Spectacle

Spectacle is a prominent theme throughout The Hunger Games and one that Katniss seems to begin to appropriate.

Clothing and Artifice
"'The cameras haven't lied about its grandeur. If anything, they have not quite captured the magnificence of the glistening buildings in a rainbow of hues that tower into the air, the shiny cars that roll down the wide paved streets, the oddly dressed people with bizarre hair and painted faces who have never missed a meal. All the colors seem artificial, the pinks too deep, the greens too bright, the yellows painful to the eyes, like the flat round disks of hard candy we can never afford to buy at the tiny sweet shop in District 12.'"

Pieces of clothing and artifice are mentioned very often in the text. Katniss is a plain girl used to dressing in simple vestments, but when she arrives at the Capitol, one of the first rituals she is forced through is a total makeover. Katniss is preened and dressed in magnificent costumes designed to draw the eye. In fact, everything that happens to her from then on becomes not only a physical competition but also a battle for the attention of the audience.

Narrative Drama
"'After dinner, we watch the replay in the sitting room. I seem frilly and shallow, twirling and giggling in my dress, although the others assure me that I am charming. Peeta actually is charming and then utterly winning as the boy in love. And there I am, blushing and confused, made beautiful by Cinna's hands, desirable by Peeta's confession, tragic by circumstance, and by all accounts, unforgettable.'" As the novel progresses, Katniss is increasingly concerned (and rightfully so) about the show that she is putting on for her viewers. The need for action and story works against her whenever those in charge of the event decide that she's boring the audience. More often she is manipulating her outside appearance through actions and words to promote a story line that favors her over her competitors in order to increase the odds of her survival. Interestingly, she is able to maintain her agency and subvert the fundamental purpose of the games by working her audience's need for a good story.