Effie Trinket is the escort for the District 12 tributes, acting as an advisor to Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark while she accompanies them to the Capitol. By the end of Mockingjay, she is the only escort from the 74th and 75th Hunger Games alive after the Second Rebellion.
She initially appears to be very posh, like many other Capitol residents. However, she later grows more emotionally attached to the people of the rebellion, and realizes the Capitol's mistakes.
Biography
Effie Trinket
Effie worked as an escort for the Hunger Games tributes of District 12 prior to its destruction. She is most notable for escorting and advising Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the 74th and 75th Hunger Games. Her responsibilities include drawing the Hunger Games tributes' names every year at reapings[1] and subsequently escorting them to the Capitol via a train.[2] She is very well known for her Capitol accent, upbeat attitude for the Games, and the Capitol phrase, "May the odds be ever in your favor!"[1]
Effie lives in the Capitol and remains there for most of the year. The only reason she travels to District 12 or any of the other districts is because of the Games or the Victory Tour.
The Hunger Games
Effie speaking during the reaping
Effie reaps Primrose Everdeen and Peeta Mellark's names from the District 12 reaping balls. When Katniss volunteers in place of her sister, Effie gushes about her spirit and attempts to lighten the atmosphere. At one point in the reaping, a drunk Haymitch Abernathy stumbles onstage and hugs Effie without her consent, causing her wig to become crooked, then promptly falls face-first off the stage and lies on the floor, unconscious. Effie attempts to shake this off, although her wig remains askew, and continues the reaping ceremony.[3]
Effie Trinket
Effie takes the tributes on the train to transport them to the Capitol. She tells them about the pre-Games routine on the train and her plans. Effie eats dinner with Katniss and Peeta and is relieved when she sees that Katniss and Peeta has manners unlike the last pair of tributes, saying, "At least you two have decent manners. The pair last year ate everything with their hands like a pair of savages. It completely upset my digestion."
To toy with Effie, Katniss begins to eat like an animal by wiping her fingers with the tablecloth, upsetting Effie. Afterward, she sits with Katniss and Peeta and watches the recap of the reapings in the other districts. Katniss and Peeta joke about Haymitch's behavior during the reaping, which annoys Effie. Immediately afterward, Haymitch enters the room and vomits all over the floor. Effie is disgusted and leaves the room.[2]
Effie eating with Katniss and the District 12 stylists.
Effie eats breakfast with them and retires to her room to make arrangements for their arrival at the Capitol.[4] After Katniss and Peeta's amazing performance in the chariot rides through the Capitol, Effie talks them up in an attempt to win sponsors for her tributes. She falsely states that coals turn to pearls when enough pressure is applied, referencing Peeta and Katniss being from District 12.[5]
Effie and Haymitch also drill them for details about their sessions in the Training Center, determined to whip them into shape.[6]
Effie is horrified when Katniss tells them about her seemingly disastrous private session, where she shot an arrow at the Gamemakers' table. However, she then states that it serves them right, as the Gamemakers should not ignore Katniss regardless of her being from District 12. Effie is ecstatic when Katniss and Peeta both manage a high training score.[7]
Effie waits in anticipation with Haymitch and Katniss for the tribute training scores.
Effie tries but fails to help Katniss with her Interview with Caesar Flickerman. She attempts to teach her how to sit, smile, and talk like a lady, but only becomes frustrated.[8] After the interview and Peeta's astonishing declaration of love, Katniss shoves Peeta into an urn. Effie helps break up the fight while Haymitch tells her about the logistics of his and Peeta's plan.[9]
The night before the Games begin, she wishes them good luck. Heartbroken because she has grown to like them, Effie leaves the room before she can become more upset.[9] She assists Haymitch in lining up sponsors for Katniss and Peeta and helps them throughout the Games. After Katniss and Peeta's victory, Effie gloats about winning them sponsors by comparing them to coal, explaining that when you put enough pressure on coal they become pearls.[10] Effie is introduced to the Capitol audience before a film of the Games is shown. After Katniss and Peeta's interview with Caesar, she accompanies them back to District 12.[11]
Catching Fire
Effie during the Victory Tour.
Effie sent Katniss's mother a list of potential talents for her daughter, as every victor was meant to have one.[12]
She later returns to District 12 for Katniss and Peeta's Victory Tour[12] and tells them they have to start off with District 11. On the way there, the train makes an unplanned stop that affects Effie's schedule, angering her. This also irritates Katniss and causes her to yell at Effie, hurting her feelings. When Katniss comes back, she apologizes to Effie, who graciously accepts and forgives her.[13]
Effie ensures that everything is prepared for the victory speech Katniss and Peeta must give to Rue and Thresh's family. When they arrive in District 11, Effie is displeased with the way they are being treated.[13] After the elderly man is killed for whistling Rue's tune, which signaled the end of a working day, the Peacekeepers force them all to leave quickly, which annoys Effie due to their lack of manners. She noted that the Peacekeepers were very strict when she was looking around District 11's Justice Building. She said they ordered her to get back to her quarters and one even poked her with her gun.[14] After the Victory Tour is complete, Effie hustles Katniss and Peeta off to District 12.[15]
Effie escorts Peeta and Katniss to the President's ball.
Effie leaves to go back to the Capitol and soon comes back to District 12 at Katniss' house for the wedding photoshoot, using her manipulative nature to order the crew about, and watching to make everything go perfectly like her plan. Effie is unaware of the rebellion, President Snow's threats, or of the tension between Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch.[16] When the third Quarter Quell is announced, revealing that tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of victors, Effie draws the lots out of the reaping balls—the same way she did in the 74th Hunger Games. Effie calls Katniss's name since she is the only living female victor of District 12, thus being the only eligible girl. Effie then calls Haymitch's name, but Peeta volunteers for Haymitch in his place. Effie once again escorts Katniss and Peeta to the train that takes them to the Capitol, where she begins planning.[17]
Effie watches the interviews for the 75th Hunger Games.
Effie and the others watch the reaping recaps together.[18] After the chariot rides, she agrees to let Katniss and Peeta go to the training session alone, but takes them to the elevator herself and leads them to the door.[19] Effie is even more shocked than last year about their private training sessions with the Gamemakers when she finds out that they deliberately sabotaged them to protest the Games. On the verge of tears, she retires to her room until the time comes for Katniss and Peeta to receive their training scores. Afterward, she and Haymitch give them a whole day to themselves before their interview with Caesar Flickerman.[20] After the interview, Effie is asked to leave them without being able to say goodbye.[21]
Effie reaps Katniss for the 75th Hunger Games.
Mockingjay
District 13
After Katniss destroys the arena and escapes with the other rebels, Effie is arrested along with Katniss and Peeta's prep teams. After President Snow is sentenced to death, Effie is released from prison. Haymitch and Plutarch Heavensbee bring her to District 13 so she can prepare Katniss for Snow's execution, although they struggle to keep Effie alive.[22]
Katniss makes a mental note to put her on the list of people to be granted immunity since she doesn't want Effie to be killed by President Coin. Effie escorts Katniss to a meeting about a potential 76th Hunger Games. Afterward, she watches as Katniss kills Coin instead of Snow during the execution.[22]
Mockingjay Part 1
District 13
Effie's role is expanded from the books, as she essentially takes on the role of Fulvia Cardew. In Mockingjay Part 1, she has come to District 13 alongside Haymitch and Plutarch out of sympathy for Katniss. She is initially unhappy about being in 13, despite her loyalties now being with the rebels, mostly because the strict rules in 13 make it impossible for her to dress fashionably, wear makeup, or put on wigs. She assists Plutarch and Haymitch in coming up with ideas for propos and gives Katniss the designs for the Mockingjay suit that Cinna drew. She provides comic relief in the movie, as her exuberant personality clashes with the sober style of District 13. She doesn't seem to be treated with distrust and hostility, as President Coin personally welcomes her.[23]
Mockingjay Part 2
The character of Effie is reduced to somewhat of a background character in the film. She is seen at Finnick's and Annie's wedding wearing the dress she was last wearing when forcibly taken as a refugee at the end of Catching Fire. Being distinctive in appearance, she joyfully takes part in the festivities.
Effie is once again seen near the end of the film escorting Katniss from the hospital to Snow's mansion, recalling the first time she had brought Katniss there. Despite having a team of stylists prepping Katniss for Snow's execution in the novel, Effie is the sole stylist who is shown to be doing some last minute tidying up before letting Katniss go on to attend the execution. At the execution, Effie takes the stage behind President Alma Coin, the newly self-appointed and alleged temporary President of Panem alongside Coin's high-ranking officials. Effie stands nervously in the background; whether this was the result of having to watch Snow be executed or because of a personal distrust of President Coin is unknown. Immediately after Coin was shot and killed by Katniss, those who were standing nearby behind Coin rushed to her aid; whether Effie was among those trying to help is unknown as well. She witnessed Katniss being taken into custody for murder.
After Katniss is released from custody and shortly before she and Haymitch return to District 12, Effie makes her farewell with the two a very emotional one, telling Katniss to promise her (Effie) that she would find "the life of a victor", which possibly implied that she wanted Katniss to go on in life with the strength that helped her win the Games twice. Haymitch tells Effie not "to be a stranger" and gives her a kiss on the lips. As Katniss and Haymitch walked toward the gates of the mansion, Effie began to cry and quickly composed herself for aesthetic reasons.[24]
Physical description
- "Effie Trinket, District 12's escort, fresh from the Capitol with her scary white grin, pinkish hair and spring green suit."
- —Katniss, on Effie[src]
Effie modeling for Capitol Couture.
Being an eccentric Capitol citizen, Effie has a unique and flamboyant interest in fashion, and is constantly seen throughout the series wearing colorful stylized outfits and wigs. She is regarded as a fashion icon among the people of the Capitol, proceeding Katniss Everdeen's successful appearance in the 74th Hunger Games, and eventual victory.
In The Hunger Games, Effie Trinket has pink hair, speculated to be a wig, and during the reaping wears a spring-green suit. As she gives speeches, she constantly adjusts her attire.[1]
Effie's Capitol Portrait
In Catching Fire, Effie is adorned with brilliant pumpkin colored locks.[12] She later changes her wig to a metallic gold one in order to match Katniss' mockingjay pin.[17]
Effie in Catching Fire
After being released from prison, Effie continues to wear her resplendent golden wig and leather high heels, although she has a "vacant look in her eyes."[22]
Effie is presumably fairly young as she makes multiple references to wanting to get promoted to a better district,[9] indicating that she is around the beginning of her career at the time of the 74th Hunger Games. She is noted for her distinct Capitol accent.[1]
In the first film, during the reaping, Effie is wearing a purple dress with puffed sleeves and high heeled black shoes, with light pink socks. On board the train, she sports an aqua colored dress with a blonde wig and a darker aqua skirt. While in the Capitol she wears a heavily Chinese influenced pink and purple mini dress with a puffed skirt and golden yellow trimmings. She also has a pink wig with a golden flower ornament.[25]
In the second film in promotional posters, while modeling for Capitol Couture, she is seen with another blonde and pink wig, with silver cylindrical earrings. She wears a ruffled red dress with matching feathered shoes and pink and purple unique gloves, with silver finger ornaments.
During the Victory Tour, she wears a blondish orange wig, with dark navy feathered sleeves and a fitted blue bodice with golden trims and a matching belt. While escorting Peeta and Katniss to President Snow's ball, she is seen wearing a blue bun styled wig, with a large blue feathered collar, and a matching feathered mini-dress. On her wrists, she is wearing thick pink bracelets and pink ruffled high heels.[26]
Personality and traits
- "At least you two have decent manners. The pair last year ate everything with their hands like a couple of savages. It completely upset my digestion."
- —Effie Trinket, on Peeta and Katniss' manners.[src]
Effie modeling make up for Capitol Couture.
Effie can be described as oblivious to the sorrows and misfortunes that fall upon District 12. She is very strict about manners and being "proper", as that is the Capitol's way. She is not on very good terms with Haymitch at times because he is always drunk and a complete mess, and due to their conflicting personalities. She always tells Katniss and Peeta "You have no manners!" This angers Katniss, due to the fact that she comes from a poorer district, where most people face starvation. Effie is a classic Capitol resident with impeccable manners, although she later rebels against the Capitol.
Effie Trinket
Effie is a perfectionist and extremely punctual, complaining about how a five-minute train delay would hugely affect her tightly packed schedule. However, she is known for being bright and bubbly at times when she is not being publicly humiliated or in the presence of undesirable manners.
Effie, like most Capitol citizens, sees the Hunger Games as just fun entertainment as shown by her extreme happiness at the reaping regarding tributes being chosen.
However, Effie is also described as having a "keen instinct" by Katniss, and seems to be at least partially aware of the political uproar caused by Katniss and Peeta's attempted suicide. In the Reaping for the 75th Hunger Games, she is noticeably less excitable than previous years, presumably having grown fond of the two younger Victors. She appears to lose some of her shallow nature as the series progresses, eventually defecting from the Capitol during the Rebellion.
Relationships
Katniss Everdeen
- "Let's go show them, what real beauty looks like."
- —Effie, to Katniss, regarding her wedding dress.[src]
Effie District 12's 74th Reaping.
Effie annoyed Katniss greatly due to her manners and appearance. Katniss hated this and often bothered Effie by purposely using poor manners. Effie was upset when Katniss and Peeta joked about Haymitch being drunk during the reaping and making a fool of himself on national television. Effie attempted to teach Katniss manners but she continued to struggle with this as well as her personality during her preparation for the interviews with Caesar Flickerman.
Effie tells Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch about her idea for matching Tokens.
Effie did her best to help Katniss and Peeta. Effie could not bear to say goodbye to Katniss during the 74th Hunger Games since she did care for her. Effie annoyed her during the Victory Tour by flipping out about the sudden stop during the train ride to District 11, which caused Katniss to lose it and yell at Effie. She later apologized to Effie when she cooled down. Effie assisted Katniss again during the third Quarter Quell. Effie let her make more choices during the preparation for the Games. Effie was taken away the night before the third Quarter Quell, which Katniss felt bad about because this could be the last time she saw her and she wasn't able to say goodbye to her in person. However, she told Haymitch to say goodbye for her and to make it extra special since it was Effie. Katniss was surprised when Effie came back to her before Snow's trial and that she was on the rebellion side instead of the Capitol. Katniss made a mental note to give Effie immunity from being killed by Coin, because she liked Effie.
Peeta Mellark
Effie and Peeta at President Snow's mansion.
Peeta seemed to get along well with Effie, never giving her much trouble. Peeta did anger her when he and Katniss joked around about Haymitch being drunk during the reaping and making a fool of himself on national television. Effie yelled at them, saying that he was their only source of real help when it came to surviving. However, Peeta was kind to her and always followed her plans. Effie tried to do her best for him and Katniss during the Games. Effie was sad the night before the 74th Hunger Games and couldn't bear say her goodbyes, as she truly cared for him. When he went back to the training center, he hugged her as they greeted each other. Peeta tolerated her nagging during the Victory Tour and was a bit disgusted when Katniss yelled at her, but could get slightly annoyed when Effie went crazy about her plans. When Effie was taken away by the Capitol, Peeta felt bad, as it would be the last time he would see her and he didn't say goodbye. Ultimately, Peeta and Effie do care about each other.
Haymitch Abernathy
- "Loosen your corset, have a drink."
- —Haymitch, to Effie[src]
Effie annoys Haymitch greatly with her prim Capitol ways. Since Haymitch isn't familiar with Effie's behavior, manners, deadlines, or appearance, he becomes frustrated when she nags him about this. He annoys Effie as well by being at his worst and demonstrating a horrible appearance and manners, such as when he eats with his hands like an animal.
They first encounter each other when Haymitch shows up drunk and in poor conditions at the reaping for the 74th Hunger Games. He hugs her which messes up her pink wig. He reappears again when he throws up on the train, which only makes Effie more enraged. Haymitch and Effie work together to help Katniss and Peeta, and she helps him line up sponsors. Haymitch and Effie are shown to be the same during the Victory Tour as he shows poor manners and Effie annoys him with her nagging about his overall demeanor. The two seem to let Katniss and Peeta make their own decisions during preparations for the third Quarter Quell.
At the end of Mockingjay, it is hinted that the two do in fact share a friendship, as it is revealed by Katniss' prep team that Haymitch and Plutarch Heavensbee had to "fight to keep her alive" during the rebellion.
At the end of Mockingjay - Part 2, the two shared a kiss.
Cecelia
Cecelia was a victor from District 8. When she was reaped as the female tribute for District 8 in the third Quarter Quell, her three children clung to her, refusing to let her go. Effie expressed dismay and commented "Oh no, not Cecelia" when she learned Cecelia was chosen, possibly indicating that Effie feels sympathy towards Cecelia.
Etymology
The name "Effie" is a shorter form of the Greek name Euphemia, which means "well-spoken". This may be a reference to Effie's career in elocution and public speaking in the districts.
The name "Trinket" refers to a small ornament or item of jewelry that is of little value. This is very fitting for Effie, and the rest of the Capitol citizens, as they prize meaningless possessions that though may have cost a lot, have no real purpose and are just for show. This helps to emphasize the poverty and starvation in the Districts, where people can not even afford to eat, let alone waste money on flashy objects and clothing.
Trivia
- Capitol Couture, a website made to promote The Hunger Games film, wrote an article on Effie about her eccentric clothes, shoes, and wigs. Effie was also a model for Capitol Couture.
- The name Effie is an Anglicization of the Greek name Euphemia which means "All-Praised". This ties into the many Greco-Roman references and allusions of the trilogy.
- Aside from all the unnamed tributes, Effie was the only other character whose name was not said in the The Hunger Games film, even though she is a constant through the movie and her name is mentioned multiple times in the book.
- Elizabeth Banks, who portrays Effie in the film, has stated that her performance was inspired by actress, Rosalind Russell for her role in the 1958 classical film, Auntie Mame. She also mentioned how Effie's outfits were extremely impractical to wear, as she needed help to do practically anything.[27]
- Effie is the only known named escort in the series.
- The evolution of Effie's look reflects her character development. For example, in Catching Fire, she was dressed in poorly balanced shoes and her waist was cinched in too tight to show how she was always on edge and walking a fine line with her changing feelings towards the Games.[28]
- In Mockingjay - Part 1, Effie tried to maintain her individuality in District 13 through her clothes. At first, she wore things that she had been wearing when she was taken to District 13, but later experimented with the uniform she was issued. For example, she buttoned two shirts together to make a dress with four sleeves, she wore a sweater as a cape, and she used a scarf to cover her hair in place of her usual wigs.[29]
Gallery
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The Hunger Games, Chapter 1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Hunger Games, Chapter 3
- ↑ The Hunger Games, Chapter 2
- ↑ The Hunger Games, Chapter 4
- ↑ The Hunger Games, Chapter 6
- ↑ The Hunger Games, Chapter 7
- ↑ The Hunger Games, Chapter 8
- ↑ The Hunger Games, Chapter 9
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 The Hunger Games, Chapter 10
- ↑ The Hunger Games, Chapter 26
- ↑ The Hunger Games, Chapter 27
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Catching Fire, Chapter 3
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Catching Fire, Chapter 4
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 5
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 6
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 12
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Catching Fire, Chapter 13
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 14
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 16
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 17
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 18
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Mockingjay, Chapter 26
- ↑ The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
- ↑ The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
- ↑ The Hunger Games film
- ↑ The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
- ↑ Schillaci, Sophie (March 21, 2012). ‘Hunger Games’ Elizabeth Banks on Effie Trinket Costumes: ‘I Couldn’t Go to the Bathroom’. The Hollywood Reporter.
- ↑ Surviving the Game - Making the Hunger Games: Catching Fire
- ↑ The Mockingjay Lives: The Making of the Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1