Catching Fire

President Snow states that the system upholding Panem is “fragile.” Why does he believe this, and how does Collins evince this through her depictions of the Capitol and its inhabitants?

Why does Gale kiss Katniss and then immediately act like it “never happened”? What does Collins suggest about Gale as a partner for Katniss in comparison to Peeta?

Bonnie and Twill show Katniss the mockingjay symbol on a small piece of bread. How does the mockingjay symbol in combination with food compare with other portrayals of food in the novel? What does Collins intend to communicate by combining two of the novel’s most important symbols in this way?

During the 50th Hunger Games, Haymitch stays with Maysilee Donner while she dies. What does this reveal about Haymitch’s character? Does this make his actions at the end of the novel more or less surprising?

Katniss does not trust Finnick early on. Why not? Why does she change her mind?

How does Collins build suspense in the final scenes with the wire trap and the lightning tree? What is the effect of contrasting this action-packed sequence with Katniss’s sense of dread and limited agency from earlier chapters?

The Capitol engages not only in acts of physical violence, but also psychological torture. What are some examples of the psychological torture that is inflicted upon Katniss over the course of the novel? How does Collin’s portray the effects of psychological violence on Katniss’s transition to adulthood?

When Katniss awakens on the hovercraft at the end of the novel, she finds a syringe and decides to go looking for Peeta so she can kill him. Why does she do this after trying so hard to keep him alive? What does this reveal about her state of mind at the end of the novel?