Katniss’s mother Character Analysis in The Hunger Games

Katniss and Prim’s mother is from a wealthier merchant class within District 12, but she moved to the Seam to marry their father for love. When her husband dies in a mining accident, however, she falls into a daze, unable to work and take care of her children. As a result, Katniss is forced to grow up quickly to support the family and can never bring herself to fully trust her mother again.

Katniss’s mother Character Timeline in The Hunger Games

The timeline below shows where the character Katniss’s mother appears in The Hunger Games. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...that when she was younger, she would blurt out criticisms of the government, frightening her mother. As she grew older, however, Katniss learned that this would only cause more trouble, so... (full context)

...Almost everyone in the Seam has straight black hair, olive skin, and gray eyes. Katniss’s mother and Prim, however, are exceptions, with light hair and blue eyes. This is because Katniss’s... (full context)

...to the apothecary, and that’s how Katniss’s parents met. Katniss tries to remember that her mother must have really loved her father to leave her home to move to the Seam,... (full context)

...head to their respective homes. When Katniss arrives at her house, she finds that her mother and Prim are already ready, with Prim wearing Katniss’s first reaping outfit, a skirt and... (full context)

...father was killed in the mining accident, Katniss was struggling to support her sister and mother. Her mother had become unresponsive, sitting and staring into space instead of getting a job... (full context)

Katniss quickly shoved the loaves under her shirt and returned home, where Prim and her mother were. The three of them devoured an entire loaf with mint tea. The next day,... (full context)

...separate rooms where they wait for their loved ones to visit and say goodbye. Katniss’s mother and Prim arrive first and wrap Katniss up in a hug. After a few moments,... (full context)

...rest of the bakery bread. Prim and Katniss began poring through a book from their mother’s apothecary shop, looking for edible plants and flowers. Finally, Katniss worked up the courage to... (full context)

...fish and katniss roots until everyone was full for the first time in months. Katniss’s mother eventually recovered as well, but Katniss was never able to fully trust her again. (full context)

...his father always liked Katniss and her sister. He explains that his father knew Katniss’s mother when they were kids. (full context)

Katniss serves herself breakfast and eats while thinking about what Prim and her mother might be doing back home. She wonders whether the opening ceremony gave them any comfort.... (full context)

...the version Katniss tells Peeta, she says that she sold an old locket of her mother’s to get the money. She recalls how she haggled with their market’s Goat Man to... (full context)

Katniss begins to wake, imagining that she’s back at home and her mother is stroking her hair. However, she jerks awake when she hears Peeta’s voice saying her... (full context)

...how his father had pointed Katniss out because he had been in love with Katniss’s mother, but she ran off with a coal miner because the coal miner had a beautiful... (full context)