Divergent question

loves2shop4shoes

Hi everyone. I just started reading Divergent last night. I'm 10 or so chapters in and I have a question.

If the kids ultimately choose their faction, why do they even bother testing them? Can they only pick between their faction and the one they had a propensity for?

If the answer is a spoiler, just say so. If not, though, I'd like to understand it.

[Deleted User]

SPOILER ALERT!

I loved these books - in fact, I just finished the 3rd this morning and now I can hardly wait for the movie!

I don't know if my response will really spoil anything...but just in case i've put spoiler at the top. Don't want to ruin it for anyone.

Each person may choose any faction they want at the Choosing Ceremony: doesn't matter which faction you were raised in or what your test results said. I believe the tests are simply to help you better understand yourself. I also think they are possibly done to give you the confidence to leave your own faction (and your family) if your have a strength that would lend itself to more success in a different faction. For example, if you grew up in Erudite but you thought you really wanted to be in Abnegation - you might have an easier time making that decision if your test results came back one way or another. Make sense?

loves2shop4shoes

SPOILER ALERT!

I loved these books - in fact, I just finished the 3rd this morning and now I can hardly wait for the movie!

I don't know if my response will really spoil anything...but just in case i've put spoiler at the top. Don't want to ruin it for anyone.

Each person may choose any faction they want at the Choosing Ceremony: doesn't matter which faction you were raised in or what your test results said. I believe the tests are simply to help you better understand yourself. I also think they are possibly done to give you the confidence to leave your own faction (and your family) if your have a strength that would lend itself to more success in a different faction. For example, if you grew up in Erudite but you thought you really wanted to be in Abnegation - you might have an easier time making that decision if your test results came back one way or another. Make sense?

Sort of.  But then why is it dangerous to be Divergent…if the test results don't REALLY matter anyway?

Swazzle

I agree with Allusive. I think you are allowed to choose any faction regardless of the results from your aptitude test. 

To add to that, I think most people would want to select one of the factions from their results. If you choose Abnegation but you're actually a selfish person, you'd probably spend your life being miserable. Or if you choose Dauntless but you're not very brave, you could fail the initiation and end up Factionless which is like the worst thing ever. 

rycbar123

I just want to echo what Swazzle said.  While they don't know what the outcome would be choosing a faction outside of their own, I think the fear of becoming factionless keeps them to staying within what their aptitude tests results are.  

Also, the fact that some people are divergent comes up as a main point in the third book.  So it's important in all the books but it really comes into the main plot point in the third.

bethsmiles

loves2shop4shoes said:

SPOILER ALERT!

I loved these books - in fact, I just finished the 3rd this morning and now I can hardly wait for the movie!

I don't know if my response will really spoil anything...but just in case i've put spoiler at the top. Don't want to ruin it for anyone.

Each person may choose any faction they want at the Choosing Ceremony: doesn't matter which faction you were raised in or what your test results said. I believe the tests are simply to help you better understand yourself. I also think they are possibly done to give you the confidence to leave your own faction (and your family) if your have a strength that would lend itself to more success in a different faction. For example, if you grew up in Erudite but you thought you really wanted to be in Abnegation - you might have an easier time making that decision if your test results came back one way or another. Make sense?

Sort of.  But then why is it dangerous to be Divergent…if the test results don't REALLY matter anyway?

Spoilers That gets answered later. Also, I feel like the reason for the test is fully explained in the last book.

I really enjoyed the first two books of that series. The third one ruined it for me for many reasons.

loves2shop4shoes

God.  I wish I didn't have to work today and could read ALL the things.

Also, I love youbitches.

loves2shop4shoes

Also, @bethsmiles, YGPM.

rycbar123

ahh @bethsmiles that just got me a little upset.  I'm in the middle of reading the third one right now.  Though at the point where I'm at if it goes where it seems to be going I may see your point.  But we will see!

Blackbird230

I'm still stuck on Insurgent. I'm just not as addicted as I was to Divergent.

bethsmiles

@jaydee4219 - Part of it is just that I felt the writing just wasn't as good in the third one, I hated the dual perspective!

rycbar123

I can get behind that.  It's gotten a bit annoying switching between the two characters. I have to catch myself each new chapter. Which I do believe is firmly because of the writing.  I don't know if you've read Game of Thrones at all but each chapter is in the view of a different character and I had no problem with those books so I do believe it comes down to good writing.

KeptInStitches

Off-topic, an example of different perspective YA writing I loved was the Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. Very much worth your time if you haven't read it yet. Don't skip the footnotes - they're important.

rycbar123

The Matched series by Ally Condie is also a different perspective book just for the last one and I loved that series a lot.

[Deleted User]

@loves2shop4shoes - Divergent is dangerous because it is unusual. The faction system is based on each group valuing specific qualities and personalities in its people. If you are Divergent, you are do not fit as easily into any mold. You are basically an "out of the box" thinker. ie: people who think differently than the rest of society are scary. I agree with others though...you'll find out more later on.

I also struggled with the 3rd book. It wasn't as exciting, but it did give a lot more of the back story. I still really liked the series though.

Swazzle

@Kait - The first time around, I had a hard time getting into Insurgent. I re-read Divergent and Insurgent just before Allegient came out, though, and I couldn't put it down. Not sure why that is, I just really liked it a lot more when I re-read it for some reason.

bethsmiles

@jaydee4219 - I just finished reading Matched a couple weeks ago! I really liked it. I'm re-reading The Hunger Games now but I think The Selection is the next series on my list to read. A friend of mine said it was really good.

leia1979

Beth, I'm also re-reading Hunger Games right now. I haven't read them since the first time 2.5 years ago.

After that, I'm going back to the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger. It's semi-steampunk with vampires and werewolves. The writing style is hilarious because it's over-the-top proper Victorian English.

Allusive worded the danger of divergence very well, in my opinion. I'm excited for the movie next spring. I just wish that guy in the theatre had shut up during the preview!

bethsmiles

@leia1979 - It's been a long time since I read Hunger Games too. I went to see Catching Fire last weekend (I loved it!) and realized I didn't remember a lot of stuff!

Hummingbird125

Haven't read through all these responses in case of spoilers. BF and I are listening to Divergent on tape - I think we're at about chapter 12. We liste to it most nights before bed. Unfortunately, the person reading it is TERRIBLE and I think she's ruining it for me. So far, I am really bored with it and it has been a struggle to get through it. I have a feeling I'd be enjoying it more if I was reading it to myself, but BF and I wanted to "read" together. I'm withholding judgement until we're done with it - and I'll probably try to read the second one on my own.

The movie, however, looks FANTASTIC.

rycbar123

@leia1979 - Your mention of old Victorian English made me remember a book I loved back in high school.  It's the Emma Doyle trilogy.  The first book is called A Great and Terrible Beauty and it is an amazing book! While it's not in the over-the-top form of writing it is fantastic!  I highly recommend this book to anyone reading this! It's definitely something to look into!

leia1979

@jaydee4219, thanks! I put that on my Goodreads list.

Riss2893

jaydee4219 said:

@leia1979 - Your mention of old Victorian English made me remember a book I loved back in high school.  It's the Emma Doyle trilogy.  The first book is called A Great and Terrible Beauty and it is an amazing book! While it's not in the over-the-top form of writing it is fantastic!  I highly recommend this book to anyone reading this! It's definitely something to look into!

I love Libba Bray!!

And I really want to read the Divergent series. I asked for them for Christmas but I think I may have to go to the library once I'm done with finals.