This event sets the entire story in motion:
* Katniss's immediate reaction is to volunteer as tribute in her younger sister's place. This action establishes her fierce loyalty and the central conflict of the story: Katniss's struggle to survive and protect those she loves.
* The Games are now a direct threat to Katniss. She is thrust into a life-or-death situation, forced to confront the brutal reality of the Capitol's control and the dangers of the arena.
* The story's themes of rebellion, survival, and love are introduced. The Games become a symbol of oppression and a catalyst for the eventual uprising against the Capitol.
Without Primrose's name being drawn, Katniss would not have entered the Games, and the entire narrative of the Hunger Games trilogy would be drastically different.