The Games are used as both a form of punishment for past revolt and a tool of political manipulation, forcing 24 children from 12 districts to compete in televised deathmatch.

Once the rebellion is victorious, Katniss chooses not to execute President Snow; instead, she shoots Alma Coin, the corrupt leader of District 13, who is shifting rapidly towards totalitarianism and power-grabbing, as an act of defiance of a different kind of tyranny guised as democracy.

[3] Katniss and the other tributes are, in their time before participating in their Hunger Games, compelled to compete for the hearts of sponsors who donate money that can be used to buy vital supplies for them when they are in the arena such as medicine, matches, food, and water.

[6] The Hunger Games takes place in the ruins of North America: a country called Panem, consisting of the Capitol and 13 subservient districts.

Because getting chosen at the reaping is supposed to be an honor, the district's Hunger Games escort Effie Trinket asks for a round of applause for Katniss, but everyone remains silent.

During their private training session, Katniss shoots an arrow at the Gamemakers' food (the target is an apple positioned in the mouth of a whole roasted pig), scoring her an 11 out of 12.

They outlast the other tributes after Katniss attends the feast to get medicine for Peeta, where she heals him, and the rule change is revoked, meaning there can only be one victor of the Hunger Games.

Gale has been presented to the nation as her cousin, but President Snow implies his knowledge that Katniss has feelings for him and threatens to have him killed to gain leverage.

However, during the escape, Peeta and Johanna are captured by the Capitol and afterward, Gale informs Katniss District 12 was bombed and destroyed but that her family is safe.

Katniss becomes increasingly emotionally unstable by the horrors she witnesses—mass slaughter, the destruction of the only home she has ever known with 90% of the citizens of District 12 dead, many friends killed due to their association with her, and Peeta being beaten on live television.

After a rescue mission in which a team from District 13 brings Peeta back, she finds out his memories have been distorted by tracker jacker venom, a mind-control torturing method referred to as "hijacking".

She, along with a group of sharpshooters that include Gale, Finnick, and later Peeta (much to Katniss's dismay) sneak into the Capitol at the cost of several of their own lives in an attempt to kill Snow.

Although she initially refuses to believe Snow, Katniss realizes the attack method was identical to a trap Gale and fellow Quarter Quell tribute Beetee had designed.

Eventually, Katniss realizes someone high up in the ranks of the Rebels would have had to order to have Prim on the front line, despite her age, and comes to suspect Coin ordered the attack on the children to trick the Capitol citizens into thinking the government had killed their children, therefore winning the loyalty of the Capitol's citizens and that Prim was there solely to subdue and unhinge Katniss.

Driven into a deep depression, Katniss refuses to leave her house until Peeta (who by then has largely recovered from his brainwashing) returns to District 12 to plant primroses outside, in memory of her sister.

Katniss begins to regain her mental health, and she and Peeta deal with their feelings by creating a book composed of information about deceased tributes, friends, and family (eventually Haymitch joins them in this project).

To soothe her traumatized psyche, Katniss makes a list in her mind of every act of kindness she has ever seen, an obsession that she realizes has simply become a "repetitive game" to keep darker thoughts at bay.

On the brink of starvation a few weeks before her twelfth birthday Katniss wandered into the richer part of town, hoping to steal some scraps from the garbage bins of rich merchants.

A few days after the incident with the bread, Katniss decided to go into the woods surrounding her district to hunt illegally and gather plants to eat, which was how her father had gotten most of the family's food before he died.

Because the majority of her time before the Games was spent keeping herself and her family alive in a small, impoverished mountain community, Katniss does not understand many social cues and is often ignorant of other people's thoughts and emotions, such as when she doesn't recognize Gale's hints at his growing affection for her, or when she fails to realize that she and Madge Undersee are actually close friends.

Wary and distrustful, especially of anyone from outside rural District 12, Katniss makes friends slowly, if at all, and can alienate others easily due to a strong tendency toward bluntness and impatience in conversation.

For those she takes to or who manage to win her over, however, Katniss is deeply loyal, modest and compassionate, reciprocating Cinna's regard for her and (over time) appreciating fellow survivors like Haymitch Abernathy, Effie Trinket, Peeta Mellark, Finnick Odair, and Johanna Mason.

[8] Over time, however, Katniss gradually realizes there are more important things than survival and becomes deeply invested in her relationships with the country around her, most especially Peeta and the second rebellion, being willing to fight and die for both.

Katniss is described as having "straight black hair, olive skin, and grey eyes", which are typical characteristics of the Seam; the poorest area of District 12.

"[9] Francisca Goldsmith in Booklist said, "Although Katniss may be skilled with a bow and arrow and adept at analyzing her opponents' next moves, she has much to learn about personal sentiments, especially her own.

"[11] The Cleveland Plain Dealer stated in a review for Catching Fire that "Katniss in a pensive mood seems out of step with the kick-butt assassin," before adding that her loyalty and kindheartedness were enjoyed.

[16] However, The Daily Telegraph's David Gritten labelled her "a great role model for girls" who "has love interests, but doesn't mope passively over boys".

[17] Daniel D'Addario of Time stated: "The Hunger Games heroine has already secured her status as a feminist role model and a box-office powerhouse.

But Katniss is more than a movie icon now: Her three-fingered salute, used in Mockingjay as a signal of rebellion against the Capitol, has become a rallying symbol among pro-democracy protesters in Thailand and Hong Kong.

[26] Lionsgate confirmed in March 2011 about 30 actresses either met with them or read for the role, including Jennifer Lawrence, Abigail Breslin, Emma Roberts, Saoirse Ronan, Emily Browning, and Shailene Woodley, as well as Steinfeld, Moretz, Fonseca, and Scodelario.