CATCHING FIRE Digital Reading Party discussion

What is more harmful to the players in this Game— the physical traumas like the fog and blood rain or the emotional trauma of hearing the jabberjays?

It certainly seems that in the Quarter Quell, it's the emotional trauma that's harder. If I were in Katniss's position, I don't know what I would do.

I always say words are worse than actions, they're harder to forget. So I think the emotional trauma is worse, like when Katnis wanted pain meds for herself because she can't handle seeing Gale or any other loved ones in pain.

I think the JabberJays are the worst because it's like their worst nightmares (the torture and death of their loved ones) that causes all the tributes and victors to play along with Pres. Snow and the Capitol. When Finnick and Katniss emerge from the section with the Jabberjays, it's psychological and emotional trauma. The fog and blood rain is physical and a bit psychological. You can heal your body from the sores or wash the blood away. You can't heal or wash out the sounds of your loved ones' screams.

Hands down the emotional trauma. No argue there. With physical damage, the body can recover, it can heal. The mind is more resilient, and it takes a longer time to heal emotional scars. Sometimes, they dont get healed at all. Nothing shook Katniss more than hearing her little sister yelling. To me this is such a powerful scene, I can't begin to imagine how that must feel.