With so much emphasis on performing for the cameras, it’s no wonder that the Hunger Games franchise is full of memorable sayings and quotes. From Effie Trinket’s admonition of «That is mahogany» to Katniss Everdeen’s passionate declaration to the Capitol that «if we burn, you burn with us,» these beloved characters have shown that great quotes can come from anyone. Many of the best lines go to Katniss as the main character and are brilliantly brought to life by Jennifer Lawrence in the movies, but some of her best sayings are only in the books.
Katniss is the sole narrator of the first three books in the Hunger Games series, and while she isn’t always the most eloquent speaker, she has plenty of great quotes. This is particularly true of her narration, which was omitted from the film adaptations and contains many moments of deep introspection. Additionally, she has some hilarious retorts that sadly didn’t make the cut. Here are ten such Katniss Everdeen quotes that can only be found in the Hunger Games books.
10 "I Guess This Is a Bad Time to Mention I Hung a Dummy…"
Catching Fire, Chapter 17
Katniss makes quite the impression on the Gamemakers during the Quarter Quell in Catching Fire when she hangs a dummy with a noose and writes the last Head Gamemaker’s name on it. While the adaptation skips ahead to the interviews, the novel depicts Katniss telling her team what she did after Peeta reveals that he painted a picture of Rue. Haymitch, Effie and the others are horrified and worried, but Peeta is amused by their independent acts of rebellion.
I guess this is a bad time to mention I hung a dummy and painted Seneca Crane’s name on it.
Although it’s understandable that this scene didn’t make the movie, it was an excellent way to showcase Katniss’s humor. The Hunger Games is a decidedly dark franchise, and Katniss is well aware of the danger she’s constantly in, but moments of levity like this demonstrate that her spirit hasn’t been entirely crushed. It’s also a nice instance of solidarity between her and Peeta, showing that they’re not as different as Katniss sometimes thinks.
9 "Whatever I'm Feeling, It's No One's Business But Mine."
The Hunger Games, Chapter 22
Despite some criticism that the Hunger Games movies focus too much on love, Katniss and Peeta share many more romantic scenes in the first novel as they pretend to be a couple. This causes a lot of confusion for Katniss, who can’t tell if Peeta’s feelings are genuine or just an act, as well as frustration at her circumstances. At one point, she refuses to fully open up to him during the Games, mentally declaring, «Whatever I’m feeling, it’s no one’s business but mine.»
Katniss might choose to play along with the Capitol’s designs to keep herself and Peeta alive, but as this quote shows, she still finds little ways to rebel. Her situation with Peeta is already complicated enough, but having to figure out and voice her feelings in front of a national audience feels particularly invasive. Even though her survival might depend on it, Katniss can’t help pushing back by keeping some things to herself.
8 "…Tell Her We Send Our Love."
Catching Fire, Chapter 18
Effie might seem like just another Capitol cog in the Hunger Games machine, but as Katniss learns in Catching Fire, her empathy for the tributes is genuine. This is clear from Effie’s tearful goodbye before Katniss and Peeta head into the arena in the film adaptation, but in the book, Effie doesn’t get to say goodbye in person. When they realize this, Peeta asks Haymitch to thank her on their behalf, and Katniss adds, «tell her we send our love.»
Really make it special. It’s Effie, after all. Tell her how appreciative we are and how she was the best escort ever and tell her… tell her we send our love.
Considering what she thinks of Effie at the beginning of the series, Katniss’s words illustrate just how much her opinion of her escort has changed in the year since they really started getting to know each other. They might not agree on everything, but Katniss understands that Effie has grown to truly care about her and Peeta. This quote highlights Katniss’s rarely-seen sweet side, confirming that the feeling is mutual.
7 "You Don't Forget the Face of the Person Who Was Your Last Hope."
The Hunger Games, Chapter 6
While they don’t get much attention in the movies, Avoxes are a key part of the world of Panem. One of the first ones Katniss meets is a young redheaded woman whom she and Gale saw being captured in the woods outside of District 12. She briefly wonders if the Avox even remembers seeing her, but Katniss convinces herself otherwise when she states, «You don’t forget the face of the person who was your last hope.»
- Avoxes are Capitol citizens who have been branded traitors. They are punished by having their tongues removed and being forced into servitude.
- Of the named Avox characters, only Pollux appears in the Hunger Games movies
She might not know anything else about the Avox – she doesn’t even learn that her name is Lavinia until Mockingjay – but this quote exemplifies the strength of Katniss’s protective instincts. Despite her best efforts to bury that urge to help others in need, Katniss can’t help but care and want to do more for them. It also shows the immense guilt she feels when she ignores those instincts, even if doing nothing is in her best interest.
6 "Don't Let Him Take You From Me."
Mockingjay, Chapter 22
It would be a massive understatement to say that Peeta and Katniss go through a rough patch in Mockingjay, with Peeta being brainwashed to believe that Katniss is a Capitol muttation. Even when he’s recovering from his ordeal, he struggles to fight the brainwashing’s effects under duress. In the movie, Katniss manages to snap him out of it by kissing him and saying, «Stay with me.» While this is taken directly from the page, in the book, she also tells him, «Don’t let him take you from me.»
Although the emotionally charged scene is still highly effective in Mockingjay – Part 2, Katniss’s additional line is a heart-wrenching plea. As much as she has tried to push Peeta away and move on, this quote makes it clear how much she wants the opposite. President Snow has already taken so much from her, but losing Peeta permanently would be a truly devastating blow.
5 "I Really Can't Think About Kissing When I've Got a Rebellion to Incite."
Catching Fire, Chapter 9
Even though The Hunger Games finds Katniss caught in a love triangle, romance is rarely the first thing on her mind. This becomes quite clear when Gale is recovering from being whipped by the new peacekeeper, Commander Thread, in Catching Fire. While Katniss stops plotting to run away after this and kisses Gale, she quickly begins to doubt her feelings for him and mentally notes, «I really can’t think about kissing when I’ve got a rebellion to incite.»
Katniss’ actor Jennifer Lawrence confirmed that she ate strong-smelling foods before filming kissing scenes with her co-star, Liam Hemsworth, but she claims it was not purposeful.
Some might think that Katniss is just being indecisive in love, but given the world she lives in and how she grew up, it’s also, understandably, not in her nature to prioritize romance. When so many other YA franchises lean more heavily into love stories, it’s refreshing to see Katniss acknowledge that there are bigger issues to deal with first. While she tells Gale as much when he asks if she loves him, her stance is even stronger in this quote.
4 "I Do Not Want to Lose the Boy With the Bread."
The Hunger Games, Chapter 22
Katniss might not be sure of Peeta’s true feelings for her in The Hunger Games, but she’s often just as lost when it comes to her own feelings. Her confusion comes to a head when Peeta scolds her for risking her life to get his medicine. In the ensuing argument, she leans into the drama to help them get more sponsor gifts, but privately, she’s struck by a revelation: «I do not want to lose the boy with the bread.»
…the idea of actually losing Peeta hit me again and I realized how much I don’t want him to die. And it’s not about the sponsors. And it’s not about what will happen back home. And it’s not just that I don’t want to be alone. It’s him. I do not want to lose the boy with the bread.
While Katniss believes that she owes Peeta for giving her bread when she and her family were starving, this is when she realizes that she truly cares about him. Considering how difficult it can be for her to decipher her own emotions, it’s a surprisingly profound admission for Katniss. It might not be love yet, but it’s not surprising that this moment is immediately followed by the first kiss that actually makes Katniss feel something.
3 "I Am Not Pretty. I Am Not Beautiful. I Am as Radiant as the Sun."
The Hunger Games, Chapter 9
Throughout the Hunger Games series, Katniss is constantly being floored by her stylist, Cinna. Even if she’s usually too busy trying to stay alive to really care about how she looks, she understands that appearances are important to the Capitol and that looking good could improve her odds of winning the Games. Katniss also discovers the true impact fashion can have when Cinna dresses her for her interview, and she thinks, «I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am as radiant as the sun.»
She might despise the Capitol’s garish trends, but Katniss recognizes that Cinna’s work is true artistry. Additionally, the dress comes at a vital point in her training. When Haymitch and Effie’s attempts to prepare her for her interview go disastrously, Cinna’s dress empowers her enough to get through it. It might not fix everything, but as her thoughts show, Cinna’s work allows her to see herself in a different light.
2 "…It Benefits No One to Live in a World Where These Things Happen."
Mockingjay, Chapter 27
It’s no secret that the Hunger Games are a despicable tradition, and Katniss is well aware of this from the beginning. That said, she does have to go along with them to a certain extent as she tries to survive the first two books. After Katniss assassinates Coin in Mockingjay, she finally delivers a searing condemnation of the Games, admonishing anyone who tries to justify massacring children because «it benefits no one to live in a world where these things happen.»
You can spin it any way you like. Snow thought the Hunger Games were an efficient means of control. Coin thought the parachutes would expedite the war. 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.
Even if she doesn’t get to say it aloud to anyone, there’s something utterly satisfying about Katniss’s take-down of the Games and the people who uphold them. She might be at a low point mentally, but there’s no doubt in her mind that the massacres need to end, and it’s impossible not to agree with her. Some might think it goes without saying, but Katniss’s statement ensures that no reader can mistake the true message of the series.
1 "What I Need Is the Dandelion in the Spring…"
Mockingjay, Chapter 27
Despite her indecision and everything she goes through with both Peeta and Gale, Katniss ultimately ends up with Peeta. It might seem like she does so by default, considering how she blames Gale for Prim’s death, but she certainly doesn’t see it that way. Mockingjay ends with Katniss explaining that she needs «The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can give me that.»
What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can give me that.
The Hunger Games‘ love triangle isn’t simply a matter of Katniss deciding which boy she likes better. In the end, it’s about the ideologies that each boy represents. She and Gale could go hunting and rage against the Capitol together, but that fire would’ve burned out eventually. In contrast, Peeta represents hope and resilience, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. As her final declaration shows, this was what Katniss truly needed all along.
The Hunger Games
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