Katniss Everdeen is a fictional character and the protagonist of The Hunger Games trilogy written by American author Suzanne Collins. She is portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence in the film adaptations of the trilogy.
Katniss and her family live in District 12, a coal-mining region that is the poorest, least populated, and smallest domain in Panem—a dystopian autocratic nation in the ruins of North America, ruled over by the wealthy class living in the Capitol.
In the first book, The Hunger Games, Katniss competes as a "tribute" in a yearly fight to the death known as "The Hunger Games", volunteering to fight in place of her little sister, Primrose "Prim" Everdeen. Over the course of the trilogy, Katniss evolves from protector of her younger sister into a galvanizing symbol of rebellion against the Capitol's oppression. The rebellion against the Capitol is eventually victorious.
Origins The idea for the trilogy was based in part on the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, in which every nine years, seven boys and seven girls from Athens are sent to Crete as tributes to that land to be devoured by the Minotaur, a cycle that continues until Theseus kills the Minotaur. Collins, who heard the story when she was eight years old, was unsettled by its ruthlessness and cruelty. Collins said, "In her own way, Katniss is a futuristic Theseus." Collins also characterized the novels with the fearful sensations she experienced when her father was fighting in the Vietnam War.
In the novels, Katniss is extensively knowledgeable in foraging, wildlife, hunting, and survival techniques. Collins knew some of this background from her father, who was forced to hunt to augment a scanty food supply, although Collins saw her father bring home food from the wild during her childhood as well. In addition, Collins researched the subject using a large stack of wilderness survival guidebooks.
Katniss and the other tributes are, in their time before participating in their Hunger Games, compelled to compete for the hearts of sponsors who donate money that can be used to buy vital supplies for them when they are in the arena such as medicine, matches, food, and water. The concept of how the audiences carry nearly as much force as actual characters is based on how, in reality television and in the Roman games, the audience can both "respond with great enthusiasm or play a role in your elimination," as Collins said.
Name Katniss's first name comes from the edible arrowhead plant, which is known as katniss in the language of the Lenape. Additionally, Collins remarked in an interview that "its Latin name has the same roots as Sagitarrius, the archer."
Her last name comes from Bathsheba Everdene, the central female character in the 1874 novel Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. According to Collins, "The two are very different, but both struggle with knowing their hearts".
Fictional character biography
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games takes place in the ruins of North America: a country called Panem, consisting of the Capitol and 13 subservient districts. Katniss Everdeen was born on May 8 to Burdock and Asterid Everdeen (née March) in District 12. Her younger sister Primrose, often referred to as Prim, was born four years later. When Katniss was eleven, her father was killed in a coal mining explosion, causing Asterid to sink into a deep depression and leaving her unable to provide for the family. While the Everdeens were on the verge of starving to death, Katniss was given burnt bread by Peeta Mellark, the baker's son, after which Katniss learned how to hunt to support her family. While hunting in the woods surrounding District 12, she befriended Gale Hawthorne, and the two became hunting partners and worked together to support their families.
During the yearly Reaping of tributes to compete in the Hunger Games, Prim is selected as District 12's female tribute. Katniss volunteers to take Prim's place. After Katniss is brought up on stage, Peeta is reaped as the male tribute. When they arrive in the Capitol, Katniss is met by her prep team, Flavius, Octavia, and Venia, and her stylist Cinna, who prepare Katniss for the opening ceremonies. Coming from District 12, Katniss and Peeta expect to be dressed in coal mining costumes. Cinna and his partner Portia, however, decide to dress them in a plain black unitard and sleek boots with a cape that burns with fake flames. In addition, Cinna suggests they hold hands to present them as "together and a team" and rebellious towards the Capitol. Their costumes and camaraderie with each other distinguishes them from the other tributes, and attracts the attention of sponsors. Katniss is dubbed "The Girl On Fire".
As soon as they arrive, Peeta and Katniss are given two weeks of training and coaching with mentor Haymitch Abernathy and Capitol escort Effie Trinket. During this training, she forms a bond with Rue, the 12-year-old female tribute from District 11, and have to appear close to each other on Haymitch's orders. During their private training session, Katniss shoots an arrow at the Gamemakers' food, scoring her an 11 out of 12.
During the Games, Katniss escapes the initial bloodbath without claiming the bow and arrows from the Cornucopia, the large structure in the center of the arena holding supplies for the Tributes. She is forced to hide in a tree after the Career pack—an alliance between the ultra-competitive Districts 1, 2, and 4—comes after her. She escapes by cutting a nest of genetically modified wasps called tracker jackers out of the tree, causing the wasps to attack the Careers and sting Katniss several times, causing her to experience extreme hallucinations and pass out, though she claims the bow and arrow from a fallen Career tribute before she does. After Rue heals Katniss's wounds from the tracker jacker venom with an apothecary remedy, she and Katniss become allies to destroy the Career pack's supplies. Afterwards, Rue is killed by Marvel, the male tribute from District 1, and dies in Katniss's arms. To defy the Capitol, Katniss arranges flowers around Rue's body before a hovercraft removes it from the arena. Later, the rules are changed so that if the remaining two tributes come from the same district, they will both become victors. Katniss hurries to find Peeta, who is seriously injured from saving Katniss from Cato. They resume their "star-crossed lovers" reputation, gaining sympathy from sponsors. The rule change is soon revoked, meaning there can only be one victor of the Hunger Games. Katniss suggests she and Peeta commit suicide by eating poisonous berries. The Gamemakers want at least one victor, so Katniss and Peeta are both declared victors of the 74th Hunger Games seconds before ingesting the berries. However, she is warned by Haymitch that her actions in the Games may come back to haunt her, while also realizing Peeta's feelings for her are genuine.
Catching Fire
Katniss and Peeta go on the Victory Tour, which is a visit to each district by the winners, strategically placed between each Hunger Games. Katniss becomes aware that uprisings are erupting. President Snow asks Katniss to convince the nation she is really in love with Peeta to quell dissent. To save her family and friends, Katniss agrees to follow the Capitol's agenda.
Peeta proposes marriage to her, and she accepts, but even at that point, President Snow conveys to her that her actions are insufficient. Katniss comes to realize the rebellion in the districts is not within her power to suppress, making it impossible for her to satisfy President Snow's demands. Katniss is also confused as to the nature of her feelings for both Gale and Peeta, both of whom are complicated by her fears for the future and her unwillingness to have children who themselves could be subjected to the Hunger Games. When the Quarter Quell is announced, it is proclaimed that all of the current year's tributes will be selected from the pool of previous Hunger Games victors. District 12 has only three living victors: Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch, who won the 50th Games and successfully mentored Katniss the year before. As Katniss is the only living female victor in District 12, she is the only possible female tribute, and Peeta volunteers to take Haymitch's place when Haymitch is selected. Katniss and Peeta return to the arena, working closely to survive and forming alliances and close friendships in the process, particularly with Finnick Odair, who resuscitated Peeta in the arena. During this time Katniss begins to realize she has feelings for Peeta.
Katniss is taken from the arena and discovers the tributes of many districts, including her ally Finnick Odair, had coordinated an escape plan and used a stolen hovercraft to fly to District 13, which was not destroyed as the Capitol had claimed. However, during the escape, Peeta and Johanna are captured by the Capitol, and afterward, Gale informs Katniss that District 12 was bombed and destroyed, but that her family is safe.
Mockingjay
Katniss is rescued and taken to the subterranean civilization of District 13 and meets with the people and their leader, President Alma Coin. She is then taken to see the remains of District 12. Deeply affected by this, Katniss agrees to be the symbolic leader of their rebellion: "the Mockingjay", the face of the rebels. She discovers Cinna has been killed by the Capitol, but the rest of her prep team survived in District 13's captivity. They prep Katniss for the cameras when she agrees to start doing propaganda pieces for the rebels. A love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale slowly unfolds, forcing Katniss to decide whom she wants to be with. The situation is complicated by the fact Peeta is currently being tortured in the Capitol while Gale is at Katniss's side. Katniss also forms a bond of friendship with Finnick, who goes through the same pain she is going through and can understand her situation. Katniss becomes increasingly emotionally unstable by the events of the revolution. After a rescue mission in which a team from District 13 brings Peeta back, she finds out his memories have been hijacked by tracker jacker venom. He now hates and wants to kill Katniss, believing she is a genetically modified "muttation" created by the Capitol. Katniss becomes even more determined to kill Snow after this.
She, along with a group of sharpshooters that include Gale, Finnick, and later Peeta sneak into the Capitol at the cost of several of their own lives in an attempt to kill Snow. Along the way, they encounter sadistic traps created by game makers to make sport of their deaths. As the remaining team gets close to the presidential mansion, an array of bombs are dropped from a Hovercraft, with only some exploding, killing the refugee Capitol children on whom they were dropped. Rebel medics, including Prim, rush to help the children, but as they arrive the rest of the bombs explode. Prim is killed in front of Katniss, while Katniss's body is severely burned. Although she makes a remarkable physical recovery, Katniss temporarily loses the ability to speak, traumatized by the death of her sister. It is possible Gale was involved in the making of the bombs that killed Prim, although he denies knowing civilians would be attacked.