The male tribute from District 12, Peeta is in love with Katniss and becomes her main ally and romantic interest during the Games. Peeta is best characterized by his love for Katniss and willingness to sacrifice himself for her.
During his interview with Caesar Flickerman, he reveals he is in love with Katniss, much to her surprise. This confession begins the idea that the two are the "star-crossed lovers from District 12," which Haymitch believes will help them get sponsors.
Of all the good traits that Peeta has, his best overall was his compassion. He truly did care about other people, and he wanted to help. His kindness was on full display in how he treated Katniss but also in the way he honored Rue during the show of skills before the Quarter Quell.
Peeta is of "medium height, stocky build" and has "ashy blond hair that falls in waves over his forehead." He has blue eyes. He is "broad-shouldered and strong." Part of Peeta's left leg was amputated following the 74th Hunger Games, forcing him to walk with the aid of a prosthetic leg for the rest of his life.
Peeta, however, knows that the Games can change people, and he wants to at least die as himself. He wants to, in some way, rebel against the Capitol and show them that they don't own him, making the reader wonder how he might choose to do this in the Games.
The Entire Life of Peeta Mellark (Hunger Games Explained)
Who does Peeta like in The Hunger Games?
The male tribute from District 12, Peeta is in love with Katniss and becomes her main ally and romantic interest during the Games. Peeta is best characterized by his love for Katniss and willingness to sacrifice himself for her.
No one on earth could endure the torture that Peeta went through without being horrifically traumatized, but the fact that he was so forthright about his love for Katniss didn't do him any favors in that department either.
Peeta thanks Katniss for finding him and she says that he would have done the same. He talks about what Katniss should do if he doesn't make it back. She's worried that he might die, and to keep him from speaking of such things, she kisses him.
Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and an injured Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) share a tender moment and a kiss, as Gale (Liam Hemsworth) watches from District 12.
It took time for Peeta to break out of that conditioning, and even when the possibility existed that Peeta could be a danger to Katniss, the two of them still elected to be together and build a future in a post-Hunger-Games world. Their love for one another is evident.
He has recognized all along how the Capitol uses tributes as pieces in their Game. Captured by the Capitol at the end of the Quarter Quell, Peeta gets turned into his greatest fear: a piece in the Capitol's Game to be used against Katniss.
She tells Haymitch that Peeta is strong, that he can lift heavy bags of flour and can wrestle, that his hand-to-hand combat will be outstanding. Peeta doesn't believe these skills afford him any sort of advantage.
Throughout both installments of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, it was revealed that Peeta was physically and mentally tortured by the Capitol. They used tracker jacker venom to distort his memories to turn him against Katniss.
Katniss's focus on survival and her family's safety prevented her from fully considering romance, but her feelings for Peeta and Gale diverged in the end. Katniss ultimately chose Peeta because he understood her trauma and she didn't want to lose him, proving her love for him.
She stumbles into the snow at first, but then she dusts herself off, rises, and begins waving to the photographers, arm in arm with Peeta. The camera zooms out to a neutral angle, giving audiences a sudden, somewhat startling reminder that oh, that's right—Katniss is slightly taller than Peeta.
Katniss's focus on survival and her family's safety prevented her from fully considering romance, but her feelings for Peeta and Gale diverged in the end. Katniss ultimately chose Peeta because he understood her trauma and she didn't want to lose him, proving her love for him.
Gale and Katniss' kiss is representative of the ongoing struggle between them, including their trying to reconcile their past with their present. Gale remembers that the last time Katniss kissed him was after he'd been lashed by a Peacekeeper.
Katniss here's this and understands that even though she may not love Peeta (then) that it's one less person who has to die. (At least that's what I have always thought.) Katniss realizes that if she pretends to be in love with Peeta people will want the capitol to let them survive.
Chia Mags kisses Finnick on the mouth to briefly let him know that this is the last time she will see him. It's her way of saying "Goodbye" but in a more affectionate way.
Ever since their first meeting in the elevator, Johanna Mason has had her eye on Peeta. Even though she came off as cold and distant, she was never afraid to show her admiration for Peeta. In that same scene in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Johanna asked Peeta how he felt now that everyone wanted to sleep with him.
Gale is jealous of Peeta and the relationship he has with Katniss, and he wants Katniss to decide between them, though he doesn't press Katniss during her recovery in District 13. Gale is an excellent hunter and excels at setting snares and traps.
Johanna clarifies, stating that Peeta has turned into his evil mutt identity given the way he verbally attacks Finnick and Katniss. Gale even sees a bit of himself in how Peeta acts and speaks.
Gale is neither truly friends nor enemies with Peeta Mellark though he has felt jealous of Peeta due to the show that Peeta and Katniss put on for the cameras. In Catching Fire, Peeta knew Katniss had feelings for him and fully accepted that he would allow Katniss to be with Gale if it meant her happiness.
