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Divergent (novel)

Divergent AuthorVeronica RothCover artistJoel TippieCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishSeriesDivergent trilogyGenreScience fiction, dystopia, young adult fictionPublisherKatherine Tegen BooksApril 26, 2011Media typePrint (hardcover), e-book, paperbackPages487 (first edition)ISBN0-06-202402-7OCLC769412945LC ClassPZ7.R7375 Di 2011Followed byInsurgent
Divergent is the debut novel of American novelist Veronica Roth, published by Harper Collins Children's Books in 2011. The novel is the first of the Divergent trilogy, a series of young adult dystopian novels set in a Divergent Universe. The novel Divergent features a post-apocalyptic version of Chicago and follows Beatrice "Tris" Prior as she explores her identity within a society that defines its citizens by their social and personality-related affiliation with five factions, which removes the threat of anyone exercising independent will and re-threatening the population's safety. Underlying the action and dystopian focused main plot is a romantic subplot between Tris and one of her instructors in the Dauntless faction, nicknamed Four.

The novel has been compared to other young adult books such as The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner because of its similar themes and target audience. In particular, the novel explores the themes common to young adult fiction, such as adult authority and the transition from childhood to maturity, as well as such broader motifs as the place of violence and social structures within a post-apocalyptic society. Its major plot device, the division of society into personality types, is one used in other science fiction works. Beyond its literary context, Roth's open declaration of her religion as a Christian has brought commentary from Christian communities both endorsing and challenging the novel.

Roth wrote Divergent while working on a Creative Writing degree at Northwestern University, and it was quickly purchased for publication alongside the subsequent books in the trilogy (completed in October 2013). Summit Entertainment purchased the media rights to the book in 2011 and subsequently produced a film adaptation titled Divergent which was released March 21, 2014. The film, a success amongst audiences, generated 8,747,895 at the box office despite mixed reviews from critics.

Plot

In post-apocalyptic Chicago, survivors are divided into five factions: Abnegation, the selfless; Amity, the peaceful; Candor, the honest; Dauntless, the brave; and Erudite, the intelligent. All 16-year-olds are tested to determine the faction that suits them best, but they select their own faction at the Choosing Ceremony. Those who do not complete initiation become "Factionless" and live on the streets as outcasts.

The main character, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior, cannot choose before she takes the test. Her inconclusive test results (Abnegation, Dauntless, and Erudite) mark her as "Divergent," and the test administrator, Tori, warns her never to tell anyone. Agonizing over her future, Beatrice decides to leave Abnegation, her blood, and to join Dauntless. Her brother Caleb chooses Erudite.

The new Dauntless initiates jump onto a moving train to Dauntless headquarters and are instructed to jump onto the roof. Most make it, but one initiate falls to her death, and another is too afraid to jump. When they are later ordered to jump into the compound entrance, Beatrice jumps first. Reaching the bottom, she tells the instructor, Four, that her name is Tris.

Four explains that unlike the other factions, which accept all successful initiates, only the top ten Dauntless initiates will stay, and the rest become Factionless. Tris befriends several fellow initiates like Christina, Will, and Al but comes into conflict with others like Peter, Drew, and Molly.

The Willis (or Sears) Tower, one of several landmarks Roth describes within post-apocalyptic Chicago, the novel's setting.
In the first stage of initiation, they are trained in guns, knives, and hand-to-hand combat. Despite her lack of physical strength, Tris finishes in sixth place. A relationship emerges between Tris and Four, and Tris is pummeled by Peter in a fight. After the first-stage rankings are announced, the second-place Peter stabs the first-place Edward in the eye. Edward leaves to become Factionless, followed by his girlfriend Myra, which allows Peter to take Edward's place as the first-place initiate.

On Visiting Day, Tris's mother tells Tris to stay strong but not to bring too much attention to herself during training.

Erudite stirs dissent against the city's Abnegation leadership and accuses its leader, Marcus, of abusing his son. The rumors are fueled by the fact that Marcus's son, as well as Tris and Caleb, have all left Abnegation, which is also alleged to be hoarding supplies.

The initiates enter the second stage and face hallucinations based on their deepest fears. Tris's Divergent abilities give her an advantage and earn her the top rank. Peter, Drew, and Al attack Tris; threaten sexual assault; and nearly throw her to her death, but Four intervenes. Al begs Tris's forgiveness, but she rejects him, and he later dies by suicide.

The final stage gathers the initiates' fears into a simulated "fear landscape" to test their acquired skills. Tris and Four grow closer, and he lets her into his own fear landscape. She discovers that he has only four fears, hence his nickname. In Four's final fear, Tris also learns that he is Marcus's son Tobias and that the claims of abuse were true. Four uncovers Erudite's plans to use Dauntless to stage an attack on Abnegation.

Tris overcomes her fear landscape, and the Dauntless initiates are injected with a "tracking" serum. Tris shares her feelings for Tobias and is later ranked first at the initiation ceremony.

A junction on the Chicago "L", one of modern Chicago's train systems. The Dauntless demonstrate their fearlessness by jumping on and off moving trains throughout the novel.
The serum transforms the Dauntless into hypnotized soldiers to attack Abnegation. Tris and Tobias's Divergent abilities allow them to remain unaffected by the serum and escape to the Abnegation compound. Tris is shot, and they are captured. The Erudite leader Jeanine Matthews, the mastermind of the attack, injects Tobias with an experimental serum that overrides his Divergence. Under Jeanine's control, Tobias oversees the attack from the Dauntless control room. Tris is almost drowned in a tank but is rescued by her mother, who reveals that she is also Divergent before she is killed while she helps Tris escape. Tris is forced to kill Will, who attacks her under the influence of the simulation.

She finds her and Tobias's fathers and explains the truth behind the attack. They fight their way to Dauntless headquarters, where Tris's father sacrifices himself. Tris is attacked by the mind-controlled Tobias. Unable to kill him, Tris surrenders, which causes Tobias to break free of the serum's control. They shut down the Erudite simulation and free the Dauntless. They rejoin the initiates and board a train to the Amity sector to find the Abnegation survivors.

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