From the Amazon.com Teens Editor: The "Catching Fire" Book Club, 4/9

How did Katniss' participation in the Games change her relationship with Gale? Why does she say, "The Games have spoiled even that...There's no going back"?

She & Gale used to be BFFs. But during the games, Gale kept seeing Katniss on TV acting like Peeta's girlfriend. So Gale became jealous because he actually likes her, too. But Haymitch kept wanting to sell the whole "star-crossed lovers" thing. That's what I got from it, anyway. :)

It didn't just make Gale question what was true and what was not - sure, he was swayed by the propaganda... but more importantly for our protagonist, SHE was changed. She blurred the truth for the games, and in the heat of the emotions of death and danger... and a deep-hidden love for 'the boy with the bread'... real love developed too. She's trying to sort out truth from fiction too.

But take both boys out of the equation, and the Games did change just Katniss. How could one participate in such a horrific event and not be changed? When she returned to district 12 she wasn't the same person she had been when she left. Her choices, what she saw, what she did... what she didn't do... they changed her inside. And so the Katniss that left wasn't the same either... she could never just go back to the 'easy times' with Gale because the games took away a piece of her soul.

Yeah I agree with Jill. I think that the relationship with Peeta got push on her so much that she wasn't really sure how she felt. I think if she had not been in the games her relationship with Gale would have become more.

Because she humiliated President Snow (by making a mockery of the games and calling the shots on there having to be a winner), he is keeping an eye on her. She has to continue to play the game of being in love with Peeta, as Gale is presented as being her "cousin." Because she is continuing to be somewhat in the spotlight, she can't go back to the previous freedom she enjoyed. Those are the obvious outside changes...inside she will never be the same after surviving the horror of the games.

Creative Diva makes a good point: when she "won" the games, the games didn't end. She was still being forced to keep up the fiction (that was mingled truth) of her love for Peeta and couldn't spend the time with Gale that she needed to heal the damage in their relationship and figure out where she really stood on her feelings.

And the Games made him realize, or at least he forced himself to believe that he always loved Katniss (I never believed in his love for her, just saying haha).

I'm not sure if Katniss changed who she was...if you think about it she was, has been and is a survivor. I think the games brought more of who she was to the surface. Gale is to much like her for their relationship to work, because she is fire all by herself.

Also through out the book everyone knows that there is a special something about her, it is stated several times.

I completely agree with Stefanie. How can you endure what Katniss has and ever go back to the way things were? Her relationship with Gale has changed for several reasons. For one because of the relationship that she developed with Peeta in the arena. She has yet to work out her feelings, and although she is unsure of how she feels, there is a love for Peeta that has been supressed. Katniss will never be the same person that she was prior to the games. I don't think that after such a tramautic experience she will ever be the "old" Katniss.

Karen I think that you have a point regarding Gale. I don't doubt that he had feelings for Katniss and even loved her at some level. That may have even developed into a romantic love, had Peeta not come into the picture. But, how real is that love in comparison to the love that Peeta has for Katniss? Gale's romantic feelings only came about at the idea of Katniss being with someone else. I mean Peeta has loved her his whole life! On the same note, I think that the love that Katniss has for Gale comes from a similar place. I mean prior to Peeta he is the only boy that she has ever been close to. There is a comfort there that comes from spending so much time with him. He is all she has known...until Peeta.

Hmm I would maybe eventually she realizes that Gale has a good deal of hate boiling inside. He see the injustices and chooses vengence. In the last book she knows that she won't choose Gale b/c what if it was his brain child that was used to kill Prim? Especially in the 3rd book, Katniss seems to realize Gale's ideas are effective because he thinks like the enemy. Hate, no matter in whom it orginates (abuser or victim), always causes destruction & heartache.

She's hardly ever sure about her feelings for Peeta or Gale, but she was sure of her friendship with Gale. The games and her "acting" have brought something else into their friendship that wasn't there before. And so they can't go back to the hunting and chatting duo that they once were because she is changed by her experience and her confusion, and he is changed by his feelings for her and ignited passion for revolution.

To much had changed for them to ever go back to the way things were before. Also, I think she was developing feelings for Peeta and feeling confused.

The games truely changed katniss herself. Before them, gale was the only guy katniss had ever been close to. She loved him in a way, but not romantically.
Gale, however, did think he had feelings for her. His feelings were never really true though. His 'love' for katniss came out of his hate and jealousy of her being with any one else.
When gale saw katniss in the games with peeta, his jealousy boiled up inside of himself, so when katniss returned he tried to push himself closer to her, giving her an ultimatum.
The games changed their relationship forever beacause they couldnever go back to being 'just friends' again. Gales jealousy would never alow that,and katniss' emotions were running crazy, she needed some one to love and comfort her and she knew she couldnt have both. No matter who she chose, her and gales relationship would never be the same.

Gale became jealous of Peeta and what Katniss had with him. Gale also becomes obsessed with the rebellion.

Gale and Katniss were secret lovers and best friends. Katniss then met Peeta, who became one of the only people she could love and trust. Finnick Odair then came along and became her best friend.