Mrs. Plinth “Ma” Character Analysis in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Ma is Sejanus’s mother and Strabo Plinth’s wife. She’s a stout, plain woman who, according to Coriolanus, will never look like she belongs in the Capitol; she looks out of place in a designer dress at a pre-Hunger Games event and doesn’t understand or practice upper-class manners. She also remains emotionally attached to her original home, District Two, and doesn’t enjoy living in the Capitol. Because of this, Coriolanus finds Ma tiring and ridiculous. However, he does have to admit that she’s a fantastic cook and baker; she can often be found in her kitchen creating all sorts of meals and sweets, and she provides the Snows with several packages of food to thank Coriolanus for helping Sejanus. Once Coriolanus and Sejanus join the Peacekeepers in District 12, she also regularly sends packages of sweets, which the boys share with their bunkmates and use to trade for liquor at the Hob. Ma and Sejanus are extremely close and devoted to each other—Sejanus’s last word before he hangs is “Ma!”

Mrs. Plinth “Ma” Character Timeline in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The timeline below shows where the character Mrs. Plinth “Ma” appears in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Propaganda, Spectacle, and Morality Theme Icon

...District One tributes were shot, the female District Two tribute died in a fall, and Marcus escaped. Grandma’am suggests the tributes see the arena as a symbol, like the rebels did... (full context)

Dr. Wane releases Coriolanus after lunch. Coriolanus gets home to one of Sejanus’s Ma’s casseroles, but he can’t sleep that night. He can’t help but wonder how Lucy Gray... (full context)

...ends” in District 12. The Covey, she says, will get the song’s message; her cousin Maude Ivory will no doubt memorize the song after only hearing it once. Peacekeepers come to... (full context)

Sejanus approaches Coriolanus with a woman who can only be his Ma on his arm; she looks out of place at this fancy event. Coriolanus thanks Ma... (full context)

...viewers to bet on their tribute of choice and cuts back to the arena. Now, Marcus is the only tribute in sight. Coriolanus refuses Lysistrata’s suggestion that he go after Sejanus.... (full context)

...and a knife from the pile of weapons and then climbs the steel poles where Marcus hangs. She looks at home on the beam on the top. Then, she says something... (full context)

...showering and going to sleep are dashed. Grandma’am and Tigris are in the kitchen with Ma, who’s crying and apologizing. Ma explains that Sejanus is missing. Coriolanus suggests he was upset... (full context)

Coriolanus is confused and horrified. On screen, Sejanus tries to arrange Marcus’s limbs and then sprinkles something over the body. Ma explains Sejanus is sprinkling breadcrumbs so... (full context)

...hangs up and sees that the image on the TV is now dark. He tells Ma they must go to the arena, so they run down to her car and the... (full context)

The car pulls up at the arena, and Coriolanus leads Ma to a news van with Dr. Gaul, Dean Highbottom, and Peacekeepers around it. Though Dr.... (full context)

Coriolanus peers into the arena at Sejanus. Aside from Lamina, and Marcus’s body, the arena looks deserted. Coriolanus tiptoes across the field. Sejanus laughs quietly when he... (full context)

...to Dr. Gaul. He can hear the tributes closing in. Sejanus agrees—but refuses to leave Marcus’s body. Coriolanus grabs Marcus’s feet and, with Sejanus, drags the body toward the barricade. Coriolanus... (full context)

...grabs a two-by-four and clubs Bobbin again and again. Sejanus shouts for Coriolanus to leave Marcus and run—they can hear more tributes coming for them. The boys race around the barricade... (full context)

...gives him tokens so he can take the trolley, as well as egg-and-sausage rolls from Ma. (full context)

...the anthem at eight, and then Lucky welcomes everyone to day two. Cameras pan to Marcus’s body. Bobbin’s is nearby and is nearly unrecognizable. Coriolanus sweats and wants to leave—but he... (full context)

...apartment, so he decides to pop in. Their wealth is obvious in their lavish furnishings. Ma greets Coriolanus in the front hall and since Sejanus is in bed (he’s experiencing a... (full context)

An Avox maid signals to Ma that Strabo would like to see Coriolanus, so Coriolanus follows the maid to Strabo’s library.... (full context)

Coriolanus wakes up to the anthem in the morning and eats some of Ma’s breakfast foods on the trolley to school. The mentors now have assigned seating, and the... (full context)

...away) and Coriolanus apologizes for abandoning Clemensia. They make up, share a cheese tart from Ma, and share soap in the morning. As the rest of the students file in, the... (full context)

...to come back to life. Sejanus knows where he came from, and clearly Strabo and Ma care about Coriolanus. With Sejanus and a few others, there are enough recruits to form... (full context)

...the field, all of them covered in coal soot. Then, three vehicles drive up with Mayor Lipp and his family, Commander Hoff and other officers, and finally guards and the prisoner.... (full context)

...He’s looking forward to hopefully kissing Lucy Gray. At the Hob, Smiley trades some of Ma’s cookies for a quart of moonshine, and Coriolanus learns spectators don’t pay for tickets until... (full context)

Soon after, a little girl steps out and, to cheers, introduces herself as Maude Ivory. She introduces the Covey: Tam Amber on mandolin, Clerk Carmine on fiddle, Barb Azure... (full context)

The show over, Maude Ivory fetches a basket and weaves through the audience, accepting payment for the show. Coriolanus... (full context)

...implies that Lucy Gray is telling the Covey lies about how and why he’s with Mayfair to make herself look better. Coriolanus steps up and tells Billy Taupe to leave, and... (full context)

Coriolanus and Lucy Gray return to the house, where Sejanus is helping Maude Ivory milk Shamus outside. Inside, Barb Azure grabs a pan of chilled milk from the... (full context)

...to help the scientists with the birds, so he decides to get his bunk’s mail. Ma sent him more boxes of sweets and a letter, thanking him for looking out for... (full context)

...items. There are some mementos, pills and morphling, and a class photo with Sejanus and Marcus in it. At the bottom is Sejanus’s framed diploma. Flipping it over, Coriolanus discovers thousands... (full context)

...He makes himself a walking stick, but no one else seems concerned. After a while, Maude Ivory complains that her shoes are hurting her feet. Sejanus offers to carry her. Maude... (full context)

A bit later, Coriolanus takes over carrying Maude Ivory. She wants to know what he thought of Lucy Gray’s song—and where he thinks... (full context)

...a few fish and Lucy Gray cooks them. The group also feasts on blackberries and Ma’s sugar cookies, which Sejanus brought. After lunch, Maude Ivory explains that each member of the... (full context)

Lucy Gray convinces Maude Ivory to lie down and take a nap in exchange for a song. The lullaby... (full context)

...him and explains that somehow, her name was called in the reaping after she and Mayfair found out that Billy Taupe was trying to see them both. However, Lucy Gray suggests... (full context)

As Maude Ivory wakes up, Coriolanus stews. He’s jealous as he thinks of the song Lucy Gray... (full context)

Sejanus, Maude Ivory, and Tam Amber head into town while the rest of the group collects apples.... (full context)

...has just started on the jabberjays when Sejanus leaps into the hangar with news that Ma sent another package of sweets. Then, Sejanus’s mood shifts, and he says he needs to... (full context)

...with Lil. The Capitol plans to hang her. Sejanus plans to drug some guards with Ma’s treats and get Lil out. Then they’ll slip through the fence and run north with... (full context)

...dating Barb Azure and finally, Spruce drops his gun. Coriolanus studies the weapons when, suddenly, Mayfair Lipp reveals herself. She’s been hiding in the corner. Billy Taupe tells her to go... (full context)

...who’s blacked out, up and are on their way out of town when they hear Maude Ivory scream. (full context)

...second time—and unlike when he killed Bobbin, this wasn’t self-defense. It kind of was; if Mayfair had told anyone what she saw, Coriolanus and everyone he loves would die. He’d shoot... (full context)

...were brought to the base clinic last night and says that the Peacekeepers are certain Mayfair and “the musician” were killed by someone local, given the murder weapons. This makes Coriolanus... (full context)

...he stays quiet. Over the next few days, the base loses interest in the murders. Mayor Lipp pitches a fit, but nobody is sympathetic. So by Tuesday, Coriolanus is feeling fantastic.... (full context)

...this also isn’t school, and the young Peacekeepers aren’t kids. Coriolanus sends a note to Ma suggesting Strabo check in on his son. But before Coriolanus can mail the note, the... (full context)

...but he still hears the trapdoors and Sejanus’s cries. The jabberjays echo his last words: “Ma! Ma! Ma! Ma! Ma!” (full context)

...dig up some katniss. Once she’s gone, Coriolanus cradles the gun he used to kill Mayfair. If he can destroy it, he can go back to his life—but Lucy Gray is... (full context)

...has to talk to her. She could still ruin his life, as she knows about Mayfair. At the very least, she’ll ruin his reputation if it gets out he cheated in... (full context)

...shower, Coriolanus packs his bag and slips Sejanus’s box into it. He’ll mail it to Ma—hopefully she’ll keep sending him sweets. (full context)

...work something out. He bought the Snow apartment and the one underneath for his family. Ma helps with Grandma’am, and Strabo pays for everything. Coriolanus is now the Plinths’ heir, and... (full context)

...birthday tonight. Snow has invited Festus and Lysistrata for dinner, and he plans to give Ma and Strabo Sejanus’s box of personal effects. But before he can head home, Coriolanus heads... (full context)

...anyone; nobody knows where she went and according to a letter from Smiley, people think Mayor Lipp killed her. Smiley also wrote that there’s a new commander, and he’s outlawed shows... (full context)