The Hunger Games: District 11

District 11 is one of the poorer districts, right after District 12 in the nation of Panem. Their job is agriculture; orchards, fields of grain, and cotton surround the district. Almost everything they grow goes to the Capitol.

District 11 specializes in agriculture, growing wheat and managing orchards. Rue stated that there are many tracker jacker nests in District 11, leading workers to keep medical leaves on hand. In the orchards small children are sent to high branches to pick the highest fruits. Sometimes during harvest they are given night-vision goggles to allow them to work after dark. Due to the nature of their work, children do have an advantage in the games, as the people of District 11 have a high amount of knowledge of herbs. They work all day; from sunrise to sunset, the people work the fields to send food off to the Capitol. They hardly keep any for themselves. District 11 is many times larger than District 12.

The citizens of District 11 are housed in small shacks.The people of this district are described as having "dark hair and dark skin". Due to this, they may be of African-American, Latin American, Native American, or South Asian decent. However, due to the location of District 11 being confirmed by Suzanne Collins as "the Deep South" (the Justice Building likely being located in what is now Atlanta, GA) it is most commonly assumed that the citizenry of District 11 is overwhelmingly of African-American descent and that the treatment of these citizens is a parallel to antebellum United States slavery (the citizens of District 11 are not allowed surnames, work long hours unpaid in fields and orchards, and are rationed food much more sparingly than in other Districts).

Peeta also noted that the signature bread from this district is a crescent moon shaped roll dotted with seeds.

In District 11, the names, at least of the characters we meet, are all names for some kind of grain.

"This bread came from District 11. I cautiously lift the still warm loaf. What must it have cost the people of District 11 who can't even feed themselves?"

―Katniss

Thresh was reaped for the 74th Hunger Games along with the female tribute from his district, Rue.

During the training sessions, Thresh was confronted and asked to be part of the Career pack but he refused.

During Thresh's interview before the games, Caesar Flickerman tries to help him to be more comfortable and talk. However, Thresh only answers in curt single word answers and remains surly. Katniss is extremely impressed with this, and envied Thresh as he showed such silent, deadly physical power and had no need to make the Capitol like him with an angle.

In the Games, it is highly unlikely that he participated in the bloodbath on day one. He left the Cornucopia and found a field of wheat, which he uses to his advantage by using the wheat for food and also as a source of cover so he could easily hide. The Careers knew where he was, but saw the field as a threat as Thresh would be at a major advantage if they attacked, so they avoided him.

"Just this one time, I let you go. For the little girl. You and me, we're even then. No more owed. You understand?"

―Thresh, to Katniss

Rue was the smallest and youngest female tribute from District 11 who was selected to participate in the 74th Annual Hunger Games. She is described as being small and easily underestimated by other competitors. Rue died in the 74th Hunger Games at the age of 12 when Marvel thrust a spear in her stomach. She had formed an alliance with Katniss Everdeen after warning her about a nest of tracker jackers. Rue decided to trust Katniss only because of the pin she wore over her heart, the famous mockingjay pin. As a memorial of Rue's death, Katniss covered her in flowers and sang to her, indicating to the Capitol that Rue was not just a piece in their games.

Rue and Thresh are described in the book as having dark skin and brown hair. Rue worked with great effort in the orchards in District 11. She would always work from sunrise to sunset, alongside the other citizens of her district. Rue was the oldest child in her family. Despite her size, she was able to jump from tree to tree in the orchards. Her considerable agility and skill at traveling through the tree tops are probably the reason she earned a good score after the private training sessions preceding the 74th Hunger Games (later, Katniss thinks her score was much too low). This ability, and her small stature, made her able to climb the tallest trees in District 11, allowing her to see the flag signaling quitting time first and sing her four note song when work was over. This tune was picked up by the mockingjays in the area, which spread the message through the orchards, letting the others know that the working day was over. Rue claimed that these mockingjays were her special friends.

"I'm very hard to catch. And if they can't catch me, they can't kill me. So don't count me out."

―Rue

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