- "Do you like seafood? Shrimp and crabmeat? Often overlooked, District 4 plays an essential role, bringing us the bounty of the sea. These citizens are adept with nets and tridents, and can swim like fish themselves."
- —Description from The Hunger Games: Tribute Guide[src]
District 4 is one of Panem's wealthiest districts. Its major industry is fishing, and children are trained for jobs in this industry from a young age.
History
Relationship with the Games
In the first ten years of the Hunger Games, District 4 tributes were considered "contenders" in the competition,[1] presumably due to skills they picked up in the fishing industry. They may have also had better, more stable diets than other districts because they procured their own food.
Career district
Eventually, alongside District 1 and District 2, District 4 began to train Career Tributes. Although technically against the rules, their children were trained to prepare them for combat inside the arena.[2] They were strong competitors, but they could be overconfident or even arrogant, ending in their defeat. However, in the films, only 1 and 2 produced Careers.[3][4]
Aftermath of the 74th Hunger Games
Despite District 4's relative wealth and success, it had a strong rebel underground. During the Victory Tour (74th HG), the people of Districts 3, 4, and 8 expressed "genuine elation" at the sight of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, "and under the elation, fury," crying out for vengeance.[5] Also, on the day before the reading of the Quell card, the district had been in revolt for several weeks, resulting in seafood shortages that were explained away as a consequence of bad weather.[6]
75th Hunger Games
At the time of the third Quarter Quell, the tributes from Districts 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 11 were all involved in a rebel plan to protect Katniss and break out of the 75th Hunger Games arena.[7]
Second Rebellion
All but one of its victors were killed during the war and the Victors' Purge. The only survivor was Annie Cresta.[8]
Reconstruction
After the war, Mrs. Everdeen went to District 4 to help in setting up a hospital there.[9]
Culture
Everyday life
District 4 as seen in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Not much is known about District 4's way of living aside from their specialization in fishing. This makes them adept at tying knots, weaving, and wielding weapons like spears and tridents. They can also make and use nets, improvise fish hooks, and identify edible marine life.[10] They also have a district accent,[10] though the way it sounds is never described.
The traditional bread from this district is a salty, fish-shaped loaf, tinted green by seaweed.[2]
Special occasions
Weddings
The ceremony used in District 4 is similar to the one used in District 10, but it has its own unique touches. During their vows, the couple is covered with a net woven from long grass. Then they touch each other's lips with salt water, and children sing an ancient wedding song likening marriage to a sea voyage. Finally, the union is sealed with a kiss.[11]
Known tributes
District 4 tributes, 74th Hunger Games
Tributes
- Mizzen - Fell to his death in the 10th Hunger Games, placing 5th. [12] Killed by snake mutts in the film, placing 4th. Mentored by Persephone Price.[13]
- Coral - Bitten by venomous snake mutts in the 10th Hunger Games. Placed 6th in the book and 2nd in the film.[14] Mentored by Festus Creed.[13]
- District 4 male (70th HG) - Beheaded.[15]
- District 4 female (74th HG) - Killed by tracker jackers, placing 11th;[16] in the film, died after the bloodbath, placing 13th.[3]
- District 4 male (74th HG) - Died in the bloodbath.[17][3]
Victors
- Mags Flanagan - Victor of the 11th Hunger Games and tribute in the 75th. Died to poison fog, placing 15th.[18]
- Finnick Odair - Victor of the 65th Hunger Games,[19] mentored by Mags,[20] and tribute in the 75th. Survived the Quell,[7] but died to lizard mutts during the Battle of the Capitol.[21]
- Annie Cresta - Victor of the 70th Hunger Games.[15] After the war, Annie was the district's last surviving victor.[8]
- Unnamed victor - Victor of an unknown Games between the 1st and 9th. District 4 was considered a contender for the Games by Coriolanus Snow, implying they'd had a victor by the 10th Hunger Games.[1]
All living District 4 male victors at the reaping in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
Films
- District 4 male victor - was present for the third Quarter Quell reaping; around the age of 70.
- District 4 male victor - present for the reaping; middle-aged.
- District 4 male victor - present for the reaping; about 20-30 years old
Location and geography
According to the map of Panem featured in The Hunger Games Adventures, District 4 is located on the western coast of the continent, roughly corresponding to California and Oregon, with notable territories in Nevada and southern Washington. This ties in with the district's industry of fishing, and the fact that tributes from District 4 tend to be very good swimmers. The district borders District 7 (to the north), District 1 (to the east), and District 5 (to the southeast). During their Victory Tour, Katniss and Peeta notice the ocean when visiting one of the districts, strongly implied to be District 4.
Trivia
- Finnick Odair was the youngest known victor, winning his Games when he was just 14 years old.[19]
- Finnick was a mentor for the 74th Hunger Games.[22]
- After winning the 11th Hunger Games, Mags was the first victor to embark on a Victory Tour.[23]
- She was also the oldest tribute in the third Quarter Quell at 80 years old. She volunteered in place of Annie Cresta.[24]
- The three known deceased female tributes from District 4 died similarly, each poisoned by a Gamemaker creation: Coral by snake mutts, the unnamed girl in the 74th Hunger Games by tracker jackers, and Mags by the fog.
- According to The Hunger Games Adventures, District 4 is located on the west coast of Panem, just to the southeast of District 7.
- In one or two maps seen in the movies District 4 is also located on the west coast of Panem.
- District 4 is the only Career District with a known rebel, as well as the only Career District to assist in the rebels' plan to protect and rescue Katniss in the 75th Hunger Games.
- According to the Capitol.PN, District 4 has 12 fisheries in operation with a population of 111,453, making it the seventh largest district, in terms of population.
- According to the Capitol.PN, District 4 claims 26,357 in tesserae, making it the fourth richest district.
- If the population is 111,453 and they claim 26,357 tesserae, it would equal to 0.236 tesserae per person, making it the 5th richest District.
- This makes District 4 the only Career District poorer than a non-Career District.
- Based on the arena wear for the 74th Hunger Games, the district's color seems to be plantation teal (#415149 – ).[25]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Hunger Games, Chapter 7
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Hunger Games (film)
- ↑ The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 5
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 12
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Catching Fire, Chapter 27
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Mockingjay, Chapter 26
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 27
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Catching Fire, Chapter 16
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 16
- ↑ The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 20
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 4
- ↑ The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 19
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Catching Fire, Chapter 24
- ↑ The Hunger Games, Chapter 14
- ↑ The Hunger Games, Chapter 11
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 21
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Catching Fire, Chapter 15
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 22
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 22
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 19
- ↑ https://twitter.com/TheHungerGames/status/664521466885439488
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 14
- ↑ File:Anatomy of an arena costume.jpg
