Chapter 4 and 5 by Erin

Chapter 4

Kat and Peeta watch Haymitch on the ground, and silently decide to clean him up. They haul him to his room and stick him in the shower, and Kat leaves and lets Peeta do the rest. Kat goes back to her room and decides she can’t have anything else to do with Peeta since he will be her enemy shortly. She tosses the cookies his father gave her out the window and lands in dandelions, which remind her of what Peeta did to save her. She remembers picking dandelions with Prim and gathering other plants to eat after school, as well as her first time hunting in the woods-the woods that saved their lives. Her mother began coming out of her depression and started the apothecary again, and Kat began trading using the information her father had taught her. One day Kat found Katniss tubers-the plant she was named for and brought them home. As Kat’s mother began becoming herself again, but Kat never fully trusted her after that.

Kat looks out the window of the train for awhile longer, before eventually crawling into bed. She wakes up to Effie’s perky voice. She joins her and Peeta and Haymitch at a dining table, which is full of rich food and something she has never tried before-hot chocolate (she immediately drains her cup). Haymitch is already drinking, and Kat realizes this is why District 12 tributes never win. Haymitch is supposed to get the tributes sponsors and advice, but drunk as he is he’s essentially worthless. Kat points this out and Haymitch laughs and tells them to “stay alive”. Peeta knocks the glass out of his hand and tells him it’s not funny to them. Haymitch punches him and knocks him out of his chair, leaving a bruise. When he reaches for his bottle, Kat drives her knife into the table nearly hitting his hand. Haymitch seems impressed now, and he makes them a deal: they do what he says, and he’ll stay sober enough to help them. His first piece of advice is not to resist the stylists and do whatever they say. He leaves as they enter the tunnel under the mountains that leads to the Capital. Peeta and Kat sit alone in the dark until the train exits the tunnel. The run to the windows and see the grandeur of the city. As they get off the train, they are surrounded by reporters and Peeta smiles and waves-and Kat realizes that he is trying to survive as much as she is; which means he’ll be trying to kill her eventually.

Chapter 5

Kat is in the Remake Center preparing to meet her stylist. This means his three assistants (Venia, Flavius, and Octavia-who has died green skin) are removing nearly all of her body hair-very painfully. She’s also be scrubbed, brushed, and manicured for the last three hours. The only part untouched is her hair, which is still in the braids Kat’s mother did. Her stylist, Cinna, finally enters and examines Kat. He compliments her hair and her mother’s talent at it. They go into a room next to the prep room and have lunch. Kat tries to imagine cooking a meal like this at home, and realizes it would take days of hunting, gathering and trading to make something similar but not exactly like this. All for one meal. Cinna explains his ideas for the opening ceremonies. His partner, Portia, is Peeta’s stylist, and they’ve decided to dress them in complimentary outfits.

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Memorable Quotes

“So I’m pondering the reason why he insists on taking care of Haymitch and all of a sudden I think, It’s because he’s being kind. Just as he was kind to give me the bread. The idea pulls me up short. A kind Peeta Mellark is far more dangerous to me than an unkind one. Kind people have a way of working their way inside me and rooting there. And I can’t let Peeta do this. Not where we’re going”

“One time, my mother told me that I always eat like I’ll never see food again. And I said, ‘I won’t unless I bring it home.’ That shut her up.

“You’re new, aren’t you? I don’t think I’ve seen you before,’ I say. Most of the stylists are familiar, constants in the ever changing pool of tributes. Some have been around my whole life.

‘Yes, this is my first year in the Games,’ says Cinna.

‘So they gave you District Twelve,’ I say. Newcomers generally end up with us, the least desirable district.

‘I asked for District Twelve,’ he says without further explanation.”

“I want the audience to recognize you when you’re in the arena,” says Cinna dreamily. “Katniss, the girl who was on fire.”

A warning bell goes off in my head. Don’t be so stupid. Peeta is planning how to kill you, I remind myself. He is luring you in to make you easy prey. The more likable he is, the more deadly he is. But because two can play at this game, I stand on tiptoe and kiss his cheek. Right on his bruise.

Questions

Do you think Peeta already has a strategy for the Games? Is he really playing with Kat?

Do you think Haymitch will be able to help them?

Why do you think Cinna asked for District 12?