I'll Tell Them How I Survive It. I'll Tell Them That On Bad Mornings, It Feels Impossible To Take Pleasure In Anything Because I'm Afraid It Could Be Taken Away. That's When I Make A List In My Head Of Every Act Of Goodness I've Seen Someone Do. It's Like A Game. Repetitive. Even A Little Tedious After More Than Twenty Years. But There Are Much Worse Games To Play.

-Suzanne Collins

Please Wait....
Translating....

I'll Tell Them How

Suzanne Collins

Topic

Morning

Taken

Years

More From Suzanne Collins

One Night, I Was Lying In Bed, And I Was Channel Surfing Between Reality Tv Programs And Actual War Coverage. On One Channel, There's A Group Of Young People Competing For I Don't Even Know; And On The Next, There's A Group Of Young People Fighting In An Actual War. I Was Really Tired, And The Lines Between These Stories Started To Blur In A Very Unsettling Way. That's The Moment When Katniss's Story Came To Me.

War

Lying

Tired

How About You, Mockingjay? You Feel Totally Safe?” “oh, Yeah. Right Up Until I Got Shot,” I Say.

Safe

Yeah

Shots

If You Had Hope, Maybe You Could Find A Way To Make Things Change,. Because If You Thought About It, There Were So Many Reasons To Try.

Trying

Way

Things Change

Want A Sugar Cube? [...] They're Supposed To Be For The Horses, But Who Cares? They've Got Years To Eat Sugar, Whereas You And I . . . Well, If We See Something Sweet We Better Grab It Quick. [...] You're Absolutely Terrifying Me In That Get-up. What Happened To The Pretty Little-girl Dresses?

Girl

Sweet

Horse

To This Day, I Can Never Shake The Connection Between This Boy, Peeta Mellark, And The Bread That Gave Me Hope, And The Dandelion That Reminded Me That I Was Not Doomed.

Boys

Connections

Bread

My Time In The Arena Made Me Realize How I Needed To Stop Punishing [my Mother] For Something She Couldn't Help, Specifically The Crushing Depression She Fell Into After My Father's Death. Because Sometimes Things Happen To People And They're Not Equipped To Deal With Them.

Crush

Mother

Father

Once I'm On My Feet I Realize Escape Might Not Be So Simple, Panic Begins To Set In. I Can't Stay Here. Flight Is Essential But I Can't Let My Fear Show. Winning Means Fame And Fortune, Losing Mean Certain Death, The Hunger Games Have Begun . . .

Mean

Winning

Simple

I Can't Help Comparing What I Have With Gale To What I'm Pretending To Have With Peeta. How I Never Question Gale's Motives While I Do Nothing But Doubt The Latter's. It's Not A Fair Comparison Really. Gale And I Were Thrown Together By A Mutual Need To Survive. Peeta And I Know The Other's Survival Means Our Own Death. How Do You Sidestep That?

Mean

Doubt

Survival

Never," Said Gregor. "i'll Never Get Rid Of You, No Matter How Hard I Try." It Was No Longer An Effort To Say The Words. "i Love You." "i Love You, Too," Said Luxa. After That There Was Nothing Left To Say.

Love You

Effort

Trying

What Must It Be Like, I Wonder, To Live In A World Where Food Appears At The Press Of A Button?

Katniss

Buttons

World

Peeta, You Were Supposed To Wake Me After A Couple Of Hours," I Say. "for What? Nothing's Going On Here," He Says. "besides, I Like Watching You Sleep. You Don't Scowl. Improves Your Looks A Lot." This, Of Course, Brings On A Scowl That Makes Him Grin.

Couple

Sleep

Looks

But Gale Is Not One To Keep Secrets From Me. "katniss, There Is No District Twelve."

Katniss

Catching Fire

Secret

I Mean I Know It's Cold Out Here And Not Everybody Has A Sleeping Bag. But When You Grit Your Teeth And Stick It Out Until Dawn!

Mean

Sleep

Dawn

But I Have To Confess, I'm Glad You Two Had At Least A Few Months Of Happiness Together." I'm Not Glad," Says Peeta. "i Wish We Had Waited Until The Whole Thing Was Done Officially." This Takes Even Caesar Aback. "surely Even A Brief Time Is Better Than No Time?" Maybe I'd Think That, Too, Caesar," Says Peeta Bitterly, "if It Weren't For The Baby.

Baby

Thinking

Two

I Can Feel Peeta Press His Forehead Into My Temple And He Asks, 'so Now That You've Got Me, What Are You Going To Do With Me?' I Turn Into Him. 'put You Somewhere You Can't Get Hurt.

Love

Hurt

Romance

Want A Sugar Cube?" He Asks In His Old Seductive Voice. That's How We Met, With Finnick Offering Me Sugar. Surrounded By Horses And Chariots, Costumed And Painted For The Crowds, Before We Were Allies. Before I Had Any Idea What Made Him Tick. The Memory Actually Coaxes A Smile Out Of Me. "here, It Improves The Taste," He Says In His Real Voice, Plunking Three Cubes Into My Cup.

Horse

Memories

Real

Hey, Finnick, Come On In! We Figured Out How To Make You Pretty Again!

Hey

Finnick

How Much Energy They Put Into Harming Each Other. How Little Into Saving.

Energy

Saving

Littles

I Start To Crack At Four Hundred To One.

Cracks

Four

Hundred

Im Still Betting On You. - Cinna.

Stills

Betting

Cinna

The Rules Of The Hunger Games Are Simple. In Punishment For The Uprising, Each Of The Twelve Districts Must Provide One Girl And One Boy, Called Tributes, To Participate. The Twenty-four Tributes Will Be Imprisoned In A Vast Outdoor Arena That Could Hold Anything From A Burning Desert To A Frozen Wasteland. Over A Period Of Several Weeks, The Competitors Must Fight To The Death. The Last Tribute Standing Wins.

Girl

Fighting

Winning

We Had To Save You Because You're The Mockingjay, Katniss," Says Plutarch. "while You Live, The Revolution Lives.

Katniss

Revolution

Mockingjay

I’ve Stopped Talking Because There’s Really Nothing Left To Say And There’s This Piercing Sort Of Pain Where My Heart Is. Maybe I’m Even Having A Heart Attack, But It Doesn’t Seem Worth Mentioning.

Pain

Heart

Talking

I Know We Promised Haymitch, We'd Do Exactly What They Said, But I Don't Think He Considered This Angle.' 'where Is Haymitch, Anyway? Isn't He Supposed To Protect Us From This Sort Of Thing?' Says Peeta. 'with All That Alcohol In Him, It's Probably Not Advisable To Have Him Around An Open Flame,' I Say.

Thinking

Flames

Alcohol

Several Sets Of Arms Would Embrace Me. But In The End, The Only Person I Truly Want To Comfort Me Is Haymitch, Because He Loves Peeta, Too. I Reach Out For Him And Say Something Like His Name And He's There, Holding Me And Patting My Back. "it's Okay. It'll Be Okay, Sweetheart." He Sits Me On A Length Of Broken Marble Pillar And Keeps An Arm Around Me While I Sob.

Names

Broken

Comfort

I Don't Want To Cry. Everyone Will Make Note Of My Tears And I'll Be Marked As An Easy Target. A Weakling. I Will Give No One That Satisfaction.

Giving

Tears

Target

I’m In A Shallow Hole, Not Filled With The Humming Orange Bubbles Of My Hallucination But With Old, Dead Leaves.

Orange

Hallucinations

Shallow

I Wonder If Effie Will Still Be Wearing That Silly Pink Wig, Or Is She'll Be Sporting Some Other Unnatural Color Especially For The Victor Tour.

Silly

Color

Wigs

No One Really Needs Me," He Says, And There Is No Self-pity In His Voice. It's True His Family Doesn't Need Him. They Will Mourn Him, As Will A Handful Of Friends. But They Will Get On. Even Haymitch, With The Help Of A Lot Of White Liquor, Will Get On. I Realize Only One Person Will Be Damaged Beyond Repair If Peeta Dies. Me. "i Do," I Say. "i Need You.

Voice

White

Self

Fire Beats Roses Again.

Fire

Rose

Beats

But I Don't Know What To Him About The Aftermath Of Killing A Person. About How They Never Leave You.

Aftermath

Killing

Persons

Let Me Go!” I Snarl At Him, Trying To Wrest My Arm From His Grasp. “i Can’t,” He Says.

Trying

Arms

Let Me Go

How Much Better My Life Has Been For Knowing Him. For Loving Him, Even If It's Only In The Limited Way That I Can Manage. But I Never Get The Chance.

Knowing

Way

Chance

It's As If I'm Finnick, Watching Images Of My Life Flash By. The Mast Of A Boat, A Silver Parachute, Mags Laughing, A Pink Sky, Beetee's Trident, Annie In Her Wedding Dress, Waves Breaking Over Rocks. Then Its Over.

Rocks

Sky

Waves Breaking

And Random Bits Of Happiness, Like Finnick And Annie's Newborn Boy.

Boys

Newborn

Annie

Just The Sound Of His Voice Twists My Stomach Into A Knot Of Unpleasant Emotions Like Guilt, Sadness And Fear. And Longing. I Might As Well Admit There’s Some Of That Too.

Sadness

Voice

Guilt

The Morphlings From District 6 Are In The Camouflage Station, Painting Each Other's Faces With Bright Pink Swirls.

Camouflage

Faces

Painting

It's To The Capitol's Advantage To Have Us Divided Among Ourselves. Another Tool To Cause Misery In Our District. A Way To Plant Hatred Between The Starving Workers [of The Seam] And Those Who Can Generally Count On Supper And Thereby Ensure We Will Never Trust One Another.

Hatred

Causes

Tools

He Felt Around Desperately For A Weapon. What Did He Have? Diapers? Cookies? Oh, Why Hadn't They Given Him A Sword? He Was The Stupid Warrior, Wasn't He? His Fingers Dug In The Leather Bag And Closed Around The Root Beer Can. Root Beer! He Yanked Out The Can Shaking It With All His Might. "attack! Attack!" He Yelled.

Stupid

Beer

Warrior

Look How We Take Your Children And Sacrifice Them And There’s Nothing You Can Do. If You Lift A Finger, We Will Destroy Every Last One Of You. Just As We Did In District Thirteen.

Children

Sacrifice

Katniss

The Evil Thing Is Inside, Not Out.

Evil

Evil Things

Peeta?" I Creep Along The Bank. "well, Don't Step On Me.

Steps

Creeps

Wells

I Don't Care If You Got Knocked Up. I Can Still Rip Your Throat Out

Rip

Knocked Up

Care

It Takes Ten Times As Long To Put Yourself Back Together As It Does To Fall Apart.

Life

Fall

I Hate You

For The Last Year His Grandma Had Been Slipping In And Out Of Reality. One Minute She Was As Clear As A Bell And The Next She Was Calling Him Simon. Who Was Simon? He Had No Idea.

Grandma

Reality

Years

So I Only Say, "so What Should We Do With Our Last Few Days?" "i Just Want To Spend Every Possible Minute Of The Rest Of My Life With You," Peeta Replies.

Catching Fire

Want

Lasts

His Dad Said Even The Cavemen Had Geniuses Among Them. Somebody Had Thought Up The Wheel.

Dad

Cavemen

Genius

When I Break Into The Clearing, She's On The Ground, Hopelessly Entangled In A Net. She Just Has The Time To Reach Her Hand Through The Mesh And Say My Name Before The Spear Enters Her Body.

Hands

Names

Body

One Slip. One Slip In Thousands. The Odds Had Been Entirely In Her Favor. But It Hadn't Mattered.

Odds

Favors

Slips

It’s The First Time I’ve Ever Kissed A Boy, Which Should Make Some Sort Of Impression I Guess, But All I Can Register Is How Unnaturally Hot His Lips Are From The Fever.

Boys

Hot

Fever

Swathed In Silk, I Feel Like A Caterpillar In A Cocoon Awaiting Metamorphosis. I Always Supposed That To Be A Peaceful Condition. At First It Is. But As I Journey Into The Night, I Feel More And More Trapped, Suffocated By The Slippery Bindings, Unable To Emerge Until I Have Transformed Into Something Of Beauty. I Squirm, Trying To Shed My Ruined Body And Unlock The Secret To Growing Flawless Wings. Despite Enormous Effort, I Remain A Hideous Creature, Fired Into My Current Form By The Blast From The Bombs.

Night

Journey

Wings

You're Punishing Him Over And Over For Things That Are Out Of His Control.

Peeta

And She's My Fiancee. So If You Want To Get To Him, Expect To Go Through Both Of Us.

Want

Fiancee

Ifs

Gale And I Were Thrown Together By A Mutual Need To Survive. Peeta And I Know The Other's Survival Means Our Own Death. How Do You Side Step That?

Mean

Katniss

Survival

You'll Never Be Able To Let Him Go. You'll Always Feel Wrong About Being With Me.

Kissing Him

Able

Let Him Go

Unfortunately, I Can't Seal The Sponsor Deals For You. Only Haymitch Can Do That," Says Effie Grimly. "but Don't Worry, I'll Get Him To The Table At Gunpoint If Necessary." Although Lacking In Many Departments, Effie Trinket Has A Certain Determination I Have To Admire.

Determination

Worry

Tables

I Take His Hand, Holding On Tightly, Preparing For The Cameras, And Dreading The Moment When I Will Finally Have To Let Go.

Letting Go

Games

Katniss

I Will Never Give Up If You Never Give In.

Giving Up

I Will Never Give Up

Never Give In

Warmblood Now A Bloodborne Death, Will Rob Your Body Of It's Breath Mark Your Skin And Seal Your Fate The Underland Becomes A Plate

Fate

Skins

Body

When You're In The Arena...you Just Remember Who The Enemy Is" - Haymitch

Catching Fire

Enemy

Arena

For Some Reason Gale And Peeta Do Not Coexist Well In My Thoughts.

Gale

Reason

Coexist

In Other Words, I Step Out Of Line And We're All Dead.

Lines

Steps

Ally." Peeta Says The Words Slowly, Tasting It. "friend. Lover. Victor. Enemy. Fiancee. Target. Mutt. Neighbor. Hunter. Tribute. Ally. I'll Add It To The List Of Words I Use To Try To Figure You Out. The Problem Is, I Can't Tell What's Real Anymore, And What's Made Up.

Real

Enemy

Trying

The Most Exciting Thing Either Of Us Does Is Nap.

Naps

Doe

Exciting

Do You Really Know What's Going On And If You Don't... Find Out

Knows

Ifs

You're Still Trying To Protect Me. Real Or Not Real," He Whispers. "real," I Answer. "because That's What You And I Do, Protect Each Other.

Real

Katniss

Trying

Actually, Katniss Isn’t Complaining Because She Has No Intention Of Staying With The “star Squad,” But She Recognizes The Necessity Of Getting To The Capitol Before Carrying Out Any Plan.

Stars

Squad

Katniss

They're Already Taking My Future! They Can't Have The Things That Mattered To Me In The Past!

Past

Capitol In Hunger Games

My Future

Sick And Disoriented, I'm Able To Form Only One Thought: Peeta Mellark Just Saved My Life.

Sick

Able

Hunger

Today I Might Lose Both Of Them. I Try To Imagine A World Where Both Gale's And Peeta's Voices Have Ceased. Hands Stilled. Eyes Unblinking. I'm Standing Over Their Bodies, Having A Last Look, Leaving The Room Where They Lie. But When I Open The Door To Step Out Into The World, There's Only A Tremendous Void. A Pale Grey Nothingness That Is All My Future Holds.

Lying

Eye

Doors

What Was That You Were Saying Just Before The Food Arrived? Something About Me... No Competition... Best Thing That Ever Happened To You.

Competition

Best Things

Happened

Got It," I Say. "did You Tell Peeta This?" "don't Have To," Says Haymitch. "he's Already There.

Peeta

Haymitch

I Have Not Wept Since The Death Of My Parents," Said Luxa Quietly. "but I Am Thought To Be Unnatural In This Respect.

Parent

Said

Unnatural

Let Them Go, I Tell Myself. Say Good-bye And Forget Them. I Do My Best, Thinking Of Them One By One, Releasing Them Like Birds From The Protective Cages Inside Me, Locking The Doors Against Their Return.

Thinking

Doors

Bye

It's Ideal Really. They Will Come Up With A Plan. No One Will Like It. Everyone Will Feel They Have Been Treated Unfairly, But Will Be Happy That Their Neighbors Feel The Same. And That Is The Nature Of Compromise. Now Let's Go Eat An Awful Lot.

Awful

Compromise

Neighbor

Because I Can Count On My Fingers The Number Of Sunsets I Have Left, And I Don't Want To Miss Any Of Them.

Sunset

Numbers

Missing

Did You Love Annie Right Away, Finnick?" I Ask. "no." A Long Time Passes Before He Adds, "she Crept Up On Me.

Long

Add

Annie

I Don’t Stand A Chance If He Doesn't Get Better. You’ll Never Be Able To Let Him Go. You’ll Always Feel Wrong About Being With Me.” “the Way I Always Felt Wrong Kissing Him Because Of You,” I Say. Gale Holds My Gaze. “if I Thought That Was True, I Could Almost Live With The Rest Of It.

Kissing

Get Better

Able

The Pounding Music, The Cheers, The Admiration Work Their Way Into My Blood, And I Can’t Suppress My Excitement. Cinna Has Given Me A Great Advantage. No One Will Forget Me. Not My Look, Not My Name. Katniss. The Girl Who Was On Fire.

Girl

Cheer

Fire

He Became My Confidante, Someone With Whom I Could Share Thoughts I Could Never Voice...in Exchange, He Trusted Me With His.

Voice

Trusted

Make Sure They Remember You.

Remember You

Remembers You

Haymitch Abernathy

I'm Not Good At Talking About Myself.

Talking

It's Amazing To See Things That Are Suggested In The Book Fully Developed And So Brilliantly Realized Through The Artistry Of The Designers.

Book

Designer

Artistry

‎what Is To Prevent, Say, An Uprising?

Uprising

I Miss Him So Badly It Hurts.

Hurt

Missing

It Hurts

I Always Channel My Emotions Into My Work. That Way, I Don't Hurt Anyone But Myself.

Hurt

Catching On

Catching Fire

I Walk Around The Room Eating Goose Liver And Puffy Bread Until There's A Knock On The Door. Effie's Calling Me To Dinner. Good. I'm Starving.

Doors

Calling

Dinner

Where Did They Get Those Screams, Katniss?

Katniss

Scream

I Can Almost Hear Haymitch Groaning As I Team Up With This Wispy Child. But I Want Her. Because She's A Survivor, And I Trust Her, And Why Not Admit It? She Reminds Me Of Prim.

Children

Team

Survivor

Peeta Smiles At Me, Sad And Mocking. "okay. Thanks For The Tip, Sweetheart.

Thanks

Sweetheart

Okay

Because I'm Selfish. I'm A Coward. I'm The Kind Of Girl Who, When She Might Actually Be Of Use, Would Run To Stay Alive And Leave Those Who Couldn't Follow To Suffer And Die.

Girl

Running

Selfish

Time And Tragedy Have Forced Her To Grow Too Quickly, At Least For My Taste, Into A Young Woman Who Stitches Bleeding Wounds And Knows Our Mother Can Hear Only So Much.

Mother

Tragedy

Stitches

I Try To Forgive Her For My Father's Sake. But To Be Honest, I'm Not The Forgiving Type.

Father

Forgiving

Trying

Cinna Just Smiles. 'had A Damp Morning?' 'you Could Wring Me Out,' I Reply. Cinna Puts His Arm Around My Shoulder And Leads Me Into Lunch. ' Don't Worry, I Always Channel My Emotions Into My Work. That Way I Don't Hurt Anyone But Myself.

Hurt

Morning

Lunch

Because I Can't Handle The Nightmares. Not Without You.

Nightmare

Because I Can

Without You

My Words Hang In The Air. I Look To The Screen, Hoping To See Them Recording Some Wave Of Reconciliation Going Through The Crowd. Instead I Watch Myself Get Shot On Television.

Air

Watches

Looks

If You Won't Talk About Yourself, At Least Compliment The Audience. Just Keep Turning It Back Around, All Right. Gush.

Compliment

About Yourself

Audience

And So I'm Stupid For Thinking They Might Be Useful. Because Of Something Johanna Mason Said While She Was Oiling Her Breasts For Wrestling.

Stupid

Wrestling

Thinking

Somehow It Always Comes Back To Coal At School.

School

Coal

Is That Why You Hate Me?" I Ask. "partly," She Admits. "jealousy Is Certainly Involved. I Also Think You're A Little Hard To Swallow. With Your Tacky Romantic Drama And Your Defender-of-the-helpless Act. Only It Isn't An Act, Which Makes You More Unbearable. Please Feel Free To Take This Personally.

Hate

Drama

Thinking

The Ones I Loved Fly As Birds In The Open Sky Above Me. Soaring, Weaving, Calling To Me To Join Them. I Want So Badly To Follow Them, But The Seawater Saturates My Wings, Making It Impossible To Lift Them. The Ones I Hated Have Taken To The Water, Horrible Scaled Things That Tear My Salty Flesh With Needle Teeth. Biting Again And Again. Dragging Me Beneath The Surface.

Taken

Sky

Wings

The Damage, The Fatigue, The Imperfections. That's How They Recognize Me; Why I Belong To Them.

Imperfection

Damage

Fatigue

Deep In The Meadow , Under The Willow , A Bed Of Grass , A Soft Green Pillow

Bed

Green

Grass

Scores Only Matter If They’re Very Good, No One Pays Much Attention To The Bad Or Mediocre Ones.

Attention

Pay

Matter

In Our World, I Rank Music Somewhere Between Hair Ribbons And Rainbows In Terms Of Usefulness.

Our World

Hair

Rainbow

Katniss?" Peeta Says. I Meet His Eyes, Knowing My Face Must Be Some Shade Of Green. He Mouths The Words. "how About That Kiss?

Eye

Kissing

Katniss

Sometimes When Things Are Particularly Bad, My Brain Will Give Me A Happy Dream.

Dream

Giving

Brain

‎i'm Not Going Anywhere. I'm Going To Stay Right Here And Cause All Kinds Of Trouble.

Catching On

Eyelashes

Catching Fire

Yes, I’m A Mouse. Squeak, Squeak. Now Shoo-shoo Back To Your Little Bug Friends,” Said Rirped, Picking Up A Hunk Of Dried Beef. He Tore A Off A Piece With His Teeth And Noticed Boots Hadn’t Moved. He Pulled Back His Lips To Reveal A Row Of Jagged Teeth And Gave Her A Sharp Hiss.

Teeth

Beef

Boots

How Did Rue End Up On That Stage With Nothing But The Wind Offering To Take Her Place?

Offering

Wind

Rue

What Will Break Me Into A Million Pieces So That I Am Beyond Repair, Beyond Usefulness?

Pieces

Break

Millions

I Press My Ear Against His Chest, To The Spot Where I Always Rest My Head, Where I Know I Will Hear The Strong And Steady Beat Of His Heart. Instead, I Find Silence.

Strong

Heart

Silence

A Spark Could Be Enough To Set Them Ablaze.

Sparks

Enough

And To Us, We're More Married Than Any Piece Of Paper Or Big Party Could Make Us.

Party

Catching Fire

Pieces

Peeta" I Said "stay With Me" I Heard Him Say One Word Before The Drigs Pulled Me Under, I Realised Later That What He Said Was 'always

Said

Stay With Me

Heard

I Never See These Things Coming. They Happen Too Fast. One Second You're Proposing An Escape Plan And The Next...

Plans

Happens

Okay, Maybe I Don't Go Around Loving Everybody I Meet, Maybe My Smiles Are Hard To Come By, But I Do Care For Some People.

Katniss

People

Free Spirit

It's Lovely. If Only You Could Frost Someone To Death.

Lovely

Frost

Ifs

Upon This Crown My Pledge I Give, To My Last Breath,i Hold This Choice, I Will Your Unjust Deaths Avenge, All Here Who Died Without A Voice.

Voice

Giving

Choices

What Does This Mean? It Means I Get To Spend The Morning Having The Hair Ripped Off My Body While Peeta Sleeps In.

Morning

Mean

Sleep

In My Mind, President Snow Should Be Viewed In Front Of Marble Pillars Hung With Oversized Flags. It's Jarring To See Him Surrounded By The Ordinary Objects In The Room. Like Taking The Lid Off A Pot And Finding A Fanged Viper Instead Of Stew.

President Snow

Mind

Ordinary

Peeta: You Be Nice To Her, Finnick. Or I Might Try And Take Her Away From You. Finnick: Oh, Peeta. Don't Make Me Sorry I Restarted Your Heart.

Sorry

Nice

Heart

Because Something Is Significantly Wrong With A Creature That Sacrifices Its Children's Lives To Settle Its Differences. You Can Spin It Any Way You Like... But In The End, Who Does It Benefit? No One. The Truth Is, It Benefits No One To Live In A World Where These Things Happen

Children

Sacrifice

Differences

Mutually Counting On Each Other, Watching Each Other's Backs, Forcing Each Other To Be Brave.

Brave

Be Brave

Counting

I'm Relieved Peeta's Alive. I Tell Myself Again That If I Get Killed, His Winnings Will Benefit My Mother And Prim The Most. This Is What I Tell Myself To Explain The Conflicting Emotions That Arise When I Think Of Peeta. The Gratitude That He Game An Edge By Professing His Love For Me In The Interview. The Anger At His Superiority On The Roof. The Dread That We May Come Face-to-face At Any Moment In This Arena.

Mother

Gratitude

Winning

And Then There Was Tick. Brave Little Tick, Who Had Flown Into The Faces Of An Army Of Rats To Save His Baby Sister. Tick - Who Never Spoke Much. Tick - Who Shared Her Food. Tick - Who Was After All Just A Roach. Just A Roach Who Had Given All The Time She Had Left So That Boots Could Have More. Gregor Pressed Boots's Fingers Against His Lips And Felt Scalding Tears Begin To Slide Down His Cheeks. He Hadn't Cried, Not The Whole Time He'd Been Down Here, And There Had Been Plenty Of Bad Stuff. But Somehow Tick's Sacrifice Had Crushed Whatever Thin Shell Remained Between Him And Sorrow.

Baby

Army

Sacrifice

Remembering From Last Year How Haymitch's Gifts Are Often Timed To Send A Message, I Make A Note To Myself. Be Friends With Finnick. You'll Get Food.

Years

Lasts

Messages

Well, I Knew That Goat Would Be A Little Gold Mine," I Say. Yes, Of Course I Was Referring To That, Not The Lasting Joy You Gave Your Sister You Love So Much You Took Her Place In The Reaping," Says Peeta Drily.

Joy

Gold

Would Be

What? My Head Doctor Says I'm Not Supposed To Censor My Thoughts. It's Part Of My Therapy.

Doctors

My Thoughts

Therapy

Crying Is Not An Option.

Cry

Maybe I'll Be Like That Man In "the Hanging Tree'. Still Waiting For An Answer.

Men

Tree

Waiting

Destroying Things Is Much Easier Than Making Them.

Inspirational

Hunger Games Book

Easier

"i'm So Sorry," I Whisper. I Lean Forward And Kiss Him. His Eyelashes Flutter And He Looks At Me Through A Haze Of Opiates. "hey, Catnip." "hey, Gale," I Say. "thought You'd Be Gone By Now," He Says. My Choices Are Simple. I Can Die Like A Quarry In The Woods Or I Can Die Here Beside Gale. "i'm Not Going Anywhere. I'm Going To Stay Right Here And Cause All Kinds Of Trouble." "me, Too," Gale Says. He Just Manages A Smile Before The Drugs Pull Him Back Under.

Sorry

Kissing

Simple

I Don't Think It's Going To Work Out. Winning...won't Help In Any Case. Because...she Came Here With Me. - Peeta Mellark

Winning

Thinking

Work Out

Oh, And I Suppose The Apples Ate The Cheese.

Apples

Cheese

The More Likable He Is, The More Deadly He Is.” -katniss Everdeen

Katniss

Hunger Games Book

Capitol In Hunger Games

I Realize, For The First Time, How Very Lonely I've Been In The Arena. How Comforting The Presence Of Another Human Being Can Be.

Lonely

Comforting

Firsts

This Perplexing, Good Natured Boy Who Can Spin Out Lies So Convincingly To Be Hopelessly In Love With Me ... And I Admit It There Are Moments When He Makes Me Believe It Myself.

Lying

Believe

Boys

You're A Painter. You're A Baker. You Like To Sleep With The Windows Open. You Never Take Sugar In Your Tea. And You Always Double-knot Your Shoelaces.

Sleep

Katniss

Tea

Anyone? On Snow's Visit Before The Victory Tour, He Challenged Me To Erase Any Doubts Of My Love For Peeta. "convince Me," Snow Said. It Seems, Under That Hot Pink Sky With Peeta's Life In Limbo, I Finally Did. And In Doing So, I Gave Him The Weapon He Needed To Break Me.

Loss

Sky

Snow

Never Underestimate The Power Of A Brillian Stylist.

Stylist

Underestimate

Never Underestimate

The Realization That I’d Have Nothing To Take Home Had Finally Sunk In. My Knees Buckled And I Slid Down The Tree Trunk To Its Roots. It Was Too Much. I Was Too Sick And Weak And Tired, Oh, So Tired. Let Them Call The Peacekeepers And Take Us To The Community Home, I Thought. Or Better Yet, Let Me Die Right Here In The Rain.

Rain

Tired

Home

They Can Pump Whatever They Want Into My Arm But It Takes More Than That To Keep A Person Going Once She's Lost The Will To Live.

Want

Arms

Pumps

By The Way, I Know About The Kiss." Then The Door Clicks Shut Behind Him.

Kissing

Doors

Way

I Go To The Saltwater And Wash Off The Blood, Trying To Decide Which I Hate More, Pain Or Itching. Fed Up, I Stomp Back Onto The Beach, Turn My Face Upward And Snap, "hey, Haymitch, If You're Not Too Drunk, We Could Use A Little Something For Our Skin." It's Almost Funny How Quickly The Parachute Appears Above Me. I Reach Up And The Tube Lands Squarely In My Open Hand. "about Time" I Say, But I Can't Keep The Scowl On My Face. Haymitch. What I Wouldn't Give For Five Minutes Of Conversation With Him.

Beach

Pain

Hate

Aim Higher In Case You Fall Short.

Inspirational

Fall

Catching On

Either You Came In Here A Swimmer Or You'd Better Be A Really Fast Learner

Swimmer

Learners

Beauty That Arose Out Of Pain.

Pain

Pressured

It Means We're On Your Side." That's What Bonnie Said. I Have People On My Side? What Side? Am I Unwittingly The Face Of The Hoped-for Rebellion? Has The Mockingjay On My Pin Become A Symbol Of Resistance? If So, My Side's Not Doing Too Well.

Mean

Your Side

People

That Should Have Been My Strategy! By The Time I’ve Worked Through The Emotions Of Surprise, Admiration, Anger, Jealousy, And Frustration, I’m Watching That Reddish Mane Of Hair Disappear Into The Trees Well Out Of Shooting Range.

Frustration

Hair

Should Have

A Verbal Promise Behind Closed Doors, Even A Statement Written On Paper-these Could Easily Evaporate . . . .

Doors

Promise

Paper

The Bird, The Pin, The Song, The Berries, The Watch, The Cracker, The Dress That Burst Into Flames. I Am The Mockingjay. The One That Survived Despite The Capitol's Plans. The Symbol Of The Rebellion.

Song

Catching On

Flames

Peeta Rinses The Pearl Off In The Water And Hands It To Me. “for You.” I Hold It Out On My Palm And Examine Its Iridescent Surface In The Sunlight. Yes, I Will Keep It. For The Few Remaining Hours Of My Life I Will Keep It Close. This Last Gift From Peeta. The Only One I Can Really Accept. Perhaps It Will Give Me Strength In The Final Moments.

Hands

Giving

Water

When I Wake, I Have A Brief, Delicious Feeling Of Happiness That Is Somehow Connected With Peeta. Happiness, Of Course, Is A Complete Absurdity At This Point, Since At The Rate Things Are Going, I'll Be Dead In A Day. And That's The Best-case Scenario, If I'm Able To Eliminate The Rest Of The Field, Including Myself, And Get Peeta Crowned As The Winner Of The Quarter Quell. Still, The Sensation's So Unexpected And Sweet I Cling To It, If Only For A Few Moments. Before The Gritty Sand, The Hot Sun, And My Itching Skin Demand A Return To Reality.

Sweet

Reality

Feelings

If I'm Going To Die, I Want To Still Be Me

Want

Stills

Dies

You’re Not Leaving Me Here Alone,” I Say. Because If He Dies, I’ll Never Go Home, Not Really. I’ll Spend The Rest Of My Life In This Arena, Trying To Think My Way Out.

Home

Thinking

Leaving

He’s Dozed Off Again, But I Kiss Him Awake, Which Seems To Startle Him. Then He Smiles As If He’d Be Happy To Lie There Gazing At Me Forever.

Smile

Lying

Kissing

I Realize Only One Person Will Be Damaged Beyond Repair If Peeta Dies. Me.

Katniss

Catching On

Catching Fire

This Is No Place For A Girl On Fire.

Girl

Fire

Catching On

Then Something Unexpected Happens. At Least, I Don't Expect It Because I Don't Think Of District 12 As A Place That Cares About Me. But A Shift Has Occurred Since I Stepped Up To Take Prim's Place, And Now It Seems I Have Become Someone Precious. At First One, Then Another, Then Almost Every Member Of The Crowd Touches The Three Middle Fingers Of Their Left Hand To Their Lips And Holds It Out To Me. It Is An Old And Rarely Used Gesture Of Our District, Occasionally Seen At Funerals. It Means Thanks, It Means Admiration, It Means Good-bye To Someone You Love.

Mean

Thinking

Hands

Cleaning Me Up Is Just A Preliminary Step To Determining My New Look. With My Acid-damaged Hair, Sunburned Skin, And Ugly Scars, The Prep Team Has To Make Me Pretty And Then Damage, Burn, And Scare Me In A More Attractive Way.

Team

Hair

Skins

I Roll My Eyes. "so When Did I Become So Special? When They Carted Me Off To The Capitol?" "no, About Six Months Before That. Right After New Year's. We Were In The Hob, Eating Some Slop Of Greasy Sae's. And Darius Was Teasing You About Trading A Rabbit For One Of His Kisses. And I Realized...i Minded.

New Year

Eye

Kissing

Do I Really Want Him Dead? What I Want... What I Want Is To Have Him Back.

Want

Want Him

Just Last Year I Wanted To Kill Him, But Now It Is My Duty To Save Him.

Years

Lasts

Duty

I Look Down From The Branch I'm Perched On. The Careers Look Murderous. Now I Smile.'how Have Things Been With You?' I Ask Sweetly.

Careers

Looks

Branches

Keep Calm And Have A Sugar Cube

Sugar

Cubes

Calm

Great. Now I Have To Go Back And Tell Haymitch I Want An Eighty-year-old And Nuts And Volts For My Allies. He'll Love That.

Years

Nuts

Allies

In Really Bad Times, The Hungriest Would Gather At His Door At Nightfall, Vying For The Chance To Earn A Few Coins To Feed Their Families By Selling Their Bodies. Had I Been Older When My Father Died, I Might Have Been Among Them. Instead I Learned To Hunt.

Father

Doors

Coins

Winning The Games Will Make You Famous, Losing Will Mean Death.

Mean

Winning

Games

I Swing My Arms To Loosen Myself Up. Place My Fists On My Hips. Then Drop Them To My Sides. Saliva's Filling My Mouth At A Ridiculous Rate And I Feel Vomit At The Back Of My Throat. I Swallow Hard And Open My Lips So I Can Get The Stupid Line Out And Go Hide In The Woods And-that's When I Start Crying.

Stupid

Swings

Mouths

Taking The Kids From Our Districts, Forcing Them To Kill One Another While We Watch – This Is The Capitol’s Way Of Reminding Us How Totally We Are At Their Mercy. How Little Chance We Would Stand Of Surviving Another Rebellion. Whatever Words They Use, The Real Message Is Clear. “look How We Take Your Children And Sacrifice Them And There’s Nothing You Can Do. If You Lift A Finger, We Will Destroy Every Last One Of You. Just As We Did In District Thirteen

Children

Real

Kids

We Could Do It, You Know." "what?" "leave The District. Run Off. Live In The Woods. You And I, We Could Make It.

Running

Woods

Capitol In Hunger Games

They More Than Do Their Work, They Take Pride In It. Like Cinna.

Pride

Cinna

Her Name's Prim. She's Just Twelve. And I Love Her More Than Anything.

Names

Twelve

I Take Peeta's Face In My Hands. "don't Worry. I'll See You At Midnight.

Hands

Worry

Midnight

Peeta And I Had Adjoining Cells In The Capitol. We're Very Familiar With Each Other's Screams.” Annie, Who's On Johanna's Other Side, Does That Thing Where She Covers Her Ears And Exits Reality. Finnick Shoots Johanna An Angry Look As His Arm Encircles Annie. “what? My Head Doctor Says I'm Not Supposed To Censor My Thoughts. It's Part Of My Therapy,” Replies Johanna.

Reality

Doctors

Cells

My Little Sister, Prim, Curled Up On Her Side, Cocooned In My Mother’s Body, Their Cheeks Pressed Together. In Sleep, My Mother Looks Younger, Still Worn But Not So Beaten-down. Prim’s Face Is As Fresh As A Raindrop, As Lovely As The Primrose For Which She Was Named. My Mother Was Very Beautiful Once, Too. Or So They Tell Me.

Beautiful

Mother

Sleep

Oh, The Fun We Two Have Together.

Fun

Two

Together

Of Course You Are. The Tributes Were Necessary To The Games, Too. Until They Weren't," I Say. "and Then We Were Very Disposable - Right, Plutarch?

Games

Tribute

Courses

If There's A More Helpless Feeling Than Trying To Reach Someone You Love Who's Trapped Underground, I Don't Know It.

Feelings

Trying

Someone You Love

So We Both Strip Off Our Boots And Socks And, While There’s Some Improvement, I Could Swear He’s Making An Effort To Snap Every Branch We Encounter

Effort

Encounters

Boots

Exactly How Am I Supposed To Work In A Thank-you In There? Somehow It Just Won't Seem Sincere If I'm Trying To Slit His Throat.

Katniss

Trying

Sincere

I Vote Yes....for Prim.

Vote

Here's Some Advice. Stay Alive.

Advice

Alive

Hunger Games Book

In The End, The Only Person I Truly Want To Comfort Me Is Haymitch, Because He Loves Peeta, Too.

Comfort

Want

Ends

They Can Fatten Me Up. They Can Give Me A Full Body Polish, Dress Me Up, And Make Me Beautiful Again. They Can Design Dream Weapons That Come To Life In My Hands, But They Will Never Again Brainwash Me Into The Necessity Of Using Them. I No Longer Feel Allegiance To These Monsters Called Human Beings, Despite Being One Myself.

Beautiful

Dream

Hands

Peeta Looks At The Glass Again And Puts It Together. "you Mean This Will Make Me Puke?" My Prep Team Laughs Hysterically. "of Course, So You Can Keep Eating," Says Octavia. "i've Been In There Twice Already. Everyone Does It, Or Else How Would You Have Any Fun At A Feast?

Fun

Team

Mean

If I Win And You Die, I Dont Have A Home To Go Back To. You Are My Life.

Home

Winning

Dies

Katniss: I Guess All Those Hours Decorating Cakes Paid Off. Peeta: Yes, Frosting. The Final Defence Of The Dying. (252)

Cake

Katniss

Dying

It's Weird, How Much He's Noticed Me... And Apparently, I Have Not Been As Oblivious To Him As I Imagined, Either.

Oblivious

I Pull The Sleeping Bag Up To His Chin And Kiss His Forehead, Not For The Audience, But For Me. Because I'm So Grateful That He's Here, Not Dead By The Stream As I'd Thought. So Glad I Don't Have To Face Cato Alone.

Grateful

Sleep

Kissing

The Raw Hunk Of Meat That Used To Be My Enemy Makes A Sound, And I Know Where The Mouth Is. And I Think The Word He's Trying To Say Is 'please'. Pity, Not Vengeance Sends My Arrow Flying Into His Skull.

Thinking

Skulls

Arrows

Winning Means Fame And Fortune. Losing Means Certain Death. The Hunger Games Have Begun.

Mean

Winning

Games

If Your Parent Is Deployed And You Are That Young, You Spend The Whole Time Wondering Where They Are And Waiting For Them To Come Home. As Time Passes And The Absence Is Longer And Longer, You Become More And More Concerned - But You Don't Really Have The Words To Express Your Concern. There's Only This Continued Absence.

Home

Waiting

Parent

Tuck In Your Tail, Little Duck.

Ducks

Tails

Littles

To The Everlasting Credit Of The People Of District 12, Not One Person Claps. Not Even The Ones Holding Betting Slips, The Ones Who Are Usually Beyond Caring. Possibly Because They Know Me From The Hob, Or Knew My Father, Or Have Encountered Prim, Who No One Could Help Loving. So Instead Of Acknowledging Applause, I Stand There Unmoving While They Take Part In The Boldest Form Of Dissent They Can Manage. Silence. Which Says We Do Not Agree. We Do Not Condone. All Of This Is Wrong.

Father

Caring

People

Well, Don't Expect Us To Be Too Impressed. We Just Saw Finnick Odair In His Underwear.

Funny

Witty

President Snow

Oh, My Dear Miss Everdeen. I Thought We Had An Agreement Not To Lie To Each Other.

Lying

Agreement

Missing

But The Only Thing That Distracts Me From My Current Situation Is Fantasizing About Killing President Snow.

President Snow

Killing

Currents

Someone Ought To Get Haymitch A Drink.

Drink

Ought

Haymitch

Understanding Quotes: Their Essence and Application

Quotes, or quotations, are powerful tools in communication, encapsulating ideas, emotions, and wisdom in concise expressions. They serve various purposes across different contexts, from academic writing to everyday conversation.

1. Defining Quotes

A quote is a repetition of someone else's statement or thoughts. It can be a direct replication of words spoken or written by another individual, often used to support arguments, provide evidence, or convey profound insights.

2. The Importance of Quotes

2.1. Enhancing Credibility

Incorporating quotes from authoritative sources can bolster the credibility of your work. By referencing experts or primary sources, you demonstrate thorough research and a solid foundation for your arguments.

2.2. Providing Evidence

Quotes serve as concrete evidence to support claims. In academic and professional writing, they validate points made, offering readers a basis to trust the information presented.

2.3. Conveying Emotions and Perspectives

Quotes can encapsulate emotions and perspectives succinctly. They allow writers to express complex feelings or viewpoints through the words of others, often more eloquently than paraphrasing.

3. Types of Quotes

3.1. Direct Quotes

Direct quotes involve copying the exact words from a source, enclosed in quotation marks. They are used when the original wording is significant or particularly well-expressed.

3.2. Indirect Quotes (Paraphrasing)

Indirect quotes restate the original message in your own words. While not enclosed in quotation marks, they still require proper attribution to the original source.

3.3. Block Quotes

Block quotes are lengthy direct quotations, formatted as a separate block of text. They are typically used for quotes exceeding a certain length, varying by citation style. For instance, in APA style, quotes longer than 40 words are formatted as block quotes.

4. Proper Usage of Quotes

4.1. Contextual Relevance

Ensure that the quote you choose is relevant to the topic and adds value to your content. Avoid inserting quotes solely for decorative purposes.

4.2. Integration into Your Writing

Seamlessly integrate quotes into your writing. Introduce them appropriately and follow up with analysis or commentary to connect them to your main points.

4.3. Attribution and Citation

Always attribute quotes to their original authors and provide proper citations according to the required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

5.1. Overusing Quotes

Relying too heavily on quotes can overshadow your voice. Use them sparingly to support your arguments, not replace them.

5.2. Lack of Analysis

Presenting a quote without analysis or explanation can leave readers questioning its relevance. Always follow up with your interpretation or discussion.

5.3. Misquoting or Taking Out of Context

Ensure that quotes are accurate and not taken out of context, as this can mislead readers and undermine your credibility.

6. Quotes in Different Contexts

6.1. Academic Writing

In academic writing, quotes are used to support arguments, provide evidence, and engage with existing literature. Proper citation is crucial to avoid plagiarism.

6.2. Journalism

Journalists use quotes to provide firsthand accounts, add authenticity, and present multiple perspectives within a story.

6.3. Literature and Creative Writing

In literature, quotes can be used to convey character voices, themes, and stylistic elements. They enrich narratives and provide depth to storytelling.

7. Punctuation and Formatting

Understanding the correct punctuation and formatting of quotes is essential:

Quotation Marks: Always enclose direct quotes within quotation marks.

Punctuation Placement: In American English, periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks, while colons and semicolons are placed outside.

Block Quotes: For longer quotes, format them as block quotes without quotation marks, and indent the entire block.

8. Ethical Considerations

Ethical use of quotes involves accurate representation, proper attribution, and respect for intellectual property. Misuse can lead to plagiarism, which carries serious academic and professional consequences.

9. Tools for Managing Quotes

Utilize tools like citation generators and plagiarism checkers to manage quotes effectively. These tools help ensure proper formatting and originality in your writing.

Conclusion

Quotes are invaluable in enriching content, providing evidence, and conveying complex ideas succinctly. When used appropriately, they enhance the quality and credibility of your writing. Always ensure relevance, proper integration, and ethical usage to maximize their impact.

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