Katniss Everdeen the year 2174), consisting of the Capitol and 12 subservient districts. During the yearly "Reaping" of tributes for the gladiator-like Hunger Games, Katniss's younger sister, Prim, is selected as District 12's female tribute during a public lottery. Katniss volunteers to take her place. Talking in terms of "winning the reaping", the district's Hunger Games manager Effie Trinket asks for a round of applause for Katniss, but everyone remains silent. Many in the crowd press their three fingers against their mouths and hold it out to her. Katniss describes this as an ancient sign for saying "admiration," "goodbye to someone you
Katniss Everdeen considers how she will kill her fellow competitors during the first Games, at one point rationalizing that she is already a killer due to her hunting experience, though she is briefly disturbed after her first direct kill, Marvel. By the end of the first Games, she is prepared to shoot Cato, and attempts to do so only to be interrupted by Peeta being attacked by the muttations. Despite her cold-bloodedness, she is nonetheless extremely relieved at not having to kill her allies Rue and Peeta. As the series progresses, however, she becomes increasingly cold-blooded, to the point where she objectively