The Hunger Games: Chapter 9

We are moving much more slowly through this book than I had anticipated, mainly because of the time it takes to come up with these questions and the lack of time I have to devote to it.  Still I want to complete this study.  And it will be already done so that my younger kids can benefit from the work when they are old enough to go through the books.

1. Why do you thing Peeta asked to be trained separately from Katniss?  Was it because Katniss outperformed him in training as she suspects?  Or another reason?

2. In this chapter, Katniss' team attempts to prepare her for her interview.   Effie and Haymitch try to get her to behave in a particular way in order win over the audience.  How does this fit in with the theme of masks?

3. How does this chapter illustrate the growing bond between Katniss and Cinna?

4. Up until this chapter, Katniss simply had to keep quiet about how she felt about the Capitol.  What evidence is provided in this chapter to show that she is capable of putting on her own show to hide her feelings and gain the support that she needs?

The Hunger Games: Chapter 8

1. After Katniss shoots an arrow at the Gamemakers, she mostly worried about one thing.  What is her biggest concern?

2. Sometimes an oppressive government's own rules prevent them from easily punishing those who upset them.  Katniss worries about being arrested for her actions.  What reasons are given for the unlikeness of that happening?  She also worries about her family being harmed.  Why is it unlikely her family will be harmed for her actions in the private training session?

3. What score was Rue given and why is that surprising?

4. What score was Katniss given? What possible reason was given for her surprisingly high score?  How was it tied in with the theme of "the girl who was in fire"?

5. In this chapter, Katniss remembers when she first met Gale and how they came to be hunting partners.  She says that she's a better hunger when he is with her.  How is that?  What is special about their relationship?

6. Katniss compares her relationship with Gale and her relationship with Peeta.  How are they different?

7.  What is a foil?  Which characters are being used as foils of each other in this chapter?

8.  When Katniss walks into breakfast, the team is huddled over the table talking in hushed tones.  What do you think they are talking about (specifically) given how the chapter ends?

The Hunger Games: Chapter 7

1. Before training, Haymitch tells Katniss and Peeta not to train at the stations that would reveal their strengths.  Why does he tell them this?  How does that fit with the theme of masks?

2. How is Peeta's skill in camouflage similar to his ability to lie convincingly?  

3. Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, and Portia strongly encourage Katniss and Peeta to appear as a team.  In what ways do they act as a team in this chapter?  We are not told why they are told to act as a team.  It appears that the prep team knows something we don't.  Why do you think the team appearance is being encouraged when only one person can win?

4. When Peeta comments on how Katniss is a survivor, she reminds him of how she often needs help in order to survive (ie. the bread he gave her).  What is the importance of this conversation to the rest of the book?

5.  What link between Katniss and Rue is established in this chapter?

The Hunger Games: Chapter 6

Some of my questions require knowledge of future chapters to discuss fully.  For other chapters, click here.

1. Effie explains to Katniss that she's been trying to get sponsors for the District 12 tributes by playing up how they have both struggled to overcome the barbarism of their district.  Barbarism refers to savage brutality or cruelty in actions.  How is it ironic that Effie, a Capitol resident, is arguing that Katniss has overcome the barbarism of her district?

2.  When Katniss recognizes the Avox girl, there is instant tension at the table.  Haymitch and Effie both tell her she couldn't possibly know an Avox.  Peeta comes to the rescue with the idea that she looks just like Delly Cartwight.  Given how the Capitol treats "traitors", Peeta's rescue may have saved Katniss' life for the second time.  Discuss the significance of event.

3. While reviewing the opening ceremonies, Haymitch asks whose idea it was for Katniss and Peeta to hold hands.  When he finds out it was Cinna's idea, he replies, "Just the perfect touch of rebellion. Very nice."  Discuss the significance of Haymitch's comment in light of the coming games and the trilogy as a whole.

4. How does the conversation on the rooftop illustrate how the tributes are prisoners of the Capitol?

5. Peeta asks about Gale.  Is he just curious or is there more to his questioning?

The Hunger Games: Chapter 5

1.  While Katniss undergoes three hours of waxing, removing all of the naturally growing hair on her legs, arms, torso, and underarms, she contemplates how her prep team doesn't even seem human to her.  In fact, she's not embarrassed to stand naked in front of them because of how inhuman they seem.  What is unusual about the prep team?  How does that make them seem less than human?  What are your feelings about these kinds of alterations in today's world?

2. While Katniss is thinking about her prep team appearing inhuman because of their alterations, the prep team doesn't think she looks human until she's been altered.  Why do you think they feel this way?  How is today's world like the prep team?  Do you think our society will become more or less like the prep team in the future?  Why or why not?

3. After the prep team is finished with her, Katniss smiles and thanks them, explaining that District 12 members don't have much cause to look nice.  Is this how she really feels?  Why do you think she says this?

4. Although Katniss was not embarrassed by her prep team seeing her without clothing, she is self-conscious when Cinna looks her over.  Why does she react differently to him?

5.  Katniss imagines what it would take to assemble her lunch with Cinna.  She also wonders what the Capitol people do with their free time, with food appearing at the touch of a button.  Discuss the differences between the Capitol and District 12.

6. Describe Katniss' costume for the opening ceremonies.  How does the costume reflect District 12's principal industry?  How does Cinna allow the real Katniss to shine through the costume?

7. Katniss realizes that Cinna has given her a great advantage.  What is the advantage and why will it be important in the coming games?

8. Why is it "not really fair to present [Katniss and Peeta] as a team?"  How might this change the games?  How does this foreshadow what is coming?

9.  After the opening ceremonies, Peeta lets his feelings for Katniss show through.  Instead of believing him, what does Katniss think of Peeta?  What does Katniss do to hide what she is thinking about Peeta?

The Hunger Games: Chapter 4

1. Peeta decided to clean up the passed out Haymitch himself.  Katniss initially thinks he may be trying to get on Haymitch's good side but decides he must be doing it out of kindness. She states, "A kind Peeta Mellark is far more dangerous to me than an unkind one."  What does she mean and why is this true?

2. After throwing out the baker's cookies, we are treated with another flashback showing how skilled and comfortable Katniss becomes in the woods.  Why might we be reminded of her abilities?

3. Katniss recalls her father's words concerning the plant she was named after.  "As long as you can find yourself, you'll never starve."  What did he mean?  What other meaning might this quote have in reference to the games?

4. During the breakfast scuffle between Haymitch, Peeta, and Katniss, Haymitch remarks, "Well, what's this?...Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?"  What does this tell you about why previous District 12 tributes might have lost?  What does it foreshadow about this year's tributes?

5. Haymitch does not allow Peeta to put ice on his bruised jaw.   What reasons does he give?  Why would these be good reasons to allow the bruise to show?

6. Haymitch advises Peeta and Katniss to cooperate with the stylists no matter what they do.  Why is this important?

7. What does Peeta do at the end of the chapter that leads her to distrust him more?  Why does she feel this way?

The following question contains spoilers:

Do you think Haymitch was a member of the rebellion from the beginning of the series?  Do you think Cinna was a member from the rebellion before he got the job as stylist?  If yes, do you think they knew about each other before the games began?  Do you think this might have factored into why Haymitch told Peeta and Cinna to not resist their stylist?

The Hunger Games: an art project

I saw an example of a Wordling using the Mockingjay pin as the guidelines for the words.  It was created with a computer program and looked really cool.  Looking at it, I thought, "Hey, I could do that by hand!"  And that was the beginning of our first Hunger Games project.

Here's our finished projects:

I started by creating a sample so they would understand what I had in mind.  They were having a hard time picture it with the computer-generated.

Mika decided to go with silver on black.  I love how she increased her letter size around the ring.

Sam increased his letter size, as well, but he also threw in a bunch of numbers.

Here's how you do it:

STEP 1: Create an account at teacherspayteachers.com and download this product (as of this writing, it is free).  Check out the creator's other great Hunger Games products!

STEP 2: On page 6 of the above download, there is an outline of the mockingjay pin.  Print it.

STEP 3: Trace the printout onto your art paper.  If you are using thin white paper (printer paper works), you can just place the printout under your paper and trace it.  If your paper is thicker, a light table might help.  If you are using really thick paper or black paper, use some sort of tracing material.

STEP 4: Choosing words pertinent to the story, fill in the space with words.  I used all the same size lettering with the exception of mockingjay.  As you can see above, my kids altered their lettering more.

STEP 5: Erase the pencil markings.

STEP 6: Sign your art and enjoy it.

The Hunger Games: Chapter 3

This is what we'll be discussing for Chapter 3 of The Hunger Games:

1.  After the reaping, the tributes are taken inside the Justice Building where they are visited by friends and family.  Katniss is surprised by a couple of her visits.  Which people surprise her with a visit?  Discuss what is significant about each visit.  Why do you think the author included these visits?

2. During Gale’s visit to Katniss, they discuss the games.  What do they discuss that highlights how the Capitol manipulates the Games to ensure maximum violence?  Why does the Capitol do this?

3. Katniss realizes that if she can forget that the other tributes are people, then the games won’t be much different from hunting.  What happens that illustrates how challenging that will be for Katniss?  Do you believe the author may be foreshadowing events in the arena?

4. Katniss continues to hide her true feelings while Peeta shows that he’s been crying.  What does Katniss think about this?

5.   While on the train, Katniss muses about school.  In what ways does the Capitol use “education” to control the people in District 12?

6. How does the author show the disparities in wealth between the different districts?

7. Madge gave Katniss a gold pin to wear in the arena.  What is significant about the pin?

8. “May the odds be ever in your favor,” is a common refrain in the games.   What indications have shown that the odds are not in Katniss’ and Peeta’s favor?

The Hunger Games: Chapter 2

These were our discussion questions for Chapter 2 of The Hunger Games:

1. When Katniss volunteers as tribute, Effie Trinket asks the audience for applause.  What does the audience do instead and what message does it send to the Capitol?

2. Katniss recalls how she and Peeta first met. What two things happen as a result of how the met that assured her survival?

3. The flashback into Katniss' past highlights an important aspect of her character: the will to survive.  What did she do and overcome that shows this?

4. This chapter highlights some of the injustices imposed on District 12 by the Capitol.  How do many people die in District 12?  What is the cause of death according to the Capitol?  How do the people of District 12 react to the discrepancy?

5. Are Haymitch's drunken shouts about people not having enough spunk directed at the Capitol or the people of District 12.  Explain your reasoning.

6.  Katniss questions Peeta's motives for giving her the bread.  What does Peeta do in this chapter that Katniss question?  Why do you think the author focuses so much attention on what Katniss thinks about Peeta's actions?

The Hunger Games: Chapter 1

Mika, Sam, my husband, and I have all read The Hunger Games trilogy.  We all loved it.  I realized that the books would be perfect for literature discussion.  I searched around and found a high school English teacher who uses the books with her freshman classes.  She has lesson plans for the whole trilogy.  I want them, really want them, but can't afford them.  So, I'm going with a few projects I've been able to read about, a few free lessons I've found, and discussion questions based on the Cliff Notes available online.

Here is what we discussed for Chapter 1:

1. Note the names of characters and places for future research.

2. What did Gale mean when he said they could run away if they didn't have so many kids?

3. How does Katniss' feelings for Prim affect her actions?  What do you think might happen following the end of Chapter 1 given what you know of Katniss' feelings for Prim?

4. How does Katniss explain her feelings for Gale? What do you think her true feelings are?

5. How does Katniss mask her feelings for the Capitol?

6. In what ways does the Capitol keep people segregated and distrustful of each other?  Between districts?  Within districts?  Why do they do this?

7. What is ironic about where the reaping ceremony takes place?

8. How do the people of District 12 as a whole mask their feelings for the Capitol?

9. Chapter 1 introduces several things that will be important in coming chapters.  What things do we learn in this chapter that you think will be significant as the story continues?

I'll be adding more questions and projects as we complete them.