On a scale of one to five stars, I have to say I would give this book a 3.9.
Although this wasn't my all-time favorite book, the book Divergent is written in a manner that everyone can understand. It has captivating details that pull you through endless cliffhangers and make you want to continually read more.
Tris's character was a little underdeveloped in her thought process and overall personality, but I do think it relates well enough to a teenage girl. This book allows us to follow Tris throughout her journey as a Divergent, and her constant live in fear. Tris undergoes many hardships and willingly pulls through all of them. She is emotionally torn between her decision of family, or her faction, yet she can't decide which faction she belongs; if any at that.
This books stretches from a regular thought process and allows us to think of alternatives to American Government. The symbolism throughout this book is mind-blowing, and not obvious. Veronica Roth did a fantastic job incorporating personal experiences with Dystopian fiction and has completed one of the most creative books yet. This book pushes you out of your comfort zone and allows you to voice your opinion on matters that usually don't occur. It gives a person many outlets to consider, and describes all sides of the matter, allowing your opinion to be the final dictator.
I've enjoyed considering alternate possibilities to the way of life. Also, reading a romance novel built in to all of the dramatic fiction. It was the perfect balance between knowledge and expanding ones mind, and entertainment for the thrill of events. I would recommend this book not only for the intense symbolism, but also for a new approach on thought processes.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Chapter Thirty-nine
The shot is never fired though... Tobias finds a way to manipulate the simulation and slowly drops the gun. He feels awful for what he's done and he cries on her shoulder. They are reunited and he says the reason he fought the simulation was because he heard her voice. Awwwww.<3
After a few moments of love, Tris looks at the screen where Marcus, Caleb, and Peter are being surrounded by Dauntless Soldiers. Tris tells Tobias to quickly turn off the simulation, and it is completed on the very last second before they would've been killed. The button is pushed and all of the Dauntless soldiers are back to themselves. They cry for realizing that what they did in the simulation was true, yet they are still confused; some angry at being controlled.
They head back down to the stairs where Caleb, Peter, and Marcus are when Marcus comes up and hugs Tobias. He cringes from the embrace and Tris steps in between them, holding a gun up at Marcus. Caleb intrudes, but Tris backs him off when she tells him that not all the Erudite reports were wrong.
After a few moments of love, Tris looks at the screen where Marcus, Caleb, and Peter are being surrounded by Dauntless Soldiers. Tris tells Tobias to quickly turn off the simulation, and it is completed on the very last second before they would've been killed. The button is pushed and all of the Dauntless soldiers are back to themselves. They cry for realizing that what they did in the simulation was true, yet they are still confused; some angry at being controlled.
"Five more seconds. Five seconds of weakness and then I get up. One, two. Three, four. Five."
They head back down to the stairs where Caleb, Peter, and Marcus are when Marcus comes up and hugs Tobias. He cringes from the embrace and Tris steps in between them, holding a gun up at Marcus. Caleb intrudes, but Tris backs him off when she tells him that not all the Erudite reports were wrong.
They head back to the train and Tris and Tobias are together. Tris explains how she got to the Dauntless compound and how her parents died. They died for her and she feels like that's important. They are on a long train ride to the Amity headquarters and it ends with Tris and Tobias kissing, her thinking about the factions future and what will happen next.
"We are creatures of loss; we have left everything behind. I have no home, no path, and no certainty. I am no longer Tris, the selfless, or Tris, the brave. I suppose that now, I must become more than either."
The End.
Chapter Thirty-eight
Tris keeps begging for Tobias to see her, to remember who she is. She finally drops her weapon after Tobias threatens to shoot. Then she lunges at him and she knocks the gun out of the way. They are punching and kicking each other and then Tris gets a hold of a gun.
She points it at him and he just lunges at her. She doesn't want to shoot him because this comes personal, this is Tobias, she can't do this. She screams in frustration, begging him to see her, to hear her. She decides that she cannot kill him because she knows if the roles were reversed, he wouldn't kill her...
She points it at him and he just lunges at her. She doesn't want to shoot him because this comes personal, this is Tobias, she can't do this. She screams in frustration, begging him to see her, to hear her. She decides that she cannot kill him because she knows if the roles were reversed, he wouldn't kill her...
"There is a power in self-sacrifice.."
Tris does what she has done before in her fear landscape, and gives up her gun to Tobias. The barrel soon reaches her forehead. She reaches out one final time to feel his heartbeat. Then the bullet clicks into the barrel....
Chapter Thirty-seven
Tris picks Caleb, Marcus, and Tris's dad to go with her to the Dauntless compound. I think it works out well that Tris is Divergent and that she is partly Erudite, so she can assume some of Jeanine's thoughts about placement and her future plans. They soon make it to Tris's lifestyle and they have to learn how to jump on and off trains, and then they jump off that seven story building, to the back-entrance of the Dauntless compound.
(Random thought.) Does anyone else think it's perplexing that Tris's mother was a Dauntless-born, and now Tris transferred to Dauntless? Also, that Tris's dad was Erudite-born and Caleb was going to become and Erudite? Their parents also chose Abnegation, while the kids chose to leave Abnegation. This seems coincidental but it comes back to the whole Nature vs. Nurture. They all were affiliated with Abnegation, and maybe they were all Divergent because of it.
They enter the compound and Peter is the soldier who is guarding the entryway to the pit. So Tris catches him off guard, then ends up shooting his arm because of the anger she has built up against him. She decides to spare his life though because he knows where the control room is. Peter isn't under the simulation and he explains it's because they said he didn't have to undergo the simulation, but I think it's because he is Divergent also. Why would they spare the number 5 initiate anyways?
Her encounters with Marcus are unsettling, and I've come to the conclusion that Marcus is evil. enough said.
As she climbs the stairs to the control room, she has to fire at many guards, and it turns out that one of them is Divergent too and kind of helps to lead her to the control room. They are almost through all of the guards when they soon become surrounded and Tris's dad runs in the wrong direction, trapping himself in a dead end. He ends up dying, also to save Tris and we'll never know what he has to say!
She finally makes it to the control room, where Tobias is sitting intently at the computers. There are many of them, all running through numbers and codes. There are many crazy monitors which show what is happening back in Abnegation.
(Random thought.) Does anyone else think it's perplexing that Tris's mother was a Dauntless-born, and now Tris transferred to Dauntless? Also, that Tris's dad was Erudite-born and Caleb was going to become and Erudite? Their parents also chose Abnegation, while the kids chose to leave Abnegation. This seems coincidental but it comes back to the whole Nature vs. Nurture. They all were affiliated with Abnegation, and maybe they were all Divergent because of it.
They enter the compound and Peter is the soldier who is guarding the entryway to the pit. So Tris catches him off guard, then ends up shooting his arm because of the anger she has built up against him. She decides to spare his life though because he knows where the control room is. Peter isn't under the simulation and he explains it's because they said he didn't have to undergo the simulation, but I think it's because he is Divergent also. Why would they spare the number 5 initiate anyways?
Her encounters with Marcus are unsettling, and I've come to the conclusion that Marcus is evil. enough said.
 |
| This is a skyscraper in North Korea. It resembles Marcus's facade about being the leader of Abnegation and seeming selfless, when on the inside he is hollow and has problems. |
As she climbs the stairs to the control room, she has to fire at many guards, and it turns out that one of them is Divergent too and kind of helps to lead her to the control room. They are almost through all of the guards when they soon become surrounded and Tris's dad runs in the wrong direction, trapping himself in a dead end. He ends up dying, also to save Tris and we'll never know what he has to say!
She finally makes it to the control room, where Tobias is sitting intently at the computers. There are many of them, all running through numbers and codes. There are many crazy monitors which show what is happening back in Abnegation.
"Now, preparing to jump off a moving train is nothing, because I have done more difficult things in the past few weeks than most people will in a lifetime. And yet none of it compares to what I am about to do in the Dauntless compound."
Chapter Thirty-six
Two Dauntless soldiers are following Tris, even after her mother drew all that attention. She kills the first one with ease, but then she recognizes the second. Not a man-soldier, but a boy with shaggy hair; her friend Will. She begins screaming with guilt, as she chooses her life over his and sends a bullet straight through his head. Afterwards she practically collapses and wails with sadness. Sorry that I have to say this, but that is the dumbest thing you could do right now! Your own mom just died in order to save you, and now you're going to risk it by screaming so everyone can hear you!? Dumb. Just, dumb.
She makes it to the building and knocks the pattern on the door. Caleb answers and takes her downstairs where she sees her father for the first time since the ceremony. Caleb is back in Abnegation clothes and she asks how he got there. Caleb researched the simulation serum and discovered Jeanines plan for war on Abnegation, so he dropped out of Erudite and is now factionless. But his dad refuses that, he is a part of them still...
They soon remove the bullet from Tris's arm and Tris explains what is really happening to the Dauntless people. She explains that they are in a simulation and that they have no control over their actions. They are just the tools of Abnegation.
Tris meets Marcus, Tobias's father, and explains how they need to wake up the soldiers in order to stop everything. They are going to make a plan to destroy the computers that are controlling everyone. This will stop the war.
 |
| Hahaha. If you've ever heard me talk about 'The Hunger Games' movie. This scene I laughed because her sobbing was so ridiculous. You're getting hunted by like 15 other tributes and you're screaming your head off. Yeah. That's smart. |
She makes it to the building and knocks the pattern on the door. Caleb answers and takes her downstairs where she sees her father for the first time since the ceremony. Caleb is back in Abnegation clothes and she asks how he got there. Caleb researched the simulation serum and discovered Jeanines plan for war on Abnegation, so he dropped out of Erudite and is now factionless. But his dad refuses that, he is a part of them still...
They soon remove the bullet from Tris's arm and Tris explains what is really happening to the Dauntless people. She explains that they are in a simulation and that they have no control over their actions. They are just the tools of Abnegation.
Tris meets Marcus, Tobias's father, and explains how they need to wake up the soldiers in order to stop everything. They are going to make a plan to destroy the computers that are controlling everyone. This will stop the war.
"Eric called Al's death brave, and 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."
Chapter Thirty-five
Tris wakes up in a glass tank and slowly, the water starts rising up from the bottom. She realizes that they're going to make her face her fear and actually die for it. This is the most absolute cruel thing any person could ever do to another. I know that there are bad people out there, and they do absolutely horrible things, but this is a new low. They are using her own mental and emotional fears, and using them against her as a form of punishment for something she can't control. I thought that the Erudite believed in, "A calm mind is a clear mind," not, let's try this experiment when we put an innocent person in her own fear until she dies. That doesn't sound very calm or clearing to me.
Tris decides that she is going to face this bravely and not give them a show. As the water continues to rise, she sinks to the bottom of the tank and lets all her air out. She will not allow any body part to fight it, she will make it come faster.
Okay, you know someone has to save her because there's four chapters left, and on top of that two whole books! It turns out to be her mom? How did she find her? How did she not get shot? Her mom also has a gun and is shooting people, Tris also notices that she has a tattoo under her arm. Pretty much, her mom is bad*ss!
Her mom says that she's been watching people get off the train and her intent was to save her all along. Tris gets one quick question in about why her mom knows about being divergent and it turns out that it's because she is Divergent; she had to leave Dauntless and find a safer faction. The Dauntless can't be controlled and that scares the leaders of factions, that's why they are such a threat.
I still don't understand why they would just make a Divergent faction, and if they really are afraid of not being able to control them, just make them factionless! They have no power then! I don't understand why humans mind's are programmed to think "worst-case-scenario" and to be cruel. There are simple solutions to a lot of problems in the world.
Back to the story, Tris's mom advises her to head to a building and knock a pattern, that's where her dad and brother are, and in order for a distraction Tris's mom runs into a crowd of Dauntless soldiers. Tris won't leave her mother, but after watching her get shot to death, she finds her inner strength and makes her way to the building.
"If I refuse to give up now, it will look brave to whoever watches me with that camera, but sometimes it isn't fighting that's brave, it's facing the death you know is coming."
Okay, you know someone has to save her because there's four chapters left, and on top of that two whole books! It turns out to be her mom? How did she find her? How did she not get shot? Her mom also has a gun and is shooting people, Tris also notices that she has a tattoo under her arm. Pretty much, her mom is bad*ss!
"I stare at her. I sat next to her at the kitchen table, twice a day, for sixteen years, and never once did I consider the possibility that she could have been anything but Abnegation-born. How well did I actually know my mother?"
I still don't understand why they would just make a Divergent faction, and if they really are afraid of not being able to control them, just make them factionless! They have no power then! I don't understand why humans mind's are programmed to think "worst-case-scenario" and to be cruel. There are simple solutions to a lot of problems in the world.
Back to the story, Tris's mom advises her to head to a building and knock a pattern, that's where her dad and brother are, and in order for a distraction Tris's mom runs into a crowd of Dauntless soldiers. Tris won't leave her mother, but after watching her get shot to death, she finds her inner strength and makes her way to the building.
"Human beings as a whole cannot be good for long before the bad creeps back in and poisons us again."
Chapter Thirty-four
Tris gets shot in the shoulder but Tobias refuses to leave her behind. Aww.(: He supports her as they are captured and turned into Jeanine. Jeanine talks to them about their Divergence and they know that they will be sent to their deaths. But Jeanine doesn't want to kill Tobias, she wants to do tests on him. She believes that his Divergence is weaker then his Abnegation and hoping to pull through on how to control Divergent people. Tris on the other hand, is being sent to her death...
Jeanine tells them about her war plans and how she wants to be in control of everyone. She wants to be the new leader of the future government. Jeanine also fears that most people from Abnegation are Divergent and she won't be able to control them as easily as everyone else. As Jeanine is talking, Tris realizes that she is more machine than maniac. Tris is just the next thing to cross off on Jeanine's list.
When Jeanine sends to have Tris killed, Tobias catches her off guard and begins strangling her. But then they guards catch up and insert another simulation serum into the side of his next. Tris is astonished what happens next.
Fours eyes become dull and lifeless and when she tries to speak to him to come back, Tobias has no idea who she is and he becomes angry at Tris. She can't let go of him and she screams with tears covering her face as they pull her out of the room.
Jeanine tells them about her war plans and how she wants to be in control of everyone. She wants to be the new leader of the future government. Jeanine also fears that most people from Abnegation are Divergent and she won't be able to control them as easily as everyone else. As Jeanine is talking, Tris realizes that she is more machine than maniac. Tris is just the next thing to cross off on Jeanine's list.
When Jeanine sends to have Tris killed, Tobias catches her off guard and begins strangling her. But then they guards catch up and insert another simulation serum into the side of his next. Tris is astonished what happens next.
Fours eyes become dull and lifeless and when she tries to speak to him to come back, Tobias has no idea who she is and he becomes angry at Tris. She can't let go of him and she screams with tears covering her face as they pull her out of the room.
"He is gone. Controlled by the simulation, he will now murder the people he called innocent not three minutes ago. Jeanine killing him would have hurt less than this."
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Chapter Thirty-three
Tris wakes up in the middle of the night because Cristina and other people are getting out of bed and putting their clothes on. Tris is trying to get Cristina's attention but her face is completely blank, like she's sleepwalking. At first, I didn't understand why Tris wasn't under the control, but then I realize it's because she can manipulate simulations: she's Divergent.
Tris tries to keep up with everyone, but she isn't as synchronized as everyone else is. She almost poops her pants when she walks by Max, a Dauntless leader, for the fear he will see her and know she's Divergent. They all get on to trains to head to the Abnegation compound and Tris finds Tobias but she can't do anything to get his attention because the leaders will know. Tobias looks completely submerged in the simulation, like he doesn't have function either. It's a false alarm though because he soon reaches over and squeezes her hand.
They arrive at the Abnegation compound where many leaders have already been killed and the sleepwalking soldiers are mindlessly killing innocent people on command. Tris and Tobias get stopped by Eric and they get looked over. Then Eric is talking about killing Tobias, all out of jealousy. Eric is taking advantage of Tobias and bullying him when he's helpless. That is cowardice. Eric is a phony and stupid. Sorry Athalie!
Out of impulse to save Tobias, Tris shoots Eric's foot and they make a run for it. It's too late because the damage is done and they know about their Divergence. Soldiers are after them.
Tris tries to keep up with everyone, but she isn't as synchronized as everyone else is. She almost poops her pants when she walks by Max, a Dauntless leader, for the fear he will see her and know she's Divergent. They all get on to trains to head to the Abnegation compound and Tris finds Tobias but she can't do anything to get his attention because the leaders will know. Tobias looks completely submerged in the simulation, like he doesn't have function either. It's a false alarm though because he soon reaches over and squeezes her hand.
They arrive at the Abnegation compound where many leaders have already been killed and the sleepwalking soldiers are mindlessly killing innocent people on command. Tris and Tobias get stopped by Eric and they get looked over. Then Eric is talking about killing Tobias, all out of jealousy. Eric is taking advantage of Tobias and bullying him when he's helpless. That is cowardice. Eric is a phony and stupid. Sorry Athalie!
Out of impulse to save Tobias, Tris shoots Eric's foot and they make a run for it. It's too late because the damage is done and they know about their Divergence. Soldiers are after them.
"...they can see and hear. They just aren't processing what they see and hear the same way. They receive commands from our computers in the transmitters we injected them with..."
*I realize that I keep going back and forth between 'Four' and 'Tobias,' so I apologize if that bothers anyone.*
Chapter Thirty-two
They soon head to the banquet where Cristina brings up her Fear Landscape and how the Dauntless leaders were laughing at one of her fears. Tris has to explain that she's afraid of intimacy and it was an "unidentifiable male." Hahahah. It's just weird how she has to act like Tobias and her still aren't like, in love.
From Tris's previous quote about Eric being an Erudite in disguise, is confirmed. Eric was definitely a transfer initiate. Then the rankings are released.
1. Tris
2. Uriah
3. Lynn
4. Marlene
5. Peter
6. Will
7. Cristina
8. (Dauntless-born)
9.(Dauntless-born)
10.(Dauntless-born)
11. Molly
12. Drew
Everyone is very happy and showing affection. Like Tris and Four, who kiss in public!!!!!<3 Will and Cristina are astonished and Tris never even explains it to them, it just ends right after that scene, and a very important realization.
Tris realizes that everyone in the Dauntless have been injected with that serum, that Jeanine and Eric have been working together, that Jeanine is waging war on Abnegation, and that the Dauntless are all trained to fight. She doesn't get a chance to tell Four...
From Tris's previous quote about Eric being an Erudite in disguise, is confirmed. Eric was definitely a transfer initiate. Then the rankings are released.
1. Tris
2. Uriah
3. Lynn
4. Marlene
5. Peter
6. Will
7. Cristina
8. (Dauntless-born)
9.(Dauntless-born)
10.(Dauntless-born)
11. Molly
12. Drew
Everyone is very happy and showing affection. Like Tris and Four, who kiss in public!!!!!<3 Will and Cristina are astonished and Tris never even explains it to them, it just ends right after that scene, and a very important realization.
Tris realizes that everyone in the Dauntless have been injected with that serum, that Jeanine and Eric have been working together, that Jeanine is waging war on Abnegation, and that the Dauntless are all trained to fight. She doesn't get a chance to tell Four...
"We believe in bravery. We believe in taking action. We believe in freedom from fear and in acquiring the skills to force the bad out of our world so that the good can prosper and thrive."
Chapter Thirty-one
Tris only has seven fears, which is very impressing. The Dauntless leaders are almost astonished that such a small girl from Abnegation only has seven fears, and she went through them very quickly.
Eric congratulates her about finishing her final evaluation and wants to inject her with a tracking device in case she were ever to go missing. He also says that everyone is getting them, including the leaders. The sight of the big needle makes Tris tense because she knows that serums lead to simulations, and she's supposed to be over with simulations.
Four takes Tris back to his place just to hang out until the ceremony and Tris is scared of Tobias in real life. Tris begins crying when he kisses her and they fight about Tris not being easy, haha. He forces her to stay and they make up. When he puts his hand on her shoulder, he feels a bandage from her most recent tattoo, and asks if he can see it. They bond over the fact that they have the same Abnegation tattoo and he takes off his shirt so she can see all of his.
He claims that the reason he has all the faction tattoos is because he wants to be all of their values. I think that this should be true of all people. We should always be looking to better ourselves in every aspect. We should never abandon a way of life, we should embrace it fully and go from their.
The concept of the factions makes me angry because they're saying that you pick one thought process for the rest of your life, no matter what the circumstance. This is completely impractical because there are going to be times in a persons' life when they are going to need to be kind, or they need to be intelligent, or they need to be honest, or they need to be selfless, or they need to be brave. You cannot just pick on of these and apply it to every situation that you encounter because all the situations will be different. It is not possible to be the same forever.
Eric congratulates her about finishing her final evaluation and wants to inject her with a tracking device in case she were ever to go missing. He also says that everyone is getting them, including the leaders. The sight of the big needle makes Tris tense because she knows that serums lead to simulations, and she's supposed to be over with simulations.
Four takes Tris back to his place just to hang out until the ceremony and Tris is scared of Tobias in real life. Tris begins crying when he kisses her and they fight about Tris not being easy, haha. He forces her to stay and they make up. When he puts his hand on her shoulder, he feels a bandage from her most recent tattoo, and asks if he can see it. They bond over the fact that they have the same Abnegation tattoo and he takes off his shirt so she can see all of his.
He claims that the reason he has all the faction tattoos is because he wants to be all of their values. I think that this should be true of all people. We should always be looking to better ourselves in every aspect. We should never abandon a way of life, we should embrace it fully and go from their.
The concept of the factions makes me angry because they're saying that you pick one thought process for the rest of your life, no matter what the circumstance. This is completely impractical because there are going to be times in a persons' life when they are going to need to be kind, or they need to be intelligent, or they need to be honest, or they need to be selfless, or they need to be brave. You cannot just pick on of these and apply it to every situation that you encounter because all the situations will be different. It is not possible to be the same forever.
"I traded cowardice for cruelty; I traded weakness for ferocity."
Chapter Thirty
Tris is taking a very logical approach to her Fear Landscape, something that I feel a lot of us in TAG would.(: She is taking her fears and turning them into something comparable to a science experiment. Tris is solving what her fears mean and doing the opposite in order to calm herself down; she's realizing that she doesn't have to relinquish control. Examples of her accomplishments are...
-Figuring out her fear of birds is the lack of control or power and then shooting a gun in order to regain power. This works very quickly.
-Drowning is the fear of weakness, so she convinces herself that she is strong enough to break the glass. Although, she thinks she wastes too much time on this obstacle.
-The water thrashing against her is another simulation for a lack of control but she doesn't control this one, she just fights it until she can have control again.
Then she discovers the new fears that she hasn't practiced before. This one, she is being burned at the stake by Peter and the other initiates so she outsmarts it and forces rain to come.
Her next fear is the strange, faceless men and the one murderer from the paper in her first simulation, coming into her bedroom from Abnegation and trying to kidnap her. This would be the hardest fear for me to deal with because it's like something out of scary movies and I feel like I can make it personal to myself because I've seen it before.
She is all alone with Tobias and it turns out she is scared of intimacy. That's a little awkward...
Her final fear is that she's been held up at gun point by Jeanine and at the last second, she decides to be selfless and save her family by letting Jeanine shoot her. Then it's all over.
-Figuring out her fear of birds is the lack of control or power and then shooting a gun in order to regain power. This works very quickly.
-The water thrashing against her is another simulation for a lack of control but she doesn't control this one, she just fights it until she can have control again.
Then she discovers the new fears that she hasn't practiced before. This one, she is being burned at the stake by Peter and the other initiates so she outsmarts it and forces rain to come.
Her next fear is the strange, faceless men and the one murderer from the paper in her first simulation, coming into her bedroom from Abnegation and trying to kidnap her. This would be the hardest fear for me to deal with because it's like something out of scary movies and I feel like I can make it personal to myself because I've seen it before.
She is all alone with Tobias and it turns out she is scared of intimacy. That's a little awkward...
Her final fear is that she's been held up at gun point by Jeanine and at the last second, she decides to be selfless and save her family by letting Jeanine shoot her. Then it's all over.
"Thunder roars above my head, and I scream as a flame touches my fingertips and pain shrieks over my skin. I tilt my head back and focus on the clouds gathering above my head, heavy with rain, dark with rain. A line of lightning sprawls over the sky and I feel the first drop on my forehead. "
Chapter Twenty-nine
Tris is scared for her family and is determined to warn them somehow. Then she thinks that this is very selfless and wonders which faction she really belongs in. She's not Dauntless, she's not Abnegation, and she doesn't seem to want to be Divergent. She must make a decision, but not right now; right now, she picks family.
This is initiation day, when she will go through her Fear Landscape and try to beat everyone else's time. She feels like a robot, dreading actually going through it, but she's ready for it. They will go through, one by one, and the people will be able to watch their reactions on a big screen, but they will not be able to see what your fear is.
All of the other initiates are taking along time to go through their landscape. They are wasting time on simple tasks, they should usually be able to calm yourself down from.
This is initiation day, when she will go through her Fear Landscape and try to beat everyone else's time. She feels like a robot, dreading actually going through it, but she's ready for it. They will go through, one by one, and the people will be able to watch their reactions on a big screen, but they will not be able to see what your fear is.
All of the other initiates are taking along time to go through their landscape. They are wasting time on simple tasks, they should usually be able to calm yourself down from.
"It amazes me how easy it is to tune out everything..."
Chapter Twenty-eight
Tris is breaking the Dauntless rules and going to visit her brother, unattended. She is upset about the previous training session, after she slapped Four, and just knew she had to leave. She finds Caleb and they argue. This shocks me because this could be one of the only times they ever get to talk, in their life, and they're arguing? They should be hugging and saying how much they miss each other. They already broke one rule, you might as well just break them all!
Unfortunately, they get caught breaking the rules and Jeanine summons Tris down to her office. Tris realizes that Jeanine is the familiar voice she heard right before she was captured and almost thrown into the chasm. Jeanine asks her a bunch of questions about her aptitude tests and I'm just thanking god that she's not a true Candor!
Then Jeanine digs too deep and begins to ask about the reviews she has conducted. Tris has to lie and say that she doesn't care about her family, even though it kills her to say it. It practically feels like someone stabbed her. She soon leaves and when she returns to the Dauntless compound, is confronted by Eric.
I was genuinely scared for her because I thought Jeanine called and was like, 'She's divergent!' But she didn't. Four and Tris lie to Eric and try to convince him that Tris just tried to kiss him and was denied; this resulted in her running away. After Eric leaves, Four and her make up. Four didn't mean to hurt her, he just wanted to show the others that she could still seem weak.
Tris returns to the dormitory where Cristina confirms that her and Will are a real thing. I was so right!!! That makes me happy that I predicted that. Cristina talks about the Candor initiation and while some people would find it awful and draining, I think it's relieving and not that big of a deal. For Candor initiation, the initiates take lie detector tests all day, every day. Then, on the final day of initiation, they are given 'Truth Serum' and asked really personal questions. You spill your guts in front of in the thought that if all your secrets are out in the open, you'll have no reason to lie every again. I think that this would work because everyone is starting fresh and why would you ever want to go back? This would definitely work on me.
Four takes Tris on the train and I laugh when I look in my notes because my exact words are,
"They getting busy in the train? Romantic." Haha. Then this thought popped into my head, 'does ayone drive the trains, or do they just run from controls?'
Four explains that it's suspicious that the Erudite use electricity and light all night, so he does research and find what looks like war plans on Abnegation. They also think that they are going to use the Dauntless to fight, they just don't know how.
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| If you've already stepped on the grass, you might as well run through it. |
Unfortunately, they get caught breaking the rules and Jeanine summons Tris down to her office. Tris realizes that Jeanine is the familiar voice she heard right before she was captured and almost thrown into the chasm. Jeanine asks her a bunch of questions about her aptitude tests and I'm just thanking god that she's not a true Candor!
Then Jeanine digs too deep and begins to ask about the reviews she has conducted. Tris has to lie and say that she doesn't care about her family, even though it kills her to say it. It practically feels like someone stabbed her. She soon leaves and when she returns to the Dauntless compound, is confronted by Eric.
I was genuinely scared for her because I thought Jeanine called and was like, 'She's divergent!' But she didn't. Four and Tris lie to Eric and try to convince him that Tris just tried to kiss him and was denied; this resulted in her running away. After Eric leaves, Four and her make up. Four didn't mean to hurt her, he just wanted to show the others that she could still seem weak.
Tris returns to the dormitory where Cristina confirms that her and Will are a real thing. I was so right!!! That makes me happy that I predicted that. Cristina talks about the Candor initiation and while some people would find it awful and draining, I think it's relieving and not that big of a deal. For Candor initiation, the initiates take lie detector tests all day, every day. Then, on the final day of initiation, they are given 'Truth Serum' and asked really personal questions. You spill your guts in front of in the thought that if all your secrets are out in the open, you'll have no reason to lie every again. I think that this would work because everyone is starting fresh and why would you ever want to go back? This would definitely work on me.
Four takes Tris on the train and I laugh when I look in my notes because my exact words are,
"They getting busy in the train? Romantic." Haha. Then this thought popped into my head, 'does ayone drive the trains, or do they just run from controls?'
Four explains that it's suspicious that the Erudite use electricity and light all night, so he does research and find what looks like war plans on Abnegation. They also think that they are going to use the Dauntless to fight, they just don't know how.
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| "A calm mind is a clear mind." |
"For the first time, I recognize Eric for what he is: an Erudite disguised as a Dauntless, a genius as well as a sadist, a hunter of the Divergent."
Monday, May 13, 2013
Chapter Twenty-seven
Four is being really snippy and like ignoring Tris! What up with the could shoulder? You were both just sucking faces and now you won't even look at her? Play with her emotions much? I think so.
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| This picture represents the ability to control a barbies emotions. They are never happy or sad on their own, they are whatever you want them to be, whenever you want them to be. |
In order to get used to a fear landscape situation they go through one stage of a Dauntless leaders fears. A normal amount of fears to have is between ten and fifteen, but they won' t know how many fears they have until the day they go through the landscape, the day of initiation. Unfortunately, Tris gets stuck with getting kidnapped by people without faces. She doesn't seem alarmed at first but as she get's deeper into the simulation, she keeps getting flashbacks of the night she got captured by Peter, Al, and Drew. If anything she does worse in this simulation than she ever has before. This is very emotional for her and she can't control herself. She apparently does so bad that Four has to get her out manually? You'd think that the most considerate person right now would be Four, right? Well, nope. He's being dumb and yelling at her about how she needs to pick it up and stop being pathetic. Tris is still in the heat of the moment from the simulation and angry that he's been ignoring her; so she slaps him. Then she tells him to shut up and runs out of training.
"The first time was not enough. I scream again-not for help, because no one will help me, but because that's what you do when you're about to die and you can't stop it."
Chapter Twenty-six
Four tells Tris that he got Abnegation for his results, and she becomes worried that he's not who she thinks he is. She was positive that he was Divergent, it was something she didn't have to second guess because she's so sure of it. She asks him why he chose Dauntless anyways, but then she regrets it....He obviously had to leave because he couldn't stay with his dad; she knows that as soon as it leaves her mouth.
Four tells Tris to call him Tobias from now on and tells her how much he likes her and blah, blah, blah-that's not the interesting part though. The interesting part is that he finally kisses her! Like, it's about time! We've only been waiting for this for about 200 pages!
Four tells Tris to call him Tobias from now on and tells her how much he likes her and blah, blah, blah-that's not the interesting part though. The interesting part is that he finally kisses her! Like, it's about time! We've only been waiting for this for about 200 pages!
"I have a theory that selflessness and bravery aren't all that different. All your life you've been training to forget about yourself, so when you're in danger, it becomes your first instinct."
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Chapter Twenty-five
Tris gets a tattoo of Abnegation on her shoulder because she feels it's a part of her past and her identity; she wants to show it on her skin to always remind her where she came from. I feel like I would do something like that too, but maybe that's just something anyone feels like they have to do...
Will and Cristina have been slightly more affectionate lately. They're sharing like "comforting touches" and spending a lot of time together. Maybe they have a little thing going? I thought it was really weird how I think, Ali thought or wanted Tris and Will to have a thing. I think that Uriah and Tris should have a thing! Even though I am all for Four and Tris being together, there's just something about her and Uriah that makes them seem like they'd be a good couple. Now I've learned that they're leaving Uriah out of the whole movie, which is ridiculous! It's like how the Hunger Games left out Madge! That made me so angry.
Tris "sneaks up" on Four even though he knew she was going to follow? Then he lets her go into his fear landscape with him. Of course his first fear is heights, which we already know. Then the second fear is Claustrophobia and they are trapped in a small box for a very long time. This fear is caused by a childhood punishment that Four suffered a lot. This allows them to like sit on top of each other and Tris tries calming him down, but eventually, they make it out. The next fear is having to shoot some older women from Abnegation. For the finale, his final fear is Marcus, the leader of Abnegation. In this simulation there are tens of Marcus's and they are all crowding around Four trying to whip him with a belt, his voice keeps repeating, "It's for your own good, son." Then I realize that he is the transfer from Abnegation three years ago. He was in Abnegation and that's why he avoids them all the time! I know it was probably obvious to some readers from the beginning that he would be Tobias, but this was like a mind = blown, for me! I did this little freakout moment where I had to tell everyone in my house what was going on, even though they had no idea what I was talking about.(: And then I remember..
Marcus was abusing Tobias and that's why he left Abnegation, the Erudite were right about one thing. Before Marcus is about to whip Tobias, Tris steps in front of Four and protects him from the blow. Then, soon after, the scene turns back to normal and they are no longer in Four's fear landscape.
He's kissing her cheek and hugging her tightly. Then he says that she was the reason she got through it, which is the most adorable thing ever. Awww, they're just so cute!(:
Will and Cristina have been slightly more affectionate lately. They're sharing like "comforting touches" and spending a lot of time together. Maybe they have a little thing going? I thought it was really weird how I think, Ali thought or wanted Tris and Will to have a thing. I think that Uriah and Tris should have a thing! Even though I am all for Four and Tris being together, there's just something about her and Uriah that makes them seem like they'd be a good couple. Now I've learned that they're leaving Uriah out of the whole movie, which is ridiculous! It's like how the Hunger Games left out Madge! That made me so angry.
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| Now they're trying to introduce her in the second movie, but it's too late! |
Marcus was abusing Tobias and that's why he left Abnegation, the Erudite were right about one thing. Before Marcus is about to whip Tobias, Tris steps in front of Four and protects him from the blow. Then, soon after, the scene turns back to normal and they are no longer in Four's fear landscape.
He's kissing her cheek and hugging her tightly. Then he says that she was the reason she got through it, which is the most adorable thing ever. Awww, they're just so cute!(:
"I feel like there is something I should say, but I am too stunned and can't come up with any words."
Chapter Twenty-four
The next day, Tris is abruptly awoken by Cristina and they are all rushed out to the Pit. It was shown that Al had thrown himself over the chasm. People were commenting and talking about how this happens to one initiate every year; like they're practically used to it! So that means that once, every year, someone in Dauntless decides to end their life or one of the Dauntless leaders decides to end their lives for them... Suicide is something that people should never be used to. It is always awful when a person decides to take their own life. I'm not here to preach my decision on it or talk about my personal experiences but I just know that going through that on a regular bases, like the people in Dauntless, will eventually become desensitized. This is where it becomes dangerous, because the fact that they are celebrating suicide, makes it more likely that people will do it. I agree with Tris in the fact that it isn't right to encourage people to act that way. They should take it seriously and try to reduce the effects in their factions.
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| Don't be afraid to help. |
When we were talking in class about whether a brave person never gives up, or if a brave person recognizes the strengths of others, I feel like the subject of Al killing himself ties into this. Although I do believe that a brave person never gives up, I don't think that backing out of one fight is giving up; I see it as giving yourself a time to improve and become stronger enough to be able to win in another aspect, later on. In some way, I also feel as if Al gave up. I am not here to judge, and I try to respect the choices of others no matter what, but in a sense; Al gave up. He decided that he couldn't fight anymore and I don't believe that that's brave, I think that it was cowardice.
Tris leaves because she can't handle the celebrating and Four follows her. She says that this would have never happened in Abnegation, like she'd rather be there. Four warns her and tells her that they're watching her in particular. That would put so much pressure on me if I was told that! I would screw up even more knowing that eyes are one me!
He also explains that peoples intentions is all that the Dauntless care about. She starts talking about how he's mean to her and he explains that it's only because he wants to see that flare in her; he wants to push her. This results in an actual hug and after she cries about Al's death being her fault, he gives her a kiss on the head!!!!(:
"No, was. That was death-shifting from "is" to "was.""
Monday, May 6, 2013
Chapter Twenty-three
Tris stays the rest of the night sleeping in Four's bed while he sleeps on the ground. In this statement she's referring to fours pillow.
"It smells like detergent and something heavy, sweet, and distinctly male."
Hahahah. Who goes around talking like that? I understand that guy smell is like the best thing ever but you never just be like, " This smells male and this, over here, smells female."
When she wakes up, she goes to breakfast like nothing happened, though when she tells Uriah, Will, and Cristina about the night she tries to make herself sound scared. This shows Peter that she has weaknesses and can get hurt still, making her look like she isn't any better than him. This assures he won't attack her again. Drew walks into the room and it isn't fair to say that he got a punch to the face, he isn't even recognizable! Go Four!
I started thinking about in the Twilight movies with the whole "Team Edward" vs. "Team Jacob" except in a different matter with "Team Tris" and "Team Peter." When Peter tried convincing Will and Cristina that Tris was manipulating them, they believed him and so at that moment they were team Peter. Now, that they know Al was one of her attackers, they know their fight was petty and that Tris is still weak. They are team Tris again! And now Al, the person who didn't believe Peter about the manipulating, now tried to to kill her? Team Peter, I'm guessing?
They are entering stage three of initiation which is weighted more than one or two. This involves your "Fear Landscape" where you face the fears from the emotional stage, except this time you know it's a simulation. You are able to control your actions physically and you won't know how many fears you have until the day you go through it. When Four is explaining all of this he calls out Peter about his attack last night and announces that he's scared of a little girl from Abnegation. Tris and I both thought that it was very funny.
Later, when they walk back into the dorms, Al is sitting on his bead, hands covering his face. He begs Tris for forgiveness. Although, Tris originally though she would forgive him.... she can't. She tells him to never talk to her again and leaves the room. Al completely sobs while she leaves.
"It smells like detergent and something heavy, sweet, and distinctly male."
Hahahah. Who goes around talking like that? I understand that guy smell is like the best thing ever but you never just be like, " This smells male and this, over here, smells female."
When she wakes up, she goes to breakfast like nothing happened, though when she tells Uriah, Will, and Cristina about the night she tries to make herself sound scared. This shows Peter that she has weaknesses and can get hurt still, making her look like she isn't any better than him. This assures he won't attack her again. Drew walks into the room and it isn't fair to say that he got a punch to the face, he isn't even recognizable! Go Four!
I started thinking about in the Twilight movies with the whole "Team Edward" vs. "Team Jacob" except in a different matter with "Team Tris" and "Team Peter." When Peter tried convincing Will and Cristina that Tris was manipulating them, they believed him and so at that moment they were team Peter. Now, that they know Al was one of her attackers, they know their fight was petty and that Tris is still weak. They are team Tris again! And now Al, the person who didn't believe Peter about the manipulating, now tried to to kill her? Team Peter, I'm guessing?
They are entering stage three of initiation which is weighted more than one or two. This involves your "Fear Landscape" where you face the fears from the emotional stage, except this time you know it's a simulation. You are able to control your actions physically and you won't know how many fears you have until the day you go through it. When Four is explaining all of this he calls out Peter about his attack last night and announces that he's scared of a little girl from Abnegation. Tris and I both thought that it was very funny.
Later, when they walk back into the dorms, Al is sitting on his bead, hands covering his face. He begs Tris for forgiveness. Although, Tris originally though she would forgive him.... she can't. She tells him to never talk to her again and leaves the room. Al completely sobs while she leaves.
"Somewhere inside me is a merciful, forgiving person. Somewhere there is a girl who tries to understand what people are going through, who accepts that people do evil things and that desperation leads them to darker places than they ever imagined. I swear she exists..."
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Chapter Twenty-Two
After Four startled the attacking, Al and Peter ran away like little *&%#$'s. But I can' actually say that because it's a school blog(: At least one of them got caught. Four beat the living crap out of Drew which is funny because it probably wasn't even Drew's idea in the first place, he just got to deal with all the consequences.
Four saves Tris and takes her back to his apartment. (For Ali and Olivia... "errr eee!") He lays her down on the floor and she "takes a risk" and reaches up to touch his bleeding face but he just shakes it off and says it's nothing compared to her. He then reaches down and strokes her face and I thought, 'Why does my life suck?' But then I remembered... she just got attack, molested, and almost thrown into a river. Yupp, I'm perfectly fine with my life again.
I predicted that he was going to try and report them and he gets all protective and tense when she explains that they "touched her." Then she explains that it wasn't like he was thinking, but almost. He tells her that the next chance she gets, ruin them.
Then when he's getting up to leave she says, "Thank you, Four." And he tells her not to call him that anymore, he says not to call him anything..yet.
Four saves Tris and takes her back to his apartment. (For Ali and Olivia... "errr eee!") He lays her down on the floor and she "takes a risk" and reaches up to touch his bleeding face but he just shakes it off and says it's nothing compared to her. He then reaches down and strokes her face and I thought, 'Why does my life suck?' But then I remembered... she just got attack, molested, and almost thrown into a river. Yupp, I'm perfectly fine with my life again.
I predicted that he was going to try and report them and he gets all protective and tense when she explains that they "touched her." Then she explains that it wasn't like he was thinking, but almost. He tells her that the next chance she gets, ruin them.
Then when he's getting up to leave she says, "Thank you, Four." And he tells her not to call him that anymore, he says not to call him anything..yet.
"What do I have to lose? I ask myself."
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Chapter Twenty-one
"Tonight though, I want to be alone. More than that. I want to remember why I came here, and why I was so determined to stay here."
This quote describes my whole life. Most the time I go on auto-pilot and I wind up forgetting what's most important to me and why I wanted it in the first place. I think I go on auto-pilot as a defense mechanism in order to push through "difficult" times, so in other words, stress. I often end up forgetting my morals and my goals and have to re-teach them to myself on a regular basis.
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| This mask represents my shield to the world. |
Tris misses family so much that it's causing her to chew through her nail-beds. She wishes she didn't have to face all this emotional stuff alone. Four never misses his family though, he wanted to leave them.
Tris is wondering why she out of all people is remaining strong, while everyone around her is falling apart. I can see how that would be frustrating, but seriously? You're wishing to be a mess? Be happy that you can still function properly...
The ranks are posted and she gets ranked number one....obviously she isn't listening to her mother's instructions at all! She's at the very top of the list and then a GIANT gap, then everyone else, Including Peter. You don't think that that will make Peter angry? Well it did.
First, Peter tries to get Will, Cristina, and Al to think that she is manipulating them by saying that she is trying to look small and selfless, but then doing really good. For a moment they actually believe him and storm out of the room. It shocks me how Will, previous Erudite, wouldn't add the facts up to know that Tris isn't purposely manipulating them. While half of Tris's friends are angry at her, Uriah and Marlene are super supportive of her high rank.
Later, when she's talking to Four, she decides to take a risk and hold his hand after he says she belongs here. She also figured out that Four believes in ordinary acts of bravery. She tries going to sleep but wants to go get a drink of water. While there, she hears a very distinct voice talking to Eric about "Divergent Rebels," that's when someone grabs her from behind and blindfolds her.
They beat her repeatedly and hold her arms and legs, so she's left defenseless. It's three against one and they are taking her to the metal railing, overlooking the river. They are planning to kill her. She thrashes but can't scream because there's a hand over her mouth. They bang her head on the floor repeatedly and lift her up, over the railing. That's when she hears Drew and Peter's voice, making fun of her body. They are feeling her and saying something about feeling like a twelve year old instead of a sixteen year old. That's when she hears another voice, Al, telling them to stop touching her. They are about to push her over when she hears someone yelling, then the boys drop her and take off running. All she remembers seeing is Four's face.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Chapter Twenty
I think it's weird how I just said my fear would be drowning and now she's in a glass box doing the same thing. She scans the crowd of people watching ans see's Wills face. She knows there's something he said that will help her. That's when she realizes it's all in her head and she kicks the glass and breaks it completely. She wakes up in record time and Four looks completely shocked.
Lucid dreaming is when a person is in a dream, but they know that they are in a dream. This relates closely to the simulations. If you consciously know that you're just in a simulation, you have the ability to defeat the simulation, which could be considered "dangerous." That is one reason why Divergent is Dangerous.
Four is furious and has to delete the footage in order to protect her. He warns her that she has to find a way to cover it up during the simulations. How does Four know about being Divergent and how to control it? Is Four Divergent? *hint*
Tris is very confused and goes to talk to Tori about it because she feels she is the only person that will tell her anything. Tori informs her that if they figure out that she's Divergent, they will kill her. She kind of has proof because they did the same to Tori's brother. They killed him and then made it look like a suicide, the day before initiation. Tori informs Tris that being Divergent means that you control the simulations and that they are not scared of what you are, they care about your motivations. Also, only two kinds of people know about being Divergent.
1. The people who want you dead.
2. The people that have experienced it themselves.
Lucid dreaming is when a person is in a dream, but they know that they are in a dream. This relates closely to the simulations. If you consciously know that you're just in a simulation, you have the ability to defeat the simulation, which could be considered "dangerous." That is one reason why Divergent is Dangerous.
Four is furious and has to delete the footage in order to protect her. He warns her that she has to find a way to cover it up during the simulations. How does Four know about being Divergent and how to control it? Is Four Divergent? *hint*
Tris is very confused and goes to talk to Tori about it because she feels she is the only person that will tell her anything. Tori informs her that if they figure out that she's Divergent, they will kill her. She kind of has proof because they did the same to Tori's brother. They killed him and then made it look like a suicide, the day before initiation. Tori informs Tris that being Divergent means that you control the simulations and that they are not scared of what you are, they care about your motivations. Also, only two kinds of people know about being Divergent.
1. The people who want you dead.
2. The people that have experienced it themselves.
"Changing the simulation isn't what they care about; it's just a symptom of something else. Something they do care about."
Chapter Nineteen
Erudite is proceeding to attack Abnegation leaders and this time it happens to be Tris's dad. Tris becomes furious that people are trying to humiliate her and almost gets in a fight with Peter, who is consistently reading. Will throws Tris over his shoulder and carries her out of the room. She seemed too attached with her family and that scares the Dauntless members because 'faction before blood.'
I predict that one of my fears is drowning, just because drowning seems like a lack of control and I usually like to be in control and be in order. Drowning just seems like something that everyone is slightly scared of; even if you are a good swimmer. That would be an awful way to die.
Will is beginning to notice Fours interest in Tris and he starts looking at her funny, but doesn't figure out anything about their love for each other.
I predict that one of my fears is drowning, just because drowning seems like a lack of control and I usually like to be in control and be in order. Drowning just seems like something that everyone is slightly scared of; even if you are a good swimmer. That would be an awful way to die.
Will is beginning to notice Fours interest in Tris and he starts looking at her funny, but doesn't figure out anything about their love for each other.
"But the simulation is all in your head, so even though you feel like someone is doing it to you, it's just you, doing it to yourself."
Chapter Eighteen
The initiates are being trained together and they are all standing in a dark hallway, being called one at a time into a room with Four. They don't exactly know what stage two is all about but they do know it'll be emotional, and a lot of it.
Drew, Uriah, and Tris are the last three left and finally, Tris gets called in. Four tells her that the simulation is in order to face your fears and you're timed. You will be in the simulation until you can lower your breathing or lower your heart-rate back to normal. She is given a shot in the neck and the transmitter in the serum are connected to the computer so Four can see whatever the person is going through. He tells Tris to be brave.
Tris awakes in a grassy field and the sky is an orange/yellow and it gives her anxiety. I can relate because a lot of my dreams make me feel dread and have anxiety. Then birds start attacking her and trying to crawl down her throat. I initially though... she's afraid of birds? She got a tattoo of birds on her. But then I realized that is symbolizes something else.
As soon as she wakes up, Four looks astonished and walks her back to the dorm. He tells her that it was amazing and that she got out three times faster than anybody else. After she settles down she asks his ranking. It turns out that Four was ranked first and Eric was ranked second, so by default Eric became a leader.
Drew, Uriah, and Tris are the last three left and finally, Tris gets called in. Four tells her that the simulation is in order to face your fears and you're timed. You will be in the simulation until you can lower your breathing or lower your heart-rate back to normal. She is given a shot in the neck and the transmitter in the serum are connected to the computer so Four can see whatever the person is going through. He tells Tris to be brave.
Tris awakes in a grassy field and the sky is an orange/yellow and it gives her anxiety. I can relate because a lot of my dreams make me feel dread and have anxiety. Then birds start attacking her and trying to crawl down her throat. I initially though... she's afraid of birds? She got a tattoo of birds on her. But then I realized that is symbolizes something else.
As soon as she wakes up, Four looks astonished and walks her back to the dorm. He tells her that it was amazing and that she got out three times faster than anybody else. After she settles down she asks his ranking. It turns out that Four was ranked first and Eric was ranked second, so by default Eric became a leader.
"It fills me with anxiety, my body cringing away from it."
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| I imagine it as this color almost. |
Chapter Seventeen
Uriah comes up to Tris and gets her to go outside with him and a bunch of Dauntless people. None of the initiates know where they're going but the members know. She's meeting new people and nonchalantly asking questions about Four. Technically that's our generation's Facebook stalking.(:
"Before he can finish the word "go," he releases the sling and I forget him, I forget Uriah, and family, and all the things that could malfunction and lead to my death."
She figures out they are going to the Hancock building and they go to the very top floor and climb to the ceiling. This building is very, very, very, high up and they plan to zip-line off of it! Tris is the first of the initiates to go and she completely loves it. Just at the right time, you have to unclip your harness and fall into the arms of the other Dauntless members. This makes them feel one with another and it's really what brings them together, this is really what makes a person Dauntless.
Because she was the first to jump she loses the nickname "Stiff." (hahahah.;) I thought it was interesting how she technically got a "flashback" of the Marsh and saw how life used to be. I wonder if she only saw that because she's Divergent, or maybe everybody sees it and they just don't talk about it? But that seems pretty unreasonable.
They are all addicted to the rushing feeling and the adrenaline pumping through them. She finally feels like she fits in with Dauntless and officially wants to be one of them.
"Before he can finish the word "go," he releases the sling and I forget him, I forget Uriah, and family, and all the things that could malfunction and lead to my death."Chapter Sixteen
The rankings are being released and Four explains how the ranking are qualified. She thinks that he looks at her because she's nervous.... right. That's why he's looking at you....
-You get a score for your level of skill
-1st fight, if you beat someone of a higher level you get points, if you prey on the weak you lose points
-2nd fight is the same thing
-The 1st stage of initiation is weighted less than the 2nd and 3rd
Cristina get's ranked 4th, Al 8th, and Tris 6th. Edward is ranked 1st and Peter is 2nd. There is a lot of tension in the room and Tris notices that Peter is really calm even though, normally, he would be furious.
Later that night Tris wakes up to people shuffling around the room and then after a shriek that no one will forget, running footsteps. The lights go on and Edwards eye has been stabbed. Tris's Abnegation takes over and while everyone else is frozen, she helps Edward and makes sure he doesn't pull it out of his eye. After
Edward is headed to the hospital, Tris cleans the blood off of the floor because no one else will. The only people that weren't in the room were Peter and Drew so they totally had to have done it. All the initiates are haunted by what happened and no one really sleeps for the rest of that night. The next day, they are informed that Edward and Myra quit and are now factionless.
I was actually scared while reading this because it was described in a way that everyone can imagine and it was so meticulous in the choosing of words, I loved it. I also noticed that in this situation Tris's selflessness made her brave. That in some way makes her have an advantage over the initiates.
After the incident Al flat out hits on Tris and she thinks it's really uncomfortable and I'm almost positive a lot of girls can relate to this... (Friend zone.)
Tris loves the Dauntless faction and wants to be first in order to be a leader, to turn it back to its original Faction Manifesto (Rules written directly after formed.)
-You get a score for your level of skill
-1st fight, if you beat someone of a higher level you get points, if you prey on the weak you lose points-2nd fight is the same thing
-The 1st stage of initiation is weighted less than the 2nd and 3rd
Cristina get's ranked 4th, Al 8th, and Tris 6th. Edward is ranked 1st and Peter is 2nd. There is a lot of tension in the room and Tris notices that Peter is really calm even though, normally, he would be furious.
Later that night Tris wakes up to people shuffling around the room and then after a shriek that no one will forget, running footsteps. The lights go on and Edwards eye has been stabbed. Tris's Abnegation takes over and while everyone else is frozen, she helps Edward and makes sure he doesn't pull it out of his eye. After
Edward is headed to the hospital, Tris cleans the blood off of the floor because no one else will. The only people that weren't in the room were Peter and Drew so they totally had to have done it. All the initiates are haunted by what happened and no one really sleeps for the rest of that night. The next day, they are informed that Edward and Myra quit and are now factionless.
After the incident Al flat out hits on Tris and she thinks it's really uncomfortable and I'm almost positive a lot of girls can relate to this... (Friend zone.)
Tris loves the Dauntless faction and wants to be first in order to be a leader, to turn it back to its original Faction Manifesto (Rules written directly after formed.)
"Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now."
Chapter Fifteen
Faction before blood is really important to all the factions, but most important to Dauntless. On visiting day, they are told by Four to not look too attached to their family. This shouldn't be a problem though because Tris's mom isn't going to show up right? Wrong.
Tris is so happy to see her and her mom makes a special occasion to only talk about her and Tris brings up Caleb. Her mom can't visit Caleb because the faction tension between Abnegation and Erudite. The Erudite won't let any Abnegation onto their compound. She introduces Four to her mom and her first reaction is, "he's handsome!" An Four says not to worry about Tris, says that she's doing very well even though that's not totally true.
Tris is introduced to Will's sister, but his sister is making very rude comments about Abnegation and Tris is willing to fight for her mother. Will has to practically separate them. Afterwards, Tris is lead by her mom to a super secret hallway and asked all these questions about initiation, like she already knows how everything works. Tris tells her mom that she is Divergent and Tris is instructed to stay in the middle of the pact.
Why does her mom know about Divergence? Because usually only people who are Divergent, know about being Divergent. That makes me think that she is maybe Divergent. Finally, her mom wants her to ask Caleb to research the simulation serum because her mom can't go there and do it herself.
It takes Tris a while to figure this out, but her mother was Dauntless before she chose Abnegation.
Tris is so happy to see her and her mom makes a special occasion to only talk about her and Tris brings up Caleb. Her mom can't visit Caleb because the faction tension between Abnegation and Erudite. The Erudite won't let any Abnegation onto their compound. She introduces Four to her mom and her first reaction is, "he's handsome!" An Four says not to worry about Tris, says that she's doing very well even though that's not totally true.
Why does her mom know about Divergence? Because usually only people who are Divergent, know about being Divergent. That makes me think that she is maybe Divergent. Finally, her mom wants her to ask Caleb to research the simulation serum because her mom can't go there and do it herself.
It takes Tris a while to figure this out, but her mother was Dauntless before she chose Abnegation.
"If Eric thinks I did something right, I must have done it wrong." -hahahah
Chapter Fourteen
I think it would be super hard to beat up someone that you don't have a problem with. They have to fight the people that they've become close to. You'd have to dig down really deep to something that angers you; enough to the point that you could mess someones face up. This is the reason that Al isn't going to make it, he's just on the floor letting people hit him. He doesn't have the rage that everyone else has.
If bullying her is cowardice, why don't the people get reprimanded for it? They really aren't Dauntless at all if they're bullying because that's completely against their faction and corrupts them, in a way.
Tris's gets out of the shower and is walking back to the room to get clothes but, the only people in the room are Drew, Peter, and Molly. They start picking on her and they make her towel fall off and make fun of her body. This only gives her momentum when the next day her and Molly are paired to fight. Tris beats the crap out of Molly and I thought it was super empowering. Tris actually kind of scares Four with how bad she beat her.
"His eyes travel down my body, not in the greedy way that a man looks at a woman, but cruelly, scrutinizing every flaw."
This quote sticks out to me because I don't like having people look at me too long. I know this sounds petty, but allowing them to like stare at me, gives them more time to notice my flaws; which makes me feel insecure.
Chapter Thirteen
The Dauntless believe Pride is more important than reason or sense. But I think, in order to be functional, you have to have both, otherwise you will never think about your actions and you'll just be ruthless; which isn't what Dauntless "wants."
Tris is very clever and stands up to Peter's stupid remarks. Tris actually throws better than most people there, but Al isn't doing well at all. Eric is in a bad mood so when he notices Al, he tells him to get his knives while the others are still throwing. He honestly bursts out that he's scared of getting hit in the head with a knife. So he makes him stand in front of a target until he doesn't flinch. Tris tells them to stop then says,
"It doesn't prove anything except that you're bullying us. Which, as I recall is a sign of cowardice."
She ends up taking his spot and flinches the first time, but the second she's determined. Four is purposely missing but then nicks her ear, she doesn't flinch though...
Tris is very clever and stands up to Peter's stupid remarks. Tris actually throws better than most people there, but Al isn't doing well at all. Eric is in a bad mood so when he notices Al, he tells him to get his knives while the others are still throwing. He honestly bursts out that he's scared of getting hit in the head with a knife. So he makes him stand in front of a target until he doesn't flinch. Tris tells them to stop then says,
"It doesn't prove anything except that you're bullying us. Which, as I recall is a sign of cowardice."
She ends up taking his spot and flinches the first time, but the second she's determined. Four is purposely missing but then nicks her ear, she doesn't flinch though...
Chapter Twelve
Tris and Four have this whole Flirtationship because they keep awkwardly staring and Tris's training get's distracted by him too often. I love this Romance thing in the novel, it makes it just that more special.
The Dauntless Initiates are woken up and told to get clothes on, they're going to go play Capture the Flag. That actually seems kind of fun and not dangerous at all! But then, they hand out guns... At first I thought that they were real guns, but it turns out they were just paintball guns.(: The teams are picked by Eric and Four and one team will be let off the train, then the next, ten minutes after. They can hide their flag wherever they want and whoever team captures the other teams flag, wins.
"Shockingly," Tris gets picked first but honestly, anybody reading the book could tell that that was going to happen. By the team picks, she can tell that Four is smarter and Eric is ruthless. They are the opposites of Dauntless. Tris notices that the other girls of initiates flirt with Four but he doesn't respond any. Her team is arguing about how to divide up and how to keep the flag safe, so Tris just ignores all of them and starts climbing a Ferris wheel to see higher ground. Four decides to follow her and they keep climbing. Tris about falls and that's when Four leaves her??? I was freaking out, I thought he turned and was going to leave her to die because she's Divergent. But then it turns out he had a brilliant idea and he gets her down safely.(:
Meanwhile, Tris found where the other team is and leads all the initiates there but right as she's about to take it, Cristina takes it from her and says she's had enough for today. They end up winning. Everyone is very happy with Tris and really impressed. After all, she is just a little girl from Abnegation right?...
The Dauntless Initiates are woken up and told to get clothes on, they're going to go play Capture the Flag. That actually seems kind of fun and not dangerous at all! But then, they hand out guns... At first I thought that they were real guns, but it turns out they were just paintball guns.(: The teams are picked by Eric and Four and one team will be let off the train, then the next, ten minutes after. They can hide their flag wherever they want and whoever team captures the other teams flag, wins.
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| This picture gets the point across and makes me laugh.(: |
Meanwhile, Tris found where the other team is and leads all the initiates there but right as she's about to take it, Cristina takes it from her and says she's had enough for today. They end up winning. Everyone is very happy with Tris and really impressed. After all, she is just a little girl from Abnegation right?...
"If my entire life is like this, loud laughter and bold action and the kind of exhaustion you feel after a hard but satisfying day, I will be content."
Chapter Eleven
Tris is constantly having dreams about being Divergent and having Peter like scare her into admitting it and then she ends up dying. Most of the time dreams are your subconscious trying to tell you something, but hers seem pretty straight forward...
The Dauntless initiates are taking a field trip to scope out the jobs that they could choose in the future. While she's there Tris runs into Robert from Abnegation and talks to him for a few minutes. It seems really weird because they chose completely new lives and if they had both chosen Abnegation then they would have probably gotten married and had children together. It just seems crazy how one decision completely changed the whole events of their lives... Could that possibly happen in our lives?
Four tells Tris that she could be a really good fighter as long as she attacked them first. He also told her earlier to use her elbows and knees for extra strength and power. She brings up the last time she fought and how he walked out because it was "boring." He tells her that's not the truth and she asks why. He responds by saying, "It's not something I wanted to see." He totally likes her!<3
The Dauntless initiates are taking a field trip to scope out the jobs that they could choose in the future. While she's there Tris runs into Robert from Abnegation and talks to him for a few minutes. It seems really weird because they chose completely new lives and if they had both chosen Abnegation then they would have probably gotten married and had children together. It just seems crazy how one decision completely changed the whole events of their lives... Could that possibly happen in our lives?
"Maybe there's a little Abnegation in everybody, even if they don't know it."
Chapter Ten
Tris keeps having strange dreams and I can relate completely. I have weird dreams all the time that I vividly remember. Like just last night I had a dream that I became really good friends with this girl that represented I think a puppy because she had like really deep brown hair and super blue eyes, but it's just amazing how some people remember their dreams so clearly like Tris and I do, while others don't ever remember.
Tris is constantly getting picked on, but I don't understand why. It took the most bravery for her to switch factions. People from Candor switch all the time so no one should give her crap for picking who she really is.
Tris has to go against Peter for the fight. Peter is the other enemy from Candor that s best friends with Molly and Drew. Tris is losing badly and that's when Four leaves the room. Tris gets beat so bad that she winds up in a hospital. Al comes to visit Tris and I'm starting to wonder if Al kinda likes her? And I feel that he's using her as an outlet to the pain he's feeling because he's having a hard time adjusting to the Dauntless way of life.
 |
| This represents dreams and how crazy and unknown they can be. |
Tris is constantly getting picked on, but I don't understand why. It took the most bravery for her to switch factions. People from Candor switch all the time so no one should give her crap for picking who she really is.
Tris has to go against Peter for the fight. Peter is the other enemy from Candor that s best friends with Molly and Drew. Tris is losing badly and that's when Four leaves the room. Tris gets beat so bad that she winds up in a hospital. Al comes to visit Tris and I'm starting to wonder if Al kinda likes her? And I feel that he's using her as an outlet to the pain he's feeling because he's having a hard time adjusting to the Dauntless way of life.
"Maybe they take turns throwing knives at each others heads- it wouldn't surprise me."
Chapter Nine
"It's impossible to have a friendship when no one feels like they can accept help or even talk about themselves."
Tris lucks out and doesn't have to fight anyone on the first day. Tris doesn't like how Al and Will have to fight each other, even though they are in a way friends. Al ends up winning but it takes a very long time. Then Cristina goes against Molly, their enemy from Candor. After a brutal beating Cristina says she's done and gets ready to get off the rink. Eric forces Cristina to hang over the ledge to excuse her cowardice. She stays strong except the last minute she almost gives out. She finally makes it and Al pulls her back over.
"Human reason can excuse any evil, that is why it's so important that we don't rely on it."
Chapter Eight
Tris started off in training as weak and is getting a little stronger. She completely loves the rush and the chaos of it all. To me personally, I love chaos but only in small amounts. After awhile I'd need to go back to the simple life because being chaotic all the time, doesn't give you any downtime to reflect on anything; which is something that I can't live without.
Candor usually just says whatever is on their mind and never hold anything back. This surprises me because I'm supposed to be Candor but I always over think everything I do; this includes about what I say. Candor and Amity are against each other because Candor values telling the truth no matter what, while Amity will keep their mouth shut in order to keep waters calm. This also surprises me because I know that in some aspects I act like Amity, yet I'm Candor so I feel like I'm at war with myself...
Four is totally flirting with Tris! He's talking about how she "looks good" and like putting his hand on her arm.(:
Cristina, Al, Will, and Tris are all going to get tattoo's and Tris decides to get something actually meaningful. She wants something that represents leaving her past behind, or leaving Abnegation behind. She decides to get a tattoo of ravens from her collarbone leading to her heart. Three ravens, one for each family member she left behind.
Candor usually just says whatever is on their mind and never hold anything back. This surprises me because I'm supposed to be Candor but I always over think everything I do; this includes about what I say. Candor and Amity are against each other because Candor values telling the truth no matter what, while Amity will keep their mouth shut in order to keep waters calm. This also surprises me because I know that in some aspects I act like Amity, yet I'm Candor so I feel like I'm at war with myself...
Four is totally flirting with Tris! He's talking about how she "looks good" and like putting his hand on her arm.(:
Cristina, Al, Will, and Tris are all going to get tattoo's and Tris decides to get something actually meaningful. She wants something that represents leaving her past behind, or leaving Abnegation behind. She decides to get a tattoo of ravens from her collarbone leading to her heart. Three ravens, one for each family member she left behind.
" Politeness is deception in pretty packaging."
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Chapter Seven
The Dauntless travel to their headquarters which happen to be underground, Tris feels really close to the earth; I understand where she's coming from because we all have that one place in our lives that we feel completely safe or one with the earth. Mine happens to be when I'm alone by a a lake or a stream. For some reason I believe this has to do with the fact that I'm Pisces and were supposed to be people that are very comfortable with water. Where's your "special" place?
Tris begins to wonder why so many of the transfer initiates are from candor, but then she mentions that they're very curious, loud-mouths, that ask to many questions.
Tris describes Eric as terrifying and she doesn't ever want him to look at her. Eric is one of the five Dauntless leaders who is very young. But age doesn't matter to the Dauntless.
Initiation is very serious, after the tour, they lead them to their combined room and tell them that the rankings are for finding a job after initiation and that only the top ten initiates are made members. If you are not in the top 10 then you become factionless, a great fear of Tris's.
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| "Special Place" |
"It must require bravery to be honest all the time. I wouldn't know."
When they continue the tour, I learn that Dauntless is completely different from Abnegation. They all speak their minds and it's loud all the time, no one seems reserved ever. Tris really enjoys all the chaos around her. They soon arrive at The Pit and someone makes a joke. I laughed so hard because we have The Pit at our school!(:
The river is split between two areas. One side is the chaotic, thrashing side while the other, is calm and subtle. This is a big symbol in the Dauntless world, Eric explains that the two sides represent the difference between bravery and idiocy. I thought that it was put beautifully.
Tris describes Eric as terrifying and she doesn't ever want him to look at her. Eric is one of the five Dauntless leaders who is very young. But age doesn't matter to the Dauntless.
Initiation is very serious, after the tour, they lead them to their combined room and tell them that the rankings are for finding a job after initiation and that only the top ten initiates are made members. If you are not in the top 10 then you become factionless, a great fear of Tris's.
"If you really are one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward."
Almost all the initiates cry themselves to sleep that night... I'd have to say I would too.
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