Happy Hunger Games Anniversary and may the odds be ever in your favour! It’s the 14th anniversary for publication date of The Hunger Games novel, the very first book that gave us entry to the world of Panem! 14 years ago was the start of it all; four books, four movies (with a fifth in the works) and a ginormous fanbase who still love the series!
In honour of this iconic day, let’s look at the top five unforgettable moments from the book!
5. Thresh Sparing Katniss for Rue
While Thresh did not play a huge part in the book – compared to Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Rue, Prim, Haymitch, Effie, Cato and even Clove and Glimmer – his moments were most definitely memorable. He spared Katniss’ life because she and Rue had been allies and Katniss had tried to save Rue, despite the Hunger Games being all about survival of the fittest.
Thresh spared Katniss’ life and – in both Katniss and Peeta’s words in Catching Fire – kept them both alive and able to be victors of the 74th Annual Hunger Games. Thresh might have died at Cato’s hands in an event that was unseen by Katniss and Peeta, but he had honour and refused to join the Career Pack, despite being valued for his immense strength and size.
4. Thank You For Your Consideration
Katniss definitely had a temper and leaned towards impulsiveness. After being “upstaged by a dead pig”, Katniss shot an arrow at an apple in the pig’s mouth to get the attention of the Game Makers. While it could have had serious consequences, Katniss’ refusal to be overlooked paid off when she scored an 11, making Hunger Games history…at least for one year until she and Peeta both pulled 12s in the Quarter Quell.
3. Peeta’s Confession of Love
I don’t think anyone was expecting Peeta to admit on camera in front of the whole of Panem and all the districts that he was in love with Katniss. The only thing that beats this confession is his confession the next year, when he pretended that Katniss was pregnant with their baby! Peeta definitely is the King of Bombshells…. Not literal ones, fortunately.
Katniss’ reaction was definitely shocking, but not out of character for her and all I can say is I’m really glad they (spoiler alert!) finally got their happily ever after.
2. Rue’s Death
I debated between making this number 1 or number 2 because it’s so tragic, I don’t think anyone could ever forget it. Rue, Katniss’ 12-year-old ally from District 11, was way too young to be dying in the arena for the amusement of the Capitol. Katniss singing “Deep in the Meadow” to her as she died brings tears to my eyes every time and Katniss giving her the farewell gesture of “goodbye to someone you truly love” and burying her in flowers is equally heartbreaking.
The only thing that trumps that in this book is District 11 sending a loaf of their bread to Katniss; the people of District 11 could barely feed themselves! But they sent it to her because they knew what she had done for Rue and they wanted to thank Katniss, thus making their gift a first for the Hunger Games: a gift to a tribute who was not your own.
1. Katniss Volunteering for Prim
While this might not have come as a surprise after reading the back of the book, it was still incredibly touching. Katniss volunteered for Prim, knowing full well that she might not survive. It’s an act of true sacrifice, of true love, to be willing to die for the ones you love. Peeta’s siblings didn’t volunteer and as Katniss herself says “Family devotion only goes so far on reaping day. What I did was the radical thing.”
Katniss volunteering for Prim is the catalyst for the entire book series; it started because Katniss loved her sister so much that she couldn’t lose her. This makes it all the more tragic that Prim dies in Mockingjay, but I – and probably a lot of fans – hope that Katniss named her daughter after her beloved sister, Prim…
Even though it’s been many years since the publication of The Hunger Games novel, fans are still in love with the characters and the world that Suzanne Collins created. Fortunately, fans can still look forward to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes the movie, which will be coming out on November 17, 2023! May the odds be ever in Lucy Gray Baird‘s favour….