Mockingjay Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory

The Mockingjay

First, a little refresher: what is a mockingjay? Well, a mockingjay is a bird, of course, but a hybrid one. They originate from a species known as the jabberjay. Jabberjays were birds that the Capi...

Katniss

Katniss herself is a symbol too, because of what she represents to the revolution. As Boggs tells her, "You're the face of the rebellion. You may have more influence than any other single person" (...

The Hunger Games

The memory of the Hunger Games loom over the characters in Mockingjay. Even though Katniss and many of the other Hunger Games victors are in District 13 and safe from the arena, Katniss still can't...

Arena Tokens: Peeta's pearl, Katniss's pin, the gold locket, and the silver parachute

Katniss holds on to these precious objects that remind her of her experiences in the Quarter Quell once she has escaped and is relatively safe in District 13. They are some of the only possessions...

Crazy Cat

Crazy Cat appears briefly, for only a few pages, but it's still a potent symbol in Mockingjay. Crazy Cat is a game Katniss plays with her family's cat Buttercup in District 13. She waves a flashlig...

Roses

Roses are a small but potent symbol in Mockingjay. Though we usually think of roses as symbols of love or beauty, here they are usually a reference to the ultra-evil President Snow. At the beginnin...

Katniss's Dad's Hunting Jacket and Bag

These are items Gale brings back from the ruins of District 12 to Katniss in 13. They remind her of her father and the innocent life she led prior to the Games. Katniss uses them when she begins to...

Flower Book

Katniss brings this family book back to her mother from District 12; it has lists of different plants in it and is helpful for medical purposes. It also gives Katniss the idea of making a memory bo...