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Samantha Wackwitz College Comp I pd. 2 Mrs. Cramer November 1, 2016 The Secret Behind Revealing Details Divergent is based in a world where Chicago is split into five factions designed to keep the peace. Amity is all about friendship and harmony, Candor believes in being completely honest, Abnegation are selfless and kind, Erudite is for those who are smart and always wanting to learn something new, and Dauntless is the place where people who are brave fit in. The citizens of Chicago are expected to fit into one of the five factions, so, when one of them doesn't, it causes an uproar. The Divergents, people who do not fit into just one, but more than one faction, get hunted. Due to the threat to the main characters, one of whom is divergent and the other the boyfriend of the divergent, they are closed off and keep to themselves, not revealing many details about their characters. However, the author, Veronica Roth, uses symbolism and the way characters act to portray the characters' traits and details in Divergent. Some of the symbols Roth uses to reveal details about the characters include names, images, and tattoos. For example, the main character, Tris, decides to get three Ravens, one raven for each member of her family, tattooed across her collarbone flying in the direction of her heart (page 90), which informs the reader that Tris is missing her family even though she doesn't say it outright. Another example of a tattoo being a symbol is in chapter 31 on pages 404 and 405: "On his back is more ink than skin. The symbols of each faction are drawn there- Dauntless at the top of his spine, Abnegation just below it, and the other three, smaller, beneath them. For a few seconds I look at the scales that represent Candor, the Eye that stands for Erudite, and the tree
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that symbolizes Amity. It would make sense that he would tattoo himself with the symbol of Dauntless, his refuge, and even the symbol of Abnegation, his place of origin, like I did. But the other three? 'I think we've made a mistake,' he says softly. 'We've all started to put down the virtues of the other factions in the process of bolstering our own. I don’t want to do that. I want to be brave, and selfless, and smart, and kind, and honest.'" This quote is important because the tattoo and the reason for getting it reveals that Four does not want to be ordinary and fit into one faction, but be able to adapt and fit into all five factions. Roth also uses images as symbols to show what the factions are about. Amity has a tree symbol because it is about harmony and friendship, Candor has scales because its about honesty and the people in Candor run the court system, Abnegation has hands folded together as a sign of giving a helping hand, Erudite has an eye because it is about people who see all and know all, and Dauntless has a symbol for fire to show bravery (page 42 and 43). Each symbol for the five factions gives away a little of what the faction being represented is about. Other ways Roth uses symbolism to reveal details and traits about the characters is when the book explains the reason Four, the male main character, choose Four to be his name, "'That’s it?' I say. 'Those are your four worst fears? Why do you only have four...' My voice trails off. Only four fears. 'Oh.' I look over my shoulder at him. 'That’s why they call you-'." (page 330 and 331) Roth uses Four's name to reveal the detail that he has only four fears, and that his number of fears was the reason he chose his name to be what it is. There are many types of symbols that can reveal details about a person. However, you can also use a person's actions to reveal details about him or her. In chapter twelve Tris is faced with a challenge to find and capture the other team's flag in order to win a game. While her
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teammates argue about the best way to find the other team's flag and capture it, Tris thinks outside the box and climbs on a ferris wheel to get a better view in order to see where the flag is, an action that shows the character is smart. The author reveals another trait about Tris on pages 161-163: "Anger bubbles in my chest, and bursts from my mouth: 'Stop it.' Four turns the knife in his hand, his fingers moving painstakingly over the metal edge. He gives me such a hard look that I feel like he's turning me to stone. I know why. I am stupid for speaking up while Eric is here; I am stupid for speaking up at all. 'Any idiot can stand in front of a target,' I say. 'It doesn’t prove anything except that you're bullying us. Which, as I recall, is a sign of cowardice.' 'Then it should be easy for you,' Eric says. 'If you're willing to take his place.' The last thing I want to do is stand in front of that target, but I can't back down now. I didn't leave myself the option. I weave through the crowd of initiates, and someone shoves my shoulder." (pages 161-163) This quote reveals that Tris is brave and doesn't give into fear. Roth also uses this quote to show that Tris is selfless. All throughout Divergent Roth uses symbolism and the way the characters act to portray the characters' traits and details. Without much information being revealed at all, except from symbols and actions, we learned the reason for Four's tattoo, as well as Tris's tattoo, why Four's name is what it is, and that Tris is smart and brave in her own unique ways. There were many other examples that could have been used, however, these were the most important.
