was killed by Marvel (a boy from District 1), whom threw a spear into her stomach. Katniss sung Rue to sleep or otherwise death, after Rue closed her eyes and the cannon shot, Katniss gathered flowers and covered Rue with the beautiful wildflowers showing the Gamemakers that she was just more than a piece in the games. She also sung a song that she had learned, for her father also used to sing before his death. Throughout the books, Katniss mentions Rue on numerous accounts. Katniss had a special connection to Rue because Rue reminded Katniss of her beloved sister Prim.
 * Cato – District 2 tribute. Described as a "ruthless killing machine", he is extremely strong and was the most likely choice of a winner. He, Katniss, and Peeta were the last three tributes to face the muttated dogs with the other tribute's eyes. Cato had been weakened by the mutated dogs. Katniss and Peeta hid on top of the Cornucopia for one last night in the arena waiting for the cannon signaling Cato's death, but it didn't come. At last, he emerged as a "raw hunk of meat". After hours of moaning and groaning, Katniss decided to end his misery by shooting an arrow into his skull.
 * Clove - The female tribute from District 2. She is very skilled in knife throwing, as she was the one who killed the male tribute from District 9. She was the fifth person from the last to die and went to the "feast" having Cato guarding her. Killed by a large rock, thrown by Thresh, she seemed to have a connection to Cato due to the rule change. After admitting she had some involvement in the killing of Thresh's district partner Rue, he dented her skull with a rock "the size of a small loaf of bread". She dies in Cato's arms, as Katniss flees for her life.
 * Foxface – Known by no other name, this red-head from District 5 is hard to catch. Though she doesn't have brute strength or knowledge of weapons, she can outsmart everyone in the arena. She's killed by accident by the poisonous berry Nightlock, placing fourth in the Games.
 * Thresh – The male tribute from District 11 keeps to himself. He disappeared during the first part of the game. This made him even more dangerous. He spared Katniss's life because she was friends with Rue. Probably killed by Cato but this is unknown.
 * Glimmer- The female tribute from District 1, she was very beautiful. Described as very sexy, with long, blonde hair and emerald green eyes. Killed by Katniss' tracker jacker attack.
 * Marvel- The male tribute from District One, he was strong and ruthless. He was the one who killed Rue, the District 11 tribute by throwing a spear through her stomach. Was killed by being stabbed in the neck by Katniss' arrow, her first kill.
 * Haymitch - Katniss and Peeta's mentor. Dangerous and cunning, Haymitch was mostly drunk, with a glass in one hand and knife in the other. He promised he would sober up long enough for Katniss and Peeta to play the games and help them. He sends Katniss gifts throughout the book to help her survive. He won during the second Quarter Quell where double the tributes were required.
 * Gale - The best friend of Katniss, she and Gale met when she was only twelve and he was fourteen after both of their fathers died in the same mining explosion. Gale hunts with Katniss in the forest, usually everyday but in Catching Fire, he only hunts with her on Sundays (before the 24 hour electric fence arrives). Gale called Katniss when they first met, "Catnip."
 * Primrose Everdeen - The female sibling of Katniss Everdeen whom owns a goat called Lady, and a cat named Buttercup. Very much unlike her older sibling, Prim has a heart full of compassion and for healing. Had been originally chosen as a tribute until Katniss had volunteered to take her place.

Plot overview


Each year, for 74 years, the Hunger Games have taken place, forcing 24 children between the ages of 12-18 to kill each other. This year seems no different for Katniss Everdeen, until her younger sister, Prim, is called to participate. She takes her sister's place as Tribute to save her sister.

Katniss will do anything to survive, even if she may possibly have to go against her own morals. But when a fellow tribute reveals his affection for her and another begins to act like and remind her of her sister, it becomes harder and harder to figure out how to survive without killing those closest to her.

Part One, The Tributes
The Games have not taken place in this time, instead, this part of The Hunger Games is mostly about the preparation for the Games and delving into the characters.

The book opens up on the day of The Reaping, with Gale Hawthorne and Katniss slipping away into the woods, which is the only place where they feel safe enough to discuss The Capitol and other problems. Being poachers, they catch their loot of the day and go out to sell it at District 12's black market, The Hob, to Greasy Sae and other customers. Once the game is sold, Gale and Katniss go to Mayor Undersee's house to sell strawberries. When they knock on the door Madge, the mayor's daughter, answers the door. After a petty argument between Gale and Madge, Katniss returns home to get ready for the reaping. Because the day of the Reaping isn't a happy one, Katniss tries to cheer Prim up by commenting on her dress, a previous Reaping day outfit for Katniss, and tells her to "tuck your tail in, little duck" displaying Katniss' love for her sister.

At the reaping, Prim is chosen as the girl tribute for District 12. Katniss, devastated and shocked, immediately volunteers for her twelve year old sister doing something that isn't normally seen in District 12, as the last winner was almost 25 years ago. As the rest of the District stares in shocked silence, Katniss becomes the girl tribute for her district. As an act of respect to a loved one, the entire district places three fingers to their lips and presses outward in a silent salute. Then, the next tribute, Peeta Mellark, is chosen. Katniss has a rocky past with the boy from the town as he is known to her as the boy with the bread.

Katniss and Peeta are then taken into custody, being guarded so they do not escape. Katniss and Peeta are permitted visitors, and Katniss has five- Her mother and Prim where she makes her mother promise not to "leave" Prim as she did when their father died in a tragic mine explosion. And promises Prim that she try her hardest to win the games. Then the baker, Peeta's father and often the person Katniss and Gale trade squirrels to, he promises to take care of Prim in a way so she won't go hungry. Her second to last visitor, Madge, is full of urgency and passion as she begs Katniss to take her mockingjay pin as her Tribute Token. Katniss hesitantly agrees. Then last, Gale. Their final meeting isn't long but Gale leaves her with "Remember I...." Katniss does not hear the rest because he is taken away.

After the visitation are finished they are rushed to the Tribute Train that will take them to the Capitol. When they arrive to the Capitol they are immediately taken to the remake center to be readied for Opening Ceremony where all the tributes ride through the heart of the Capitol in chariots. When Katniss' prep team, Venia, Flavius, and Octavia, are finished Cinna, Katniss' stylist, comes to show Katniss her costume for the ceremony. He dresses her in black unitard complimented by a head dress and cape. Katniss makes her way to the stables to find Peeta in the same outfit. They board their chariot and Cinna and Portia, Peeta's stylist, light their capes and head dresses using synthetic fire. Just as the chariot is about to take its turn Cinna tells Katniss and Peeta to hold hands as they ride their way through the streets dazzling the people of the Capitol.

The chariots take them to the Training Center where they will stay until they day of the games. Here they train in the underground gym until the day of the Gamemaker's assessment. This is when each of the tribute's best skills are shown to get a training score that can make or break whether you get sponsors. Katniss is last, as she enters she can already tell that the Gamemakers are drunk and no going to pay attention to her so she does an amazing display of bow and arrow shooting, that being her true talent, but no one watches. So in an act of defiance and anger she shoots an apple out of the roasted pigs mouth on the Gamemaker's dining table. Later that night when the scores are displayed, Katniss gets 11 out of 12, the highest score of all the tributes.

The next day are the interviews and Cinna dresses Katniss in a stunning jeweled dress depicting her as being on fire.... Katniss, the girl on fire. After her interview, Peeta follows her and professes his love for her to the entire nation of Panem.

Part Two, The Games
This part of the Hunger Games mostly focuses on the actual Games. The death, destruction, and chaos that surrounds the game is described within these chapters. The Games begin with 11 of the 24 tributes dying in the first day, while Katniss relies on her well-practiced hunting and outdoors skills to survive. As the Games continue, the tribute death toll increases, but both Katniss and Peeta are able to evade death.

Part Three, The Victors
The conclusion of The Hunger Games. This part mainly focuses on the end of The 74th Hunger Games and the aftermath leading up to the events in Catching Fire. After it's announced two tributes from the same district can win, Katniss finds Peeta and is horrified by the condition he is in. In the act of saving Katniss, Peeta took a gruesome sword slash to the leg delivered by Cato. Katniss attempts to heal Peeta but is left no choice but to go to the "feast" given to the last six tributes. What is at the feast is what each tribute needs most. As Katniss runs to retrieve her backpack labeled with a 12 and holding the medicine that would save Peeta, Clove throws a knife missing Katniss, but then she rams into Katniss and knocks her to the ground to start killing Katniss in a slow, sadistic way giving Cato a show. Just as Clove is going to cut Katniss, Thresh, the remaining tribute from District 11 tackles Clove only to beat her in the temple with a rock, the cannon soon signifying her death. As Thresh turns to Katniss, she asks if he can make it quick, but Thresh spares her life for taking care of his district partner Rue while she was dying. Just as Katniss is going to black out from her head wound she takes the medicine from the small pack and injects the medicine that will save his life. Katniss wakes up to Peeta watching her and caring for her. On the final day of the games a river that runs near their hiding spot runs dry and decide that it is time to move to the lake near the Cornucopia. That is where they find a frantic Cato running from giant Capitol wolves. The final show down is on top of the Cornicopia and Cato does not survive it. After Cato is attacked by the muttations, which in this case are human like wolves that resemble the previously dead tributes, Katniss shoots him, mainly out of pity. Claudius Templesmith then announces that there can only be one victor revoking the previously placed rule, but Katniss and Peeta threaten suicide with berries known as nightlock in hopes that the Capitol would rather have 2 victors than none. It works, and they are declared the winners. Due to the berries used to threaten suicide the Capitol becomes angry with Katniss and claims she was sparking rebellion by "outsmarting" the Gamemakers and defying the Capitol. When Haymitch tells Katniss this she takes it as her job to reverse it to save the ones she loves. Upon going home Peeta and Katniss start growing apart when she tells him she knew when Haymitch would send her sponsorship gifts and played most of the games that way. Though not sure of her feelings for Peeta this hurts him as much as her, but must be in love for show as they enter their district as newly crowned Victors.

Sequels
The Hunger Games is the first book of The Hunger Games trilogy. Followed by Catching Fire, which follows Katniss Everdeen and her "friend" Peeta Mellark as they try to survive in and out of yet another deadly Hunger Games, the Quarter Quell. The third and final book in The Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay, was released August 24, 2010 and finishes the rebellion in unexpected ways.

Sales
After writing the novel, Collins signed a six-figure deal for three books with Scholastic in 2006.The first book originally had a 50,000 first printing which was then bumped up twice to 200,000 copies. As of February 11, 2010, The Hunger Games has sold 800,000 copies undefined and 26 foreign editions; rights to the novel have been sold in 38 territories.

Film adaptation
Lionsgate Entertainment has acquired worldwide distribution rights to a film adaptation of The Hunger Games, which will be produced by Nina Jacobson's Color Force production company. Suzanne Collins adapted the novel for film herself, with screen writer Billy Ray revising it. Gary Ross will direct the film. Jennifer Lawrence has been confirmed to portray Katniss Everdeen in the adaptation, while Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth will play Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne, respectively.