Traveling toward Red's cabin, Tom becomes unable even to remain awake atop his horse. This new fourth part of the novel, entitled "The Arena," marks yet another phase in Tom's life.
Tom will train to become a bronco rider and will ride for the majority of his life. Despite his skill at this profession, however, he still remains largely powerless in determining his own fate. Just as teachers and bosses had previously exerted their positions of authority over him, Red similarly demands that he obey his every word.
In addition, once again Tom must dedicate his own abilities and efforts to the profit of others. Just as the school had sold his handmade bridle to the Bayfield store for a hefty sum, Red uses Tom's skills to earn betters' money.
Understandably, Tom's lack of control and agency results in his frustration and misery. In this part of the novel, we first gain an in-depth perspective on Red's character. Underhanded, greedy, and selfish, Red manipulates Tom by forcing him to ride in ways that he would not normally ride, for the sole purpose of winning gambles.
Aware that Tom needs him, to instruct him, provide him with horses to ride, and to feed and house him, Red takes advantage of his position to exploit the boy. When Tom experiences the disillusionment of the competition at Aztec, he begins to bitterly resent Red and his selfish ends. These feelings will recur throughout his time with Red.
In the passage describing their journey from Aztec back to Red's home, Borland draws a particularly vivid picture of their distinct states of mind. While Tom sits low in the saddle, dejected, ill, and ashamed, Red "exults" in his victory. Tom resents this celebratory behavior, for his definition of victory differs from Red's. Tom will never feel as though he has won a competition unless he has truly won, while Red defines a victory as a won gamble.
Peeta emerges from some brush with berries in hand. Katniss yells at him for not answering her call and for eating some of their food while she was away because she notices that some of the cheese is gone from their pile. Peeta says he didn't eat the food, but offers some berries.
Katniss examines them and as she does, she recalls her father's words about these berries. They are nightlock and extremely poisonous. Just then, a cannon sounds and they see Foxface lifted by a hovercraft. Katniss explains to Peeta that Foxface is his kill, that she stole some of their food and poisoned herself with the nightlock. Katniss is finding it increasingly difficult to hide her emotions from the audience. She must constantly remember to act as a brave tribute should, showing no remorse for the deaths of her opponents.
Just as she has always had to mask her hatred for the Capitol, she must also mask her hatred for the Games and for all they do to destroy the lives of these tributes and their families.
She considers, too, what the Games must do to its victors. For the first time, she imagines how hard it must be for Haymitch to go through the pain of the Games and of losing his tributes each year. He has never married and doesn't have any children.
His is a lonely life, and the reader is led to believe that many of his problems, including his drinking, are results of his Hunger Games victory. Katniss worries that she will end up that way, too.
Just as Peeta wanted to remain true to his identity during the Games, Katniss wants to make sure she remains true to her identity afterward. They are all sad and stunned. Their little group is shrinking. They have to keep moving, though, so they decide to go back to the starting point of the clock. The problem is, they don't know where that is, exactly.
The team is at a disadvantage because everything they do and say is recorded, so the Gamemakers can adjust the game and make it harder as the tributes make discoveries about it. They don't know what to do, so they just go back to the forested area. Finnick and Katniss go get water while Johanna and Peeta work on making another drawing of the clock and stay with Beetee, who's still weak.
Katniss is confused because everyone around her seems to be trying to help Peeta. This is a weird thing to see in the arena, where each person is supposed to be out for him or herself. She feels like there's something she doesn't understand, but what? Katniss and Finnick are getting water from a tree when something terrible happens.
They hear tortured screaming from close by: it's Katniss' sister, Prim. What's Up With the Ending? Tired of ads? Join today and never see them again. Get started.
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