Internal vs. External conflict

Veronica Roth relies more on external conflict in Divergent. 

Internal conflict in this book is used more for characterizing Tris: her personal struggles and weaknesses. There are bits of pieces of this scattered throughout the story, like her size, emotional attachments to her old faction, ect. 

I think external conflicts play a bigger role in Divergent because if it wasn't for the idea of factions, Tris wouldn't really be struggling. In the book, she is teased about being a "stiff", or an Abnigation transfer, but being "divergent" (belonging to more than one faction) is defiantly the main struggle. It is a dangerous thing to be divergent in the book's setting: a future civilization set in Chicago. Where I am in the book, Tris has recently got into trouble with the government, specifically Jeanine, an important Erudite figure. She questions Tris, suspecting that she's causing trouble. 

Also, Tris (because she is divergent) isn't allowed to see her family anymore since she switched factions. She misses them very much, and when she does try to see her brother in chapter 28, she gets into trouble with her brother and authority.

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.

Most important line- Chapter Thirteen

Chapter thirteen is a very important chapter from Divergent by Veronica Roth because, if you pay close attention, there is a new characteristic revealed about one of the main characters. In this chapter, Four throws knives at a target that Tris has to stand in front of. Tris is not severely hurt, but she does leave with a nicked ear. The most important line in this chapter is when Four says to Tris, "'If I wanted to hurt you, don't you think I would have already?'"(Roth 165). This quote is basically saying that Four does not want to hurt Tris. This is surprising to Tris because earlier, he admitted that he did nick her ear on purpose. However, this quote is clearly showing that he did this for her own good. Besides revealing Four's character, this line makes the reader want to know why Four is helping out Tris when he is a leader and she is just an initiate.

Best/ Worst parts about book

I am about about a quarter of the way through "Divergent" by Veronica Roth. I am enjoying the book. So far there have multiple (but small) climaxes that help make the book captivating. One thing that I don't like about this book is that it takes a long time to really get into the book. I think this because I think I am pretty far into the the story, but nothing major has happened yet (my friend who has finished this book has informed me of this). I also don't like how the characters are introduced. There are many characters in this book, and a lot of them get a very small introduction. It can be difficult to imagine (and remember) them while reading. Other than these things, I really like the way the book is set up: setting, conflict, imagery, ect. The way Veronica Roth wrote this book makes room for lots of action and suspense.

The most important line from chapter eleven in Divergent by Veronica Roth is on page 122 where Tris says to Christina, "'What do you think is out there?' I nod to the doorway. 'I mean, beyond the fence.'"(Roth 122). After this quote, Christina says farms, and beyond that, monsters, but she is only joking. Tris says this when she and Christina (along with the rest of their group) are on a train. Tris' curiosity about what is beyond the fence is mentioned two more times in this chapter. This specific line is important because it drives the plot forward by adding suspense. It makes the reader want to know what lies beyond the fence.

The most important line from chapter ten in Divergent by Veronica Roth is on page 116 where it says, "I used to look forward to that day. I used to think about what I would say to my mother and father when I was allowed to ask them questions at the dinner table." (Roth 116). In this line, Tris is talking about the time when initiates will be able to see their families for the first time since the choosing ceremony. Tris' parents did not approve her choice to move to Dauntless from Abnegation, so she doubt that her parents will come see her. This is an important line because it characterizes Tris in that she is doubtful and somewhat disappointed in her parents for not supporting her decision. I know this because on page 117, it says, "I clench my teeth as the tears come. I am fed up." (Roth 117). This line is showing how Tris reacts to the though of her parents not wanting to see her.