Hunger Games Chat
Episode #6 – Katniss Everdeen, in depth

Share on Tumblr

by Andrew Sims
@Sims

Posted on 12:06 pm,
October 10, 2011

The latest episode of Hypable.com and Mockingjay.net’s Hunger Games Chat is here! Listen in as we debut in-depth book analysis. This week it’s all about Katniss Everdeen!

- Hunger Games at Halloween – will anyone recognize you as Katniss?
- Woody Harrelson gives a great interview on Haymitch at the book-to-film adaptation.
- Lionsgate is busy with TheCapitol.pn – it’s a great site for fans, but does it reach out to those who haven’t read the books?
- ‘The Hunger Games’ trilogy sells for an amazing price for eReaders. Why did this happen?
- The budget for the film has been revealed.
- Character Discussion: Katniss! We discuss the character, the choices and motivations she has.
- Katniss’ relationship with her mother and sister.
- Are Katniss’ actions driven by Prim? What if Katniss didn’t have a younger sister? And would her relationship with Rue had been different?
- WHO is Katniss? What is she like as a person? Does she have a superiority complex?
- Listeners chime in with comments about last week’s episode and recent news: Battle Royale, TheCapitol.pn, and more.

To contribute to the show, leave a comment in this post! Feel free to reply/like others’ comments to enhance the discussion!

This episode's hosts: Andrew Sims, Richard Reid, Selina Wilken, Kimmy West

Theaterboy1

I LOVE this podcast!! I have to disagree however in regard to if Prim wasn’t in the book that Katniss and Rue would have been different. Rue is still such a young child and while Prim wouldn’t be in the book Gale’s siblings would be. Yes it wouldn’t make as much of an impact but I think either way Katniss would be protective of the young tribute. Another thing to consider would be if Katniss didn’t have a sister Rue’s age she could certainly IMAGINE Rue as a sister, like “If I had a sister as young as Rue I wouldn’t want her here fighting for her life.” Thats just my take on the subject.
Connor

Richard annoys me.
- Connor
  
  …really annoys me*
  - Eoin
    
    Be nice to Richard. I think he’s pretty funny. Especially with the whole Hunger Gamers thing in the past few episodes. Although I am a HungerJay not a Hunger Gamer.
    - Somebodypersons
      
      hunger gamers just makes the most sence. its easier for non-fans to understand, also Richard=awesome:)
      - Somebodypersons
        
        its getting smaller
      - Somebodypersons
        
        and smaller!
      - Lucas1206
        
        I like Foreverdeens, I forget who had the idea but it’s a great one
  - Joey J.
    
    Why are you hating on Richard he is my favorite
  - Kate
    
    …Why?
Eoin

Chapter by Chapter!!!!
- link
  
  I second this!!!
  - Caroline
    
    And I third!
- Joey J.
  
  I third this. You should also do Make the music connection also just make the connection
Grangerfann

Hey guys, love the podcast!
I have been planning to be Katniss for Halloween for a few months, and wanted to share my opinion on why I’m choosing to do this. Even though no one will know what I am, I’m perfectly fine with this; no one ever knows what I am because I’d rather make my costumes than buy them. My friends and maybe people who have read the books will get it, and that’s all I need. And I can say I decided to be Katniss before the movie came out, bringing $40 costumes.
The costume itself is simple enough, especially since I’m going off the arena outfit. I have brown combat boots and a mockingjay pin, and a simple green shirt and brown pants will be easy enough. I can go find a few decent sticks from a tree around my house and make them into a bow and arrows. Add a braid, smudge my face with eyeliner, and I’m good to go.
I am excited for my costime, and my friends are anxious to see it.
Thanks for reading, and hopefully I can post a picture of my outfit at Halloween!
http://twitter.com/AlexandriaLMJ Alex Jackson

Hey guys!!!
So, I’ve just finished listening to your latest episode and I just have a couple of things to add. First of all, I thought your discussion on Katniss was great, and I loved how you were talking about why Katniss does everything for Prim and I thought of something I read on a forum when the book first came out. What it said was because Katniss took Prim’s place in the games to try and save her from being killed, taking Prim’s place was ultimately what cause Prim’s death. Also, when Selina asked about what the “Gone” in the NarniaPotterGoneHungerGames username could mean I personally thought it could be about the Gone series by Michael Grant. It is about how one day all the residence of a town over the age of 15 disappear and the town is surrounded by a sphere which is impossible to get out of. It is an excellent book series, kind of like a Lord of the Flies gone science fiction, and I would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a new series to read. Thanks for reading!!
TeamPeeta101

Hey :) So I was thinking about Peeta’s relationship with Katniss and something occured to me. We know that as soon as Peeta realized Katniss was going to be in the games, he realized he would give his life for Katniss. Do you think that Peeta would have volunteered to take the place of the boy tribute if he had not been called in order to protect her? Just a thought and I would love to hear what you guys think. Keep up the great work!
- http://www.facebook.com/BibbHerrod Bibb Herrod
  
  Hmm. That’s a really good point you have there. I don’t know. I wouldn’t think so because Gale had very similar feelings for her but he didn’t volunteer because he knew he would have to kill her. I don’t think he would have volunteered to protect her. He would just hope that she would make it back okay I’d think. Just my two bits.
  - TeamPeeta101
    
    I dont that Gale volunteered because he and Katniss had an agreement that if something ever happened to one of them, the other person would take care of both of their familys. He knew it was unlikely both of them could survive, and someone needed to make sure their families were fed. This probably wasn’t the only reason, but I think it is the main reason he did not volunteer. I can definitly see you points on why Peeta wouldn’t volunteer, but at the same time I really do think that becuase he loved Katniss that he might have becuase he wanted her to survive at all costs. I dont know what the answer is, but I would love to hear them debate it on the show.
    - TeamPeeta101
      
      sorry, I ment that as a reply to both of you, not just Bibb Herrod
- Anonymous
  
  I don’t think he would volunteer. He was really upset when he realized he was going to the Games with Katniss, because in all it’s history only one person survived. He really didn’t want to be in the situation he was in.
Anonymous

I was listening to your newest show (episode 6) and I had something to contribute to the katniss discussion. I personally loved the character of Katniss in the first book. She was a super strong character who knew what she wanted and would not stop until she achieved it. But as I kept reading the series, I started to like the character less and less. She started out as a strong person but was literally reduced to nothing when her sister died. She lost her sense of right and wrong and became an empty shell, a robot. She only did what people wanted her to, and lost her strong personality and her will to live. She is no longer that role model Character (like Hermione) that little girls want to be like when thy grow up, and the drastic change in character Totally ruined The book for me. Don’t know if you’ll agree but I wanted to share my thoughts. Love the show!
- Kirsten
  
  Katniss was never a role model. She was never intended to be one. She was a person, and one who had loved and lost everything. Think about it. If you had one person you loved with all your heart who was sent to death, you would protect her, right? If you had to undergol physical and mental torture that is the equivalent of going to hell and back while trying to keep up a charade that is causing you even more stress and worry while on camera 24/7, you would crack a little, right? If you lost the steadiest person in your life, you would worry, right? If you had to go to hell and back AGAIN while knowing that people are keeping secrets and you won’t make it out, you would break down, right? If you entire state was bombed because of you, you would freak out, right? If the president was literally after your blood, as well as your family’s blood, you would worry, right? If you had to stay inside while the boy you loved was slowly being tortured before your very eyes and might possibly be a traitor as well as some of your other friends and you had to protect them and everyone else and your allies were dying left and right, you would crack, right? If you were thrust in a role you couldn’t fill, you would be overwhelmed, right? If your boyfriend tried to kill you, you would douby yourself, right? If you had lost everything and were on a mission that was killing almost everybody and you needed to keep going and you didn’t know what to do, you would be terrified, right? And if the one person you were sure you loved, the one you went to hell and back twice for, the one who you would endure this for, the most important frigging thing on the entire PLANET to you burned to a crisp before your eyes, possibly due to your friend, you would shatter. Absolutely shatter.
  And this doesn’t even factor in before the books. The point is that Katniss is strong, but everybody has to break. She wouldn’t be a real person if she became the Mockingjay in a fiery blaze of glory like she was supposed to. It wouldn’t be realistic.
  - Anonymous
    
    I totally agree. We are not used to read “real people” in “young adult novels”. Usually the main character goes through all kind of ordeals and comes out better and stronger. That’s not a real human being, specially when he/she was subjected to torture over and over again, manipulation, witness gruesome deaths of people they cared about, etc etc, as Katniss did in the books. It’s more than realistic that she cracks, even though it’s not the most pleasant thing to witness.
    
    Ok, I agree that in some parts I wanted her to question what was being asked of her. To go against what was being pushed on her,and found a bit disappointing that she was just a puppet in everyone else’s plans. But otherwise I found Katniss a very realistic character, that has a fitting end.
    - Kirsten
      
      The Young Adult author John Green once said that the main characters of novels, especially ones for teens, were usually the people you would want to be or the ones would would want to be with. They’re not real people, characters in YA. They’re who we want to be as people.
      Katniss isn’t. She’s raw, she’s real, and she isn’t someone I want to be. I wouldn’t even want to be near her. But she is a real person who has a story, and real people break.
rebekah

If you haven’t seen it yet, there’s a really amazing video (done professionally) of the Quarte Quell that Haymitch was in. I hope the movies are as good as this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mUjssn86h4
- kianna
  
  Holy hell that is amazing! I didnt want it to end!! So freaking epic!
- Somebodypersons
  
  woah baby. don’t eat while watching this…..
DreamNox58

Loved the podcast guys.
Akacj18

i found the discussion about how katniss might be or act differently if prim weren’t there very interesting, and thanks to Fringe’s 3rd season finale twist, to put it lightly, i’ve been given the impetus to really think in depth how one person affects another person’s life most intricately, and sometimes intrinsically. what i couldn’t stop thinking about in katniss’s case is that not only would she lack prim as a person to protect, but she would be an only child. and while she would still identify most with her father, i wonder how the mother-daughter dynamic would have been different had the two girls and two parents not been conveniently paired off in temperament. how would katniss’ mother be different, and in turn how, or even would she try to relate to her daughter, and how would that relationship react to katniss’ father’s death. the whole mother-daughter dynamic could be totally different without a younger sibling in the picture.
Akacj18

i thought selina’s point about katniss’ personal journey being one of a gradual disintegration very interesting. its SO true. and thats why at the end, even though she has two kids and a husband (did they ever get married? i can’t remember and dont have the books with me), it would be easy to be happy for her, but we’re not left that way. it really only makes us feel worse, knowing the horrors she will carry with her the rest of her life. WHAT IM GETTING AT is the interesting juxtaposition of the reader’s desires for katniss to survive and be happy, and for the citizens of panem to gain freedom from tyranny and oppression. but as we see, as panem crumbles, so does katniss. if the status quo remained would katniss have been less scarred, albeit living a crappy and depressing life as a, for all intents and purposes, a slave? i certainly think so. but obviously that is no way for katniss, nor the people of panem to live, so the capitol can’t POSSIBLY remain in power. so the story is in part about the rise of a better world and the fall of what becomes one of that world’s most beloved inhabitants. it really is tragic.
- Akacj18
  
  we are rooting for things to happen that will ultimately hurt out heroine more.
- Kirsten
  
  I assume they got married, at least informally. But as to your second point, even if Prim had not been Reaped, the seeds of rebellion were sowed. They had been before the series; all the Districts needed was a spark. And they would have found one. Katniss would still be caught up in all the rebellion, but in a less protected position. And I like to think that she had a good life in the end, or at least that she was able to heal somewhat.
Eoin

LEGO HUNGER GAMES!!!!! That would be epic! Every time lego katniss died she would burst into a bunch of bricks and reform. Think of all the success years 1-4 had. This will never happen. But it would be AWESOME! Like this if you want a lego Hunger Games.
http://www.facebook.com/BibbHerrod Bibb Herrod

I really enjoyed this episode a lot because of the great in depth look at Katniss’ character. I really think that a videogame could work for this book series unlike many others. The problem is that it would take time and dedication from the game company for it to be really astounding though it would not be impossible.
It has the potential to be many different types of games. It could be an Action/RPG game with the major story elements in the beginning of the novel and that could play out by Mass Effect/Dragon Age/KotoR style decision making that could lead to sponsors and gifts/etc. Or the game could focus on just the action in the arena and be a survival/action game like Resident Evil 5. Supplies are low and anything good is scarce. One must use resources wisely and effectively to take down enemies and stay alive. The list goes on. I wold enjoy playing the game only if there was some assurance that game would not be just another “movie-tie-in” game with no real dedication, save cashing in on the name. Just my thoughts. Again, great podcast keep it up.
Anonymous

I must say I don’t agree with Richard at all. Katniss enjoying being in the Games? Absolutely not.

It’s one thing to kill animals for the need for food, and another one completely to willingly kill a fellow human being… Yes, she is a good and proficient hunter, but I think the pleasure she took from hunting in District 12 was derived from the felling of accomplishment of being able to feed her family; of feeling some degree of freedom; and, of course, the deep connection with her father.

I’m not saying that even without Prim she wouldn’t try to survive in the Games, but I don’t think she would ever try to kill Rue, even if there was no Prim to compare her with. She has a strong will to survive, but that doesn’t overrule her sense of right and wrong. It might be put into test later on in the story when faced with so much trauma, but her actions seem a natural and human response to what she faces.

She never showed any pleasure in killing another tribute, and I think the proof is the way she was haunted by everything that happened in the Games. Only a person that feels remorse and responsibility for something so deeply is plagued the rest of her life with nightmares of those actions. She even had a nightmare where she was buried by all the people she killed, or thought were her fault were dead. Do you want anything more symbolic than that?
- Anonymous
  
  Oh, and I also totally disagree with Richard on the “hunger gamers” subject! Richard, I’m really sorry about this (I’m not at all campaigning against you! keep it up!!!) but when I think of a “hunger gamer” I can only think of a person playing video games after skipping lunch… =P
Casey

Hey guys! Great podcast! The thing I found most interesting this podcast was the discussion about Katniss being “better” than other characters. I agree that Katniss internally believes that she is better than some of the others. I think she judges people by the hardship they’ve been through and how they handle it. I think that’s why she is angry with her mother, but more importantly why she begins to open up to Peeta. Up until the games, Katniss thinks that Peeta has led a relatively soft life and therefore did not have to go through as much as she has. After the games, she is more able to see Peeta as an equal as she does Gale, becaue both have been through similar suffering to herself. Just my thoughts! (in short)
Mac L.

I haven’t listened yet but i think that maybe ForeverDeens is a good name for the fans. I ca’nt remember who i heard it from, but I thought it was A GREAT IDEA. so let’s all support ForeverDeens!!!!! btw love the show.
- NARNIAPOTTERGONEHUNGERGAMES
  
  Please explain the “foreverdeens” idea.
  - Lucas1206
    
    ForEVERDEEN. You know, Katniss’ last name? I think it’s a great idea!
- Somebodypersons
  
  haha…..i get it
Mac L.

Is Richard a Ginger???? just kinda wanna know.
- http://www.hypable.com Richard Reid
  
  No, I’m not: http://www.hypable.com/author/richard/
Kianna

Awesome show guys! You guys are great and keep it up!
So to the point when you guys were talking about The Vanity of Human Wishes I think it was Selina who said it would scroll across the screen star wars style. At first I laughed and then it hit me. What is this was the intro to the movie! Just picture the screen black and the voice of Haymitch starts reciting it!

Let Observation with extensive View,

Survey Mankind, from China to Peru;

Remark each anxious Toil, each eager Strife,

And watch the busy Scenes of crouded Life;

Then say how Hope and Fear, Desire and Hate,

O’er spread with Snares the clouded Maze of Fate,

Can you not see a montage of past hunger games and district turmoils flashing on the all black screen while someone did a voice over? Come on that sounds EPIC!
Extremehappy

Hi Hunger gamers ;-),
you asked which song would fit best for Katniss during this episode.
I listened to Rihanna´s album “Loud” when I read the books and especially during the third book, the song “Love the way you lie” stuck with me!
To me, this song fits perfectly to the story, especially the chorus (“Just gonna stand there and watch me BURN – well, that´s alright, because I like the way it hurts”)…
It´s a very emotional song. What do you think?
Keep up the great work!
- Joey J.
  
  I think The Show Goes On by Lupe Fiasco also fits in with the books
http://twitter.com/taylie27 taylore thompson

Just wanted to say love the podcast and you were talking about the one guys name had the Gone in it. I think it might have meant the Gone series of books, there a really good series about a group of kids who must learn to survive after all the parents suddenly disappear. This is the main website for them. It’s very similar to the Hunger Games in many ways, I really enjoy the story
http://www.harperteen.com/feature/gone/
- NARNIAPOTTERGONEHUNGERGAMES
  
  You are correct! I love Gone!
  - http://twitter.com/taylie27 taylore thompson
    
    So do I, I can’t wait for the next book to come out!
TeamPeetaHarry14

Hey guys, great show I love your discussions. I want to offer my opinion on your talk about Katniss on your latest episode. Someone mentioned that if not for Prim, Katniss would still have gone through the Hunger Games and more than likely win. However I don’t know if this is the case. On page 36 (US edition) Katniss says “Besides, it isn’t in my nature to go down without a fight, even when things seem insurmountable.” But in the same paragraph Prim asks if Katniss will really try to make it back home and she says “[I will] Really, really try. I swear it. I say. And you know, because of Prim, I’ll have to.” I believe that if Katniss didn’t have Prim there wouldn’t be as big of a reason for her to come home. Also, if I’m not mistaken, Katniss refers to this promise many times throughout the Games and thinks of this when she is about to give up. I think that if there wasn’t Prim in the picture Katniss would have seen it easier to give up and die in the Games and would never have completed what she was destined for. Just thought I’d share my thoughts on this topic. Love guys, you make a great podcast. Keep up the good work and I look forward to hearing more book discussions in the future. Thaks
guest

I think the gone reference was to the Michael Grant ‘Gone’ series, not that Narnia and Harry Potter were no more for the girl. I think.. :)
- NARNIAPOTTERGONEHUNGERGAMES
  
  Righto!
nodaybut2day7

That was a fantastic podcast! I loved all the book discussion! I had this random thought while listening to your podcast! When you all were talking about how Katniss’ mom was a healer and Katniss’ dad was a hunter,and i kind of started to wonder how two people so opposite could end up together. But then i realized the idea of opposites attract could totally apply to them. But then i noticed Katniss’ parents relationship was almost a foreshadowing of *spoiler to some* Katniss and Peeta getting together in the end. As Katniss so wisely states, she did not need someone exactly like her (Gale), she needed someone to almost level her out in a way! Keep up the great podcasting guys :)
NARNIAPOTTERGONEHUNGERGAMES

Podcasters, thanks for reading my comment last episode. I don’t have facebook or twitter because it has not yet passed the rigourous safety tests of my parental unit. And, Ladies, the “Gone” part of my name is a reference to the “Gone” series by Michael Grant. However, one of you came up with the idea that it’s because Narnia and Potter are “gone” which is a clever idea, however, I hear a Narina film may still be in the works. Thanks for a great podcast, I’m sure you’ll be hearing from me again soon.
Somebodypersons

Hey guys! Love the podcast! I loved your character discussion of katniss and was wondering if you were going to continue doing character discussions . If you are may i suggest Finnick? He is by far my fav character, sorry Peeta your a close second. Anyways, i think it would be interesting to here what you guys have to say about him. most people don’t think about it, but in my opinion his story is more tragic then Katniss’. Did anybody else almost cry when they mentioned his son at the end of mockingjay? all i could think of was a little baby Finnick! also what do think would have happened if Mags didn’t volunteer for Annie? let me know your thoughts and please read this on your next podcast!
- Somebodypersons
  
  SPOILER ALERT! Read at your own risk!Also, i forgot to mention above, may Finnick Rest in Peace…..
I_Play_Quidditch

RICHARD!! Your back! YAY!! I love when you’re on these podcasts because I agree with everything you say! Anyways…when you guys were talking about Haymitch being ‘funny’ I think it’s gonna be more of a sarcastic funny. It’s going to be more of a cynical type of funny. Haymitch is ‘funny’ in his own way. He always calls Katniss sweetheart and is just a very ornery person, and that can really come out on screen. Thanks for the podcast, love listening to you guys!
Somebodypersons

kill, maim, or alliance? Finnick, Annie, (keep in mind that Finnick would propbley kill you if u killed Annie) and Prim. Ooooooo, hard one. im not going to leave what i think because it would upset some people…..
http://www.facebook.com/kaitlyn.j.mccrary Kaitlyn Phillips McCrary

Hey!

First of all, excellent in depth dicussion of Katniss.

Wanted to add my two cents (and that’s probably about all it’s worth! LoL):

You guys were talking about if Katniss’ motivation would have changed would there have been no Prim. I think y’all unknowingly touched on Katniss’ major struggle through the entire series: Just how primal are Katniss’ instincts? I think that Katniss used Prim as an excuse a lot of times to make some of the decisions she had to make. For instance, yes, Katniss would have done, and did, whatever it would take to get home to Prim. BUT I think (I am agreeing with Richard here) that she would have done whatever it took anyway, Prim or no Prim. Katniss’ whole struggle through the entire book is just how animal is she? Her first instinct is always to protect herself, and her family, with the first priority even wavering between the two. She is constantly berating herself for thinking the worst of Peeta, and cannot, as the person she is, understand how he constantly puts her first. It is an alien concept to her. So in short, I don’t think Katniss ever really does anything BECAUSE of Prim, she just does what she would do naturally, and uses Prim as her excuse.

Thanks!
KT
http://twitter.com/Kay_Rou KayRou

Beautiful words, Selina!

Richard, I just have to say that I always enjoy your thoughts. You usually don’t go mainstream, and even when I don’t agree with you I find myself understanding your point of view and the reasoning behind your words. Thank you for bringing a unique voice to this podcast!

I love Selina’s idea of Katniss being the Mockingjay in the most literal sense. I haven’t thought about this before, but it makes perfect sense to me and it just strengthens my love for the books and Suzanne Collins.
Joey J.

Could you please start making them more frequently, i always wish there was a new one but i always have to wait another month
- http://www.hypable.com Richard Reid
  
  Actually… Expect an announcement on this soon!
  - Joey J.
    
    Thank you!!!!!!
  - Eoin
    
    Yay! I was going to ask this!
  - Somebodypersons
    
    oooooooooo, excitement!
Lucas1206

Have you guys heard the Freedom for Panem album on iTunes? It’s awesome! The artist is Alex Carpenter. Also, if you haven’t seen the Katniss and Rue and the 2nd Quarter Quell videos on youtube, you should. But beware, they’re bloody.
Go Foreverdeens!
- Cmh123321
  
  Wait, there’s a HG fan genre, too? That’s so cool! I’ve never heard of it.
Somebodypersons

Hey, do you guys read stories on fanfiction? Its pretty amazing:) Maybe you can review a story or something….(?)
Eoin

I listened to this episode a while ago but I would like to say that I think the capitol.pn was changed to that excerpt for one day because is could be a part of that book talked about in the Hunger Games I don’t know it’s Latin name but translated to English it means Bread and Games.
Somebodypersons

Okay, i know i already have like ten comments here but….kill, maim, alliance_
Katniss, Peeta, Haymich
I got the idea from the exciting (sarcasm) anouncment from catching fire. just curious…(did i spell that right?)
- Somebodypersons
  
  Haymitch. gosh, what’s my spelling problem!?!
Patricious

I think a Hunger Games video game would go against the ethos of the series, Suzanne Collin’s intentions (http://youtu.be/KYlNiKoGM7o) to make you feel for the characters watching the games as their loved ones fight to the death; you then despise those in the Capitol who enjoy this viewing experience.

And because video games are made to be enjoyed, a video game of the Hunger Games would be an antithesis to the series. This is with full awareness that video game violence isn’t real (which is precisely why they can be enjoyed).
Smelia31

in this podcast some one with the twitter name hungergamesharryottergone or something to that effect and you said that “gone” was because harry and the hunger games are gone or over. and this is most likely not the case! the gone is probably referring to the Gone book series by Michael Grant which is a very popular YA series. it is about a small town in california where a force feild appears and all the people 15 and over disappear and some of the kids there develop powers and it sounds crazy and bad but it is so good! just thought you should know!!
Tenneji4ever

Gone is a novel by Micheal Grant. It is akin to a more grusome version of the lord of the flies. I reccomend that you guys read it because it is a brilliant novel.
- Allie blackburn
  
  I read these books and absolutely loved them…an interesting topic and a good cliff hanger at the end of each book, like the hunger games except a very epic battle at the end of each book and a totally different subject, LOOK IT UP.
Somebodypersons

When is the next ep???
Jesstar

hey everyone. awesome podcast, a chapter by chapter would be great! i was checking out the capitol pn page and was surprised that districts 1, 2 and 3 have citizens that claim tesserae. obviously it’s much less than the other districts but with those 3 districts being so close to the capitol (1 making luxury goods, 2 ‘masonry’ and 3 technology, items that are certainly not essential) do you think it is necessary for anyone to claim it at all? even if there are poorer people in these districts do you think that some of them may sign up for the tesserae just to get their names entered into the reaping more times? especially as it’s concidered such an honour to the careers? just wanted to share this idea and get your thoughts! keep up the excellent work, you guys are the perfect mix!
Joey J.

Could you guys explain what capitol.pn website is?!?!?
Caroline

Do you think that in her pre-teen and teenage years Katniss saw Gale as a kind of father-figure?
- Caroline
  
  Ugh! Why did it post this as my e-mail insetead of my name?
  - Caroline
    
    It did it again. BTW, my name is Caroline.
Josiah

Okay, so I’ve read Battle Royale (saw the movie first) after reading Hunger Games. Right off the bat I’ll tell you I believe Suzanne Collins when she says she’d never read/seen BR. However, when comparing the two books, I personally prefer Battle Royale. I tend to not like comparing books/series, but when it comes down to it, I’d rather see an American BR than The Hunger Games. Battle Royale IS much more bloody but there’s so much more background to each character. It also forces readers to think about what it would be like to kill your best friend, something the concept of The Hunger Games couldn’t pull off. Book 1 of THG didn’t disappoint, but 2 and 3 (in my eyes) flopped. Yes, I love The Hunger Games, and yes I love Battle Royale, but BR is the better book in terms of a plot in which kids are forced to kill each other.
- Josiah
  
  (Again, all opinion. Don’t hate)
  - Stainedink102
    
    Hey, Josiah. I’m curious about what you disliked in the 2nd and 3rd books. I’ve heard plenty of people who didn’t like them as much as the first, but they’ve never explained. Care to shed some light for me?
- Kirsten
  
  I think that the problem with comparing Battle Royale to The Hunger Games is that they are very different. Battle Royale (may I call it BR?) was about a) the gory deaths of teenagers, and b) exploring each character. Since the group was a class of people, they all knew each other. That was kind of the point.
  The Hunger Games, on the other hand, is more about how ethical it is to kill strangers. Katniss never thought of anyone (save Rue) as her “friend” in the arena, at least not until the end. It was also a bit of a love story with some action mixed in, a true mix of war footage and reality TV. It’s not about killing friends or gore, not really.
  And as to whether or not the last two books flopped, that’s a matter of opinion. If you liked blood, gore, and killing things in the first book, the last two would dissapoint. If you liked the characters and the love story and the world, I think you would like it. Just a matter of opinion. Oh, and I think that you can never really compare books, since they’re all so different.
  - Josiah
    
    Right. It’s all a matter of preference. I definitely know what you mean about not comparing books, and I try not to myself but with the minor controversy among BR fans with the publication of THG, it’s inevitable that they’ll be compared. Personally, however, I don’t think one series can be better than another, it’s just that my preference is Battle Royale. And allow me to clarify again, Books 2 and 3 didn’t meet my own personal expectations.
Somebodypersons

Hello! Great podcast! I want to know out of all of the HG books, which is your favorite? I keep asking people and they say that the 1st one was the best and the last 2 were terrible. I disagree! Well, I do admit that Mockingjay was dissapointing, but Catching Fire in my opinion was the best. Now this may have to do with my un-healthy obsession with Finnick:) but I am just wondering, am I the only person that LOVED Catching Fire more then the other books? Please say no!
- Joey J.
  
  Ihave to disagree with you. I think Mockingjay was much better than the second, but my favorite one is odviously the first one
  - Kirsten
    
    I totally agree. Mockingjay was the strongest book (aside from the first), and I think Catching Fire meandered a little bit. I still love it, though.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VI2BFBRQRSIJ6ZXNGTTEUQSFVA Jill

I was listening to the the show and discussion about Katniss and heard Andrew ask what song would represent her. I may be giving away a little about my age when I offer this one up, but here goes…Like Flames by Berlin (circa1986). There’s a lot of applicable lyrics in there and who could ask for a more fitting title?!

Thanks for turning me on to this series! Keep up the good work and fun!
Alex Ander

You guys talked in the podcast about the mysterious latin passage which replaced thecapitol.pn for a day and wondered if it had a part in the movie.
I was thinking, what if it’s the Capitol anthem? Probably not, but just a thought.
Loyally yours for Hunger Games Chat and MuggleCast,
Alex
Kirsten

Recently, I have seen several very angry comments on Hunger-Games related videos, especially on YouTube, including cast interviews and the trailer. Many of them go along the lines of “Cut the Team Peeta and Gale crap, this isn’t Twilight”, “Vote up if you think that real fans of The Hunger Games shouldn’t care about these teams”, or “IF YOU THINK PEETA AND GALE ARE IMPORTANT, YOU ARE A LOSER!!! IT’S ABOUT THE KILLING!!!”, although, them being YouTube comments, they are far less literate.
This bothers me. I find more and more that as I enter the Hunger Games fan community, there are two camps: the romance is good and the romance is bad. The “romance is good” camp does shipping, Peeta and Gale shirts, fangirl over pictures of the cast, and talk only about the romance of the books. The “romance is bad” camp posts comments like the ones I showed above and basically denies that there is any romance in these books.
This bothers me, since I consider the Hunger Games to be “An action-packed dystopian love story with killing things”. The book is about both the love story and the characters and the killing things and violence. While some scenes are weighted more one way than another, overall, it’s the best balance I have ever seen in a dystopian novel between the romance and the action (many try to shoehorn in the romance to make a key plot point, which I dislike), and that’s part of the reason I love the series so much. I mean, I love reading about action-y things and adventure, but I’m a romantic at heart, and it’s fantastic to finally find a novel that I can cry over that is not absolutely dry and boring like the romance novels my contemperaries swear on.
But I also don’t like the group of rabid fangirls who ignore the plot and only talk about how OMG!!! hot Peeta and Finnick are (and Gale as well, I guess), all the while refusing to absorb the plot and take the meaning of the books seriously.
Now, I’m not saying that these are the only two types of Hunger Games fans that exist and I’m somehow above it all (I’m not). No, what I’m saying is that these people are the vocal minority, and I thank you all here (not just the hosts, but the listeners) for not being those people. They give Hunger Games fans a bad name.

And a note on the Twilight comparisons: No, this is not Twilight. Nothing is Twilight but Twilight. There will never be another Twilight, just like there will never be another Harry Potter. However, fans of Twilight (mainly teenaged and young adult females, and well as young adult males) will enjoy The Hunger Games because of its similiarities (first-person, female narrator, hot love interest), and because it’s a great story. They will bring their fandom culture to The Hunger Games, just liek everyone else. Just because people don’t like the series does not mean we can blacklist people who like both books from our fandom. That’s really mean. Can’t we just all love something?

Whew, that was more than a note. Thank you for reading my overly long comment.

Love from Panem,

Kirsten
- Somebodypersons
  
  Amen!
Alison

OK, guys. I’m a little late listening – but AWESOME podcast this episode. I loved how you compared Katniss to Frodo – I always think of that. It’s one of the reasons I love both books. To stick with the Hunger Games, I love how the books are honest about war and violence. A lot of books, especially for young adults, portray a really glorious end of war – good overcoming evil, etc. Even LOTR does this to some extent. But the Hunger Games doesn’t! And I just love that. I feel it is a deeply honest book. A rare treat!
Adia Ward

Yes, I’m late to this, but I’m a new fan. I just wanted to say that whoever said that Katniss enjoyed the Games is really deluded. You don’t wake up screaming from something that you enjoyed.

Hunger Games Chat Episode #6 – Katniss Everdeen, in depth

Hunger Games Chat
Episode #6 – Katniss Everdeen, in depth