The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

With the screen adaptation of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes swiftly upon us, I thought this would be a great time to revisit the series that set the YA dystopian world on fire: The Hunger Games. And of course, it’s beastie, Buttercup the cat. Prefer to watch on YouTube? Check out this episode of Books&Beasties.

The Author:

Before she wrote The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins was a successful screenwriter for children’s television and had a complete children’s series titled the Underland Chronicles. Today, Collins continues to write. Her most recent release is the prequel installation to the wildly popular Hunger Games series: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

The Book:

A refresher for my fellow Hunger Games fans and a brief introductions for any new tributes (may the odds be ever in your favor). This gritty series takes place in a post-war civilization divided into 12 Districts run by the Capitol. Every year, each district offers up one boy and one girl as tribute to fight to the death gladiator-style in the Hunger Games as a reminder that the Capitol is in ultimate control of their fate, now and forever. For the reader, the story begins with Katniss Everdeen selflessly volunteering herself as tribute to save her sister Primrose from the death-sentence that is the Games.

The Beastie:

Buttercup the tabby cat.

There are many things I find fascinating about the role of this character, however, as always, I want to start by evaluating his name. In spite of the fact that every day is a struggle against starvation, their father is dead, and there’s a non-zero chance she may have to fight for her life in the Capitol’s annual parade of power that is the Hunger Games, Primrose named her cat Buttercup: a symbol of sunshine, happiness, and hope. And Collins thought this was important enough to include on the very first page. It’s as though right away she’s telling the reader: “hey, it’s dark in here, but if Prim can have hope, so should you.” It’s a powerful sentiment to the resilience and strength of Prim’s character (who the reader hasn’t even met yet) and instantly instills some light into the dark world of Panem.

Beyond his name, there are two main things about Buttercup that fascinate me from a writer’s perspective.

First, he isn’t our main character’s beastie. He’s a secondary character’s (arguably, Prim could even be considered a tertiary character for those first two books) beastie, which makes him…well, very low on the totem pole of cast members. AND YET, he perfectly underlines Prim’s stubborn hope and Katniss’s relentless persistence to put her family before absolutely anything else on Earth. He is the perfect example of how one well-placed animal character can round out setting, plot, and character development.

Second, Buttercup is barely featured in the entire series. And by barely, I mean for the entire first book he’s only mentioned in chapter one. In book two, Catching Fire, he’s only in the beginning. It isn’t until book three when Katniss and Prim are spending more time in the same vicinity that we see more of Buttercup and his role in Katniss’s character development comes full circle. Yet for a character that’s hardly there, Buttercup carries a TON of emotional weight.

On the very first page, Katniss admits to the reader that upon first finding Buttercup, she attempted to drown him. He was “the world’s ugliest cat” with a missing ear and wormy belly that made him just one more mouth for Katniss to feed. But because her beloved sister took a shine to him, Katniss tolerated him. She resolved to keep him alive by feeding him the entrails of whatever game she killed for her family. “Entrails. No hissing. This is the closest we will ever come to love.”

In the few chapters he is featured in book two, we see Katniss’s relationship with Buttercup has already started to evolve. Wrecked with the trauma of surviving the 74th Annual Hunger Games, Katniss finds Buttercup seeking refuge in their old home - same as herself. He graduates from entrails to tasty beaver fat, and Katniss even goes so far as to carry him back towards their new home, officially recognizing him as part of their broken little family (whether she consciously realizes it or not).

But it’s in Mockingjay that Buttercup truly shines. Prim nearly gets locked out of a bomb-bunker getting him to safety (and Katniss trying to get Prim to safety, and Gale trying to get Katniss to safety - troublesome cat, that one.) This is a classic tool many authors use to efficiently underline a character’s…well, character. Prim is willing to put herself in harm’s way to save this animal she loves like family - it adds action and tension, while also quickly reminding the reader what a GEM this person is because they will do anything for their pet. In Mockingjay, this happens to work three-fold. We are reminded of Prim’s love for Buttercup, Katniss’s love for Prim, and Gale’s love for Katniss, setting us up perfectly for impending pressure on each of those highlighted relationships. Cue Collins’s knowing smile and evil laughter. She knew exactly what she was doing. All hail the queen.

Now, this is a spoiler-free zone, so if you know you know, but if you don’t know…I’m not even sure how that’s possible considering how flooded the internet and social media is with this series. Regardless, I refuse to be the one to spoil anyone’s reading - SO, work with me and read between the lines a little on this next bit.

When the thing happens at the end of book three, Katniss returns home. In the middle of her destroyed life, there is stubborn old Buttercup, as physically mangled as she is emotionally. He’s been mauled by some wild creature, limping, and super thin - all suggesting he walked his way back to District 12. At first, Katniss is ticked - she screams and throws things at Buttercup, but it’s all misplaced hurt. Katniss has never been good at dealing with her emotions, and the fact she retains some of her flaws at the end of the series is a good thing. It’s human. It’s real. BUT, she has grown, and we see that when she wakes the next day, seeks out Buttercup, and tends his wounds. She nurses him back to health, feeds him her entire plate of bacon, and he lives out his days guarding her as she sleeps.

That’s their relationship: entrails, to beaver fat, to bacon. Hissing, to not hissing, to night guard.

It is in that moment that Katniss wholly accepts him as family. The development feels so true to life, from the stray creature that refuses to leave to the fact that family is more complicated than bloodlines and love. Sometimes we become family through a mutual connection with others. Sometimes we become family even when we’ve tried our hardest not to.

I tip my hat to Collins for this one. Buttercup and Katniss are the greatest enemies-to-besties story I’ve ever encountered and she accomplished it with a character that can’t talk and is hardly even on screen for the reader. Buttercup is a perfect example of how powerful one small character can be for an entire story, and a genuine reflection of the impact animals have on our real and fictional lives. From beginning to end, he embodies the hope.

Thank you so much for reading this breakdown of Buttercup! I am so glad The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes inspired me to revisit this amazing series and character. If you have thoughts or comments or just want to share your love of Buttercup my inbox is always open - I would love to hear from you!

Until next time…