Catching Fire Characters: Full List & Analysis

Who drives the story

Main characters

Katniss Everdeen

Seventeen, sharp with a bow, and desperate to keep her family safe. She spends the book being told what she means to other people, and by the end she is the mockingjay, a rebel symbol, with her home burned and Peeta in Capitol hands.

Appears in:: Part 1: The President Comes to Dinner; Part 2: The Fence Is Live; Part 3: The Clock Arena; Part 4: The Mockingjay Flies
Themes:: Survival at someone else's expense; Government control through fear; Interdependence versus independence; The media as a battlefield; Sacrifice and the symbol

Peeta Mellark

The other victor from District 12, who protects Katniss with lies, a proposal, and finally his own freedom. He volunteers back into the arena for her and is captured by the Capitol.

Appears in:: Part 1: The President Comes to Dinner; Part 2: The Fence Is Live; Part 3: The Clock Arena; Part 4: The Mockingjay Flies
Themes:: Survival at someone else's expense; Interdependence versus independence; The media as a battlefield; Sacrifice and the symbol

President Snow

The ruler of Panem, who arrives at Katniss's house with blood on his breath and a threat on her family. He rigs the Quell to destroy her and burns District 12 when that fails.

Appears in:: Part 1: The President Comes to Dinner
Themes:: Government control through fear; The media as a battlefield

Haymitch Abernathy

Katniss's mentor, a drunk victor who is secretly working with the rebels the whole time. He keeps her alive in the arena and keeps the plan from her until she is out.

Appears in:: Part 1: The President Comes to Dinner; Part 2: The Fence Is Live; Part 4: The Mockingjay Flies
Themes:: Sacrifice and the symbol

Gale Hawthorne

Katniss's best friend and hunting partner, whipped in the square for poaching. He is on the hovercraft to tell her that District 12 is gone.

Appears in:: Part 1: The President Comes to Dinner; Part 2: The Fence Is Live; Part 4: The Mockingjay Flies
Themes:: Government control through fear

Finnick Odair

The dazzling District 4 victor who saves Peeta's life with CPR and carries him through the fog. He is in on the rebel plan from the start.

Appears in:: Part 3: The Clock Arena; Part 4: The Mockingjay Flies
Themes:: Survival at someone else's expense; Interdependence versus independence

Mags

Finnick's eighty-year-old mentor, who walks into the poison fog so Finnick can save Peeta. Her death buys the alliance its survival.

Appears in:: Part 2: The Fence Is Live; Part 3: The Clock Arena
Themes:: Survival at someone else's expense; Interdependence versus independence; Sacrifice and the symbol

Johanna Mason

The brash District 7 victor who knocks Katniss down and cuts the tracker from her arm. It looks like betrayal; it is the rescue plan.

Appears in:: Part 3: The Clock Arena; Part 4: The Mockingjay Flies
Themes:: Interdependence versus independence

Beetee and Wiress

The District 3 victors, engineers of the wire plan. Wiress figures out the clock before Gloss kills her; Beetee's lightning plan shatters the arena.

Appears in:: Part 3: The Clock Arena; Part 4: The Mockingjay Flies
Themes:: Survival at someone else's expense; Interdependence versus independence

Bonnie and Twill

District 8 refugees who tell Katniss that District 13 still exists underground. They are right, and the book ends on the way there.

Appears in:: Part 2: The Fence Is Live; Part 4: The Mockingjay Flies

Also in the story

Supporting characters

Cinna

Katniss's stylist, who turns her wedding dress into mockingjay wings on live television. Peacekeepers beat him and drag him away just before she enters the arena.

Appears in:: Part 2: The Fence Is Live
Themes:: The media as a battlefield; Sacrifice and the symbol

Plutarch Heavensbee

The Head Gamemaker, secretly a rebel leader. He designed the clock arena as an escape plan and reveals it to Katniss on the hovercraft.

Appears in:: Part 4: The Mockingjay Flies
Themes:: Interdependence versus independence

How they are connected

Key relationships

Katniss Everdeen Peeta Mellark
She spends the book being told what she means to other people, and by the end she is the mockingjay, a rebel symbol, with her home burned and Peeta in Capitol hands.
President Snow Katniss Everdeen
The ruler of Panem, who arrives at Katniss's house with blood on his breath and a threat on her family.
Haymitch Abernathy Katniss Everdeen
Katniss's mentor, a drunk victor who is secretly working with the rebels the whole time.
Gale Hawthorne Katniss Everdeen
Katniss's best friend and hunting partner, whipped in the square for poaching.
Finnick Odair Peeta Mellark
The dazzling District 4 victor who saves Peeta's life with CPR and carries him through the fog.
Mags Peeta Mellark
Finnick's eighty-year-old mentor, who walks into the poison fog so Finnick can save Peeta.
Mags Finnick Odair
Finnick's eighty-year-old mentor, who walks into the poison fog so Finnick can save Peeta.
Johanna Mason Katniss Everdeen
The brash District 7 victor who knocks Katniss down and cuts the tracker from her arm.
Cinna Katniss Everdeen
Katniss's stylist, who turns her wedding dress into mockingjay wings on live television.
Bonnie and Twill Katniss Everdeen
District 8 refugees who tell Katniss that District 13 still exists underground.
Plutarch Heavensbee Katniss Everdeen
He designed the clock arena as an escape plan and reveals it to Katniss on the hovercraft.

Go deeper

Catching Fire themes & symbols

Survival at someone else's expense · Government control through fear · Interdependence versus independence · The media as a battlefield

Themes explained

Read the full Catching Fire summary

The full story act by act, the ending explained and a quick quiz.

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