In Beatrice Prior's
dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated
to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest),
Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful),
and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all
sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the
rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with
her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she
makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series--dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.
A literary analysis of the theme of Divergent. This is my 1st quarter written book report. This year, I've learned I love diving into the theme of a book. I don't normally think deeply about a book. It's just there for entertainment, but I enjoyed diving into Divergent, analyzing it. This is one of the first, and only, books that got me thinking. It made me think about human nature and virtues. I am in love with Divergent, and of course, Veronica Roth.
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During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series--dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.
A literary analysis of the theme of Divergent. This is my 1st quarter written book report. This year, I've learned I love diving into the theme of a book. I don't normally think deeply about a book. It's just there for entertainment, but I enjoyed diving into Divergent, analyzing it. This is one of the first, and only, books that got me thinking. It made me think about human nature and virtues. I am in love with Divergent, and of course, Veronica Roth.
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Bravery
and Fearlessness: Are They The Same Thing?
Is
it braver for someone to say they have no fears or admit to their
weaknesses? Is it brave to attack an unsuspecting people without any
protection or is that cowardice? Is suicide truly brave or is it the
easy way out? Veronica Roth develops the theme of
bravery in Divergent
through characterization, setting, and action.
One could perceive bravery in two ways. Definition one: bravery is
the absence of fear. Definition two: bravery is facing your fears and
meeting them head-on. In the Dauntless faction, these are the two
ways of thinking. Eric follows the first way of thinking. To be truly
brave, a person has to eradicate all fears, admit no weaknesses. This
makes him cruel. “A brave man never surrenders.” (p.95) Tris and
Four are of the second way of thinking. They believe that bravery is
admitting your weaknesses and working to overcome them. “Selfishness
and bravery aren't all that different,” (p.336) according to Four.
When Al commits suicide, Eric claims he is one of the bravest among
them. “Albert is now exploring an unknown, uncertain place...Who
among us is brave enough to venture into that darkness without
knowing what lies beyond it?” (p.307) Tris is stunned by this
belief. “Courageous? Courageous would have been admitting weakness
and leaving Dauntless, no matter what shame accompanied it. Pride is
what killed Al.” (p.308)
The
setting of Divergent
allows the characters to encounter their fears often, particularly in
the simulations. The aptitude test sorts people into factions through
a simulation of which one part is facing a rabid dog with only a
knife. The fear simulator is all about controlling fears. Initiates
are not conscious that they are in a simulator and believe this is
what is really happening. To exit, they must calm themselves to a
normal heartbeat. The fear landscapes are designed for a person to
encounter all fears and overcome them emotionally and physically. The
Dauntless compound is not for the faint of heart, with tens of places
you could fall to your death. The worst spot is the chasm, where “the
floor drops off at a sharp angle, and several stories below is a
river.” (p.64)
The
action of Divergent
is fast-paced and intense. The actions of Eric and Tris greatly
differ because of their different views of bravery. Eric is cruel and
tries to kill the innocent and protection-less. Tris is willing to do
anything to stop him from killing her parents. And then Tris's mother
sacrifices herself to save Tris. This wrecks her world. “Eric
called Al's suicide brave, but he was wrong. My mother's death was
brave. I remember how calm she was, how determined. It isn't just
brave that she died for me; it is brave that she did it without
announcing it, without hesitation, and without appearing to consider
another option.” (p.450) This sacrifice becomes Tris's standard for
bravery. She strives to be brave as her mother was. “I am no longer
Tris, the selfless, or Tris, the brave. I suppose that now, I must
become more than either.” (p.487)
Through
characterization, setting, and action, Veronica Roth develops the
theme of bravery in Divergent.
People should admit to their weaknesses and carry on despite them.
Someone cannot truly be brave when attacking the weak. That is
bullying not bravery. And suicide is not being able to face life,
taking the easy way out so as to not face their fears. Bravery is
selflessness, sacrifice, facing your fears.
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