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Last week, in Mockingjay Discussion 15: The Hanging Tree, we covered some of the fascinating symbolic possibilities for the haunting song Katniss sings to Pollux, primarily to distract the mockingjays from singing Rue’s four-note tune, but which echoes throughout the novel.   “The Hanging Tree” also connects to real ballad types and actual ballads. Understanding the different types of ballads and where “The Hanging Tree” fits can add to our understanding of the way Collins uses music in general and this evocative piece in particular.

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There are two songs that Katniss Everdeen sings for us in Mockingjay. The first, ‘The Hanging Tree,’ is new to us but is the heart and focus of the series finale. If you wondered why Finnick, then Katniss, and finally Peeta spent a good part of the book tying nooses with remnant pieces of rope, the answer is in the haunting call of the hanged man that they are heeding.

I wrote about ‘The Hanging Tree’ at some length yesterday and I hope you will read that post before this one on the other song in Mockingjay. That song isn’t named but we have heard it in each of the series’ three books and always at a critical juncture. For lack of a proper name, I’ll call it ‘The Meadow Song.’ Let’s review its appearances in each Hunger Games novel before attempting to explain why it is the theme of the series and how it relates to Mockingjays’ ‘Hanging Tree.’ [Read more…]

I’ll argue tomorrow that Katniss’ ‘Meadow Song’ is the theme of the Hunger Games trilogy and that the reference to it in the epilogue ties the finale into the series, but today I want to open a thread here about ‘The Hanging Tree’ and its multiple occurrences in Mockingjay. It is the heart of the finale and a key to its most profound and challenging meaning. Let’s look at the song, where it shows up, and what it means to Katniss  before beginning that discussion.

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