The Most Memorable Quotes in The Hunger Games Franchise (2024)

As a franchise based on a book series, it's no surprise that The Hunger Games is full of notable quotes. Author Suzanne Collins worked as a television screenwriter before penning the bestselling novels, and her ear for dialogue helps her construct the story's eerily plausible totalitarian future. The films do a terrific job of adapting her voice for the big screen and retain the memorable nature of her lines. Some became memes, such as Effie Trinket's "That is mahogany!" or Katniss Everdeen's "I volunteer as tribute," while others are more emblematic of the franchise itself, like "May the odds be ever in your favor" or "Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever."

Regardless of why they're remembered, many popular Hunger Games quotes have much more to say than what's on the surface. The story has a good deal to say about human nature, politics, and our capacity for violence, as well as the way the media can shape our reality in profoundly disturbing ways. In the end, it's the best quotations from both the novels and the movie adaptations that carry deeper meanings than the audience might think.

Updated by Fawzia Khan on June 11th, 2024: Suzanne Collins, writer and creator of the Hunger Games franchise, has announced her new book, Sunrise on the Reaping, which promises to delve into the 50th Hunger Games, which happen to be the one that Haymitch was a part of. As fans gear up for the release, which is only on November 20, 2026, they can read through more of the best quotes from the entire series.

25 "I Volunteer! I Volunteer As Tribute!"

Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games

When the District 12 reaping takes place in The Hunger Games, Katniss' emphatic cries when she volunteers to be a tribute in place of her little sister Prim sets the entire plot in motion. Katniss may have uttered these words in absolute desperation, but they offered a clear look into her courage and honesty, which ended up heavy on the Capitol.

This quote showed how unafraid Katniss was of the norm, which was what she challenged in the Games later on. It is one of the most iconic lines from The Hunger Games franchise, often used in pop culture, but deeply significant of the rebellion that was to come in the first film.

24 "If I'm Going To Die, I Want To Still Be Me."

Peeta Mellark, The Hunger Games

While Katniss was the flagbearer of revolution in The Hunger Games, Peeta was the character who reminded everyone, including himself, to stay true to their roots. He was a gentle, noble soul who understood the stakes, but still wished to not lose himself in the process of rebelling against oppressive powers.

This quote also proved to be an eerie foreshadowing of Peeta's fate, as there comes a time when he is turned against everyone and everything he loves by the Capitol. Still, he returns and fights beside Katniss, which only shows the strength of his convictions, right from a young age in the first installment of The Hunger Games.

23 "A Little Hope Is Effective..."

President Snow, The Hunger Games

President Snow was a slippery character, and this quote showed just how aware he was of what was happening in Panem, and how much of it had been orchestrated by him. Politics came naturally to Snow, and he knew how to keep the masses under his control. In his conversation with Seneca, he gives away his play when he talks about how he manipulates people as their ruler.

President Snow gave the Districts and their people the illusion of hope, which did not threaten him. However, when hope grew, like it did when Katniss took a stand, hope could turn dangerous but only for him. His lust for power was truly unimaginable.

22 "I Do. I Need You."

Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Romance may not have been the central focus of Suzanne Collins' series, but it was a valuable subplot that kept fans hooked. Gale and Peeta were Katniss' potential love interests, each with their own fan base. While Peeta and Katniss only paired up and faked their relationship to make it out of the Games alive, their love grew in reality too.

Katniss stayed a bit aloof, so it was heartwarming to hear her admission that Peeta was important to her as well, and that the affections were reciprocated. Their love evolved in a natural and beautiful way, and managed to surpass all the hurdles thrown across their path.

21 "...Kill You, Kiss You, Or Be You."

Effie Trinket, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Effie Trinket was responsible for coaching, grooming, and creating a narrative of sorts for Katniss and Peeta, and this quote proved that she knew what she was doing. Her extensive making over and preening of the two tributes may seem shallow, but it was this training that made audiences warm up to the couple.

She was correct in her assessment, as Katniss and Peeta became the objects of love, envy, hate, admiration, and inspiration throughout Panem. This was the turning point of their lives, and only Effie knew how much her public relation building was going to affect the nation at the start. Katniss and Peeta had no idea.

20 "Stupid People Are Dangerous."

Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games

In the first Hunger Games book, Katniss makes this statement after an unwitting nearby tribute makes a campfire that draws unwanted attention to their location. Despite not even knowing that Katniss is there in the trees, the other tribute is putting Katniss's life and their own in danger with their short-sighted thinking.

It may seem like a harsh sentiment, but considering they're in a fight for survival, Katniss has a right to be angry. Darwinism prevails in the Games themselves, and any mistake can be fatal. That tribute likely doesn't have Katniss's hunting experience or a good mentor like Haymitch, who has plenty of iconic quotes of his own. Unfortunately, this mistake costs that tribute their life, and it could've taken Katniss's, too, if she weren't as experienced.

19 "Try Not To Look Down On People..."

Tigris Snow, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes explores Coriolanus Snow's descent into villainy, but it also reveals that Tigris, the former stylist turned rebel in Mockingjay - Part 2, was actually his close cousin. Tigris serves as a moral center for her cousin, encouraging him to be empathetic toward Panem's district citizens. That includes her advice not to judge those who've been forced to make a difficult choice under dire circ*mstances, which opens the door to his all-important relationship with Lucy Gray Baird.

While the movie adaptation of the Hunger Games prequel gives a version of this line to Coryo, it makes more sense coming from Tigris. As book fans know, Tigris has done things she wasn't proud of in order to keep her family afloat and can more readily empathize with the tributes. This quote cements her as one of the most ethical characters in the Capitol: putting herself in other people's shoes and trying to act on their behalf accordingly.

18 "Because When He Sings... Even The Birds Stop To Listen."

Peeta Mellark, The Hunger Games

When Peeta recounts the story of how he first fell in love with Katniss in The Hunger Games, he explains that his father, the baker, had originally wanted to marry Katniss's mother. Unfortunately for him, she was swept off her feet by Mr. Everdeen and his beautiful singing voice. On their first day of school, Katniss sang a song in class, and like Mrs. Everdeen before him, Peeta was instantly smitten.

Music plays an integral role in the rebellion, with Katniss' rendition of "The Hanging Tree" becoming a call to arms for the Districts. Katniss herself adopts the moniker of "The Mockingjay" during the rebellion against the Capitol, and the (fictional) birds' distinctive cry has become a de facto theme for the franchise as a whole. Politics aside, the idea that Katniss first caught Peeta's attention the same way that her father captured her mother's heart is a sweet detail in their turbulent love story: emphasizing that Peeta loved her long before most of Panem even knew her name. It's a shame such a poetic line didn't make it into the film.

17 "You've No Right To Starve People..."

Sejanus Plinth, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Sejanus Plinth is one of the only people in the Capitol who acknowledges the Hunger Games for what they are. He tries to make the most of his position and get his assigned tribute, Marcus, through the battle royale in one piece, but things get complicated after Marcus escapes the Capitol's custody and is recaptured. Sejanus reaches a breaking point when the Gamemakers string up Marcus in the arena, leading to this passionate outburst.

Although even Coryo himself grapples with what he's doing as a mentor and the concept of the Games, Sejanus actively opposes the horrible event. This rebuke feels like a long time coming, and it's cathartic to see someone give the Capitol the verbal take-down it deserves. Much of Sejanus's speech is cut from the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie, but his humanity is still on full display in this moment. It's also a dark reminder of how realpolitik works in The Hunger Games. For all his justified moral outrage, Sejanus can do nothing to actually halt the Games: leaving him screaming into the void.

16 "He Can't Hurt Me. There's No One Left That I Love."

Johanna Mason, Catching Fire

Catching Fire introduces fans to Johanna Mason, a victor from District 7 who's reaped for the third Quarter Quell. She's more open with her true feelings about the Capitol than the others, and her explanation, quoted here from the movie but derived from the book, is as tragic as it is powerful. Winning the Hunger Games is far more prison sentence than reward, and Johanna's trauma in the Games themselves has been compounded by her status in the Capitol afterward.

Johanna doesn't talk about her life outside the Games very much, but the bits of information she does reveal are devastating. Aside from the few Victors she's somewhat friends with, Johanna has no one. But as sad a thought as this is, it does partially free her from Snow's manipulations, allowing her to speak out against him and the corrupt Capitol. It also makes her one of Katniss's most reliable allies — honest and blunt, just like she is — and while the two will never truly be friends, it gives them a strange bond that's hard to shake.

15 "Hope. It Is The Only Thing Stronger Than Fear."

Coriolanus Snow, The Hunger Games

A movie-exclusive line, President Snow utters this memorable phrase during a discussion with then-Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane in The Hunger Games. As he explains, the Capitol doesn't control the Districts with just brute force and fear; it also controls them through their hope. The Games are designed to channel that safely, lest the Districts turn it towards their miserable existence under the Capitol. However, if the Districts have too much hope, it could spell trouble for the Capitol.

This quote provides a lot of insight into Snow's way of thinking. He's a master manipulator, and while this idea may sound optimistic out of context, Snow twists it to use for his own benefit. All he cares about is maintaining his political power, and he understands exactly what role the Games play in that equation. It's part of what makes him such a great villain, and the idea even comes back in his conversations with Plutarch Heavensbee.

14 "Katniss, You Have Been Our Mission From The Beginning..."

Plutarch Heavensbee, Catching Fire

Plutarch Heavensbee was playing the Capitol from his very introduction in Catching Fire. The Head Gamemaker of the Second Quarter Quell revealed by the end of the film that he and many others had been working to start a revolution against the Capitol. It's no surprise considering that Snow murdered his predecessor, Seneca Crane. Plutarch clearly has no intention of being next in line. He also reveals the main goal during the Quarter Quell: to save Katniss and make her the symbol of the burgeoning revolution.

In his revelation to Katniss at the end of Catching Fire, Plutarch places a heavy burden on her shoulders, whether she wants it or not. So many had already died just to make sure that she survived. The sad reality was that many more would die for Katniss. This was a truth that she would have to accept, knowing that she symbolized something far more than any other one person: she symbolized the hope of a better world. It leads her to reluctantly become the public face of the rebellion: adopting the guise of The Mockingjay and extolling the Districts to victory.

13 "What Are The Hunger Games For?"

Volumnia Gaul, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Throughout The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Dr. Volumnia Gaul and Coriolanus's conversations largely revolve around the purpose of the Hunger Games. Coryo's initial answer is the expected one: to punish the districts. After Dr. Gaul schools him on her own beliefs about humanity, and Snow spends some time in District 12, his answer changes significantly. By the end of the movie, Coriolanus likens the death pageant to life itself, and he intends to be the victor.

This may seem like a simple quote, but the movie adaptation uses it quite effectively to demonstrate Coriolanus's changing worldview. It also shows how masterfully Dr. Gaul can manipulate the young future president and bring him to her side. Audiences can even see how Snow surpassed his mentor in the original Hunger Games trilogy. Just as importantly, it reveals the dark lie to justify the Capitol's tyranny: if life is a constant struggle of dog-eat-dog, why bother with things like equal rights or democracy?

12 "Mockingjay, May Your Aim Be As True As Your Heart Is Pure."

Alma Coin, Mockingjay - Part 2

In the shocking finale of Mockingjay - Part 2, the new president of Panem, Alma Coin, gives an impassioned speech to her new subjects. As Katniss is brought out to execute the deposed President Coriolanus Snow, Coin calls on the Mockingjay to follow her pure heart and loose a true arrow — not fully realizing the significance of what she has said.

In the days leading up to this event, Katniss learned that Coin was just as corrupt as Snow and was willing to do anything — even murder innocent people — to rise to power. Most tellingly, Coin intended to continue the Hunger Games, this time using children from the Capitol as Tributes. Her speech ahead of Snow's execution is disingenuous and phony, designed to cloak her plans in the sheen of righteousness. When she speaks these words to Katniss, Coin unwittingly convinces the young revolutionary of what she has to do. Much to everyone's surprise, Katniss lets her arrow fly at Coin, killing her and ending another oppressive regime before it had even started. In the process, she breaks the constant cycle of revenge and allows Panem to truly begin to heal.

11 "Remember Who The Real Enemy Is."

Haymitch Abernathy, Catching Fire

Haymitch Abernathy may have been coarse and often drunk, but he was also quite wise as Katniss and Peeta's mentor. His substance abuse stems from the same traumas that every Victor in the Games experiences, coupled with having to watch two young people from his District die in the Games every year since. Before his pupils were thrust back into the arena for the Second Quarter Quell, Haymitch reminds them that the real enemy wasn't the other tributes, but the Capitol itself. He knows all too well that "winning" the Games is largely punishment by other means.

It is later revealed in Catching Fire that Haymitch had been part of a conspiracy to rescue the tributes from the arena and bring them to District 13, the seat of a brewing rebellion against the Hunger Games' Capitol. By reminding Katniss and Peeta about who the real enemy was, Haymitch subtly clued them in that a wider plan was at play, leading them to make alliances that would save their lives. More specifically, Finnick repeats the line to Katniss in the arena: letting her know that he's on her side and that she should refrain from shooting him.

10 "It Takes Ten Times As Long To Put Yourself Back Together..."

Finnick Odair, Mockingjay - Part 1

Finnick gives this advice to Katniss in the Mockingjay book when they're both going through an especially tough time. As a former Victor in The Hunger Games, he's gone through the same trauma she has, and his subsequent status as a near-slave of the Capitol's elites serves as a warning to her about the future. With Katniss finally understanding that Snow is using Peeta and Annie against them, she asks Finnick how he copes. He tells her he doesn't, but it's better not to give in to despair.

While she doesn't yet know the true extent of what Finnick went through, Katniss knows that there's much more to him than she initially assumed, as evidenced by this quote. They're both hanging by a thread, but with everything going on, Finnick knows that falling apart won't help either of them get their loved ones back. It emphasizes his own role in the story: going from a possible foe to one of Katniss's staunchest allies, and eventually a martyr for the rebellion.

9 "If We Burn, You Burn With Us!"

Katniss Everdeen, Mockingjay - Part 1

After the District 8 hospital bombing in Mockingjay, Katniss gives an impassioned speech about why the Districts need to fight the Capitol's oppression. She ends with this powerful message to President Snow, which becomes a rallying cry for the rebels in the movie adaptation. It rings true because the reality faced by the Districts is very simple: they would rather fight to the death than stand by and be exterminated.

It's a perfect reversal of what Snow's been saying in his own speeches: that the Districts wouldn't survive without the Capitol's protection. Katniss also fulfills Snow's biggest fear from the first Hunger Games of giving the District citizens enough hope to unite them and overthrow the Capitol. Snow may have been able to contain a spark, but he has no chance against the girl on fire. Katniss's quote — though heard by the whole of Panem — is directed specifically at him, making their conflict a very personal one.

8 "Nothing You Can Take From Me Was Ever Worth Keeping."

Lucy Gray Baird, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Lucy Gray Baird makes quite a first impression at the Reaping Ceremony in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. After getting slapped by the mayor for humiliating his daughter — revealing the political corruption behind her selection in the process — Lucy Gray's family, the Covey, sings a song to give her courage. She then takes up the song herself, allowing it to embolden her with its deeper meaning and shocking viewers in the Capitol with her rebellious nature.

Despite her charming personality, Lucy Gray shows her true colors in this moment. She may not be able to do much about her circ*mstances, but she's determined not to let the Capitol break her. It also brings to mind Peeta's attitude toward the Games in the first Hunger Games movie. Even if they play along, both Lucy Gray and Peeta do what they can to hang onto their humanity in the Games, and even defy their captors when they can.

7 "You Don't Forget The Face Of The Person..."

Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games

In The Hunger Games, Katniss comes across an Avox — a criminal or rebel from the Capitol sentenced to have their tongues cut out — trying to flee Capitol forces while she is hunting in the forest. The Avox girl had seen Katniss, too, and Katniss now wonders if the girl remembers her before coming to this conclusion. The encounter haunts her for years.

As this quote demonstrates, Katniss is filled with guilt at the fact that she didn't help the girl. Katniss knows how the girl must feel because she saw Peeta as her last hope when he threw her the bread. Even if they hadn't interacted again until the Games, Katniss never forgot the boy with the bread. The fact she feels so terrible about not helping the Avox girl — even if doing so probably would've gotten her killed — says a lot about Katniss' character, and why she ultimately becomes such a powerful voice for change.

6 "Snow Lands On Top."

Coriolanus Snow, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes begins and ends with the Snow family motto: "Snow lands on top." While Coryo and Tigris initially say this to each other as a sort of promise that better times are on the horizon, the meaning changes drastically for Coryo throughout the movie. After Coriolanus poisons Dean Casca Highbottom, he utters the motto once again, having secured his victory and fully fallen to villainy.

This quote perfectly encapsulates Coriolanus' journey throughout the prequel. Its evolution from the battle cry of an underdog to the vengeful declaration of a future dictator is riveting to watch and earns it a spot among Snow's most chilling lines in the Hunger Games series. As a young man, it's a promise to those in power. As a tyrant, it's a threat to those beneath him. As a result, it makes for the perfect closing line in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: evolving just as Coriolanus himself does.