just my thoughts about tokens in the trilogy. ^o^
tokens throughout the books are supposed to be an item from one's district that gives them strength or luck and reminds them of home. however, in the first book, despite the immense symbol it becomes later on, katniss doesn't feel connected to her token. when madge gives her the mockingjay pin, katniss isn't even thinking about a district token because she is so focused on leaving her family (THG, 38). and she keeps forgetting about the token and cinna has to save it from her discarded clothing (THG 145). even in the arena, katniss offers the pin to rue thinking that it has more meaning to rue than her (THG, 212). the only little meaning that the pin has to katniss in the first book is that it reminds her of rue once rue is dead (THG, 329).
compare this to the second book, where katniss's mockingjay pin becomes a symbol of resistance. ever since katniss chose the rebellion over her desire to run, she champions her pin. in a way that was completely absent in the first book, katniss resonates with the pin as a symbol of the rebellion (CF, 54). katniss frames her life, her relationships, and her token regarding the rebellion. when she sees the mockingjay of her token reflected in peeta's token, she has mixed feelings as it will boost the rebels, but it counteracts her desire for peeta to remain safe from snow (CF, 80). however, although katniss feels more connection with her token as a symbol of the rebellion, it is still an item that is meant to appeal to the larger masses rather than a personal token. it almost seems like suzanne is foreshadowing how katniss, like her token, becomes a symbol that is used by the rebellion. katniss is ripped from any perception of her personal, human side and only seen as a symbol to be used.
by the third book, the mockingjay token is no longer katniss's but rather a representative of the revolution. the mockingjay pin is used throughout 13's propaganda messages before cutting to katniss (MJ, 94). katniss replaces the symbol, but the parallel is already there in the readers mind. just as the pin was never really katniss's when she sided with the rebels, katniss too is being used. by mockingjay, the pin is no longer hers to have as a personal token, living with cinna's mockingjay outfit full time (MJ, 127). however, for each games that katniss goes to, she has a token and the 76th hunger games in the capital is no exception. so, what is it? while katniss's mockingjay pin was always on public for the world to see (MJ, 63, 311), it is peeta's pearl that acts as katniss's real token as she hold's it close to her in her pocket (MJ, 168).
unlike the mockingjay pin, the pearl acts as a personal token to katniss that gives her comfort and strength. peeta's pearl becomes katniss's "a token of the boy with the bread" (MJ, 221). emphasizing the importance of peeta in her life, katniss uses the pearl often as a substitute for peeta when he is unreachable, either in the capital or in his hijacked state. she will take out the pearl when she needs peeta's comfort (MJ, 104, 168). when she thinks that he is truly gone from her, she keeps the pearl as a way to keep his memory and the hopeful strength that he gave her in the forefront of her mind. additionally, understanding that peeta giving katniss unconditional gifts is a key aspect of their relationship, the pearl reminds katniss of the last gift that peeta gave her, the only one she allowed herself to accept at the end of catching fire. katniss is clinging to this gift of peeta's unconditional love that she believes is gone forever until it is replaced by another gift at the end of the book: the primrose. this new gift signaled not only that katniss's life would go on past prim's death, but that the old peeta (although changed) was back, gifting her his unconditional gifts again.
in a way, peeta's pearl is the only token in the games that was ever really katniss's. a token that gives her the strength to continue, a token that is only her's and not one for the camera (either the capital's or 13's). there is something powerful in the fact that while katniss and her token were always being used by other people and constantly on display, she found her own sense of strength and meaning in the one boy that never seemed to use her, the one who gave love unconditionally. her own dandelion in the spring.
