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"Katniss was always so amazing, I never dreamed she would notice me," says Delly. "The way she could hunt and go into the Hob and everything. Everyone admired her so."
—Delly praising Katniss[src]

Delly Cartwright is a merchant girl from District 12 who was a childhood friend of Peeta Mellark. She is described as being extremely friendly and smiles at everyone.[1]

Biography[]

Early life[]

Delly was born in District 12 and raised alongside her younger brother in the merchant sector of town. Their parents ran the shoe shop,[2] and it was typical for merchants to live above their stores,[3] so the Cartwrights likely lived right above theirs. Delly had played with Peeta they were little, and she even used to tell people that he was her brother. She, Peeta, and Katniss had all been in the same class in school,[2] placing them all around the same age.

Mentioned in the Capitol[]

When Katniss and Peeta were having a meal in the Capitol along with Haymitch Abernathy, Cinna, Portia, and Effie Trinket, the Avox Lavinia waited on them. Katniss claimed to recognize Lavinia, but after Effie and Haymitch explained that Avoxes were traitors, Peeta chimed in to save Katniss from looking suspicious. He claimed the Avox just looked like someone they knew from District 12: Delly Cartwright. There was no actual resemblance, but Katniss was grateful for Peeta's discretion.[1]

In District 13[]

Delly and her brother both survived the bombing of District 12, although their parents were killed. The siblings were evacuated to District 13 with the other refugees.[2] They accounted for two of "fewer than a dozen" total merchant survivors.[4]

Delly was one of the first people to interact with Peeta after he attacked Katniss; she had been chosen because she was one of the few surviving people Peeta knew who had no direct connection to Katniss, so she would be less likely to trigger his fear conditioning. Delly visited Peeta and attempted to convince him of all the good things Katniss did. Peeta was happy to see her, though generally confused and distraught. When asked by Peeta about where he was and why his family had not come to see him, Delly tearfully explained that the district had burned down and his family was dead. Peeta became enraged, shouting that it was Katniss's fault and that she was a muttation.[2]

Delly met Katniss, Gale Hawthorne, Beetee Latier, Johanna Mason, Finnick Odair, Annie Cresta, and later Peeta at lunch. When Peeta was allowed to eat with everyone, he was rude to Katniss and said he might try to steal Annie away from Finnick, not caring that Katniss was there. After Gale and Katniss left, Delly was very angry with Peeta and yelled at him for treating Katniss so badly.[5]

Family[]

Delly had a younger brother who also survived the bombing, though her parents, who owned the shoe shop in town, were killed.[2]

Physical description[]

In District 12, Delly Cartwright was a pasty-faced, lumpy girl with yellowish hair.[1]

In District 13, she looked older, with her long blonde hair in a practical braid instead of curls. She was also thinner than when she was in District 12 due to the grief from her parents' death; Katniss said she remembered Delly being one of the few kids in the district with a few pounds to spare, being healthier than average.[2]

Personality[]

Katniss described Delly as probably being "the friendliest person on the planet",[1] smiling at everyone as if they were each her best friend. She generally liked people, and seemed able to put a positive spin on most anything.[2] However, she was by no means a pushover, as she stood up to Peeta for his rude behavior towards Katniss.[5]

Etymology[]

Delly's given name might come from the word "dell", referring to a grassy hollow, which are often romanticized in literature as safe, secluded places. Her surname, Cartwright, is an English occupational surname for a maker of carts.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The Hunger Games, Chapter 6
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Mockingjay, Chapter 13
  3. The Hunger Games, Chapter 2
  4. Mockingjay, Chapter 2
  5. 5.0 5.1 Mockingjay, Chapter 17
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