Avox

An Avox is a person who has been punished for rebelling against the Capitol; in other words, a traitor or a runaway. The avoxes that serviced Katniss during the 74th Hunger Games had red hair and eyebrows. They wear red uniforms and stand in the room the tributes are in and wait to serve them. Avoxes have had their tongues cut out, rendering them unable to speak. Katniss recognizes an Avox while staying in the Capitol before the 74th Hunger Games; she saw this particular Avox (it is later revealed in Mockingjay that this Avox's name is Lavinia) in the forest surrounding District 12 while she was hunting with Gale. The now Avox was with another boy. The boy was killed, and the girl was caught in a net dropped from a hovercraft, when the girl is trapped in the net, Katniss belives she sees her cry out, "Help!" When Katniss points her out, she is scolded by Effie for talking to her. She asks how Katniss knew her, when she clearly shouldn't. Katniss panics, but Peeta covers for her by saying she looks like a girl from District 12, Delly Cartwright. People do not speak to Avoxes unless giving them an order. They spend their lives serving the Capitol. Another known Avox is Darius, a former Peacekeeper in District 12. He was a friend of Katniss'. He became an Avox after trying to stop Thread, the new Head Peacekeeper of District 12, from whipping Katniss's friend Gale any longer (Catching Fire). While in the Capitol, preparing for 75th Hunger Games, Katniss recognizes the Avoxes sent to serve the District Twelve tributes as Darius and the red-headed girl, Lavinia. Another Avox is Pollux, one of Katniss' cameramen in Mockingjay. When on the District 12 floor in the building the tributes are kept in the 75th Hunger Games, Katniss dropped her bowl of peas on the floor she looked Darius in the eye and Effie told her to get up when she took time to look at Darius and speak all the words they couldn't without speaking.

At the end of Mockingjay, when Prim died, Katniss becomes somewhat of an Avox because she is so shocked. She only starts speaking about when she confronts Snow in his garden of flowers.

Etymology
"Avox" is taken from two Latin words meaning "without [a] voice." This is an appropriate description, as the punishment that defines an Avox is having one's tongue cut out.

Known avoxes

 * Lavinia
 * Darius
 * Pollux