Chapter 17 – 18 by Chris

Characters:

Katniss

Cato

Rue

Places:

Supply Pyramid

Woods

Memorable Quotes:
1. “Let the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin, Cato.” – Katniss page 226
2. “The boy from District 1 dies before he can pull out the spear.” – Katniss page 233
3. I’m going to. Going to win for both of us now.” – Katniss page 233
4. “Here is the place where I love you.” – Katniss page 234
5. “Two tributes can win this year. If they’re from the same district. Both can live. Both of us can live.” – Katniss page 244

Questions for consideration:

1. If you are a member of one of the districts (audience) what would you reaction to Katniss’s skill and her blowing up the supplies? *View POW*
2. At this point how do you think the other tributes are getting along, like FoxFace and Thresh? How are Katniss’s odds at this point?
3. How do you think the Capitol will react to Katniss’s behavior after Rue died? What does that say to the other districts, especially 11?
4. Do you believe that District 11 sent that bread for Rue or just for Katniss because she honored one of their own?
5. What is your reaction to this new rule change? Why would the capitol do that now, when there has never been a rule change before?

Chapter 17 Summary:

The apples cause a train reaction that sets off most of the land mines, causing a huge explosion. Katniss is thrown back and is seriously injured, she realizes she can barely stand and she can’t hear anything. She crawls to a hiding spot because the careers have come back to the wreckage, Cato in a fit of rage kills the boy from district 3 – that developed the mind field.

Katniss stays hidden in the woods, as the Careers head back into the forest at nightfall to find the bomber. She isn’t so dizzy but her left ear is completely deaf, which can’t be good. She waits it out thinking of Rue, and figuring out whom all is left in the Games. The next morning Katniss, finds Foxface going through the wreckage and finds some useful items, Katniss decides that she could be a threat to her now. Now that her right ear can hear again, she is going to head back to find Rue.

Katniss goes back to their meeting place, and Rue hasn’t been there nor does she show up all day. Katniss gets worried, so she sets out to find her…along the way a mockingjay is singing Rue’s tune, so she knows that she is safe! Katniss follows the birds, when is hears Rue cry out and scream her name. She finds Rue tangled in a net, and before she could reach her a spear pierces her body….

Chapter 18 Summary:
Katniss kills the boy from district 1 before he can even blink. She runs to Rue and helps her out of the net and asses her wound…its beyond repair, they both new that she wouldn’t make it through this. Katniss stays with Rue in her final moments, and her last request is for Katniss to sing to her. Katniss sings an old song they sing in district 12 – a song all about hope for tomorrow. She is choked up with emotion and can barely get the song out…when she finishes, Rue slips away to a better place. In this moment looking at Rue, she realizes that this is all the Capitol’s fault, she now understands what Peeta and Gale feel. She is angry and she wants to show them they don’t own her, so she decorates Rue’s body with wild flowers, and gives her the respectful send off.

Katniss takes off walking not sure of a direction, but just going. She receives her second parachute, with a precious gift…bread from district 11 – something that has never been done. Katniss stays the night in a tree and dreams of Rue. The next day she goes through her new supplies and sets out again, but she still feels sad and lonely. Katniss know that she wants the careers to find her, so she can take them out, she wants revenge. She makes camp and sets a fire begging to be caught, but no one comes along. By early evening she climbs a tree to settle in for the night, when Claudius Templesmith’s voice comes on with an announcement….he explains a new rule in the Games, that if the two tributes from the same district are left alive at the end….both will be declared winners!

Join us in answering the questions and discussing the chapters HERE.