What are Katniss's hopes and dreams?

Katniss does not have huge hopes and dreams; she does not want to become a famous medical doctor and cure the world of cancer. She is from a poor district, and she quickly gets thrown into a competition that puts her life at risk. For much of the novel, she hopes and dreams that she does not die in the competition. This hope is twofold. Obviously, she does not want to die. However, she also does not want her family, especially Prim, to view her death.

Most of the woods will offer insufficient cover. My only hope is to make it back to Rue’s copse and conceal myself in greenery. I can’t get caught out here on my hands and knees in the open. Not only will I face death, it’s sure to be a long and painful one at Cato’s hand. The thought of Prim having to watch that keeps me doggedly inching my way toward the hideout.

In order to secure her own survival in the arena, Katniss is forced to hope, dream, and depend on others. Rue and Peeta are definitely a part of that. However, Katniss quickly learns that her survival depends on her ability (or Cinna's ability) to secure sponsors.

For the first time, I feel a flicker of hope rising up in me. Surely, there must be one sponsor willing to take me on!
My lessons with Effie and Haymitch are over. This day belongs to Cinna. He’s my last hope. Maybe he can make me look so wonderful, no one will care what comes out of my mouth.

Previously, I mentioned that Katniss hopes that Prim will not have to see her die. That hope is definitely there, but that is not her only hope for Prim. Katniss is also hoping to survive in order to return to Prim, but even before Katniss is thrown into the arena, readers learn that Katniss hopes to prevent Prim from being taken to a state-run home.

I’d grown up seeing those home kids at school. The sadness, the marks of angry hands on their faces, the hopelessness that curled their shoulders forward. I could never let that happen to Prim.

Katniss also dreams of being well-fed. That makes sense. She is from an incredibly poor district, and the food that the people are allotted is not always enough. That is why Katniss sneaks out to hunt. She is trying to supplement her diet as well as her family's diet.

But it’s a hollow day, and even with all that I start daydreaming about food.

So far, I have listed realistic hopes and dreams that Katniss has. This fits with her character. She is a realist. She is not a dreamer. However, there are some instances in which readers get to see Katniss hope and dream for a completely unrealistic reality. This reality is one in which her father is not dead and in which her family is once again whole, complete, and happy.

Sometimes when things are particularly bad, my brain will give me a happy dream. A visit with my father in the woods. An hour of sunlight and cake with Prim.