New Interview With Author – Suzanne Collins Talks ‘Mockingjay’
What does [the Mockingjay] have to do with Katniss?
Symbolically, I suppose, Katniss is something like a mockingjay in and of herself. She is a girl who should never have existed. And the reason she does exist is that she comes from District 12, which is sort of the joke of the 12 districts of Panem. The Capitol is lax there. The security is much less. The peacekeepers, who are the peacekeeping force, are still the law, and they’re still threatening, but they intermix more with the population in District 12 than they do in other districts. And also things like the fence that surrounds 12 isn’t electrified full time.
Because of these lapses in security and the Capitol just thinking that 12 is not ever really going to be a threat because it’s small and poor, they create an environment in which Katniss develops, in which she is created, this girl who slips under this fence, which isn’t electrified, and learns to be a hunter. Not only that, she’s a survivalist, and along with that goes a degree of independent thinking that is unusual in the districts.
So here we have her arriving in the arena in the first book, not only equipped as someone who can keep herself alive in this environment—and then once she gets the bow and arrows, can be lethal—but she’s also somebody who already thinks outside the box because they just haven’t been paying attention to District 12. So in that way, too, Katniss is the mockingjay. She is the thing that should never have been created, that the Capitol never intended to happen. In the same way they just let the jabberjays go and thought, “We don’t have to worry about them,” they thought, “We don’t have to worry about District 12.” And this new creature evolved, which is the mockingjay, which is Katniss.
Your books send a strong message that grown-ups have messed up the world big-time, and kids are the only hope for the future.
Absolutely. I can’t remember how much we talked about Theseus and the Minotaur the last time we spoke, but Theseus and the Minotaur is the classical setup for where The Hunger Games begins, you know, with the tale of Minos in Crete….
Right. As punishment, Minos ordered the Athenians to throw seven young men and seven maidens into a labyrinth to be devoured by the Minotaur—until Theseus finally kills the monster. I remember you telling me that as an eight-year-old, you were horrified that Crete was so cruel—and that in her own way, Katniss is a futuristic Theseus.
But once the “Hunger Games” story takes off, I actually would say that the historical figure of Spartacus really becomes more of a model for the arc of the three books, for Katniss. We don’t know a lot of details about his life, but there was this guy named Spartacus who was a gladiator who broke out of the arena and led a rebellion against an oppressive government that led to what is called the Third Servile War. He caused the Romans quite a bit of trouble. And, ultimately, he died.
This is a minor point, but I’m curious: Why does President Snow’s breath smell like blood?
Oh, I can’t tell you that. [Laughter] I see what you’re doing. You get me going, and then you have this list of book-three questions you’re trying to slip in.
Actually, the entire interview has been carefully leading up to that very question.
[Laughter] Well, I absolutely cannot tell you. No, I really can’t. But you’re right. That will be answered in book three. I’ll tell you that, OK? That can be your header.
Read the full interview at School Library Journal!
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- Suzanne Collins
OMG i can’t wait
I’ll bet that he drinks the blood of dead tributes… O_O
Maybe he eats the blood of traitors that the Capitol kills. Or maybe he eats freshly killed mockingjays…
Really excited to find out about that in Mockingjay XD
OMG HEs a vampire. lol I wonder what it has to do with mockigjay? hmmmmm.. I sense a twilight moment
Can I be any more excited for Mockingay?? Guess I can, cause this interview has me Squeeing!!! Love her talk about how Katniss is like the Mockingjay!
president snow is a vampire, that’s why
lol
I AM SOOO EXCITED!!
So very, very excited about Mockingjay! Thanks for posting this interview!
Oh I am so pumped too….. nothing happens release day but this book
I agree with @Holly!!! Drinks the blood of mockingjays!!
I really can’t wait for Mockingjay!!!!!!
Bloody breathe = cannibal lol just my guess
im exited!! and katniss is a lot like a mockingjay thats y i want the pin. eww maybe pres. snow drinks the blood that comes out of the avox`s toungs!! haha jokin but i could just see him holding a squirming toung with a straw in it and a little umbrella….. gross! :p
am i the only one who noticed that she compared katniss to spartacus who ended up DIEING after causing the romans/capitol alot of trouble?
^^ that looks weird ill change it back to just mckinzi
Yeah, Mockingjay James, I also noticed that…maybe Katniss is supposed to die in the end…
no, mckinzi! i noticed that too…oh god what if she dies?! and to think i have been only concerned for peeta! oh god oh god oh god!!!!!!!!!! that would leave me weeping for weeks…literally if either of them died…
Eww creepy it said he smelled like roses also… I wonder whats up with that.
IF katniss dies, maybe Peeta will end up like Katniss’s mother.
URGH…Snow
For the love of my sanity, I hope Peeta, Katniss, and Gale all live! I’ll be able to cope with anyone else, but I hope dearly that those three are safe!
I wouldn’t be able to stand the movie or re-read the books knowing that it’s all going to end depressingly. =[
Eugh, President Snow is just repulsive, I always thought that the blood smell was artificial and solely for intimidation, but it has to be more than that. Very interesting… I don’t have a clue though.
Thanks for posting!
Oh god, here comes all the “President Snow is a vampire!” theories.
It was interesting how she said that Katniss was a modern Spartacus, paralleled the events of their lives, and finished with “ultimately, he dies”.
I would say that Katniss wouldn’t die in the books, because the point of the series is that she is so strong, but then I realized… What if she sacrifices herself to save Peeta/Gale/mom/Prim at somepoint?!?! That would be very Katniss.
AS for the blood on the breath, I agree that it might be the blood of the dead tributes- maybe mixed with some medicine to make him immortal.
President CANNOT and I repeat CANNOT be a vampire.
@Ana Yan I think I’d be okay if she sacrificed herself for Peeta. I’m not exactly taking a side here (team wise) but I think that would be a very poignant moment…for Katniss to get killed in place of Peeta. I’d burst out crying…
YOU’RE ALL WRONG. PRESIDENT SNOW IS NOT A VAMPIRE, CANNIBAL, OR MOCKINGJAY-EATER. I WENT INTO THE FUTURE, STOPPED BY DISTRICT 3 TO VISIT FOR AWHILE, WALKED TO THE CAPITOL, AND PUNCHED SNOW IN THE JAW. SAID PUNCH WAS SO STRONG THAT HIS MOUTH CONSTANTLY BLEEDS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >:D
Since this Spartacus, who Collins said was a sort of role model to Katniss or whatever, died when he was leading a rebellion, this gives us a clue that someone leading the rebellion in THG will die. If it’s Katniss who dies, then that will be some ending. “The cold blade along my neck, the scent of blood swelling in my nostrils, I barely have time to gasp before — END OF BOOK 3″ Yeah, no. DX Honestly, from the ending of CF, I thought Plutarch was the leader of the rebellion. Katniss is definitely the symbol of rebellion, but that’s not exactly a leader.
I bet he *bites the tongue out of the Avoxes. Gross… but very “President Snow.”
Who did the fanart…its amazing and makes the beloved SC look amazing…i love how shes playing with Mockingjays
I was thinking he drinks the blood of the dead tributes as well and thats why he manages to stay so young looking (even though he obviously has plastic surgery too, but maybe his faced being stretched is a side effect of drinking the blood? Like stretching out the wrinkles so you cant see them or something?) I don’t know. I also like the idea that he bites the tongues of Avoxs. I hope more is revealed about the redheaded Avox girl in Mockingjay.
if Snow is a vampire, I swear i will never read a book my friends suggest ever again. Ever since I listened to them and read Twilight, everything I read is supernatural, but mostly vampire and werewolf. i don’t mean to-the books find me.
I hope katniss doesn’t die. That would be the worst ending EVER.
If anyone dies in MJ it should be President Snow!
@INKBLOOD I agree.. It would be the worst ending ever!
1. FIRST OF ALL!!! STOP THE PRES. SNOW TONGUE BITING THING!!! ITS GROSS AND IS CREEPING ME OUT!!! (Really you can still talk about it…Its just me)
2. I think haymitch is the “Leader” sooooo I think he will die. (haymitch is the brain of it all!!!)
3. I think the reason for the “Blood breath” thing is theres some kind of pill (Or something) he take to make him look YOUNG!!(or something of that kind)
(Random after thought: Wouldn’t it be weird if Katniss dies and the rest of the story is told by Peeta?!!! or Gale!!!)
P.S. Haymitch IS my fav…but I think he dies.
(kind of like how I said that I think Gale will die saving Peeta)
@Gale!!!
1) how you got pill=blood smell is beyond me
2)If katniss did die and the story was told by Peeta, it would be horribly gloomy as his reason for living is DEAD
Ew, I thought you guys were saying that Snow drinks the blood from the Avoxes’ tongues after they’re cut off, not that he BITES THEM OFF. D:
I hope that’s not the case.
I think that president Snow is a zombie,I mean he smells like roses and he feasts on blood ewwww i know but still a possibility
president snow sparkles in the sunlight. : )
Spartacus starts a rebellion, but like she said ultimately he dies. weird.
aha!!!! i always wondered about Snow’s breath!! i KNEW it had something do with the next book!
Isn’t the story told from Katniss’ perspective though? What will SC do if Katniss died? Pull a S. Meyer and right from different viewpoints. (Please God No!!!) I highly doubt that Katniss will die. But if I’m wrong, you all can come over to my house and laugh at me.
PLEASE tell me he’s not a vampire >:|
To: Inkblood … Wait arnt you the guy who wrote TEAM PEETA like 100 times??!!!
Any way… what was I going to write down… OH YA!! Well, Pills is Logical. And its something… thats…not tongue biting. *Squirm*
OMG! NOOO!! like what some other people said she said Katniss is like Spartacus and makes a point of saying he rebels but ulitimately dies! I THINK SHE WAS HINTING AT SOMETHING HERE!
Tell me there’s No way President snow would be a vampire!!!LOL.. I’m sorry but I’d hate mockingjay if so.. I just don’t want it to be anything related to twilight!!!! LOL xD
katniss alwas talks about how peeta would be the best leader for the rebellion so whould he die idk i hope not and snow better not be a vampire
I cant wait for the release party~!! And Snow cant be a vampire!, there is just too many vampires today!
Because of poison… That’s all i can reveal for now…
Great book!!! Every time Gale Hawthorn got close to Katniss, I was like, ” OH NO YOU DON’T ! SHE IS TAKEN!!!” I really thought Peeta and Katniss were SUPER CUTE together. But when you read this book and she sees Peeta for the first time you will be very suprised! I was. ( But it all works out in the end. Dont be upset )