Mockingjay: Chapter 27 Summary & Analysis

Coriolanus Snow has been totally defeated, but at least he helps bring down his enemy with him. He can only laugh at the gruesome irony of Katniss killing Coin with the arrow Coin gave her. Surprisingly, we identify with Snow here: we, too, must laugh at the dark, bitter irony.

In this brief section, Katniss reveals what she’s learned in the last few pages: to be a symbol and figurehead means abandoning ones instincts, one’s compassion, and one’s freedom. While she began this novel by agreeing to be the Mockingjay for Coin, Katniss now sees the error of her ways.

Collins has a dark sense of humor, and the manner in which she describes Snow’s death is a perfect example. Katniss has been planning to kill Snow throughout the novel, but after giving up the chance to kill him in front of thousands of people, she now suffers the indignity not only of not being the one to kill him, but also of not knowing exactly how he died. Collins hasn’t given us much information about Paylor, so it’s left up to us to conclude (optimistically) that she will be better than Snow or Coin, or (pessimistically) that she, too, will be corrupted by power. It’s notable that Plutarch saves Katniss by again designing an “image” for her, albeit an image of insanity. Propaganda got Katniss into this mess—it’s only fair that propaganda should get her out. Haymitch and Plutarch were clearly not big supporters of Coin either.

The fact that there is no place for Haymitch in the new government is a bad sign. Haymitch, in spite of his flaws, understood both Katniss and Peeta, and was crucial to the success of the rebel cause. By expelling Haymitch, the government loses a sympathetic leader and its one link to Katniss.

In this short section, Collins “wraps up” the story of one of her most important characters, Gale, on a very dark note. Gale has shown himself to be cold and capable of murder, and it’s telling that the new government gives him a “fancy job.” This suggests that Gale’s callousness will fit in with the new government’s style, while at the same time ending the “love-triangle” aspect of the plot for good.

It’s as if Katniss has been so active for the last two years of her life that she hasn’t had a moment to study herself and reflect on how much she’s changed—until now. The major takeaway of her self-analysis is that she’s been deeply traumatized by her experiences in the last two years, both in the Hunger Games and in the war. It’s only fair, then, that she ends up with Peeta, rather than Gale. At times, Katniss has shown signs of callousness and also fiery anger—like Gale—but ultimately, it becomes clear that Katniss needs someone who is gentle and compassionate, and someone who has dealt with the same kind of traumas that she has while keeping his humanity. With Peeta, Katniss finds someone who understands her pain and can help her live with this pain. They are both broken by trauma, but they start growing whole together. Katniss is often seen as a feminist hero, but it has also always seemed inevitable that she would end up with either Gale or Peeta—implying that having a love interest is an inherent part of being a female protagonist. Now that conflict is finally decided, as she (rather anti-climactically) ends up with Peeta.