Chapter 22 - Katniss begins her recovering after her run in with Clove at the feast; Katniss compares Peeta and Gale again (when talking about Thresh's field); Peeta and Katniss have their first real kiss; Peeta's story about how long he has had a crush on Katniss (his father, her father, her song), it's a good thing Katniss said she loved the lamb stew so much!
Chapter 23 - joking aout getting back to District 12 and living in the Victor's Village; Katniss puts it into a real thought that Haymitch communicates to her through the gifts; finally wondering about how Haymitch won his year; Kat reminds us that if they win, they have to do the same thing that Kaymitch is doing for them; Thresh dies; Kat learns that Peeta's life isn't full of fresh bread and expensive treats; Katniss and Peeta go hunting and scavenging
Chapter 24 - Peeta kills Foxface (OK- that one was kind of in chapter 23); the Gamemakers get ready for the end of the games; they dry out all the water sources and push the three remaining Tributes back to the lake and then...
The action really seems to have picked up these last 3 chapters. My summaries are HUGE!
"My mother's hand strokes my cheek and I don't push it away as I would in wakefulness, never wanting her to know how much I crave that gentle touch" (p 290)
I think that this quote show that Katniss doesn't want to be the strong leader of her family. At least not all the time. In general, living in District 12 I think that you give up a good part of being a child. You are scraping by to survive since your first day. But Kat had to really give up her childhood. She had to pull her mother out of depression, provide food for her family, poach outside of the fence. She wants her mother to be her mother-but she is still angry at her for "leaving" her and Prim. As much as she wants her mother's comfort, she doesn't want to show something she might consider weakness.
"Then let's hope Cato kills him, so we don't have to." says Peeta grimly (p 293)
This is kind of what I was thinking too in regards to Thresh (and what we all felt for Rue-didn't want Kat to kill her). I know that Thresh wouldn't offer Katniss a free pass the next time he saw her. BUT I think Katniss wouldn't have been able to kill him herself. This also speaks to the way the Games are developing this year. Real friendships are being made.
"In stark contrast to two nights ago, when I felt Peeta was a million miles away, I'm struck by his immediacy now. As we settle in, he pulls my head down to use his arm as a pillow; the other rest protectively over me even when he goes to sleep. No one has held me like this is such a long time." (p 298)
Now that Katniss and Peeta are together, there is even more story to flush out. And maybe I'm a fool, but I really, really do think that Peeta love Katniss. Gosh I hope he really does or I think I might be heartbroken. I think Kat would be too. She might brush it off on the surface, but I think deep down she would be heartbroken.
What did you all think about Peeta's story when he first fell in love with her. (I use that phrase lightly! I don't want to keep saying "had a crush.") On one hand, he is a really good liar. Remember when Katniss recognized the Avox and Peeta jumped to her defense? He was so quick on his feet and no one knew any different. It could be the same thing here-either making it up on the spot or maybe he'd prepared that story knowing it might come up at some point. Or it could be the truth. ;) Thinking back to when Peeta defended Kat at the dinner with the Avox-it's the little things like that which make me believe that he really does care for her. He goes out of his way when he doesn't have to in order to help her. I do think he was really hurt when Katniss told him that they shouldn't 'pretend' to be friendly when they weren't in front of Peeta.
Two last quotes:
"It must be hell to mentor two kids and then watch the die. Year after year after year." (p 306)
This is exactly what I thought might push him to drink! I feel like Katniss and Peeta are finally starting to see Haymitch as something a little more than just a drunken failure who hasn't gotten one winning Tribute under him. When you think about it-he really has got strategy! When he's not a drunk fool. I think it's also striking that I never thought before that when Peeta and Katniss (see what I did there? WHEN, not If. They must win, right? If they don't win together I don't know what I will do) will have to be the mentors to future Tributes. That almost sounds like more stress and pressure than being in the Games themselves. Every year young people's lives are at least partially in your hands. Every year you have the immense stress of figuring out a new strategy to play the game.
"Let's go now, while we've had food and rest. Let's just go end this thing," he says. (p 326)
At this point, may as well go in with your head high, bodies alert and get it done. No use wasting yourself on fear and worry of being discovered, being caught off guard. I also liked when Kat was musing that Cato was "always the one to kill" and that the other tributes were just distractions.
When Cato came running at them at the end of Chapter 24, I was prepping myself for a battle. Some kind of battle cry, crazy fight. I was not prepared for Cato to book it straight past Katniss and Peeta. As soon as Katniss talked about creatures coming out of the woods, of turning and running for her life... my first thought was "Oh gosh, Peeta can't run!" Maybe I am wrong about them winning together. :'( And if Peeta gets killed by the Whats-its from the woods, then Katniss has to face Cato on her own...
I loved that the page 290 quote offered the first real glimpse of Kat's vulnerability. The author has decided to finally display her as the young child that she truly is. She has had to grow up so quickly, filling in for her father as "head of the household," taking care of Mother and Prim, focusing selflessly, not on her, but on her loved ones. Here, in this passage, we understand how deeply lacking she is and why Peeta's presence may evoke a sense of belonging.
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued that Peeta professed he is love from such a young age with a vivid image down to every last detail: her attire, her song, her father... it was so beautiful. He expressed a genuine interest in her much deeper than just a partner in the Games, but rather a life partner. And I thought it very clever of the author to mention the father's love interest in Kat's mother so many years prior. It's as though the universe means for those families to connect ultimately, one generation or the next.
In many ways, I hated the way Foxface died. I'm not going to lie, I had actually taken up a liking to her clever abilities. Although I know she was probably the biggest threat in the Games, when it's all said and done, I was still amazed by her tactics and thought she should have went down with a vengeance, not by accidentally eating berries Peeta had chosen out of ignorance.
I was STUNNED, also, when Cato flew passed them. Kat states, "Then I am stumbling blindly after Cato with no thought of anything but to save myself." I tend to find this a bit selfish, although I do understand her predicament. I just think to myself that if Dexter and I were in that arena and he was near death with a terrible disability, I couldn't see myself fleeing and abandoning him, even if "creatures" were coming after me. It nearly makes me doubt Kat's "feelings" for Peeta. Maybe she's solely doing it for the camera, the gifts, the chance of survival? And yes, Sarah, how would she battle Cato alone if he is as strong and mighty as the book has portrayed him to be?
I think that chapters 22-24 may have been the most intense in the entire book... LOTS of questioning running through my mind here.
Ok. Finally sitting down to respond. I think this might be the first time that I disagree with you! I am actually kind of excited about that-up until this point I think we have all kind of been on the same page with our opinions. More fun comes out in discussing. I feel really comfortable sharing my opinion with you girls because even if we don't agree, it won't be a problem.
ReplyDeleteNow as far as Foxface goes. I have a ton of respect that she was able to keep her nose clean, observe, and take advantage of her opponents. I think that Kat would have had a hard time outsmarting her. Remember the feast? Foxface was certainly ahead of the game. BUT if she is going to be scavenging other people's food, she still has the responsibility to make sure it is edible. Granted... Peeta would have been dead if he decided to snack while foraging. That would have sucked, but it also would have served him right.
When Kat started running away, my first thought was 'what about Peeta?' if it were meand brad, no way would I have taken off thinking just of myself. I think it reinforces that her feelings aren't genuinely romantic/desperately in love/can't live without him. I still think that Peeta feels that way toward Kat. But just think of her internal dialogue. It is always "what does Haymitch want me to do? What can I do to get gifts?" once in a while she has a genuine moment. Like their real first kiss.but overall... When they were hunting wasn't she thinking about Gale and comparing Peeta to him?
I love that you disagree! Haha. Makes the discussion more interesting. ;)
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you on the fact that it was her responsibility to know whether or not the berries were poisonous... but if you saw someone prepping a plate for themselves and they hadn't the slightest that you were around, wouldn't you think that was good food? I mean, if they are going to eat it, it must be? Especially being in survival mode AND in a hurry!... I'd be likely to steal any food I could get, too (then again, I just looove to eat! hahaha)
I've felt like Kat is living vicariously through Peeta, expressing the feelings she has developed for Gale. It seems she has been suppressing them for a number of years and now that he isn't around, she's realizing how much she wishes he was...
I'm still torn between Peeta and Gale. I am sort of rooting for Peeta, because his feelings seem so genuine, but Gale helped her to survive back home, and I can see where that would make a girl fall. : )
ReplyDeleteI was shocked at how Foxface went down. Not at all what I expected, but as I'd also grown a little fond of her sneaky cleverness, I'm glad it didn't come down to a physical fight to the death. Not her style at all. It had to be this way, poison seems like the only thing she'd fall for. I admit, I'll miss her.
I don't doubt Peeta's feelings a bit, but I definitely think Kat is playing up for the camera, and letting her real feelings (whatever they may be) wait until later. She's thinking of surviving the Games, not falling in love. I can respect that, but I think it's going to all hit her eventually.
And no way in heck would I have torn off running that way without being sure I had Peeta by the hand. I was a little disappointed in our girl...