The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - Story

Sep 22, 2026

Collection of quoted political and philosophical statements by Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, followed by literary excerpts and narrative prose set in the world of Panem. The passage includes lines from a patriotic anthem, the lived reality of war and siege, and intimate details of Coriolanus Snow’s struggle with poverty, clothing, and family survival. It portrays patriotism as both performance and defiance while showing the emotional cost of deprivation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time32 min

AccessFree to download

Quotations and Themes

War, law, and natural rights

Nature, dissection, and human intellect

Patriotism and the Capitol anthem

Narrative Scene

Clothing for the reaping ceremony

Family poverty in the Capitol penthouse

The anthem as defiance

“Hereby it is manifest, that during the time men live without a common Power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called Warre; and such a warre, as is of every man, against every man.” —Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, 1651 “The state of nature has a law ofnature to govern it, which obliges everyone: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions ” —John Locke, Second Treatise ofGovernment, 1689 “Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.” —Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract, 1762 “Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; Our meddling intellect Misshapes the beauteous forms of things; — We murder to dissect.” —William Wordsworth,“The Tables Turned,” Lyrical Ballads, 1798 “I thought of the promise ofvirtues which he had displayed on the opening of his existence, and the subsequent blight ofall kindly feeling by the loathing and scorn which his protectors had manifested towards him.” —Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818 Coriolanus released the fistful of cabbage into the pot of boiling water and swore that one day it would never pass his lips again. But this was not that day. He needed to eat a large bowl of the anemic stuff, and drink every drop of broth, to prevent his stomach from growling during the reaping ceremony. It was one of a long list of precautions he took to mask the fact that his family, despite residing in the penthouse of the Capitol’s most opulent apartment building, was as poor as district scum. That at eighteen, the heir to the once-great house of Snow had nothing to live on but his wits. His shirt for the reaping was worrying him. He had an acceptable pair of dark dress pants bought on the black market last year, but the shirt was what people looked at. Fortunately, the Academy provided the uniforms it required for daily use. For today’s ceremony, however, students were instructed to be dressed fashionably but with the solemnity the occasion dictated. Tigris had said to trust her, and he did. Only his cousin’s cleverness with a needle had saved him so far. Still, he couldn’t expect miracles. The shirt they’d dug from the back of the wardrobe—his father ’s, from better days—was stained and yellowed with age, half the buttons missing, a cigarette burn on one cuff. Too damaged to sell in even the worst of times, and this was to be his reaping shirt? This morning he had gone to her room at daybreak, only to find both his cousin and the shirt missing. Not a good sign. Had Tigris given up on the old thing and braved the black market in some last-ditch effort to find him proper clothing? And what on earth would she possess worth trading for it? Only one thing—herself—and the house of Snow had not yet fallen that far. Or was it falling now as he salted the cabbage? He thought of people putting a price on her. With her long, pointed nose and skinny body, Tigris was no great beauty, but she had a sweetness, a vulnerability that invited abuse. She would find takers, if she had a mind to. The idea made him feel sick and helpless and, consequently, disgusted with himself. From deep in the apartment he heard the recording of the Capitol anthem,“Gem of Panem,” kick on. His grandmother ’s tremulous soprano voice joined in, bouncing off the walls. Gem of Panem, Mighty city, Through the ages, you shine anew. As always, she was painfully off-key and slightly behind tempo. The first year of the war, she’d played the recording on national holidays for five-year-old Coriolanus and eight-year-old Tigris in order to build their sense of patriotism. The daily recital hadn’t begun until that black day when the district rebels had surrounded the Capitol, cutting it off from supplies for the remaining two years of the war.“Remember, children,” she’d say,“we are but besieged—we have not surrendered!” Then she would warble the anthe

FAQs

What political ideas are introduced through the opening quotations?

The text presents contrasting foundations for society and morality through Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. These quotations set a backdrop of war, law, equality, and freedom before the story scene begins.

How does the anthem “Gem of Panem” function in the narrative?

The anthem is performed by Coriolanus’s grandmother and is tied to patriotism training during the war. Later, it becomes an act of defiance during the siege as bombs fall.

Why is Coriolanus worried about his shirt for the reaping?

His shirt is damaged and noticeable, and he cannot afford to replace it. He also discovers that the shirt and his cousin’s efforts are missing, increasing his fear about how he will present himself during the ceremony.

Sep 22, 2026

Uploaded by Anna Hans