District 12 Quotes

• District 12: Where you can starve to death in safety.

  Suzanne Collins

  Safety, Hunger Games Book, Capitol In Hunger Games

  Suzanne Collins (2009). “The Hunger Games”, p.8, Scholastic Inc.

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• In District 12, looking old is something of an achievement since so many people die early. You see an elderly person, you want to congratulate them on their longevity, ask the secret of survival. A plump person is envied because they aren't scraping by like the majority of us. But here is different. Wrinkles aren't desirable. A round belly isn't a sign of success.

  Suzanne Collins

  Wrinkles, Elderly, People

  Suzanne Collins (2011). “The Hunger Games Trilogy”, p.167, Scholastic Inc.

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• District 12. Where you can starve to death in safety," I mutter. Then I glance quickly over my shoulder. Even here, in the middle of nowhere, you worry someone might overhear you.

  Suzanne Collins

  Safety, Worry, Middle Of Nowhere

  Suzanne Collins (2009). “The Hunger Games”, p.8, Scholastic Inc.

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• Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch – this is the Capitol’s way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy.

  Suzanne Collins

  Kids, Watches, Way

  Suzanne Collins (2009). “The Hunger Games”, p.20, Scholastic Inc.

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• My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am seventeen years old. My home is District 12. I was in the Hunger Games. I escaped. The Capitol hates me.

  Suzanne Collins

  Hate, Home, Years

  Suzanne Collins (2010). “Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, Book 3)”, p.4, Scholastic Inc.

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• Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor.

  Suzanne Collins

  Movie, Odds, President Snow

  Suzanne Collins (2009). “The Hunger Games”, p.21, Scholastic Inc.

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• It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart.

  Suzanne Collins

  Life, Fall, I Hate You

  Suzanne Collins (2010). “Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, Book 3)”, p.156, Scholastic Inc.

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• The rules of the Hunger Games are simple. In punishment for the uprising, each of the twelve districts must provide one girl and one boy, called tributes, to participate. The twenty-four tributes will be imprisoned in a vast outdoor arena that could hold anything from a burning desert to a frozen wasteland. Over a period of several weeks, the competitors must fight to the death. The last tribute standing wins.

  Suzanne Collins

  Girl, Fighting, Winning

  Suzanne Collins (2009). “The Hunger Games”, p.20, Scholastic Inc.

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• Look how we take your children and sacrifice them and there’s nothing you can do. If you lift a finger, we will destroy every last one of you. Just as we did in District Thirteen.

  Suzanne Collins

  Children, Sacrifice, Katniss

  Suzanne Collins (2009). “The Hunger Games”, p.21, Scholastic Inc.

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• Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch – this is the Capitol’s way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy. How little chance we would stand of surviving another rebellion. Whatever words they use, the real message is clear. “Look how we take your children and sacrifice them and there’s nothing you can do. If you lift a finger, we will destroy every last one of you. Just as we did in District Thirteen

  Suzanne Collins

  Children, Real, Kids

  Suzanne Collins (2009). “The Hunger Games”, p.20, Scholastic Inc.

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• So I learned to hold my tongue and to turn my features into an indifferent mask so that no one could ever read my thoughts.

  Suzanne Collins

  Tongue, Mask, Indifferent

  Suzanne Collins (2009). “The Hunger Games”, p.8, Scholastic Inc.

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• So instead of acknowledging applause, I stand there unmoving while they take part in the boldest form of dissent they can manage. Silence. Which says we do not agree. We do not condone. All of this is wrong.

  Suzanne Collins

  Silence, Form, Applause

  Suzanne Collins (2009). “The Hunger Games”, p.24, Scholastic Inc.

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• It means thanks, it means admiration, it means good-bye to someone you love.

  Suzanne Collins

  Mean, Games, Bye

  Suzanne Collins (2009). “The Hunger Games”, p.24, Scholastic Inc.

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• If you die and i live there's no life for me back in District 12. You're my whole life. I would never be happy again.

  Suzanne Collins

  Catching On, Catching Fire, Happy Again

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• Then something unexpected happens. At least, I don't expect it because I don't think of District 12 as a place that cares about me. But a shift has occurred since I stepped up to take Prim's place, and now it seems I have become someone precious. At first one, then another, then almost every member of the crowd touches the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it out to me. It is an old and rarely used gesture of our district, occasionally seen at funerals. It means thanks, it means admiration, it means good-bye to someone you love.

  Suzanne Collins

  Mean, Thinking, Hands

  "The Hunger Games". Book by Suzanne Collins, 2008.

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• Then I get it, what it means. At least, for me. District 12 only has three existing victors to choose from. Two male. One female... I am going back into the arena.

  Suzanne Collins

  Mean, Two, Arena

  Suzanne Collins (2013). “The Hunger Games Complete Trilogy”, p.379, Scholastic UK

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• To the everlasting credit of the people of District 12, not one person claps. Not even the ones holding betting slips, the ones who are usually beyond caring. Possibly because they know me from the Hob, or knew my father, or have encountered Prim, who no one could help loving. So instead of acknowledging applause, I stand there unmoving while they take part in the boldest form of dissent they can manage. Silence. Which says we do not agree. We do not condone. All of this is wrong.

  Suzanne Collins

  Father, Caring, People

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• There's no district 12 to escape from now, no Peacekeepers to trick, no hungry mouths to feed. The Capitol took away all of that, and I'm on the verge of losing Gale as well. The glue of mutual needs that bonded us so tightly together for all those years is melting away.

  Suzanne Collins

  Years, Melting Away, Together

  Suzanne Collins (2010). “Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, Book 3)”, p.127, Scholastic Inc.

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• The audience must be sick to death of the star-crossed lovers from District 12. I know I am.

  Suzanne Collins

  Stars, Sick, Lovers

  Suzanne Collins (2011). “The Hunger Games Trilogy”, p.601, Scholastic Inc.

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• But in school I remember hearing that for the second Quarter Quell, the Capitol demanded that twice the number of tributes be provided for the arena. The teachers didn't go into much more detail, which is surprising, because that was the year District 12's very own Haymitch Abernathy won the crown.

  Suzanne Collins

  Teacher, School, Years

  Suzanne Collins (2010). “Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)”, p.37, Scholastic Inc.

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• Not exactly. You see, Portia and I think that the coal miner thing's very overdone. No one will remember you in that. And we both see it has our job to make District 12 tributes unforgettable,' says Cinna. I'll be naked for sure, I think. 'So rather than focus on the coal mining itself, we're going to focus on the coal,' says Cinna. Naked and covered in black dust, i think. 'And what do we do with coal? We burn it,' says Cinna. 'You're not afraid of fire, are you, Katniss?' He sees my expression and grins.

  Suzanne Collins

  Jobs, Thinking, Fire

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• They recognize me. Of course they recognize me. My face is uncovered and I'm standing here outside of District 12 pointing an arrow at them. Who else would I be?

  Suzanne Collins

  Arrows, Faces, Standing

  Suzanne Collins (2010). “Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)”, p.140, Scholastic Inc.

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• We star-crossed lovers of District 12, who suffered so much and enjoyed so little the rewards of our victory, do not seek our fans' favor, grace them with our smiles, or catch their kisses. We are unforgiving. And I love it. Getting to be myself at last.

  Suzanne Collins

  Stars, Kissing, Grace

  Suzanne Collins (2010). “Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)”, p.212, Scholastic Inc.

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