Mockingjay

“In my head I hear President Snow’s words, spoken the morning I was to begin the Victory Tour. Katniss Everdeen, the girl who was on fire, you have provided a spark that, left unattended, may grow to an inferno that destroys Panem.”

For all his cruelty, Snow is a skilled politician. He recognizes that the oppressive government of Panem is vulnerable and that it would only take a small act of resistance to galvanize the districts. He correctly assesses that the war will devastate the Capitol and all of Panem.

“Is this really what we want to do? Kill ourselves off completely? In the hopes that—what? Some decent species will inherit the smoking remains of the earth?”

Throughout Mockingjay, Katniss struggles to balance the necessity of the rebellion with the destruction and loss of life resulting from the war. It’s unknown whether Peeta’s words are scripted by the Capitol, but he touches on the truth that large-scale war has the potential to devastate humanity.

“Another force to contend with. Another power player who has decided to use me as a piece in her games, although things never seem to go according to plan.”

Katniss’s struggle for agency is a major part of her coming-of-age journey. She has been exploited by the Capitol during her formative years, leaving her uncertain of who she is outside of the scripts, costumes, and storylines that have been forced upon her. She recognizes early on that Coin is using her in the role of the Mockingjay but incorrectly assumes that it is for a good cause.