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Abbie Nuzzo

Mrs. Cramer

College Comp Pd 5

18 December 2020

Different or Divergent?

When was the last time you made a choice that affected 4the rest of your life? In a future

Chicago, sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions by

which she will identify for the rest of her life. This decision becomes more difficult when she

discovers that she carries traits and skills for multiple factions, and\that the society she lives in

isn’t perfect after all. The book Divergent by Veronica Roth should be recommended to all

readers due to the author’s realistic view of the world and the themes eluded through the plot

including “sometimes you have to step outside of your comfort zone” and “no matter how hard

things get, never give up.”

Based on the extensive detail and description from the lines of the book, the author’s

view of the world and what she believes is visible. It is evident that the story is set in the future

because the author wrote, “The building that was once called the Sears Tower- we call it the

Hub- emerges from the fog, a black pillar in the skyline” (Divergent 2). In the book, there is

strong tension between the factions, and they do not get along. The third book in the trilogy,

Allegiant, reveals other information including the fact that the fenced in city of Chicago and the

factions within it were all just an experiment. The book explains that the experiment was started

because there was a huge war that wiped out nearly everything, and enclosing the people inside

the city was the only way to restore the humanity they had lost. The people placed inside the city
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were considered impure because they only encompass the character trait for one of the five

factions, and in order for the experiment to be successful, someone must have aptitude for all

five factions, also known as divergent, because that was how humanity was before it was

destroyed (Allegiant). From these specific details, the author’s beliefs and feelings about the

modern world can be inferred. The author believes that the people of this world are “impure” and

that if the wars and conflicts continue, then they will destroy all mankind and turn everything to

rubble, just like in the book. She believes that people need to be selfless, brave, intelligent,

honest, and kind, (the five characteristics represented by the five factions in the book) in order

for the world to function perfectly. Unfortunately, people today are lacking in some of those

areas leading to conflicts within society. There are numerous ways to learn how someone feels

and what they believe based on the stories they write.

In addition, there are several themes and lessons taught to the reader throughout the story.

The main, most important message taken away from the story is that it is okay to be bold and

step outside of one’s comfort zone. Beatrice Prior was born Abnegation, a quiet, plain, and

simplistic faction who values selflessness. On choosing day, she has to make a decision on

whether to stay in the faction that she has known her whole life or transfer to another one. Right

as Beatrice is about to choose her faction, the author wrote, “I am selfish. I am brave.”

(Divergent 38). From stating this important fact, it is obvious that Tris decided to transfer to the

Dauntless faction where the people are rowdy, chaotic, and brave, the opposite of her previous

faction. By taking that step, Tris stepped out of her comfort zone into something completely

unknown, but it all ended up working out. Another takeaway from this story is that you should

never give up, even when it seems like all odds are against you. Following the choosing

ceremony, Tris must go through multiple stages of Dauntless initiation: the first being physical,
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the second being mental, and the third being emotional. After the first day of physical training, it

is evident that Tris is not as physically fit as everyone else. Soon enough, her rank began to drop,

and she felt like giving up. Because Tris barely making it past the first stage of initiation, she

needed a real miracle in order to become a Dauntless member. Surprisingly, she began to

perform exceedingly well in the second and third stages and eventually became ranked first in

her class (Divergent). If she would’ve given up after the first stage, her success within the

Dauntless faction would’ve never even been possible. The lessons learned by the character in the

plot can be implemented into peoples’ everyday lives, which makes this book extremely realistic

for anyone who wants to read it.

In conclusion, the book Divergent by Veronica Roth contains themes that can pertain to

people’s lives in the real world and expresses the author’s beliefs and values about modern

society. Therefore, it should be recommended to anyone who in need of a story with an exciting

and suspenseful plot, but also anyone who wants to learn valuable life lessons From this book, it

becomes clear that sometimes the most difficult choices are the ones that can lead to the most

success.
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Works Cted

Roth, Veronica. Divergent. New York: HarperCollins, 2011. Print.

Roth, Veronica. Allegiant. New York: HarperCollins, 2013. Print.