The Hunger Games Wiki
Register
Advertisement

"They let you wear one thing from your district in the arena. One thing to remind you of home. Will you wear this?"
—Madge Undersee giving Katniss Everdeen the mockingjay pin[src]

Madge Undersee was the daughter of District 12's Mayor Undersee, and she was a friend of Katniss Everdeen's from school.[1]

Biography

Early life

Madge was born and raised in District 12, where she lived with her father and mother. Due to her father's role as the mayor, she grew up relatively wealthy, so she did not have to sign up for tesserae in order to survive as poorer families did. Madge and Katniss were in the same year at school, and as relative loners, they sat together at lunch and partnered up for activities. Despite this, Katniss did not consider them to be close friends.[1]

74th Hunger Games

On the day of the reaping for the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss and her friend Gale Hawthorne came to the back door of Mayor Undersee's house to sell strawberries. Madge answered the door, already dressed in nice clothes for the reaping. Gale commented on her dress, though Katniss was unsure whether it was a genuine compliment or sarcasm. Madge said that she wanted to look nice if she was picked to go to the Capitol. This frustrated Gale since Madge's wealth meant she had probably never taken out tesserae, so her name would not be entered into the reaping extra times. Katniss argued that this was not Madge's fault, and Gale replied that it was no one's fault, and that was just the way it was. After this exchange, Madge's face became closed off, and she paid them for the berries, wishing Katniss good luck.[1]

Katniss receiving the mockingjay pin in The Hunger Games: Illustrated Edition.

Katniss receiving the mockingjay pin in The Hunger Games: Illustrated Edition.

When Katniss was taken into a room within the Justice Building, Madge was the second person to come visit her. She explained that tributes were allowed to wear a token from their district into the arena, and she asked Katniss if she would wear the gold mockingjay pin from Madge's own dress. She pinned it onto Katniss's dress for her, then made her promise she would wear it into the arena. Katniss agreed. Madge then kissed her on the cheek before she left. This made Katniss realize that Madge had truly been her friend all along.[2]

Post-74th Hunger Games

Once Katniss and Peeta Mellark returned home as victors, she and Madge spent more time together. At first they were both unsure what to do or say, since they didn't want to talk about their classmates or clothes, as the other girls at school did; however, "after a few false starts", Katniss realized that Madge was "dying" to go into the woods, and she taught Madge to shoot a bow and arrow. Madge, a great pianist, tried to teach Katniss to play piano in return, but Katniss preferred to hear Madge play. They also ate meals at each other's houses.[3]

Katniss and Peeta's last stop on their Victory Tour was their home district. After arriving at the train station, they spent that night at the mayor's house for a dinner with their families. Katniss briefly hugged Madge before her prep team took her to the third floor to get ready, and once she was done, Katniss went down to the second floor to see her friend. After stopping in at the mayor's office,[3] Katniss went into Madge's room. Madge complimented Katniss's dress, saying she looked like she "came right off the streets of the Capitol." Katniss replied that her pin had started a trend in the Capitol, then asked Madge if she was sure she didn't want it back. Madge told her not to be silly, and that it was a gift. When Katniss asked where the pin had come from, Madge explained it was her aunt's, though it had been in the family for much longer.[4] Katniss later learned Madge's aunt was Maysilee Donner, a District 12 tribute who died in the 50th Hunger Games.[5]

After Gale was whipped by Romulus Thread for poaching, Madge walked over to Katniss's house in a snowstorm to offer up six vials of morphling, prescribed to her mother for her headaches. Madge claimed her mother said she could take them, and she urged Katniss to use them "for [Katniss's] friend". Then, before anyone could stop her, Madge went back out into the storm. Peeta was surprised, saying that he didn't know Madge knew Gale. Katniss explained defensively that they used to sell her strawberries, and Haymitch commented that Madge "must have quite a taste for them." Katniss was irritated at the implication that there was something going on between her friends.[6]

After the third Quarter Quell was announced,[7] Madge gave Katniss her father's newspapers from the Capitol. These included predictions about who was most likely to be the victor of the Games.[8]

Second Rebellion

Mayor Undersee's house was destroyed in the bombing of District 12. Katniss initially speculated that they could have been evacuated to the Capitol, but she was still overcome with grief at the thought that she could be breathing in Madge's ashes.[9] She later asked Thom, who had been recovering human remains from the wreckage, and he told her that the whole family had died as well as the two people who worked for them.[10]

Personality

Madge was quiet and solitary in school like Katniss, which contributed to their friendship. She was also very cautious, if not slightly suspicious or wary of people she didn't know, becoming distant and closed off when offended.[1] However, she could be urgent, strong, and steadfast in her way of speech when the occasion called for it.[2][6] After Madge's death, Katniss described her as quiet, kind, and brave.[10]

Physical description

Madge had blonde hair, and she normally dressed in a "drab school outfit"; however, on the day of the reaping she wore an expensive white dress and a small, circular gold pin with a mockingjay on it. Her hair was "done up" with a pink ribbon. Her blonde hair was typical for merchants, who were District 12's wealthier citizens.[1]

Family

Madge was an only child, living with her mother and father in District 12. Katniss observed that, although Madge's parents seemed nice, the girl did not see much of them. Her father was busy running the district as its mayor, and her mother was often laid up in bed for days with "ferocious headaches".[3]

In Catching Fire, it was revealed that Mrs. Undersee's sister, Maysilee Donner, was a tribute in the second Quarter Quell. As a result, Maysilee died years before Madge was born, but there was a strong familial resemblance.[5]

Relationships

Katniss Everdeen

"Cookies. A pin. I am getting all kinds of gifts today. Madge gives me one more. A kiss on the cheek. Then she's gone and I am left thinking that maybe Madge really has been my friend all along."
—Katniss after parting with Madge[src]

Madge and Katniss spent time together at school, though they did not speak much.[1] Katniss did not consider them friends until Madge came to say goodbye and gave her the mockingjay pin. Madge seemed very fond of Katniss, giving her a kiss on the cheek before she left.[2] After the Games, the two girls became closer, spending time together outside of school, both at each other's houses and in the woods.[3] Katniss was briefly jealous over the implication the there was something going on between Madge and Gale,[6] but it did not interfere with the girls' friendship,[8] and Katniss grieved deeply for Madge after her death.[9][10]

Gale Hawthorne

Katniss and Gale sold Madge and her father strawberries,[1] but Peeta was not aware that Madge knew Gale at all.[6] When Madge answered the door on the day of the reaping, Gale openly resented her wealth. However, he had ranted to Katniss about how the tesserae system was meant to divide the district's poor from its well-to-do, so Katniss felt that he knew his anger towards Madge was "misdirected."[1] Despite this negative interaction, Madge went to Katniss's house in poor weather to offer up painkillers for Gale when he was whipped. Haymitch implied Madge must have done it because she had feelings for Gale, which bothered Katniss.[6]

Trivia

  • Madge did not appear in the films. Instead, Katniss received the mockingjay pin from Greasy Sae at the Hob.[11]
  • Madge preferred Katniss's house in the Victors' Village to her own.[3]
  • Madge has never referred to Gale by his name— only as Katniss's friend.[6]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 The Hunger Games, Chapter 1
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Hunger Games, Chapter 3
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Catching Fire, Chapter 6
  4. Catching Fire, Chapter 7
  5. 5.0 5.1 Catching Fire, Chapter 14
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Catching Fire, Chapter 8
  7. Catching Fire, Chapter 12
  8. 8.0 8.1 Catching Fire, Chapter 13
  9. 9.0 9.1 Mockingjay, Chapter 1
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Mockingjay, Chapter 27
  11. The Hunger Games (film)
The Hunger Games trilogy
Novels The Hunger GamesCatching FireMockingjay
Main Characters Katniss EverdeenPeeta MellarkGale HawthorneHaymitch AbernathyEffie Trinket
Supporting Characters Primrose EverdeenPresident SnowCinnaMrs. EverdeenMr. EverdeenPresident CoinClaudius TemplesmithCaesar FlickermanMadge UnderseePaylorPlutarch HeavensbeeSeneca Crane
Tributes MarvelGlimmerCatoCloveFoxfaceThreshRueMaysilee DonnerTitus
Past Victors Augustus BraunAnnie CrestaBeetee LatierBlightBrutusCashmereCeceliaChaffEnobariaFinnick OdairGlossJohanna MasonLymeMags FlanaganMorphlingsPorter Millicent TrippSeederWiressWoof
Groups RebellionGamemakersPrep teamTributesVictors
Locations PanemThe CapitolDistrict 1District 2District 3District 4District 5District 6District 7District 8District 9District 10District 11District 12District 13
Behind the Scenes Suzanne CollinsGary RossFrancis Lawrence
Films The Hunger Games (film)Catching Fire (film)Mockingjay - Part 1Mockingjay - Part 2
Advertisement