The Hunger Games Chapter 4 Quotes

The Hunger Games Chapter 4 Quotes

How we cite the quotes:
Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote 1

It was slow-going at first, but I was determined to feed us. I stole eggs from nests, caught fish in nets, sometimes managed to shoot a squirrel or rabbit for stew, and gathered the various plants that sprung up beneath my feet. Plants are tricky. Many are edible, but one false mouthful and you’re dead. I checked and double-checked the plants I harvested with my father’s pictures. I kept us alive. (4.19)

Before the Hunger Games, Katniss fills her father’s shoes by acting as the sole provider and bread winner for her family. Every moment of every day revolves around the survival of her family. That’s all she knows, and the only way she sees herself.

I knelt down in the water, my fingers digging into the roots. Small, bluish tubers that don’t look like much but boiled or baked are as good as any potato. “Katniss,” I said aloud. It’s the plant I was named for. And I heard my father’s voice joking, “As long as you can find yourself, you’ll never starve.” (4.22)

Katniss’s name comes from the plant growing beneath the pond. How do Katniss’s father’s words have a double meaning? Why is finding herself so important for Katniss’s survival?

Quote 3

The bow and arrow is my weapon. But I've spent a fair amount of time throwing knives as well. Sometimes, if I've wounded an animal with an arrow, it's better to get a knife into it, too, before I approach it. I realize that if I want Haymitch's attention, this is my moment to make an impression. I yank the knife out of the table, get a grip on the blade, and then throw it into the wall across the room. (4.48)

As an experienced hunter, Katniss is skilled with a bow and arrow, as well as a knife. How will these skills help her in the Games? What other strengths does she have? What are her weaknesses?