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Lavinia was an Avox girl who worked as a Capitol servant for Katniss Everdeen throughout the 74th[1] and 75th Hunger Games[2]. Throughout The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, she is known simply as the "Avox girl". Her name was revealed in Mockingjay, when Peeta Mellark recounted his experience in Capitol imprisonment[3].

Biography[]

Before she became an Avox, Lavinia and an unknown boy, whom Katniss believed was her brother or lover, were seen by Katniss and Gale while they were out hunting in the woods outside of District 12. They appeared to be escaping from the Capitol to District 13 for unknown reasons, and Katniss noted that the two had a "Capitol look" to them. A Capitol hovercraft appeared; the boy was struck with a spear that was shot from the hovercraft and was killed instantly, then was lifted up to the hovercraft, not to be mentioned again in the series. Lavinia, however, was scooped up by a net and taken into the hovercraft, and she briefly locked eyes with Katniss and Gale. When the boy was killed, she screamed what sounded like a name, and Katniss wondered if it was the name of the boy.

Years later, Lavinia waited on Katniss as an Avox whose tongue had been cut out for committing crimes against the Capitol. Katniss said she knew Lavinia, but at that time did not know her name or where she remembered her from. This worried the residents from the Capitol, so Peeta stepped in and claimed that Lavinia looked like Delly Cartwright - a girl from District 12 who went to school with them. As an Avox, she could not publicly acknowledge anything that was not a direct order, so Katniss' initial attempt at conversation was ignored.[1] However, when she later walks in on the mess Katniss has made in her room prior to interview night she shows some response to Katniss' attempted apology, indicating by gestures that Katniss did not need to be sorry, and that there was nothing she could have done, otherwise she too, would have been an Avox.[4]

Death[]

During the Quarter Quell, Lavinia was once again Katniss and Peeta's Avox, along with former Peacekeeper Darius, who was sent in to scare and make Katniss discontented[2]. After the 75th Hunger Games, Darius and Lavinia were taken hostage, and she was tortured and killed immediately by painful electrocution in front of Peeta[3].

Physical description[]

Lavinia has dark red hair, striking features, and porcelain white skin. Being an Avox, her tongue was cut out and she is therefore mute. Katniss said that Lavinia had a "Capitol" look to her. She is also subject to a lifetime of servitude to the Capitol. As an Avox, she is of Panem's lowest social class, essentially a slave.

She is said to resemble Delly Cartwright, according to Peeta, however, this was simply an excuse to cover for Katniss' accidentally letting the slip that she recognized the Avox. Although Katniss recalls that they look nothing alike, she immediately pretends otherwise to protect herself and Peeta from her earlier mistake. While Katniss recalls Delly to be friendly, she contrasts it with the fact that she had never seen Lavinia smile.[1] Delly was blond and outgoing, the exact opposite to redheaded and sad Lavinia.

Lavinia is described as a matching set with Darius by Effie Trinket in Catching Fire, for their similarly red hair[2].

AvoxCatchingFire

Lavinia in Catching Fire

Etymology[]

Lavinia is the name of a character in William Shakespeare's play Titus Andronicus, the daughter of the titular Titus. Her tongue and hands were cut off after she was assaulted so she could not reveal who attacked her.

Another notable Lavinia appears in Book 7 of the Aeneid, when her hair catches fire at the sacrificial altar for the gods. Lavinia's red hair in The Hunger Games could be a reference to that moment.

Trivia[]

  • She is the only known Capitol citizen who attempted to escape for unknown reasons.
  • Lavinia is not mentioned in The Hunger Games's film. She only appears as a background character.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Hunger Games, Chapter 6
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Catching Fire, Chapter 15
  3. 3.0 3.1 Mockingjay, Chapter 19
  4. The Hunger Games, Chapter 9
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