The Hunger Games 6

"'No, Peeta, I don't even want to discuss it,' I say, placing my fingers on his lips to quiet him.

'But I --' he insists.

Impulsively, I lean forward and kiss him, stopping his words. This is probably overdue anyway since he's right, we are supposed to be madly in love. It's the first time I've ever kissed a boy, which should make some sort of impression I guess, but all I can register is how unnaturally hot his lips are from the fever. I break away and pull the edge of the sleeping bag around him. 'You're not going to die. I forbid it. All right?'

'All right,' he whispers.

I step out in the cool evening air just as the parachute floats down from the sky. My fingers quickly undo the tie, hoping for some real medicine to treat Peeta's leg. Instead I find a pot of hot brother.

Haymitch couldn't be sending me a clearer message. One kiss equals one pot of broth. I can almost hear his snarl. 'You're supposed to be in love, sweetheart. The boy's dying. Give me something I can work with!'

And he's right. If I want to keep Peeta alive, I've got to give the audience something more to care about. Star-crossed lovers desperate to get home together. Two hearts beating as one. Romance." (Collins 268-269)

This shows how much power the media (that's controlled by the Capital) has over your survival in the arena. If you stick to what the audience wants, you'll get more sponsors. The more sponsors you have, the more supplies that you really need and cant find, you'll get. It's not just strength and skill. You have to play up to your story too. Like this star-crossed lovers thing Katniss and Peeta are playing up. 


The whole romance thing is frustrating! Katniss thinks that Peeta's just playing along because that's what Haymitch wanted, but he really is in love with her! I feel so bad for him. I just wanna smack Katniss and be like THIS IS NOT AN ACT. HE LOVES YOU, WHAT ARE YOU DOING. In the end, when she goes back to how it was before, he's going to be heartbroken because he really does love her and she's gonna say it was just win, because she hates showing her feelings. 


Katniss believes that she is manipulating everyone in the Capitol's thoughts by playing up this star-crossed lovers deal. Even though I think she is in love with Peeta. Either way, she does get sponsors to get the medicine Peeta needs for his leg, so it works!