A tribute years earlier than the 74th Hunger Games turned savage within the arena and ate a dead tribute's heart.  Blood dripping down the face of a young boy, a mangled body lying at his feet, and an animalistic look in the eyes of this boy is a perfect symbol of the dehumanization process that takes place from the Hunger Games.  By studying Peeta's internal warfare over how he will retain his identity while in the arena, we can see how Peeta differs from all other tributes.  Peeta's quest for identity and humanity is important because the Capitol's hopes are to dehumanize the tributes, and these tributes are willing to do anything to survive, even sacrificing their moral beliefs.
	
First off, there lies the question of whether Peeta has accepted death and given up, or maybe there is more to it.  Peeta leads the reader to believe he has completely given up when he says, "I've never been a contender in these Games anyway" (141).  Hopelessness seems to have set in on Peeta as he sees his imminent death approaching.  On the surface it really seems like Peeta is giving up, he even talks about dying as himself, meaning he has accepted death.  Although it seems he has completely given up, if the reader looks closer he/she will see Peeta's true motive.  Peeta knows he will die, because he will protect Katniss and try to help her win.  To Peeta, protecting Katniss is how he will die as himself, it gives his death meaning.  When Peeta says, "[ ] what else am I allowed to care about at this point?" (142), he realizes Katniss is what he should care about at this point.  Peeta's plan to save Katniss is not known to the reader, because the scene is in Katniss's point of view and Katniss always thinks Peeta is scheming and looking for a way to gain advantage over her.  Had it been in Peeta's point of view the reader could see his intentions.  Through Katniss, the reader sees Peeta's remark, "Give my mother my best when you make it back, will you?" (142), as a sign that he has given up all hope of winning.  In all reality though, Peeta is saying that Katniss will live and he will die, because her life is more important than his.  So yes, Peeta has accepted death, but it is a death chosen by him and it will be a noble death.
	
Now, to comprehend why Peeta's thoughts are an anomaly from other tributes' thoughts the reader must understand what Peeta wishes to maintain.  Peeta is fighting to maintain his purity, humanity, and identity.  The Games are known for turning players into "savages" who are blood thirsty for their competitors lives.  Just look at Titus who turned cannibalistic in the arena.  Peeta wants to maintain his humanity, not become a "beast" like Titus.  The fear that surges in Peeta's mind is the worry that the Games will turn him into a soulless monster hell bent on killing everyone in his way to survive, "I don't want them to change me in there.  Turn me into some kind of monster that I'm not" (141).  Identity is who we are, and Peeta wants to prevent the loss of his identity in the arena.  Also, Peeta doesn't want to die as a forgettable tribute in the 74th Hunger Games, he wants to make a statement with his death, "Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to . . . to show the Capitol they don't own me.  That I'm more than just a piece in their Games" (142).  The Capitol has made everyone a piece in their Games for the past 73 years, but Peeta wants to send a message by showing everyone that he is Peeta Mellark, a sixteen year old boy, a human being.  Furthermore, Peeta wishes to maintain his purity.  This doesn't mean he won't kill anyone, even Peeta says he will, "[ ] I'm sure I'll kill just like everybody else" (142).  Peeta's purity would only be destroyed if he broke his own moral code, and lost sight of what he saw as right and wrong.  Peeta's thoughts are very noble; he is willing to sacrifice his life for his morals, something no other tribute would do.
	
Since the scene is in the point of view of Katniss, the reader can see the mindset of a tribute that is simply focused on how they will survive in the arena in comparison to a tribute who is focused on how their legacy and humanity will survive.  Katniss even sees the contradictions as she speaks with Peeta, "While I've been ruminating on the availability of trees, Peeta has been struggling with how to maintain his identity.  His purity of self" (142).  Katniss like the twenty-two other tributes is worrying about how she will survive, while Peeta is worrying about how he will die, as himself, in an honorable way.  Although at first Katniss feels a little "inferior" for only thinking about how she will survive, she soon sees Peeta's view point as useless, "Only . . . no offense, but who cares, Peeta" (142)?  Katniss believes that it is useless to worry about what other people believe or see, so the idea of maintaining morals is not a worry of hers.  What Katniss doesn't understand is that Peeta is worried about the perception of himself through his own eyes, not others. Katniss proves she is only worried of survival when she tells Peeta, "Look, if you want to spend the last hours of your life planning some noble death in the arena, that's your choice.  I want to spend mine in District Twelve" (142).  Katniss is convinced that Peeta is just being self-righteous, and this infuriates her.  For the rest of the night Katniss just thinks about how she loathes Peeta Mellark and how he won't stay true to his mindset, "We will see how high and mighty he is when he's faced with life and death" (143).  Like the other tributes, Katniss knows she will do anything to survive when death approaches her, and she believes Peeta will too.  It is the point of view of Katniss that convinces the reader that Peeta doesn't truly plan on dying a noble death; that it is all smoke and mirrors to help his chances.  If this scene had been from Peeta's point of view, the reader could have known his plan was to protect Katniss in the arena, thus not playing by the Capitol's ways and preserving his humanity through caring about another person's life more than his own.  
	
By studying Peeta's internal warfare over how he will retain his identity while in the arena, we can see how Peeta differs from all other tributes.  Peeta's quest for identity and humanity is important because the Capitol's hopes are to dehumanize the tributes, and these tributes are willing to do anything to survive, even sacrificing their moral beliefs.  The uniqueness of Peeta is what makes him such a great character.  While everyone is worried about how they will survive, including Katniss, Peeta is worried about how his morals and humanity will survive in the hell he is about to enter.  Peeta does find a way to protect his morals and his purity by not worrying about his life, but the life of Katniss.  All in all, the boy with the bread has cast aside being the tribute from District 12 and is becoming Peeta Mellark, a free man.  Peeta shall think freely and act freely, not cave to the pressure of the Capitol, Gamemakers, and other tributes.  Peeta Mellark is a game changer.

