Notes

Suspense 1:

“So, I’ll be in a coal miner outfit?” I ask, hoping it won’t be
indecent.

“Not exactly. You see, Portia and I think that coal miner
thing’s very overdone. No one will remember you in that. And
we both see it as our job to make the District Twelve tributes
unforgettable,” says Cinna.

I’ll be naked for sure, I think.

“So rather than focus on the coal mining itself, we’re going
to focus on the coal,” says Cinna.

Naked and covered in black dust, I think.

“And what do we do with coal? We burn it,” says Cinna. “You’re not afraid of fire, are you, Katniss?”


In this segment of Chapter 5, we witness the employment of suspense through a misconstruction. In the discourse, Cinna converses regarding the habiliment he intends for Katniss to don during the inaugural ceremony. Given Katniss's familiarity with the stylists from preceding years and the attire fashioned for District 12, she construes Cinna's words in an alternate manner. This ambiguity regarding her forthcoming attire ensnares both readers and Katniss in disquietude with each utterance from Cinna. The denouement transpires subsequent to Cinna's utterance concerning the incineration of coal, concluding the disquiet and misapprehension.


Shock 1:

“I’m sure they didn’t notice anything but you. You should
wear flames more often,” he says. “They suit you.” And then he
gives me a smile that seems so genuinely sweet with just the
right touch of shyness that unexpected warmth rushes through
me.

A warning bell goes off in my head. Don’t be so stupid.
Peeta is planning how to kill you, I remind myself. He is luring
you in to make you easy prey. The more likable he is, the more
deadly he is.

But because two can play at this game, I stand on tiptoe and
kiss his cheek. Right on his bruise.

In this concluding segment of Chapter 5, an unforeseen astonishment unfolds. Preceding this colloquy, Peeta and Katniss had clasped hands to secure sponsors during the inaugural ceremony. While there had been a proximity between two tributes during the ceremony, Katniss's ruminations had led readers to believe that a kiss with Peeta was inconceivable. A sudden jolt is crafted at this juncture, seizing the readers' focus by enkindling an unexpected amorous moment.

Shock 2:

…“What makes it burn? Is it alcohol?” I say,
looking up at the girl. “That’s the last thing I wa — oh! I know
you!”

In this segment of Chapter 6, amid the repast orchestrated for devising strategies, an element of astonishment is introduced. Both the readers and Katniss remain in ignorance regarding Avoxes and the potential encounter with a countenance familiar yet distant from her own district. The quintessence of this startling factor lies in the lack of awareness, as both readers and Katniss share the experience of the narrative with an equal dearth of information. The utilization of this shock mechanism serves to instill suspense, laying the groundwork for subsequent developments in the storyline.

Suspense 2:
I can’t place a name or time to the girl’s face. But I’m
certain of it. … I know some bad memory is associated
with her.

“...Suddenly all the birds stopped singing
at once. Except one. As if it were giving a warning call. And then
we saw her. I’m sure it was the same girl. A boy was with her.
Their clothes were tattered. They had dark circles under their
eyes from no sleep. They were running as if their lives depended
on it,” I say.

But I’m certain he was
dead. We heard the girl scream once. The boy’s name, I think.

“...She’d locked eyes with
me and called out for help. But neither Gale or I had responded…”

In the passages extracted from Chapter 6, a singular suspenseful element unfolds, meticulously dispersed throughout the chapter. Katniss recollects an encounter with a girl in the woods, initiating a gradual revelation for the readers. As the chapter progresses, tidbits of information about the girl and the incident are incrementally unveiled, elucidating the cause of Katniss's deep concern. The contemplation of this girl induces profound unease in Katniss, thereby prompting readers to anticipate forthcoming revelations or explanations regarding the preceding events. The pervasive uncertainty, prevalent from the chapter's inception, gradually begins to dissipate as Katniss engages in a discourse with Peeta, providing resolution to the prevailing enigma.