The protagonist feels trapped and on display inside a zoo, akin to the animals that cannot escape.
Children and adults crowd the bars, while Capitol News covers the event, threatening to broadcast his embarrassment widely.
He decides the best course of action is to face the situation head-on, attempting to appear bored and in control.
The crowd recognizes him and starts asking questions, which makes him contemplate the state of the country.
District tributes begin to mock him, sparking fear of a possible attack.
Lucy Gray, his tribute, reassures him by telling him to "own it," leading him to act with more confidence.
Together, they engage with the audience, particularly the children, which starts to endear Lucy Gray to the crowd.
Lying that this was intentional, they turn the situation to their advantage by interacting with the camera and interviewer from Capitol News.
Peacekeepers arrive to retrieve him from the enclosure, where he thanks the crowd and promotes Lucy Gray before departing calmly.
His performance was broadcast across the Capitol, which he sees on screens as he is driven back to the Academy.
He receives a cold response from the Peacekeepers, who escort him to the Academy's biology lab rather than the office, puzzling him.
Once inside the lab, he's confronted by the Dean and Dr. Gaul, the head Gamemaker, about his unsanctioned appearance at the zoo.
Dr. Gaul praises him for his initiative, suggesting he has the instincts for a Gamemaker, while the Dean questions his understanding of the Hunger Games' purpose.
Coriolanus struggles to articulate why children are so important to the Hunger Games, revealing a deeper uncertainty about the love for children.
Dean Highbottom dismisses his actions as a failed experiment, while Dr. Gaul leaves to attend to her muttations.
The Dean then issues Coriolanus a demerit for his reckless actions, threatening expulsion if he receives two more.
The chapter concludes with the Dean drugging himself, possibly with morphling, and Coriolanus contemplating the implications of the demerit.