Lionsgate
What’s a dystopian novel without a post-apocalyptic world? Panem is all that remains of American and it’s certainly not a place you’d want to live. In case you needed a refresher, Panem is split up into 12 districts (we don’t talk about district 13) and a glittering and wealthy capital city.
Taking a page from The Colbert Report, this ongoing “Better Know a District” series will take a look at the districts that make up the brutal world of The Hunger Games.
Welcome To District 3: The Tech-Savvy District
Industry: How could a rapt (and forced) citizenry watch The Hunger Games if they didn’t have televisions? That’s where District 3 comes into the picture. This is the district that provides all the technology and electronics for Panem. Jobs in District 3 tend to be powered by more brain than brawn, since it’s the District that allows the Captiol to stage the tech-savvy Games each year.
Rebellious Geeks: It would be a mistake to count District 3 out just because they spend most of their time with wiring and electronics. In Catching Fire, Katniss notes that the residents in District 3 are among the most happy to see her come through on her victory tour. This is probably because most of District 3 residents live in poverty, despite their access to cutting-edge tech.
Notable Residents: The most well-known tributes from District 3 are Wiress and Beetee, both former victors who become part of an alliance with Katniss in Catching Fire. Both are extremely intelligent, despite seeming a little zany. Johanna Mason refers to them as “Nuts” and “Volts” respectively, especially since Wiress is just a little to the left of sanity. While they might at first seem unlikely allies, they turn out to be invaluable help figuring out the configuration of the Games arena.
Hunger Games Prospects: Despite the district’s poverty and lack of weapons training, District 3 tributes have a distinct advantage in the Games. That advantage is their intelligence and familiarity with electronics, wiring, and engineering. As noted, both Wiress and Beetee are highly intelligent, but the tribute from District 3 during Katniss’ first Games was smart too. He proved his mettle to the Careers by setting up the land mine trap around the Cornucopia. They might not seem intimidating, but it would be a mistake to underestimate a tribute from this district.
Which District is your favorite? Sound off in the comments!
