Haymitch's Flint Striker In The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping Has A Deeper Meaning Than You Realized

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.

Haymitch’s flint striker is on the cover of Sunrise on the Reaping, as the object plays an important role in his Hunger Games prequel story — and it has a deeper meaning than readers may initially realize. Every tribute in the annual Hunger Games tournament is allowed to bring a token from home into the arena with them. For Katniss, this is the Mockingjay pin she receives from Madge Undersee in the first book. These tokens are meant to be small and subtle, not objects tributes can use to win the Games. However, Haymitch’s token pushes the boundaries of this.

As Haymitch’s birthday is on reaping day, he receives a gift from Lenore Dove just before he’s illegally whisked off to the Games: a flint striker, which creates sparks and can help build a fire. The flint striker in question has a snake and songbird on it — two symbols heavily ᴀssociated with The Hunger Games franchise. And despite the flint striker catching the attention of other characters, including President Snow, Haymitch uses it to his advantage during the tournament. It also symbolizes his place in the overall series and sets up Katniss Everdeen’s as well.

Haymitch’s Flint Striker Proves A Useful Token For Staying Alive In Sunrise On The Reaping

It Also Helps Him Make A Statement Against The Capitol

Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games and the cover of Sunrise on the Reaping — Custom Image by Yeider Chacon

While Katniss’ Mockingjay pin is mostly just for show, Haymitch’s flint striker actually proves useful during the 50th Hunger Games tournament. He’s uses it to start fires that keep him and his allies warm and fed. And he even protects himself from an onslaught of muttations at one point, using the flint striker and nearby gas plants to create an explosion. It’s surprising Haymitch’s flint striker isn’t taken from him at any point before the Games, as it clearly gives him an advantage while he’s fighting for his life in the arena.

Of course, Haymitch’s flint striker comes in handy for more than just surviving. At the end of Sunrise on the Reaping, Haymitch uses it to make a statement against the Capitol, railing against the arena even as he becomes the Quarter Quell’s winner. Using the flint striker and the explosive sunflowers smuggled into the arena, he creates a bomb and throws it at the forcefield. Even though it doesn’t stop the Games or do mᴀssive damage, it angers the Capitol. And the deeper meaning behind the flint striker underscores this first step towards rebellion.

The Flint Striker Has A Deeper Meaning Within The Hunger Games Franchise

It Represents The Spark Of The Rebellion, While Katniss Is The Fire

The flint striker has a physical use during Haymitch’s Hunger Games, but it’s also symbolic of the slow and steady march towards rebellion throughout The Hunger Games franchise. Katniss is often ᴀssociated with fire, with everything from her Girl on Fire nickname to her “fire is catching” message representing her place in the rebellion. By the time Katniss rallies the districts in the original trilogy, resistance has become a full flame. But Sunrise on the Reaping confirms the sparks of the revolution were there earlier.

Haymitch represents that spark in the Hunger Games prequel, and his flint striker highlights that.

Haymitch represents that spark in the Hunger Games prequel, and his flint striker highlights that. His attempt to break the arena lays the groundwork for Katniss and the other tributes to do so later on. He’s the precursor to the Mockingjay, just as his conversation with Plutarch suggests. And it’s fitting that the flint striker comes from Lenore Dove, who also makes her feelings about the Capitol clear. All these sparks eventually make it possible for Katniss to start a real fire decades later.

What The Bird & Snake On Haymitch’s Hunger Games Token Represent

They’re Symbolic Of The Ongoing Fight In Panem

The cover of Sunrise on the Reaping against a blue tinted image of a stage from the Hunger Games movies — Custom Image by Yeider Chacon

The snake and songbird found on Haymitch’s flint striker are images that crop up repeatedly throughout The Hunger Games franchise. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is perhaps the best example, as its тιтle and conflict between Lucy Gray (the songbird) and Coriolanus Snow (the snake) represent the larger themes of the series. The songbirds represent freedom, and in the case of Mockingjays, the ability to break free from the Capitol’s control. They’re closely ᴀssociated with characters like Katniss, Lucy, and Lenore, but Haymitch also represents those values.

By contrast, snakes represent the threat of the Capitol and the nature of the people there. While the songbird on the cover of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes seems unaware of the snake beneath it, the one on Sunrise on the Reaping‘s cover appears to be facing it head-on. This feels consistent with the progression of the story, as Haymitch is aware of what he’s up against, even if he can’t necessarily take on the snake. But he puts up a fight with the flint striker, and by the time we get to Katniss’ story, the snake is totally absent.