Mockingjay: Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis

Katniss has just heard Haymitch’s voice coming from the studio where she’s been recording slogans for the rebel cause. The last time Katniss saw Haymitch, she was so angry with him for abandoning Peeta in the Hunger Games that she scratched his face. Hearing his voice, she leaves the studio immediately.

The narrative jumps ahead one day. Katniss explains that it takes Haymitch an entire morning to convince the rebel leaders that Katniss isn’t fit to be Mockingjay. Katniss privately agrees with Haymitch—she was only capable of making grand speeches and “working” crowds earlier because she had Peeta to help her.

Katniss explains how Haymitch convinced the rebel leaders of Katniss’s limitations. Katniss enters Command, along with Plutarch, Fulvia, Gale, and her prep team. She’s surprised to see Haymitch, along with a few people from District 12, including Greasy Sae. This is the first time Katniss has been in Haymitch’s presence, she realizes, since she scratched his face. Haymitch begins the meeting by showing everyone footage of Katniss in the studio the previous day. She seems stiff and awkward.

Haymitch asks the rebel leaders to name a single time when Katniss inspired them. Before too long, they come up with examples: when she volunteered to take her sister’s place in her first Hunger Games; when she mourned the death of Rue, a contestant in the first Hunger Games; when she saved Peeta’s life. Gale realizes what Haymitch is getting at—Katniss is at her most charismatic when she goes off-script.

Haymitch proposes that the best way for the rebels to make use of Katniss is for them to send Katniss “out in the field and keep the cameras rolling.” Plutarch seconds this idea, reasoning that they can spread word that Katniss, who is supposedly pregnant with Peeta’s child, has had a miscarriage. Coin seems to like the idea of sending Katniss out into danger, but only a small amount of danger. She suggests sending Katniss, accompanied by bodyguards, into District 8, which has been experiencing riots. There, Katniss can “test” her charisma, with a camera crew filming her actions.

With most of the rebel leaders convinced of Haymitch’s plan, Haymitch turns to Katniss herself. Katniss can’t prevent herself from saying what she’s been thinking all along: she’s furious with Haymitch for letting Peeta be captured. Haymitch replies that he can’t believe Katniss let Peeta out of her sight on the night they broke out of the arena. Katniss knew Haymitch would say this—she’s been feeling guilty about this very mistake for the past few weeks. Haymitch reminds Katniss that he’s still her mentor, and Katniss doesn’t reply. She leaves the room immediately.

Katniss goes to her room, where she washes the makeup off her body. Shortly thereafter, Beetee arrives with armor, which she’ll wear during her time “in the field.” He also supplies her with special arrows, some of which are explosive. Boggs, Coin’s strong, muscular assistant, enters the room, accompanied by Finnick. Beetee tells Finnick that he’s to have a new trident—this seems to cheer Finnick up almost immediately, and Katniss recognizes the same energy and enthusiasm in him that she first noticed at the Hunger Games.

Boggs leads Katniss to a fleet of hovercrafts. Katniss notices that Boggs seems good-natured, even if he’s also very loyal to Coin. She’s infuriated, however, to see all the hovercrafts—their existence means that District 13 had the ability to protect the other districts of Panem, and chose not to do so.

Plutarch briefs Katniss, who’s accompanied by Gale, on her mission. There are multiple wars going on between the Capitol and the 12 districts, with the exception of District 2. While there are some rebels in District 2, conditions are better, and the majority of people are loyal to the government—in fact, they even train and supply the Peacekeepers (government soldiers) that are sent throughout the rest of Panem. The rebels plan to take over the 11 rebel districts, ultimately claiming District 2 and the Capitol as well. Gale asks what kind of government the rebels will install to replace the current one. Plutarch replies that there will be a system of representative democracy, in which each District has a leader who participates in a centralized government. Katniss finds this kind of government superior to President Snow’s.

Plutarch wishes Katniss good luck on her mission. Before he returns to the rebel stronghold, he points out a small pocket on Katniss’s shoulder. This pocket, he explains, contains “nightlock,” a powerful poison that he instructs Katniss to take if she’s apprehended by the government. He notes that these pills have been dubbed “nightlock” in honor of Katniss’s threat to poison herself with nightlock berries in her first Hunger Games.