The truth is Haymitch does plays into both the alcoholic Appalachian and Irish (Abernathy is a Scots-Irish surname) stereotype. I’ve already talked about the parallels to Reapings and Vietnam draft lotteries and Operation Homecoming for American soldiers to Victor homecomings. So if Haymitch is meant to address this stereotype of the alcoholic Scots-Irish Appalachian it 1) is mostly for the narrative to subvert expectations and aid in other character’s growth as their view shifts as this character who was introduced puking on himself reveals more about himself when convenientfor them than himself as this means he had to be a stereotype for the story. 2) Vietnam Veterans were prone to alcoholism more than the general population so Haymitch could’ve represent this only and literally didn’t need to be Scots-Irish. In fact, I’m willing to bet that in 2008 him having the last name Thornrose or something wouldn’t bat an eye for the world of THG, even now when his surname has been set for over a decade. But since the older generations tend to get names a little more fitting to our world’s names, Haymitch just had to have his drunken Appalachian Irishness set in reality, apparently.
