Reading fiction

Divergent by Veronica Roth is a non-fiction novel. It is set in the future and it is very different from today, because people are divided into groups based on certain characteristics called factions. With this system, there are going to be problems because it is difficult to sort out all people because we all have multiple characteristics.
This idea started to make me think that being Divergent is a good thing, although it is taboo to the characters in the book. The characteristics that each faction represent (honesty, selflessness, peace, intelligence, and bravery) are all good things that should be valued equally. I don't think it's necessary to define your beliefs forever based on one choice, like it is in the book, because we gain maturity and knowledge over time. Tris is continuing to find this out in the story. I'm interested to see what she does with what she gains from being Divergent (belonging to multiple factions) later on in the book.

Character Prompt

One moment from "Divergent" by Veronica Roth that epitomizes the personality of Tris (the main character) is when she is in the training room with the other initiatives in chapter thirteen. In this scene, Al (an initiative) isn't doing so well at hitting a target with knives because he is flinching. Eric decides to make him stand against the target while knives are thrown near him. Tris thinks this is unfair so she says to Eric, "Any idiot can stand in front of a target... It doesn't prove anything except that you're bullying us. Which, as I recall, is a sign of cowardice" (Roth 162). In this quote, Tris is standing up for her teammate. This shows that she cares about others, which is a sign of selflessness.

Not only does this show her empathy for others, but it is a good example of how she isn't afraid of truth, whether it is for or against authority. In this part of the book, she clearly finds the punishment for Al unfair. Her statement is very honest.

The real question here is: "Why do these observations matter?"

Earlier in the book, the readers are introduced to five factions that have different characteristics. "Candor" values honesty and "Abnegation" values selflessness. Both characteristics of these factions are shown in Tris' response to Eric, which can support the idea that Tris is truly Divergent.