< The Hunger Games (novel)

The Hunger Games (novel)/Characters


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The title of this page indicates that it is specific to the novel, but all of the character illustrations are from the movies. The page needs to be checked by somebody familiar with the work to determine whether it is misfiled.

Protagonists

Katniss Everdeen

Our Hero, aged sixteen from District 12, the poorest of the twelve (remaining) districts. After losing her father when she was only eleven, she managed to bring her family back from the brink of starvation almost single-handedly by hunting in the woods outside her district. When her little sister Prim's name is drawn in the reaping to join the Hunger Games, Katniss steps up to take her place, unwittingly setting off a chain of events that will soon engulf all of Panem.

She's portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence in the film.

  • Action Girl
  • Angst Coma
  • Animal Motifs: From Catching Fire onwards, she's strongly identified with mockingjays.
  • Anti Heroine Type III.
  • The Archer
  • Arrows on Fire
  • Babies Ever After: With Peeta.
  • Badass
  • Bad Liar: According to Peeta. "Never gamble at cards. You'll lose your last coin." Subverted later on, when she gradually becomes more effective at fooling people--starting with Peeta himself.
  • Beautiful Dreamer
  • Big Eater: Katniss appreciates good food due to living on such simple fare at home. She deliberately gorges herself before the second Hunger Game to get some energy reserves.
  • Big Sister Instinct: A major part of her motivation throughout the series.
  • Birds of a Feather: Her and Gale.
  • Braids of Action
  • Broken Bird: She starts out as one due to her father's death and having to be her family's main source of financial support but after the Games it turns Up to Eleven.
    • Taken to a rather literal extent several times throughout the series, especially in Mockingjay, which even includes a sequence in which Katniss hallucinates herself as a bird whose feathers and wings are burned off.
  • Broke Your Arm Punching Out Cthulhu: In the first book, Katniss is blown back by the explosion she sets off destroying the Careers' supplies and is rendered completely deaf in her left ear. Unable to escape, she only survives by hiding right under their noses. However, it's completely outdone in the Quarter Quell, when Katniss nearly kills herself breaking the force field over the arena.
  • Can't Hold His Liquor: She gets dizzy from just half a glass of wine in the first book, and a few gulps of white liquor in the second.
  • Celibate Heroine: Seeing the horror of the Hunger Games is enough to make her call off marriage and children, because they would just end up in the reaping and possibly as tributes. And this was before she ever participated herself. Later subverted, but it still takes 15 years and a lot love from Peeta to change her mind.
  • The Comically Serious
  • Cool Big Sis
  • Debt Detester
  • Despair Event Horizon: Prim's death.
    • She dances on it for quite a while before this, most memorably at the end of Catching Fire where Haymitch only keeps his promise to Peeta.
    • She pretty much crossed it after they nuked her home town and after that just keeps barely recovering only to be pitched back over it again, and again, and again. She's the female American Shinji Ikari!
  • Determinator
  • Disappeared Dad
  • Emotionless Girl
  • Empathic Weapon: The Mockingjay bow.
  • Fan Service: Yes.
  • Food Porn: Katniss's narration includes full descriptions of everything she eats, since she's such a Big Eater.
  • Generation Xerox: Katniss' father fell in love with a merchant girl, Katniss herself fell in love with a merchant boy.
    • Not just that, this trope is doubled! Peeta meets Katniss when they are both children, after Peeta's father points her out to Peeta. Turns out, Peeta's dad wanted to marry Katniss' mother but she ended up falling in love with a miner. Peeta promptly falls in love with Katniss.
  • Gray Eyes: Type 2 in some ways.
    • Also type 5.
  • Heroic BSOD: A minor one towards the end of Catching Fire that starts to resolve during Mockingjay, only to implode and go supernova with Prim's death.
  • Heroic Neutral
  • The Hunter: After President Snow in Mockingjay.
  • Improbable Aiming Skills
  • Ineffectual Loner
  • Informed Ability: In the film--her archery is hailed as being quite impressive, but of the seven shots she takes during the film, she succeeds in only three, one of them shot at point-blank range, and two of those she misses are large, still targets.
  • I Need a Freaking Drink: Once she finds out she'll be headed for another Hunger Games in the Quarter Quell
  • Interrupted Suicide: Courtesy of Peeta.
  • I Will Protect Her: Towards Prim, which sets the plot in motion.
  • Jabba Table Manners: She deliberately starts eating with her fingers and wiping them on the tablecloth after Effie makes an insensitive comment about the previous tributes' table manners.
  • Jade-Colored Glasses: Most people who grow up in the Seam wear them.
    • Most victors, too.
  • Knight in Sour Armor
  • Mama Bear: Towards Prim and Rue.
  • Meaningful Name: Katniss is a real plant. Its common name? "Arrowhead."
  • More Hero Than Thou
  • Pitbull Dates Puppy
  • Promotion to Parent
  • Shell-Shocked Veteran
  • Shout-Out: Name serves as one to Batsheba Everdene from Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd.
  • Single Woman Seeks Good Man
  • The Stoic
  • Trademark Favorite Food: Lamb stew with dried plums.
  • Rebellious Rebel: She doesn't exactly agree with Coin on a few matters, to the point where she ends up killing Coin at the end of Mockingjay. When asked to become a mascot for the rebels, she only accepts after setting some terms to keep Peeta safe.
  • Straight Man
  • Stylish Protection Gear: Her Mockingjay suit - designed by a professional stylist, no less.
  • Survival Mantra: In the beginning of Mockingjay.
  • Survivor Guilt
  • There's No Place Like Home: In the first book. Inverted in the second.
  • Unwitting Pawn: Present, lampshaded, and part of the symbolism. A mockingjay is a powerful symbol to the rebels, but it's also a bird that can't sing its own songs, relying on what others sing to it.
  • Wreathed in Flames: Her entire public image is built around fire imagery after her fiery debut at the 74th Games. It backfires on her repeatedly, pun intended.
  • You Got Spunk: When volunteering for her sister at the reaping, Haymitch announces drunkenly that he likes how she's got lots of spunk.

Peeta Mellark

Drawn to go along to the arena with Katniss, Peeta is one of the merchant class in District 12. He also happens to be completely head-over-heels for Katniss, which, it would seem, is his bad luck.

He's portrayed by Josh Hutcherson in the film.

"How do you think this will end? What will be left? No one is safe. Not in the Capitol. Not in the districts. And you... In Thirteen... Dead by morning!"

Finnick: No one in this arena was a victor by chance. Except maybe Peeta.

Other District 12 Residents

The Everdeens

Katniss' family: her mother, (formerly) her father, and her 12-year-old sister Primrose, aka Prim. As a girl, her mother was a member of the merchant class but fell in love with and married a poor coal miner anyway. Katniss' father was killed in a mine explosion and her mother disappeared under the veil of crippling depression for years, but she's okay now.

Paula Malcolmson and Willow Shields portray Mrs. Everdeen and Prim, respectively, in the film.

Gale Hawthorne

Katniss' childhood friend, who became the primary breadwinner for his family after his father died in the same accident that killed Katniss' father. She sees him as a big brother/role model due to his proficiency with snares and his loyalty to his family, although there could be something more.

Liam Hemsworth portrays him in the film.

Madge Undersee

The mayor's daughter and Katniss's schoolmate, Madge gives the Mockingjay pin to Katniss.

She was not in the movie, her role being taken up by Greasy Sae.

Tributes, Past and Present

Haymitch Abernathy

Katniss and Peeta's mentor, the only surviving victor from District 12 (the other one is dead), who has to give them tips on how to survive the arena, arrange deals with sponsors to get them potentially life-saving items, and other things for which you generally would prefer someone to be sober, unfortunately not one of Haymitch's better skills. Also it seems a key member of La Résistance.

Woody Harrelson plays him in the film.

Rue

A twelve-year-old from District 11 and one of the younger arena contestants, who develops a sisterly relationship with Katniss. Her special skills include tree-climbing, extensive knowledge of edible wildlife, and outstanding accuracy with a slingshot.

Amandla Stenberg plays her in the film.

"I'm very hard to catch. And if they can't catch me, they can't kill me."

Thresh

A tall, powerfully-built young man from District 11. Survives on his own in the fields of tall grass on the opposite side of the arena from Katniss. Asked to join the Career pack, but he refuses the offer.

Dayo Okeniyi plays him in the film.

Foxface

A tribute from District 5. Extremely resourceful and survives in the Games by stealing from the other Tributes.

She's portrayed by Jacqueline "Jackie" Emerson in the film.

Cato

A brutish "Career" tribute from District 2 and one of the deadliest opponents in the arena.

Alexander Ludwig portrays him in the film.

  • Arch Enemy: To Katniss in the first book, or at least he seems to consider himself as such. Deconstructed towards the end.
  • Ax Crazy
  • Big Bad: Of the first book, in a way.

And really, wasn't he always the one to kill? Now it seems the other tributes were just minor obstacles, distractions, keeping us from the real battle of the Games. Cato and me.

Clove

Cato's fellow tribute from District 2, who relishes killing her competitors with an array of knives she keeps in her jacket.

In the film, she's portrayed by Isabelle Fuhrman.

Marvel

The male tribute from District 1.

Portrayed by Jack Quid in the film.

Glimmer

The female tribute from District 1.

Portrayed by Leven Rambin in the film.

Finnick Odair

A devilishly handsome former victor from District 4, the fishing district. Best known for being one of the youngest victors (he was fourteen at the time) and for the string of broken hearts he leaves behind him in the Capitol. Won his Games by earning so many sponsors that he earned himself an ornate trident that he used to single-handedly destroy the rest of the competition.

Johanna Mason

A former arena tribute from District 7, the lumber district, who pretended to be weak and useless before ruthlessly cutting her way to victory.

Wiress and Beetee

A pair of former victors from District 3, electronics and explosives.

Annie Cresta

A past tribute from District 4, who won her Games by being able to swim to safety when the arena was flooded. Is in love with Finnick.

District 3


District 3 Tributes

The unnamed tributes of District 3 during the 74th Hunger Games.

The girl died in the bloodbath at the Cornucopia. The boy survives the first day and joins with the "Career" tributes, acting as a supply guard and setting up booby traps around the area. When Katniss blows all of it up, Cato kills him in a fit of rage.

They are played by Tara Macken & Ethan Jamieson respectively.

District 4


District 4 Tributes

The unnamed "Career" tributes of District 4 during the 74th Hunger Games.

The boy died in the bloodbath at the Cornucopia. The girl survives the first day and joins the "Career" pack but is killed shortly after when Katniss drops the tracker jacker nest on the group.

They are played by Kalia Prescott & Ian Nelson respectively.

District 5


District 5 Tribute

The unnamed male tribute of District 5 during the 74th Hunger Games. (His partner Foxface has her own section above).

He is killed in the bloodbath at the Cornucopia.

He is played by Chris Mark.

District 6


District 6 Tributes

The unnamed tributes of District 6 during the 74th Hunger Games.

They are both killed in the bloodbath at the cornucopia.

They are played by Kara Petersen and Ashton Moio respectively.

District 7


District 7 Tributes

The unnamed tributes of District 7 during the 74th Hunger Games.

They are both killed in the bloodbath at the Cornucopia.

They are played by Leigha Hancock & Sam Ly respectively.

District 8


District 8 Tributes

The unnamed tributes of District 8 during the 74th Hunger Games.

The boy died in the initial bloodbath at the Cornucopia. The girl survives the first day, but due to a lack of supplies, she foolishly starts a fire that allows the "Career" pack to find and attack her. She is mortally wounded, but does not die quickly, so Peeta returns and MercyKills her, Katniss is close by and hears everything.

They are played by: Mackenzie Lintz and Samuel Tan respectively.

District 9


District 9 Tributes

The unnamed tributes of District 9 during the 74th Hunger Games.

They are both killed in the bloodbath at the Cornucopia. The boy is the first tribute killed in the 74th Hunger Games in the novel, stabbed by Clove while he was fighting with Katniss over a backpack.

They are played by Annie Thurman & Imanol Yepez-Frias respectively.

District 10


District 10 Tributes

The unnamed tributes of District 10 during the 74th Hunger Games.

The girl died in the bloodbath at the Cornucopia. The boy escaped with supplies into the forest, but is killed offscreen later.

They are played by Dakota Hood & Jeremy Marinas respectively.

The Capitol and Other Associated People

As a Whole

Effie Trinket

The escort of the District 12 tributes. Though she hates being stuck with the lamest district, Effie still tackles her job (you know, bringing kids to die for the entertainment of the masses) with enthusiasm and gusto, hoping for a promotion to somewhere better.

Played by Elizabeth Banks in the film.

  • Feigning Intelligence: She's probably dumber than a jar of mayonnaise, but she certainly doesn't see it that way.

"Everyone has their reservations, naturally. You being from the coal district. But I said, and this was very clever of me, I said, 'Well, if you put enough pressure on coal it turns to pearls!'"

  • Genki Girl: A grownup version.
  • Schedule Fanatic: A mild example in Catching Fire.
  • Skewed Priorities: In the movie, she's more upset that Katniss stabbed the table ("That is mahogany!") than that she almost stabbed Haymitch in the hand.
  • Stepford Smiler: Katniss eventually realizes that Effie's shallowness is a defense mechanism which is her way of coping with her role in the Games.
  • You Gotta Have Blue Hair: Or pink, or orange, or gold. Justified in that they're wigs.

Cinna

Katniss' soft-spoken personal stylist for the Games who quickly becomes one of her closest friends in the Capitol. He has a flair for the dramatic which is in part what leads to his downfall.

Portrayed by Lenny Kravitz in the film.

President Coriolanus Snow

The president of Panem. He has puffy lips and smells of blood and roses. He's not very fond of Katniss.

Donald Sutherland portrays him in the film.

  • Acquired Poison Immunity
  • Animal Motifs: He's been described as "snake-eyed".
  • Ascended Extra: In the film, although as he's the Big Bad (and with all the scenes beyond Katniss' perspective), this makes a lot of sense.
  • Big Bad: Certainly sitting in this position by the end of Catching Fire.
  • Big Brother Is Watching
  • The Chessmaster
  • Die Laughing Possibly. The jury is out in-universe regarding whether it's this or being trampled that got him killed.
  • Even Evil Has Standards: A right bastard he might be, but when he gives his word, he keeps it. This clued in Katniss that he was telling the truth about Coin being responsible for Prim's death.
  • Evil Old Folks
  • Human Shield: He held Capitol children in fenced outside his mansion in order to keep people from attacking him. It didn't work out the way he wanted
  • I Gave My Word: Unlike Coin, if Snow promises to do something, he keeps his word. This is one of the few redeemable traits of his character.
  • Killed Off for Real
  • Manipulative Bastard
  • Meaningful Name: Named after the Shakespearian Tragic Hero in the eponymous play. He shares similar traits - he cares little about the ordinary folk and wants to maintain a totalitarian state.
  • Not Me This Time/Frame-Up: He was in fact innocent of the bombing of the Capitol children and then the District 13 medics, even when it seemed as though he did it because the hovercrafts with the bombs (which were really from District 13, as the Capitol had lost all of theirs during the destruction of the Nut) were emblazoned with the Capitol seal.
  • President Evil
  • Something About a Rose: The smell of blood is natural, thanks to not taking an antidote quickly enough after poisoning both himself and a rival. The smell of roses covers it up.
  • Snow Means Death
  • Would Hurt a Child: Oh yeah.

Venia, Octavia, and Flavius

Katniss' prep team from the Capitol. Their job is to pretty her up for public appearances.

Alma Coin

The president of District 13.

Seneca Crane

The Head Gamemaker of the 74th Hunger Games. He orchestrates everything that happens in the arena except for the actions of the tributes themselves (and even sometimes, he controls that). He ends up executed because of his allowing for two winners instead of one as planned.

Portrayed by Wes Bently in the film.

  • Ascended Extra: In the film. In the book, he's not identified by name, let alone singled out by appearance; he was first mentioned as the Head Gamemaker in the second book well after his death.
  • Big Bad: Of the film version, though he's still The Dragon to President Snow.
  • Beard of Evil
  • Damned If You Do Damned If You Don't: He ended up being forced to let both District 12 tributes become Victors because if he didn't, there would be no Victor at all, which would have been a colossal failure on his part. This decision leads to his execution between the first and second books and his implied forced suicide at the end of the movie.
  • Driven to Suicide/You Have Failed Me...: It is strongly implied in the ending of the film that President Snow forced him to commit suicide in a locked room with nightlock berries as his punishment for his failure to produce one winner instead of two. In the book, he's executed for this.
  • Punch Clock Villain: He's not really that evil, just doing his job - he even gave Katniss the top score of 11/12 because: "Well, she deserved it".
  • Slave to PR: Most of the decisions Seneca makes regarding the Games is a result of him trying to appeal to what the masses would like. Ends up being his Fatal Flaw when Katniss uses this as a Batman Gambit.
  • Villainy-Free Villain: Being in charge of the games makes him the bad guy by default.
    • He runs the titular Blood Sport to entertain the people of the Capitol, he isn't that innocent
  • You Have Failed Me...: Snow orders his execution over the 75th Hunger Games debacle.

Caesar Flickerman

Host of The Hunger Games, famous for dyeing his hair a new color for each iteration. His main concern is keeping the televised interviews light and upbeat. His co-host and announcer is Claudius Templesmith.

Portrayed by Stanley Tucci in the film.

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