Gale Hawthorne is one of the main characters of Suzanne Collins

Suzanne Collins

Suzanne Collins is an American television writer and novelist.-Early life:Suzanne Collins is the daughter of an Air Force officer. She graduated from the Alabama School of Fine Arts and earned her M.F.A. from New York University in Dramatic Writing....

's The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games trilogy

The Hunger Games trilogy is a young-adult adventure science fiction series written by Suzanne Collins. The trilogy consists of The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay....

trilogy.

Character background

Gale is two years older than the main protagonist, Katniss Everdeen

Katniss Everdeen

Katniss Everdeen is the main character of Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games trilogy. Her name comes from an edible plant called katniss. Jennifer Lawrence is set to portray Katniss in the upcoming movie The Hunger Games, directed by Gary Ross....

. His father was killed in the mine explosion that also killed Katniss's father, leaving his mother, Hazelle, a widow. He first saw Katniss at the ceremony after the deaths of their fathers, where they were each awarded the Medal of Valor for being the oldest children of the deceased coal miners. He and Katniss met again in the forest later when she was 12 and he was 14, first as hunting rivals then as friends hunting together to provide for their families. Gale taught Katniss how to make snares, and she says he has a special gift for creating them. Gale has three younger siblings: Rory, (brother) Vick, (brother) and Posy (sister), and he is very protective of them. By the time of his first Hunger Games, he had six entries in the Reaping due to taking tesserae to feed his family, and by the time he was 18, he had 42 entries in the Reaping. He is bitter about his circumstances and the inequality he lives with, including the inequity between those who live in the Seam and those who live in the town; Katniss lets Gale vent his anger while they hunt together in an effort to keep him from being otherwise overheard by those who would punish him for his rebellious nature.

The Hunger Games

Gale is introduced in the first chapter of The Hunger Games as Katniss's good friend with whom she hunts. He suggests they run away from District 12 together in order to avoid the Reaping, which Katniss has to admit they could pull off (they agree, however, that it would be impossible for them to leave their families behind like the fact Gale suggests to have children). Gale also helps Katniss and her family survive when Katniss is taken away after the Reaping, just as Katniss promises to help his family if something happens to him. Subsequent events (such as Katniss entering the arena for the Hunger Games) cause them to be separated. In the arena, Katniss realizes that it would be to her advantage to feign love for Peeta, but she feels guilty because she is confused about her feelings for Gale.

Catching Fire

Gale is upset about the affection between Peeta and Katniss in the Hunger Games. Gale, having reached age 18, now works in the mines and can no longer hunt with Katniss every day, and she now lives next door to Peeta. Gale kisses Katniss in the forest, which leaves her confused about her feelings. The kiss is reported to President Snow, who threatens to kill Gale if Katniss does not obey his orders to present the appearance that Katniss is madly in love with Peeta. Katniss realizes she can no longer be seen with Gale, and resolves to run away with him (and their families) to escape what she increasingly suspects will end with their deaths at the hands of President Snow. Initially Gale is elated, though less so when he hears Peeta will come along. Ultimately, though, he rejects the plan because he does not want to desert all their friends in District 12 and leave them to the mercies of the Capitol. Gale places his ideals above Katniss, while Peeta picks Katniss before anything else. Gale is caught illegally hunting and is whipped almost to death, but Katniss intervenes and puts herself in the path of the whip; her mother is later able to treat him. Although Katniss is supposed to be Peeta's lover in public, she is unable to forget Gale, though when Gale declares he loves her, she replies "I know" rather than returning his affections. After she is taken away for the Quarter Quell, she does not see Gale again until the very end of the novel, when she and Gale meet up in District 13. He tells her that District 12 has been bombed and destroyed, but he managed to evacuate about 10% (about less than 900 people) of the population, including their families.

Mockingjay

In Mockingjay, Gale lives in District 13 and spends time with Beetee designing weapons to use against the Capitol. Katniss becomes uncomfortable with the brutality involved in some of Gale's weapons. He is one of the main characters and has a deeper relationship with Katniss while Peeta is a prisoner of the Capitol, but their relationship goes through a number of strains throughout the book. He saves Prim's life during an air raid, and volunteers for an extremely dangerous mission to rescue Peeta from the Capitol. He and Katniss even get to hunt together again on the grounds of District 13. He is part of the "Star Squad" that sets out to assassinate President Snow, though he gets separated from Katniss. Afterward, Katniss' sister is killed in a method akin to one he devised. While Katniss can never be sure that it was his weapons that did it, their relationship is torn apart, as she is unable look at him the same way again. He is later said to have taken "a fancy job" in District 2, which Katniss is relieved to hear.

Appearance

Gale has the common seam look in District 12: black hair, olive skin, and gray eyes. When he first met Katniss at the age of 14 he was already over six feet tall. He is described as being very handsome and masculine.

Personality

Gale is good at keeping things under control, but tends to get angry quite often, often ranting about and mocking the Capitol. Katniss describes him as "a rebel since birth". He is very protective of Katniss and her family, and would rather stay and fight with her than run away. Gale is in love with her, although he acts more of a friend and does not force the relationship.

Skills

Gale is good at trapping animals in snares and doing activities that occupy his mind (such as creating the bombs). He can also use a bow and arrow even though he's not as talented as Katniss. Later, he is able to transfer his skill in snares into a skill in designing military weapons and tactics.

Critical reception

Entertainment Weekly

Entertainment Weekly

Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...

suggested that Gale, along with Peeta Mellark

Peeta Mellark

Peeta Mellark is one of the protagonists of The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins...

, was "thinly imagined."

Film adaptation

On April 4, 2011, Lionsgate announced that Liam Hemsworth

Liam Hemsworth

Liam Hemsworth is an Australian actor. He took the role of Josh Taylor in the soap opera Neighbours and as "Marcus" on the children's television series The Elephant Princess and appeared in the American film The Last Song, released on 31 March 2010...

 would play the role in The Hunger Games film adaptation

The Hunger Games (film)

The Hunger Games is an upcoming science fiction action drama film directed by Gary Ross and is based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins. It stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth...

.