"What about the other families, Katniss? The ones who can't run away? Don't you see? It can't be about just saving us anymore. Not if the rebellion's begun!" Gale shakes his head, not hiding his disgust with me. "You could do so much." He throws Cinna's gloves at my feet. "I changed my mind. I don't want anything they made in the Capitol." And he's gone." (Collins 100).
The fact that Gale and Katniss had previous relations makes the book all the more twisted. Throughout the book it seems like a huge conflict-- Haymitch is trying to get Peeta and Katniss to portray to their audience their undying love for each other that even leads to a staged engagement! But no, the fact that Katniss once had feelings for Gale makes this quote more powerful. It is the beginning of a rebellion towards the government. This actually reminds me of an old movie called Max Keeble's Big Move, which featured mainly a rebellious little boy, and a corrupt school system with a bias principal who only supported football. This connects so well to what is happening in the book because, the government with the new appointed game master, has become even more corrupt. The President Snow, warns Katniss early on that he is watching her because the acts of rebellion are starting to arise. In the quote, Katniss is torn because she doesn't want to rebel, but Gale is all for it. It is undeniable that the forces are beginning to take shape into another rebellion-- but the thing is Katniss is leading it unknowingly.
Overall, the message of the quote is that rebellion is imminent. Though Katniss knows that she and her family are safe because of their compliance to the rules, Gale tries to get her to realize that there are other families just like her's that are in the same type of danger. The only this is that Katniss may be one of the most powerful forces that could be part of any rebellion. The purpose of the quote is to show the internal conflict that Katniss develops in the second book. Should I comply with the government and keep my family safe and happy? Or should I rebel with the rest of them and fight for the rights of not only my family, but for families in all districts across Panem? Gale of course, has come to the realization that the government has too much control over each district. It is time for a change, and this section of the book brings about an overall effect of tension.
I feel that this connects to the question of the use of language to manipulate the minds of an audience. However, in this case, this is Gale using language to manipulate Katniss's mind for the better. To think about it, Katniss and Gale have always had a close relationship, and it is because of that relationship that Katniss takes his words to heart. His words saying that she could do so much and his connection to other families creates a pathetic appeal that tackles Katniss's emotions. This is the beginning of Katniss's road to self-realization of the amount of strength she has inside of her. Gale's words easily get the ball rolling, and thus begins her journey to her inner power.
This passage reminds me of my "Rich get Richer" post for a number of scenarios. One because The government is the man walking off the plank with loads of money leaving the working class people who are the people who inhabit Panem to fall over the edge of the cliff. There is obviously the social injustices featured in the book from the government to the citizens. However, the second scenario is that Katniss is the man walking off the plank with all the money, and leaving the rest of the rebels to fall of the cliff and die on their own because she knows that her family is now safe. But remember what Gale said, it isn't about saving ourselves anymore... so maybe Katniss should get to turning around and saving the people who are dangling for their lives at the edge of that plank.
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