Themes in Divergent
Bravery
One theme that is recurring and that is mentioned often is bravery. Tris chooses the faction that relies on bravery and she continues to push herself throughout the novel. Eric says, "If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward". With this, Eric is trying to define bravery and show the initiates that his definition is the only correct one. What Tris aims to do, whether she realizes it or not, is prove that bravery comes in different forms. When Al reveals that he doesn't want to fight people and hurt them anymore, Tris tells him that he is brave. She says, "You're not a coward just because you don't want to hurt people" (115). Bravery is further discussed after Al commits suicide. After Eric calls Al's act brave, Tris says, "Courageous would have been admitting weakness and leaving Dauntless" (308). In relation, after her mom dies, Tris says, "My mother's death was brave" (451) as opposed to Al's, which was not. Another aspect of bravery that is discussed in Divergent is fearlessness. Four says to Tris, “Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it” (239), which shows Tris that even someone with only four fears realizes that fearlessness isn't a realistic goal.
One theme that is recurring and that is mentioned often is bravery. Tris chooses the faction that relies on bravery and she continues to push herself throughout the novel. Eric says, "If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward". With this, Eric is trying to define bravery and show the initiates that his definition is the only correct one. What Tris aims to do, whether she realizes it or not, is prove that bravery comes in different forms. When Al reveals that he doesn't want to fight people and hurt them anymore, Tris tells him that he is brave. She says, "You're not a coward just because you don't want to hurt people" (115). Bravery is further discussed after Al commits suicide. After Eric calls Al's act brave, Tris says, "Courageous would have been admitting weakness and leaving Dauntless" (308). In relation, after her mom dies, Tris says, "My mother's death was brave" (451) as opposed to Al's, which was not. Another aspect of bravery that is discussed in Divergent is fearlessness. Four says to Tris, “Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it” (239), which shows Tris that even someone with only four fears realizes that fearlessness isn't a realistic goal.
Independence
A very large theme in Divergent is becoming independent. Tris spent her entire life in Abnegation with her family where she was relying on them for support and guidance. However, when Tris decides to leave Abnegation, she also decides to take care of herself and risk leaving her parents forever. Her father took the news that Tris was leaving very hard. Tris said, "My father's eyes burn into mine with a look of accusation" (48). Tris also struggles throughout the book with whether or not she should open up to her friends. Tris says toward the beginning of her time in Dauntless that she has never really had friends and that she enjoys spending time with Christina, Al, and Will. But by the climax of the novel, Tris realizes "how [she] really feel[s] about [her] friends" (371). Tris doesn't completely trust them and she wonders if they are her real friends at all because of how they treated her when she was doing s well in the initiation competition. She sees that Al is able to betray her when he helps Peter and Drew try to throw her into the chasm, but she never really gets a solid answer about Christina and Will. Tris also has trouble opening up to Tobias and she's so afraid of him hurting her that he is in her fear simulation. In relation to independence, Divergent shows its readers that sometimes people have to follow their own paths and not the ones expected of them. Tris, even though her father expects her to stay in Abnegation, leaves everything she knows for Dauntless. Tris feels bad about leaving her parents and gets a tattoo of three birds on her collarbone--"One for each member of the family [she] left behind" (90).
A very large theme in Divergent is becoming independent. Tris spent her entire life in Abnegation with her family where she was relying on them for support and guidance. However, when Tris decides to leave Abnegation, she also decides to take care of herself and risk leaving her parents forever. Her father took the news that Tris was leaving very hard. Tris said, "My father's eyes burn into mine with a look of accusation" (48). Tris also struggles throughout the book with whether or not she should open up to her friends. Tris says toward the beginning of her time in Dauntless that she has never really had friends and that she enjoys spending time with Christina, Al, and Will. But by the climax of the novel, Tris realizes "how [she] really feel[s] about [her] friends" (371). Tris doesn't completely trust them and she wonders if they are her real friends at all because of how they treated her when she was doing s well in the initiation competition. She sees that Al is able to betray her when he helps Peter and Drew try to throw her into the chasm, but she never really gets a solid answer about Christina and Will. Tris also has trouble opening up to Tobias and she's so afraid of him hurting her that he is in her fear simulation. In relation to independence, Divergent shows its readers that sometimes people have to follow their own paths and not the ones expected of them. Tris, even though her father expects her to stay in Abnegation, leaves everything she knows for Dauntless. Tris feels bad about leaving her parents and gets a tattoo of three birds on her collarbone--"One for each member of the family [she] left behind" (90).
Finding Oneself
Tris has problems through the course of the book discovering her true self because she possesses traits from many of the different factions. She doesn't fully "belong" in any of the factions and this fact confuses her. Tris says, "I couldn't be Candor. I lie too easily" (31) and she has similar feelings about the other factions. What Tris discovers, however, is that she does have traits inside her that she never knew about. She says, "Yeah, well, I left Abnegation because I wasn't selfless enough, no matter how hard I tried to be." But Four replies, "That's not entirely true. That girl who let someone throw knives at her to spare a friend, who hit my dad with a belt to protect me--that selfless girl, that's not you?'" Tris discovers that she is selfish at times, but she often has many moments of selflessness. She says, "I am selfish. I am brave" (47) and while selfishness is often seen as a negative quality, here Tris' selfishness leads her on a journey that actually betters her as a person. Tris also embarks on an journey inside herself to find what her purpose in life is. She says, "The goal of my life isn't just... to be happy" (128) and, while she may not have realized how important her goal in life is at the time, she knew that Dauntless was a large part of her destiny.
Tris has problems through the course of the book discovering her true self because she possesses traits from many of the different factions. She doesn't fully "belong" in any of the factions and this fact confuses her. Tris says, "I couldn't be Candor. I lie too easily" (31) and she has similar feelings about the other factions. What Tris discovers, however, is that she does have traits inside her that she never knew about. She says, "Yeah, well, I left Abnegation because I wasn't selfless enough, no matter how hard I tried to be." But Four replies, "That's not entirely true. That girl who let someone throw knives at her to spare a friend, who hit my dad with a belt to protect me--that selfless girl, that's not you?'" Tris discovers that she is selfish at times, but she often has many moments of selflessness. She says, "I am selfish. I am brave" (47) and while selfishness is often seen as a negative quality, here Tris' selfishness leads her on a journey that actually betters her as a person. Tris also embarks on an journey inside herself to find what her purpose in life is. She says, "The goal of my life isn't just... to be happy" (128) and, while she may not have realized how important her goal in life is at the time, she knew that Dauntless was a large part of her destiny.
Selfishness
One important theme in Divergent is that sometimes it's okay to be selfish. Many books try to evoke the message that the most important thing is to put others above one's own needs, but Divergent doesn't do that. While it is important to be compassionate, it's also very important for people to take care of themselves, too. The night before the choosing ceremony, Caleb says, "We should think of our family. But. But we must also think of ourselves" (37). Here, Caleb is telling Tris that sometimes selfishness is okay; sometimes it's necessary. Tris talks about how selfless Caleb always is, saying "My brother, my selfless brother, a faction transfer?" (46). But though Caleb may be selfless, he also realizes that his, as well as Tris', happiness is just as important as anyone else's. Tris remembers during her final fear simulation what Tobias told her: "Selfishness and bravery aren't that different" (396). This realization helps Tris to see that she can use her selfishness for good and that Dauntless really is where she belongs. Four tells Tris, "...it's when you're acting selflessly that you are at your bravest" (313).
One important theme in Divergent is that sometimes it's okay to be selfish. Many books try to evoke the message that the most important thing is to put others above one's own needs, but Divergent doesn't do that. While it is important to be compassionate, it's also very important for people to take care of themselves, too. The night before the choosing ceremony, Caleb says, "We should think of our family. But. But we must also think of ourselves" (37). Here, Caleb is telling Tris that sometimes selfishness is okay; sometimes it's necessary. Tris talks about how selfless Caleb always is, saying "My brother, my selfless brother, a faction transfer?" (46). But though Caleb may be selfless, he also realizes that his, as well as Tris', happiness is just as important as anyone else's. Tris remembers during her final fear simulation what Tobias told her: "Selfishness and bravery aren't that different" (396). This realization helps Tris to see that she can use her selfishness for good and that Dauntless really is where she belongs. Four tells Tris, "...it's when you're acting selflessly that you are at your bravest" (313).
Governmental Issues
Another thing that Divergent teaches its readers is that too much of a good thing can lead to bad consequences. The five factions are separated by characteristics that would normally be desirable--bravery, intelligence, honesty, selflessness, and peacefulness. But with these traits being separated, the different factions don't aim to learn the values of the other factions. For example, those in Dauntless couldn't care less about being honest or smart. We see in Tris someone who has traits from many of the factions. She calls herself selfish, but Tris is also very compassionate and selfless, especially when she lets Four throw knives at her so that Al doesn't have to go through that. Tris is also very bright, which the reader can see when she got the idea to climb to the top of the ferris wheel during capture the flag in order to see where the other team was located. Tris is incredibly brave and she also longs for peace between the different factions. The factions with only one prominent trait are flawed and, inevitably, we see conflict build. Erudite and Abnegation hate each other; Dauntless and Erudite seek the power with their strength and intelligence. Because Tris possesses traits from a majority of the factions and we can see how that helps her, the reader can see that in order for a society, or a person, to thrive, he or she should possess a range of qualities. Tobias says toward the end of the novel, "I want to be brave, and selfless, and smart,and kind, and honest" (465). These feelings may be felt by Tobias because he is Divergent, but it shows that those possessing all of these qualities may be the only ones who can save the "peaceful" world that they live in.
Another thing that Divergent teaches its readers is that too much of a good thing can lead to bad consequences. The five factions are separated by characteristics that would normally be desirable--bravery, intelligence, honesty, selflessness, and peacefulness. But with these traits being separated, the different factions don't aim to learn the values of the other factions. For example, those in Dauntless couldn't care less about being honest or smart. We see in Tris someone who has traits from many of the factions. She calls herself selfish, but Tris is also very compassionate and selfless, especially when she lets Four throw knives at her so that Al doesn't have to go through that. Tris is also very bright, which the reader can see when she got the idea to climb to the top of the ferris wheel during capture the flag in order to see where the other team was located. Tris is incredibly brave and she also longs for peace between the different factions. The factions with only one prominent trait are flawed and, inevitably, we see conflict build. Erudite and Abnegation hate each other; Dauntless and Erudite seek the power with their strength and intelligence. Because Tris possesses traits from a majority of the factions and we can see how that helps her, the reader can see that in order for a society, or a person, to thrive, he or she should possess a range of qualities. Tobias says toward the end of the novel, "I want to be brave, and selfless, and smart,and kind, and honest" (465). These feelings may be felt by Tobias because he is Divergent, but it shows that those possessing all of these qualities may be the only ones who can save the "peaceful" world that they live in.