How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from The Hunger Games.
Quote #1
SNOW: War. Terrible war. Widows, orphans, a motherless child. This was the uprising that rocked our land. Thirteen Districts rebelled against the country that fed them, loved them, protected them. Brother turned on brother until nothing remained. And then came the peace, hard fought, sorely won. A people rose up from the ashes, and a new era was born. But freedom has a cost. And the traitors were defeated. We swore as a nation we would never know this treason again. And so it was decreed that each year the various Districts of Panem would offer up, in Tribute, one young man and woman to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage, and sacrifice. The lone victor, bathed in riches, would serve as a reminder of our generosity and our forgiveness. This is how we remember our past. This is how we safeguard our future.
Nice try, Snow. So there was a time when people were violent 75 years ago, and we need to keep up the blood sport because reasons? That's some twisted logic, that is.
Quote #2
HAYMITCH: He's a Career. You know what that is?
KATNISS: From District 1.
HAYMITCH: And 2. They train in a special academy until they're 18. Then they volunteer. By that point, they're pretty lethal.
They're more than lethal; they're kind of psychotic. This is the only event that matters in their entire lives and they're trained to attack without mercy. Everyone knows that the Games are about these little killbots butchering the kids from other Districts, even if they never say so in public. Panem glorifies the Careers and their brand of violence.
Quote #3
GALE: Listen to me. You're stronger than they are. You are. Get to a bow.
KATNISS: They may not have a bow.
GALE: They will if you show them how good you are. They just want a good show.
That's all they want. If they don't have a bow, then you make one, okay? You know how to hunt.KATNISS: Animals.
GALE: It's no different, Katniss.
KATNISS: There's 24 of us, Gale. Only one comes out.
GALE: Yeah, and it's gonna be you.
Does Gale actually believe that killing people is no different from killing animals? We'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he's just trying to buck up Katniss.