CATCHING FIRE Digital Reading Party discussion

Do you think Katniss or Peeta is most important to the rebellion?

My immediate reaction is to say that Katniss is, hands down, the most important to the rebellion. Then again, because Peeta is important to her, he is also important to the rebellion.

When I read The Hunger Games for the first time I was in love with Peeta. But after seeing the movie, reading Catching Fire and Mockingjay and then RE-READING the entire series again I can't help but feel like he's dead weight.

Is he a good person? Yes. Is he good for Katniss? Absolutely. Do I like him? Of course! But does he play a vital role in the rebellion? Not so much.

Both have the skills to lend to the rebellion. Katniss is an unconsciously enigmatic symbol of rebellion. Everything she does instinctively is counter-Capitol. Peeta is the word-smith and the charismatic leader type. He is able to move people with his words and presence. Put the two together and you have an unstoppable force. It is obvious that Katniss recognizes her value is as a symbol of rebellion and she would be worth more dead and used as a martyr to spur on rebellion. Peeta would be able to move the nation to rebellion with his words and leadership skills.

It's hard to say who is more vital to the rebellion. I think they both have qualities needed to not only start a rebellion but to carry on with it. Katniss has always been a person of actions but when it came to conveying a message to a crowd by words, she was useless. That's when Peeta comes in. Like Katniss states in the book he was such a clever person using words. To me that's another reason President Snow hijacked Peeta, he took that away from him. I always wondered if the rebellion would've turned out differently had Peeta and Katniss been together, working as a team.