Appearances Quotes in Catching Fire

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

There will be others waiting, too. A staff to cater to my every need on the long train trip. A prep team to beautify me for public appearances. My stylist and friend, Cinna, who designed the gorgeous outfits that first made the audience take notice of me in the Hunger Games. (1.2)

From the first page of Catching Fire, appearances are important for keeping characters alive and maintaining the manipulative system set up by the Capitol. In order to survive in that system, you have to look the part and pretend that everything is okay.

Quote #2

"I didn't mean to start any uprisings," I tell him.

"I believe you. It doesn't matter. Your stylist turned out to be prophetic in his wardrobe choice. Katniss Everdeen, the girl who was on fire, you have provided a spark that, left unattended, may grow to an inferno that destroys Panem," he says. (2.30-31)

Snow says it's appearances that matter, not intentions. Katniss "didn't mean" to inspire a rebellion, but she did, and she'll get blamed for it. Snow calls her the "spark" that could explode their world and says that Cinna knew she had it in her.

Quote #3

"Even if you pull if off, they'll be back in another few months to take us all to the Games. You and Peeta, you'll be mentors now, every year from here on out. And every year they'll revisit the romance and broadcast the details of your private life, and you'll never, ever be able to do anything but live happily ever after with that boy." (3.73)

Here Haymitch helps Katniss realize exactly what she sentenced herself to with her Games strategy. Sure, pretending to be in love got her and Peeta through the Games – that was kind of a miracle in itself. But in order for the strategy to continue to work, they have to keep up the charade for as long as the Capitol watches over them. In other words, forever.