Divergent

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Bibliography

Roth, V. (2011). Divergent.  New York: Katherine Tegen Books.  ISBN:  99780062024022, pp. 487.

Summary

Beatrice Potter is a part of a faction known as Abnegation in a dystopian society based in Chicago. There are four other factions that make up the community in an effort to create a more peaceful world. The five factions Abnegation (selflessness), Candor (honesty), Amity (peace), Dauntless (bravery), and Erudite (knowledge) hold a choosing ceremony each year where sixteen year olds decide to which faction they will belong. They say that a faction is more important than your family, so Beatrice knows she must choose wisely. Even though she respects the gentle spirit of the Abnegation faction, she never feels like she belongs. In a surprising turn of events, she chooses Dauntless and enters an initiation process that is more difficult than she can ever imagine. During the initiation she changes her name to Tris, and she continues to hide the most important secret she has carried with her even from her faction. As she becomes more comfortable with her new faction, she suddenly learns that none of the factions are exactly what they seem, and she begins to wonder if their society can stand much longer with the five factions in place.

Critical Analysis

Roth has brought a fresh twist to the ever popular dystopian novel genre. At first, the idea that all people of a faction can emulate one characteristic trait seems far-fetched. However, as the characters are developed the reader sees that is not the case at all, and perhaps that is the theme of the novel. Can a society divided into factions really survive, or is everyone a bit divergent? Tris is a strong female character. Despite her insecurities, she stands up for herself and shows courage during difficult times. The love story between Tris and Four is realistic and doesn’t overshadow the main theme to become the central plot of the story. The only true downside is the slow climax. Roth tells so much back story that by the time the climax comes, it is a bit rushed and underdeveloped. The ending does leave the reader ready for the next installment in the trilogy, Insurgent, which was released May 2012.