Greasy Sae Character Analysis

After Katniss’s father’s death, in the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Katniss and her family begin to struggle to provide food for themselves. Greasy Sae, a lady in District Twelve, steps in to help. There were many ways in which she helped Katniss and her family survive. Who is Greasy Sae exactly and what does she do? She is an old lady who works in the Hob. “The Hob is the black market in District Twelve” (The Hob). People in District Twelve use the Hob as a place to sell and trade goods. In order to make money, Greasy Sae sells soup; she sells to people in the Hob to help them and herself. “[She is a] woman who sells bowls of hot soup from a large kettle…” (Collins 11). She not only works as a cook but also as a ringmaster of …show more content…
To Katniss, Greasy Sae is the only person that can be counted on. No one in the Hob buys wild dog meat from Katniss except for Greasy Sae. “She’s the only one who can consistently be counted on” (11). When she buys the dog from Katniss, it helps Katniss provide for her family. Greasy Sae always has a way to help Katniss feed her family; she gives Katniss something even if it is not much to show that she can count on her. “[Greasy Sae] takes half the greens off our hands in exchange for a couple of chunks of paraffin. We might do a tad better elsewhere” (11). “[We] made a conscious effort to keep on good terms with her” (Greasy Sae). Greasy Sae and Katniss have created a strong trusting bond. When Katniss and Peeta are in the cave, Katniss is telling Peeta about how she got Prim her goat. Katniss says that she does not want to hurt Greasy Sae by publicly announcing that she is breaking the law (268). She trusts Greasy Sae and does not want to risk losing her trust. Not only could she be counted on to help Katniss, but she also is …show more content…
She tries to makes sure Katniss gets the best deals in the Hob. She tells the Peacekeepers that come to the Hob that the dog meat in the soup is beef; Peacekeepers in tern buy the soup (11). When they buy the soup, the extra money helps Greasy Sae pay Katniss for the dog meet. Greasy Sae protects Katniss from the people in the Hob; she guards Katniss and her meat from the crazy people of the Hob. “Greasy Sae had intervened and sent us with our deer to the butcher…hunks of meat taken, the hide riddled with holes…it had lowered the value of the kill” (269). The less damaged the meat, the more money you can make on it. She is trying to help Katniss by buying things from her. “[Greasy Sae] takes half the greens off our hands. [She is] the only one who can be counted on to buy wild dog” (11). Greasy Sae has gained Katniss’s trust to help her. Greasy Sae helps Katniss in so many ways. She notices that Katniss and her family are suffering and try’s to help. Whatever ways she uses to help, protecting Katniss, stepping in to help after her father dies, or buying wild dog meat from her, Greasy Sae’s actions allow this theme to progress over time throughout the novel. Additionally, her actions connect to helping Katniss and her family