Which Catching Fire Quotes MUST Make the Movie?

Which quotes from Catching Fire are must-haves for the movie? 

Some of my favorite lines from the novel aren't actually quotes, but thoughts from Katniss's stream of consciousness (or internal monologue). I think they are essential to tell the story, but I don't know how they can be portrayed in the movie. This, of course, is where good acting comes in and I have no doubt that Jennifer Lawrence will be able to express these things without words. And we probably agree that some thoughts are just better if they aren't spoken aloud because it diminishes their meaning or sounds awkward.

For example, I love these lines from the book, but I know they would not have the same impact if they were spoken out loud:

“I realize the answer to who I am lies in that handful of poisonous fruit.” -Katniss, p. 118

“...everything will just get more complicated and I really can't think about kissing when I've got a rebellion to incite.” -Katniss, p. 125-126

“I have only one real friend in here.  And he isn’t from District 4.” -Katniss, p. 276

“I have always known who the enemy is. Who starves and tortures and kills us in the arena. Who will soon kill everyone I love.” -Katniss, p. 378

“The bird, the pin, the song, the berries, the watch, the cracker, the dress that burst into flames. I am the mockingjay. The one that survived despite the Capitol’s plans. The symbol of the rebellion.” -Katniss, p. 386-387

Therefore, I am counting on Jennifer Lawrence to do another phenomenal job expressing these lines, conveying their meaning.

The actual quotes I do hope make the movie include:

“You could do a lot worse, you know.” -Haymitch, p. 45

“I only ever spoke to Thresh one time. Just long enough for him to spare my life. I didn't know him, but I always respected him. For his power. For his refusal to play the Games on anyone's terms but his own. The Careers wanted him to team up with them from the beginning, but he wouldn't do it. I respected him for that.”  -Katniss p. 60

“But I feel as if I did know Rue, and she'll always be with me. Everything beautiful brings her to mind. I see her in the yellow flowers that grow in the Meadow by my house. I see her in the mockingjays that sing in the trees. But most of all, I see her in my sister, Prim.”  -Katniss, p. 61

“Well, with an uprising in District Eight, I doubt he's spending much time choosing my wedding cake!” -Katniss, p. 99

“You could live a hundred lifetimes and not deserve him, you know.” -Haymitch, p. 178

“I just want to spend every possible minute of the rest of my life with you.” -Peeta, p. 244

“You just remember who the enemy is.” -Haymitch, p. 260

“I don’t care if you are knocked up, I’ll rip your throat out.” -Johanna, p. 328

“If they really killed her like this, they’d probably have an uprising on their hands...Don’t want that, do they? Whole country in rebellion? Wouldn’t want anything like that!” -Johanna, p. 346

"So it's you and a syringe against the Capitol? See, this is why no one lets you make the plans." -Haymitch, p. 384

“We had to save you because you’re the mockingjay, Katniss.” -Plutarch, p. 386

“I wish [Annie] was dead...I wish they were all dead and we were, too. It would be best.” -Finnick, p. 389

I am sure there are many more. Which ones are your favorites that you think are essential to the movie? Post your feedback in the comments below.

Read more about using quotes as a classroom activity here.

All quotes are from:
Collins, Suzanne, and Elizabeth B. Parisi. Catching Fire. New York: Scholastic Press, 2009. Print.
ISBN-10: 9780439023498
ISBN-13: 978-0439023498

Catching Fire Movie Activities!

With only two weeks until the premiere of "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" movie, I uploaded my Catching Fire Novel vs. the Movie Activities pack for teachers. It is filled with numerous resources and options to use to have your students compare the novel with the movie.

Some of the activities do not even require movie viewing. For teachers who want to support students going to the movie on their own, you could offer the choices as extra credit or enrichment activities. It's a good way to inspire academic reading/writing without giving up class time for instruction.

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS
The following activity is one of many from my Catching Fire Movie Activity pack.

Writing: Have your students choose their top five quotes from the novel that they think should be in the movie. They should give evidence for the importance of the quotes, justifying their choices with supporting details from the novel. They should relate the quote's importance to at least one literary element, such as the theme, plot, characterization, imagery, etc.

As a follow-up (but not necessary), have students reflect after they see the movie whether their favorite quotes made the cut. If they did, were they happy with their use? If not, were they disappointed? Did the scene translate the same without its use? Or was the scene cut altogether?

SAMPLE ANSWER (mine is probably much longer than a standard response): 
One of the quotes I believe is essential to the movie is spoken by Finnick Odair on page 389:

"I wish she was dead... 

I wish they were all dead and we were, too. 

It would be best." 

He is referring to Annie–the love of his life–who has been taken by the Capitol to use against Finnick.

To me, this quote is essential because it expresses not only Finnick's desperation and torment after being rescued from the arena, but it mirrors Katniss's. I don't want to see anyone in the theater cheer when Katniss, Beetee, and Finnick are rescued because that would deflate the theme. No one escapes war. Those that escape still live in torment, fear, pain. They are damaged goods. We cannot pretend that allowing our children to fight our wars is honorable and dignified; it causes them to wish to die rather than live a life in pain.

Finnick's dialogue says it all with just a few words: death would be easiest. It would be best. 

And I would be happy if they used his quote as the last one in the movie rather than Gale's, "There is no District 12." To me, Finnick's would give the desired effect to solidify the theme and I don't think there would be a dry eye in the theater.


For additional ideas and prompts, click below to check out the entire movie activity pack.

Don't forget to keep checking in with my friends at Teach.com for Catching Fire Month! There will be a lot of great ideas to utilize in your classroom.

Interact LIVE with the Cast from Catching Fire on #GlobalFanDay

November 6th is #GlobalFanDay and you can chat LIVE with the cast of Catching Fire! Have your students submit questions via any of the social networks listed below. This is a great way to encourage the love for literature in your students. Whether they submit their questions or not, they'll still be thinking and writing, which is never a bad thing.

Here are the details (via The Hunger Games Official Facebook page) so you and your students don't miss this fantastic opportunity:

Catching Fire #GlobalFanDay is Wednesday, November 6! You can interact with Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and director Francis Lawrence throughout the day on Google+, Twitter, Yahoo, Tumblr, Facebook, and Instagram! Find out details below: 2:00pm ET / 11:00am PT - GOOGLE+ HANGOUT Six lucky fans will get the exclusive chance to participate in the ‘Hangout On Air’ with Jennifer, Josh, Liam and Francis & ask their questions directly to the cast, but anyone can attend from home and ask questions LIVE via their Google+, Gmail, or on YouTube account! Submit your questions now & RSVP: http://hungrgam.es/GPLUS 5:00pm ET / 2:00pm PT - TWITTER TAKEOVER Peeta and Gale take over Twitter! Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth will answer your questions LIVE on @TheHungerGames' official Twitter account! Tweet your questions with #TwitterCatchingFire and follow @TheHungerGames now: https://twitter.com/TheHungerGames/ 5:00pm ET / 2:00pm PT - YAHOO/TUMBLR FIRESIDE CHAT Join Jennifer Lawrence and director Francis Lawrence in a fireside chat and Q&A on Tumblr! Ask your questions at: http://hungrgam.es/TumblrAsk 7:45pm ET / 4:45pm PT - FACEBOOK FAN EVENT Jennifer, Josh, Liam and Francis debut an EXCLUSIVE 'Catching Fire' clip launching on Facebook at 4:45pm PT! Then catch the cast's Q+A atwww.FacebookLive.com later that day. Start submitting your questions now in the comments HERE or on Instagram with #FacebookCatchingFire

It's Catching Fire Month on Teach.com

This month I'm not the only one celebrating the upcoming release of "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" movie; my friends at Teach.com are, as well. 


I'm proud (and flattered, and excited!) to partner with them to bring you engaging ideas for using the second book in Suzanne Collins' trilogy during "Catching Fire Month" on their blog.  All month you can interact on Twitter, sharing your own lessons and ideas. Find out more by clicking on the link to the article here.




Make sure you check Teach.com's website for new posts. While you are there, you can find hundreds of teaching blogs from around the world on their Teach100 list.


By the way, only 17 days until the movie! :•)

People Magazine Exclusive: Real-life Katniss and Finnick, Inspired by The Hunger Games

PEOPLE Exclusive:  Meet a Real-Life Katniss and Finnick, Inspired by The Hunger Games

(NEW YORK) - The Hunger Games fans are counting down the days until Catching Fire opens on Nov. 22, but some parents have taken their love for the characters created by writer Suzanne Collins and named their children after the trilogy’s inspiring teenagers.

Scott and Christel Koedel of Ocean Ridge, Fla., named their first-born daughter Katniss, 2, after the heroine played by Jennifer Lawrence.

“I read The Hunger Games — and loved Katniss — early on when it was an unknown teen-lit series,” Christel, 35, tells PEOPLE.  While her husband Scott, 37, didn’t read the books until his baby was six months old, he understood his wife’s choice. “Katniss is very grounded,” he says.

And like her fictional namesake, this little girl is very protective of her little sister, Kaia, 1. Christel, who’s pregnant, isn’t sure about naming her third child after another Hunger Games character but admits, “I do like Gale [who's played by Liam Hemsworth in the films].  It’s a good strong name.”

Trey Boggs, 26, of Bethlehem, Ga., explains why he and his wife, Kelsey, chose to name their 16-month-old son, Finnick, after the character played by Sam Claflin. “I’m a closet nerd,” he tells PEOPLE. “No one expects a cop to like The Hunger Games!”

But the name fits their “adventurous and independent” toddler perfectly. “He always wants to go explore,” Kelsey, 24, says. “He’s fearless,” adds Trey.

For more on Catching Fire, including interviews with Josh Hutcherson and Lenny Kravitz, pick up PEOPLE‘s Special Collector’s Issue, on newsstands now.

Catching Fire Novel & Stationery Set Giveaway ~ Celebrating the Countdown to Catching Fire

To celebrate the countdown to "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" movie release on Nov. 22, here's my next giveaway for teachers: a Catching Fire novel (movie tie-in cover) and a NECA Catching Fire Stationery Set. The stationery (or desk supply) set comes with two pencils, a pin, a pencil sharpener, a ruler, and two erasers. The best part? I will be giving away TWO of these prizes, so you have an even better chance of winning!

The movie tie-in edition of the novel features the beautiful depiction of Katniss from chapter one in District 12.

Two lucky winners will win this Catching Fire book!

The desk sets feature Katniss and Peeta and can make great prizes for students or enjoy them on your teacher desk!

I'll be giving TWO of these away, too, with the books!

Each time you share on a social media site you get additional entries, so tweet, pin, and post/share on Facebook every day for +2 entries each day. The giveaway closes in a week (winners will be announced Nov. 3rd), so enter now and enter daily! Good luck! 

Enter to win here:

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Calling All Catching Fire & Sports Fans...

Tomorrow is Catching Fire Sunday on Fox Sports. During the 5th inning of the World Series baseball game, Lions Gate Movies® will release the third and final trailer for "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire." Don't miss it!

Catching Fire Scavenger Hunt Activity - Dollar Deals Countdown

It's time for another Dollar Deal to celebrate the Catching Fire movie countdown! (Only 26 days, my friends!)

Get my Catching Fire Scavenger Hunt activity for just a dollar for the next few days. You can also still pick up my Catching Fire "What If..." Questions for a dollar. Since these are newer resources, they aren't included in my Catching Fire unit. It's a great way to get some fun add-on activities to keep your lessons fresh each year and differentiate for students. They are also fun library activities; so if you are a librarian looking for some fresh ideas for a Catching Fire movie-release party, check these out!

And don't forget to enter my giveaway for a Hunger Games movie DVD! The drawing and announcement of the winner is tomorrow.

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Catching Fire Countdown: Dollar Deals Through November!

To continue the celebration of the release of the movie Catching Fire, I will be giving great "dollar deals" on many of my Catching Fire and Hunger Games Trilogy teaching resources. 

Right now you can pick up my Catching Fire "What If" Questions for just $1! Don't miss this opportunity because it's only for a limited time!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a free Hunger Games DVD! Winner will be announced Sunday!

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Catching Fire: 30 Days and Counting Down!

On August 8, 2011, the Hunger Games fandom learned from Lionsgate® the release date for "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" movie. Eight-hundred and thirty-seven days. Or 20,088 hours. Even after "The Hunger Games" was released in March last year, we still had 609 days to wait. I remember putting the countdown on my whiteboard at school, then erasing it at day 589 because it was just too depressing.

But here we are, with just 30 days until we see Finnick, Mags, Johanna, Plutarch...all the characters we've been anxiously awaiting to meet onscreen.

To celebrate this long wait, I have some very special surprises in store for you, my readers and teacher-friends! I'll be giving away books, teaching resources, and Catching Fire-themed goodies. You can also get huge discounts on my Hunger Games trilogy (includes Catching Fire and Mockingjay) materials.

BUT, you do not have to teach the novels to enjoy the prizes. Some of my great teacher friends have collaborated with me for a special grand prize as we get closer to November 22nd. You definitely do NOT want to miss this!

To kickstart our countdown, I'm giving away a "The Hunger Games" DVD. Perfect for watching before you see "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"! Follow the directions below in the Rafflecopter Giveaway. US residents only. Winners will be announced Sunday, Oct. 27th. Good luck!

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The Starving Games...A Catching Fire Parody Coming November 8

As we wait patiently for "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," we'll be able to enjoy The Starving Games in select theaters, VOD and Digital Download November 8, 2013. 

Check out the clips on YouTube here:

The Starving Games – Master of Camouflage (featuring Maiara Walsh and Cody Christian) 

The Starving Games – The Kantmiss Fandom (featuring Brad Daugherty) 

Download hi-res art, trailer, film stills, production notes and press release here: http://bit.ly/StarvingGamesAssets

Follow The Starving Games on the following social media sites:

Youtube:  http://bit.ly/15WwlZf

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarvingGames

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_StarvingGames

Pinterest:http://pinterest.com/starvinggames

Instagram:http://instagram.com/starvinggames

Tumblr: http://starvinggamesmovie.tumblr.com/

Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/thestarvinggames

Coming Soon...30 Day Countdown to Catching Fire!

The movie premiere for "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" is almost just a month away. To celebrate, I have some BIG things planned to count down the days. If you are a teacher, you won't want to miss this!

Make sure you check back next week to get all the details. To be on the safe side, you can follow me on Google, Blogger, or BlogLovin' to keep up to date. See you soon!