Who is Katniss Everdeen?

Katniss Everdeen is the heroine of The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Katniss is a teenage girl living in District 12 of Panem, a dystopian version of the United States. In the first novel of the series, The Hunger Games, we meet Katniss and learn that she provides for her family—her mother and sister Prim—by hunting (illegally). She was taught to hunt by her father who has since been killed in a mining explosion. Katniss's mother is seemingly incapable of caring for the family due to her depression, and Katniss, as young as she is, takes responsibility for her sister. As we first learn about the Everdeen family dynamic, we also hear that Prim is about to experience "The Reaping" for the first time. A boy and a girl from each district will be chosen randomly to participate in the Hunger Games. The games involve fighting to the death, and only one victor survives. Katniss assures her sister that she won't be chosen on her first time, but both characters are shocked when Prim's name is drawn. Kaniss's heroism begins in earnest when she instinctively volunteers to go in Prim's place. Kaniss competes in the games and wins, along with her district mate Peeta. The two win by threatening to eat poisonous berries together, leaving the Capitol with no victor. They are then declared co-winners.
In Catching Fire, the second installment of the trilogy, Katniss returns home as a victor but cannot adjust to everyday life. The only people who understand her are Peeta and Haymitch, their mentor who also won the Games years before. Eventually, President Snow announces a special Quarter Quell of the Games, and the reaping is taken from previous victors. Katniss is the only female victor, so she is back in the games, as is Peeta after he volunteers for Haymitch. Katniss vows to protect Peeta and will sacrifice her life for him to win. Eventually, they join with other rebel victims to destroy the Games. The rebels are afterwards hunted by the government in Mockingjay, the third novel in the series. In the final novel, Katniss becomes the symbol of the revolution against President Snow and the Capitol.
Katniss is one of the best-known literary heroines of the 21st century. When the novels were adapted into four films by the same titles, Jennifer Lawrence portrayed Katniss to much acclaim. It is likely that Katniss will continue to be admired by readers and viewers for years to come.