Catching Fire Essay In many books, the title almost has a major place within the book or novel. In Catching Fire the title can be associated not only as a concrete part of the book, but also as a major catalyst to many themes within the novel. Unlike many other novels the title is more of an idea than physical objects in the book. Three major themes that the idea of catching fire can be associated with are: rebellion, appearance, and love. Not only in catching fire, but in the whole Hunger Games trilogy, rebellion is a major theme within the novels. Catching fire can be associated with the theme “rebellion” because the rebellion is waiting to start and just like a match, once something sparks it, it can grow into an inferno and cause devastation. The concept that something so large can be dangerous just by the motivation to be inspired causes Suzanne Collins to use the words catching fire as the background for this theme. President Snow feared that Katniss would be the spark the revolution needed to begin as he tells her “you have provided a spark which left unattended may grow into an inferno.” What Snow failed to realize was that the rebellion had already begun, but at this time it was just the spark that he said. By the end of the novel the rebellion had caught fire and began to destroy everything in its path. Catching fire is associated with the theme of appearance through the novel. The first time that it is used with this theme is the ceremony where the tributes ride in on the chariots. Like the first novel, Katniss and Peeta both use the flames that Cinna came up with as the idea for their costumes. Another way that catching fire is associated with the theme of appearance is Katniss’ interview with Caesar Flickerman. She originally was in her fake wedding gown, and when asked if she could twirl to show off her flames again, the dress burns away. She is left in her mockingjay outfit, which causes the audience to go crazy. This is very symbolic as it shows that Katniss was just an ordinary person before any of these events happened to her. Through her events in the hunger games, she has caught fire and become the mockingjay that would lead the districts out of their grueling lives in Panem and become free as their ancestors once were. The title Catching Fire is also associated with the theme of love in the novel. Katniss and Peeta’s’ love for each other begins to grow and catches fire throughout the novel. Katniss, who once loved Peeta in the Arena, although she did not know it, has become unassociated with Peeta after the 74th Hunger Games. She somewhat dislikes him at the beginning of the novel and rarely talks to him. The first time the two communicate with each other, is when they are forced to by the capital. After their interview the awkwardness between the two is almost unbearable. Eventually the two begin to communicate as friends again when Katniss has a panic attack on the train and Peeta tries to calm her down. Their love begins to grow as Peeta sleeps with Katniss so that she has someone to comfort her when she has her nightmares during the Victory Tour. Eventually they become good friends again, and Katniss’ love for Peeta is truly shown when she fears that he has died from the force field around the arena. She breaks down and starts crying on his chest while Finnick tries to revive Peeta. Though she never says it, this is clear that she loves Peeta and she would not know what to do without him. The name catching fire was an excellent title for this novel. It is associated with almost every major theme in the novel, and is a major theme itself. The novel would not have as much meaning if it did not have the same name. The idea of catching fire added to the novel in so many ways it would be hard for it to be the same without it. Catching Fire was a great idea as the name for the book and it truly had a deeper meaning after reading the novel than before it.