The Boy With The Bread – Peeta Mellark’s Journey

The Hunger Games trilogy is told to us through Katniss’ perspective, so we don’t get a lot of insight into Peeta’s thoughts other than through what he says and does. It’s all coloured by Katniss’ own thoughts and feelings, which aren’t always reliable. Still, Peeta goes on a long and equally painful journey. There are very mild spoilers for Sunrise on the Reaping, basically just names of parents of the trilogy’s main characters.

First Crush

Peeta notices Katniss very early on when they are starting school at five years old. Otho Mellark, Peeta’s father, points her out to him. He mentions how he wanted to marry Katniss’ mother but she ran off with a coal miner, Burdock Everdeen. He explains to Peeta that when Burdock sang, all the birds stopped to listen to him.

During music class, Katniss sings a song to her class. Peeta noticed that the birds stopped to listen to her voice as well. He develops a crush on her, but never works up the courage to go and speak to her. They don’t even talk until the day of the Reaping when they go into the Games together. It’s a sweet, innocent little moment, that it was her singing that made Peeta take notice of her.

The Bread

This is a key moment for both Katniss and Peeta. After Burdock’s death in the mine explosion, Asterid falls into a deep depression and stops taking care of herself and her daughters. Katniss becomes desperate when the money runs out and ends up in the merchant part of town, searching the rubbish bins for anything she can use to feed her family.

Katniss is chased off by Peeta’s mother. She collapses against an old apple tree in the rain, too weak to keep going. Peeta drops two loaves into the fire, and his mother hits him for his clumsiness and orders him to give the burnt bread to the pig.

Peeta does this, but when his mother goes to help a customer, he throws the bread to Katniss. It is very likely that Peeta burnt the bread on purpose, to be able to give it to Katniss. It’s hearty bread with fruit and nuts in it, which will add calories and nutrients. He risks further abuse from his mother in order to help Katniss: his kindness, compassion and willingness to sacrifice himself is evident here.

The next day at school, their eyes meet but they don’t talk. Katniss drops her gaze and sees the first dandelion of the year. This little yellow flower reminds her of what her father had been teaching her, and she realises she knows how to survive this.

The dandelion is very symbolic of this hopeful moment where Katniss realises all is not lost. It reminds her of her father, and of Peeta’s help. Interesting side note is that Asterid is a clade of plants that include the dandelion. Burdock is also a related plant, and in the UK we have a drink called dandelion and burdock - it's a kind of root beer or sarsaparilla kind of drink. So Katniss’ parents are related to that dandelion, the hope, compassion and love she needs. And Peeta’s now associated with that symbol too.

Peeta might not be aware of how important this moment was to Katniss and her family. But we see his nature demonstrated very well here. He clearly doesn’t have a perfect home life, his mother hit him such that he had a black eye the next day. So she’s clearly abusive, even though his father seems to be very kind and caring too. Mr Mellark visits Katniss to say goodbye and promises her family will not starve if she dies.

The Reaping

Peeta is understandably shocked and scared to be picked in the Reaping. It’s rare for any kid in the merchant class to be reaped because they don’t claim tesserae so have much fewer entries than kids from the Seam. His mother tells him that she thinks 12 will finally have a Victor they can take pride in.

Except, she means Katniss. Not him. Which has to be a horrible thing to hear from your own mother. That she’s expecting him to die and has already written him off. He has very little confidence that he can survive the Games.

Even so, he confronts Haymitch first about giving them proper help and preparation. He also handles the public facing stuff well, waving from the train and everything. He’s got a way with words, he’s charismatic and easy to talk to. Easy to like too.

Haymitch pushes them to show a united front during training, showing that they are friends and will be together in all of this. Katniss tries to keep him at arms length, she struggles to trust him and doesn’t know how much of what he says is genuine. She’s hurt when he asks to be coached alone for the interview with Caesar Flickerman.

We find out why, when he has his interview. As the boy from 12, his is the last interview. He establishes a rapport very easily with the host, making jokes and talking. He confesses his love for Katniss on live TV, shocking her completely. She is angry about this, about finding out like this and she wants to know what game he’s playing. She thinks it’s a strategy, but we can see as time goes on that his feelings for her are genuine. He’s not faking it. But Katniss takes a long time to see the truth.

Their talk on the roof is significant. Katniss apologises for hurting him and they talk about the Games. Peeta expresses a wish, that he wants to die as himself and not let the situation and the Capital change who he really is. His goal is to protect Katniss and help her survive. Even if it means he dies.

The Arena

Once they’re in the arena, Katniss is alone for most of the early days. She’s horrified to find Peeta with the Career Pack. They’re using him to find Katniss, while Peeta’s trying to protect her from them. Katniss obviously doesn’t know that, but he helps her by urging her to run after the tracker jacker nest. He faces off against Cato, buying Katniss time to escape, sustaining a major injury from Cato’s sword.

So again, Peeta is risking himself, taking an injury in order to save Katniss’ life. She comments a few times about how she’ll never stop owing Peeta for saving her life. He doesn’t expect her to repay anything though. He’s not doing it for a reciprocal agreement, he holds nothing over her. He just cares and wants to help her.

When they’re in the cave, they play up the ‘star-crossed lovers’ angle a lot. Katniss assumes its all a strategy. Haymitch is encouraging this as well, via the sponsor gifts he sends and when he sends them. Katniss understands these subtle messages from Haymitch, Peeta is unaware of them as he gets no sponsor gifts until he joins up with Katniss. Haymitch chose her to support, because he also believed Peeta wouldn’t be able to survive the arena.

There is one time where she feels something. After Peeta’s sepsis is treated and Katniss has recovered from her head wound. They kiss and she feels something stirring in her chest, wanting more and starting to feel something for him. That she’s not thinking about the sponsors or what Haymitch would want. Proof that it’s not all about acting, for her. While Peeta doesn’t really need to act, because he knows his feelings and they’re real.

Finale of the Games

During the ending, the battle with Cato after evading the mutts, Peeta exhibits some impressive tactical thinking. He’s clever, and even under duress, when Cato has him in a headlock, he signals to her instead of fighting him off.

He has a serious leg wound which is bleeding so Katniss makes a tourniquet to stop the bleeding and keep him alive. But when they announce that they’ve revoked the rule change about two victors from the same district, he’s quick to ask Katniss to let him die so she can go home. He even removes the bandage to try and bleed out. He wants to save her.

Katniss doesn’t want to kill him or let him die. They argue and Peeta says it’s what he wants. The Games have to have a Victor. Katniss doesn’t fully understand her choice here but she proposes the suicide pact and Peeta doesn’t argue. It seems unlikely either of them are truly thinking of a full scale rebellion, but they are thinking about not letting the Games control them. Which is what Peet said he wanted in the end.

After it’s all over, Katniss gets a heads up that there is unrest in the districts after what she did. She has to be very careful. On the train home, when it stops for fuel, Katniss and Peeta take a walk along the tracks to talk out of earshot. Haymitch mentions they need to keep it up until their homecoming, which alerts Peeta to the fact that she maybe hasn’t been as genuine in her feelings for him as he thought.

Peeta is obviously very hurt and heartbroken to learn that she was executing a strategy. She admits she doesn’t fully know how much of it was real and that she’s growing more confused, the closer they get to home. Katniss wants to tell him he’s being unfair to her, holding her to everything that happened in the games. He obviously feels betrayed by both Katniss and Haymitch in this moment, he’s left in the dark about what’s going on.

Peeta is a good soul, but he’s not perfect, and being strung along like that has to hurt when his feelings are all real. He’s steady and warm, the kind of person that is easy to like. But Katniss doesn’t feel like she can give him the future he would want. Neither of them are great at communicating with each other. Yet, Peeta doesn’t risk anyone finding out the truth, he still plays his part for the public. He knows it could lead to harm for Katniss.

Victory Tour

After they return to 12, they basically avoid each other even though they’re now neighbours in the Victor’s Village. Yet when the Tour begins, Peeta still keeps up appearances for the cameras and the public.

They eventually talk, after Katniss snaps at Effie and storms off. Peeta goes to her, and they agree to at least try to be friends with each other. They help each other cope with their shared trauma, Peeta starts sleeping beside her because of her nightmares.

It’s only after the old man is executed in District 11 that she reveals what Snow has told her. They have to convince everyone about their love story to pacify the districts. Peeta is angry, because he would have taken a different approach to their speech if he knew. He feels left out, like they don’t trust him to do the right thing. It’s understandable, really. He feels they should be able to trust him to say and do the right things, to avoid making matters worse.

During this tour, they agree that an engagement in public might be the way to go. Peeta proposes during an interview with Caesar Flickerman. He’s not happy with this idea, because it’s not a genuine proposal, it’s all for appearances sake. It’s clearly not how he would want to do things, even though he obviously hoped that marrying Katniss was in his future somewhere.

There's obviously a bit of jealousy around Gale, on both sides. Gale is also making a bid for Katniss, and it puts both of them at odds. Yet, when Gale is whipped for illegal hunting by the new Head Peacekeeper, Peeta is quick to intervene and help care for Gale’s wounds. He helps, because he cares about people. He cares about Katniss and her happiness, even if she was to find it with Gale and not him.

The Third Quarter Quell

After the announcement, of course, everyone knows that Katniss is going in. She’s the only living female Victor from 12. He is determined to be prepared for this Hunger Games. He forces both Haymitch and Katniss to stop drinking alcohol and insists that they start training like the Careers do. So no matter what, they can help Katniss survive.

He volunteers when Haymitch is reaped, because he wants to stay at Katniss’ side and save her. They study the other Victors they’ll be facing so they are as ready as they can be. When it comes to making allies, Peeta is the most approachable. Although he doesn’t seem impressed with Katniss’ choices, because they’re not strong combatants.

Yet, there’s still protesting going on. When Peeta has his private evaluation, he pains Rue with the flowers around her after she died. To hold the Gamemakers accountable for her death. This prompts Katniss to do something similar, by ‘hanging’ Seneca Crane. So they’re still rebelling a little, despite knowing nothing about the plan to get them out.

The Baby

During the final interview, all of the tributes are saying what they can to try and get the Games cancelled. Of course, like the previous year, Peeta is last and blows everything else out of the water. It’s spectacular, when he mentions the baby, the fake pregnancy.

The Capitol audience is outraged to learnt hat Katniss is being sent into the arena while pregnant, and they start calling for it to be cancelled. Interestingly, they don’t seem to care about children fighting to the death but they draw the line at a pregnant woman.

It’s a genius move on Peeta’s part. Again, it’s a move that is largely about saving lives, saving Katniss’ life but could also be interpreted as rebellious. President Snow obviously wants them all dead so the show must go on!

The Clock Arena

Peeta almost dies with the forcefield, and Finnick saves him. Katniss is genuinely distressed, so we know she genuinely cares for him. But she begins to notice that their allies are doing their best to keep her and Peeta alive. She later learns that the rebels knew if Peeta died, Katniss would never stick with an alliance. So they must keep him alive.

All the while, Peeta is only focusing on protecting Katniss. That’s his goal. They share a sweet moment when he find the pearl in the oyster and gives it to her. He also has a locket with photos of her family and Gale in it. He gives it to her, and tells Katniss that nobody needs him. If he died, it wouldn’t matter to anyone.

Katniss tells him she needs him. And she means it. She might not be at the ‘love’ stage, but she knows that Peeta needs to be by her side. A kiss follows this, a genuine one where nobody is playing things up for the cameras.

When they are separated and it all goes to hell, Peeta tries to get back to Katniss. He sees Brutus kill Chaff, and kills Brutus in turn. This is the first time that we know Peeta killed someone directly and intentionally. Still, he’s left behind to the mercy of the Capitol.

Interviews With Caesar

As the rebellion grows, we only see Peeta via broadcasted interviews on television. The first one, he’s adamantly defending both himself and Katniss. They had no idea of the rebel’s plans, they were just trying to survive the arena again. He calls for a ceasefire. At this point, he’s alive and well, and seems like himself according to Katniss.

The next interview, Katniss sees from the hospital with Finnick. Nobody else knows she sees it. Peeta looks thinner and looks unwell. He warns Katniss that the rebels are just using her and she can’t trust them. She’s obviously concerned they are torturing him. Hurting him.

The third interview is with President Snow and Peeta looks even worse. His eyes are ‘angry and unfocused’ and he seems to be fighting some internal battle. He manages to get out a warning that District 13 will be dead by morning. Beetee is fighting for the airwaves so the broadcast is interrupted by the rebels own clips.

They still see Peeta being beaten, his blood splattering the camera lens. Haymitch and Katniss confirm he’s warning them, and this does save lives as 13 has time to respond and go deeper underground to survive the bombing. He’s still trying to save her at this point, but the Capitol are clearly using him to unhinge Katniss, and it’s working.

Hijacking

When Peeta is rescued, he tries to kill Katniss the moment he sees her. He’s unstable, believing Katniss is a threat and will destroy him. They realise he’s been ‘hijacked’, a method of fear conditioning using the Tracker jacker venom to alter his perception of his memories.

He takes a long time to begin to recover from this, with many relapses and difficult moments. He’s been through hell, and struggles to tell what’s true. Katniss struggles with this, and avoids him as much as she can.

There are still occasional flashes of the old Peeta, and he manages to decorate the wedding cake for Finnick and Annie. This helps him, perhaps something familiar and methodical helps him stay calm and remember who he is.

Real or Not Real

When Peeta is sent to join the squad in the Capitol, Katniss believes it is a plot to kill her. It definitely could be a plot from President Coin to kill her. Katniss rejects him, saying he’s not Peeta any more, but a Capitol mutt.

Eventually they devise a game to help Peeta sort out his memories. Finnick starts it, by suggesting Peeta ask if something is true or not, like Annie does. They do their best to answer all his questions, but the ones Katniss needs to answer are complicated and painful.

Peeta still has violent outbursts when stressed, which unfortunately leads to him trying to kill Katniss again. He ends up killing Mitchell, knocking him into one of the pod traps. After this, he begs to be killed or be given a nightlock pill.

The next time, when they are fleeing from the mutts, he breaks down and Katniss kisses him and asks him to hang on and stay with her. This works and he is determined to push on. He lets her go off with Gale, as she intends to assassinate Snow. He manages to survive the taking of the Capitol.

At the meeting with the surviving Victors, Peeta immediately rejects the idea of another Hunger games. He urges Haymitch to say no, when he has the deciding vote. He’s obviously not aware of Katniss’ reason for agreeing, but Haymitch understands her.

After Coin’s death and Katniss’ trial, she is sent back to 12 with Haymitch. A few months later, Peeta is sent home. He had intensive psychological care, and couldn’t come home until he was discharged. Katniss is in a deep depression, having not changed her clothes for weeks or bathed. She finds him planting primroses around her house in honour of her sister.

After this, Katniss begins to take care of herself again. Peeta’s kindness and compassion once again saves her life. This is the difference between him and Gale. Gale is too much like Katniss, all fire and anger. Peeta is steady, representing hope and rebirth for Katniss.

They begin writing a memorial book about their experiences, with Peeta adding drawings of people they don’t have a photograph of. They fall in love for real this time, as Katniss realises this was the only way it could have been. Peeta is the one who is right for her. He helps soothe her nightmares, she helps him with his flashbacks. Finally, he asks her this one question:

“You love me. Real or not real.”

Katniss answers: “Real.”

Epilogue

It takes a long time, but eventually Katniss agrees to have children with Peeta. They will tell their children about their story, show them the book. Haymitch eventually agrees to share his story and everything that happened.

Peeta is inherently a good person. He’s kind and compassionate, despite coming from a difficult home life. His mother was abusive, and they didn’t eat as well as Katniss believed, usually only what was too stale to sell. He clearly takes after his father who shows kindness to Katniss and her family.

He goes through hell, the same as Katniss and all those who participated in the Hunger Games. Even with the hijacking, they don’t manage to squash who he really is. He’s flawed, he can have angry outbursts at times and he can be a bit gullible. His kind nature would be easy to take advantage of.

He’s clever though, and he has the charisma and social skills to navigate all kinds of situations. He understands how to keep up appearances for the public. He maybe doesn’t ever think of himself as a rebel, but he has a little of that in him. His painting of Rue, his determination not to be just a piece in their Games.

He’s motivated by love, and eventually is rewarded for it. He got everything he wanted in the end, but had to go through literal hell to get it. He’s still scarred, mentally and physically, with a prosthetic leg and all. But so is Katniss, and he counters her fire. He keeps her steady.

Peeta is the only District 12 victor who was reaped as normal, and he’s unique among them as he has only made one deliberate kill. Brutus is the one Peeta killed intentionally. The others are different. The female District 8 tribute he checked on, we don’t know if he actually did anything to kill her. Foxface was probably accidental as he didn’t know the nightlock berries were poisonous. Mitchell was an accident while he was out of his mind from the Hijacking. Katniss, Haymitch, Finnick and Johanna have all killed more people on purpose.