Using the Games as an Act of Rebellion

          The Gamemakers in Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games really know how to put on a show for all the people of Panem. As an annual reminder to all 12 Districts of the failed rebellion, the Hunger Games stands as the event of the year for the people in the Capital, turning the gruesome fight to the death into a publicly televised event. Appearance means everything to those running the show and living in the Capital. The games are used to simultaneously dehumanize the players and further polarize the districts from the officials in the Capital. Katniss knows just how important appearance is both for her benefit and as an act of rebellion, and she is able to play it both ways. Throughout the games, Katniss is consciously aware of the need to appeal to the sponsors in order to receive food and medicine. She thinks before she acts, and does what is expected of her in order to get what she wants. We see this especially when Katniss is attempting to heal Peeta's wounds, but doesn't have the correct supplies. Katniss feeds into the ongoing love story that Peeta started for the two during the pre-game interviews by kissing him. This gets Katniss a much needed broth that helps bring Peeta's fever down. Katniss knows that the biggest thing the Gamemakers and the citizens of the Capital want to see is the drama, so she is willing to play into the act to save her and her friend's life.
           Just as Katniss can use this screen time to benefit her in the games, she can also use it to subtly rebel against the Capital. Katniss places flowers around the dead body of fellow ally Rue as a way to "shame them, to make them accountable...that Rue was more than a piece in their Games" (237). Since the games are broadcasted all across Panem, all of the districts as well as the Capital could witness this subtle act of rebellion. However, this is just a game show after all, and the Gamemakers could easily skip over this scene. The bigger act of rebellion occurs at the end of the games, when Katniss insists that both her and Peeta take the poisonous nightlock berries. The whole purpose of the games is for the Capital to continually punish the districts for the mistake they made of trying to overtake the Capital. In order to do that, they need the games to be catered in such a way that the Capital looks like the superpower of Panem with airtight laws and rules. Katniss's suggestion of ingesting the berries and leaving no winner of the games is like a slap in the face of the leaders of Panem, making them the "joke of Panem" (357). For the first time since the original rebellion of all 12 Districts, Katniss has learned the art of putting on an act in order to spark a possible second rebellion.