Divergence discussion

So I must be the only person in the world who doesn't like this book. I wrote an essay for class on why I don't think it's true dystopia here on my blog.

And that got me thinking about the other things I didn't like about this book. In The Hunger Games, Katniss uses violence to survive. Tris chooses violence and I felt like the story says that violence is cool and kids should be violent to rebel against their parents. I felt like the characters Tris meets in Dauntless were flat and one-dimensional, and that most of the book is one big training montage. The climax seemed to come out of nowhere. And Tris was continually set up as this special snowflake who was selfless and brave and smart--like most people only have one good quality, and all the rest are one dimensional. The whole point of The Hunger Games was that Katniss was just an ordinary girl trying to survive. Tris is made out to be something special--not because, like in many YA novels, she's from a special background, but simply because she has a complex personality. It didn't feel like she had any flaws.

Anyway, that's my two cents. What am I missing? I really do want to like this book?

I did really enjoy Divergent. I do admit that you make some good points about the characters. I think that Tris chooses violence in the beginning, but in the second book she resents herself for it, and refuses to pick up a gun. She does have elevated statues but as the saying goes "In the land of the blind the man with one eye is king" I did not really like Tris but I liked that I didn't. I liked reading it partly because of all the action. It is not perfect but I am a guy and I would sit through a paper thin plot to watch stuff gets blown up... Divergent is a great story in my opinion but the action is very easy to into. There was a lot of suspense for me throughout the book.
But hear what you are saying.

I understand what you mean. How Katniss did things to make her special but Tris was just initially special. With katniss it seemed like she worked for her importance but Tris was born with. But i liked both books

I disagree. Practically the first sentence of divergent was Tris' inner conflict with the fact that she was NOT selfless. Roth does not make Tris seem as though she was 'in the right place at the right time'. Tris has always had her faults and she is not that perfect girl. Her and four (I like four better than Tobias) had their problems like a normal couple. She was selfish LIKE a normal person. She was angry, LIKE a normal person. Everything she did was because she was a normal person. People think violent things. People do violent things. That is how Tris was. Now I am not making a generalization, I am just saying that Tris portrayed a girl of many qualities and personalities.

I understand all of your positions, and i would like to throw in what i know to maybe help you come to terms with the book. You see, what this book is about is the science behind social interactions and how we humans work psychologically throughout our lives. It is known that Veronica (author) studied psychology in collage and it is clear that her knowledge gained in those years was used in her stories. For good authors always write about what they know.
SPOILER ALERT! if you have not finished the sears, please do not read on.
So i assume that you have reached the end of the final book in the sears, you should understand something much clearer. This is that the entire system (the faction) was designed to correct a genetic (or several) flaws caused by experimenting with the creation of the perfect human. So, if you understand how that works (and please, if i am not clear, do ask me either here or via email and i will explain more thoroughly) then Tris' odd multi talent "I'm so unique" and "where do i fit in?" issues are to a greater sense resolved. The reason for Tris multi talent appearance in the book is to show her genetic purity from the others. She is not better than them, she simply is at battle within herself as to where she belongs (which is in more than just one faction). This is definitely dystopian literature. This is because, to many, the idea of "playing god" is a negative way of working. Though this is not my belief, it is the general populous consent. Along with this is the mass control and surveillance of a peoples confined in a city unbinonced to them to attempt healing genetic flaws. This description fits several of the top most common plot lines and ideas used in popular dystopian literature right on the head.

I entirely DISAGREE with you. I did NOT enjoy the Hunger Games. Divergent, to me, is much more put together. And also, She chose Dauntless not so she could participate in violence, but she she could embrace her selfishness.

Barney wrote: "I disagree. Practically the first sentence of divergent was Tris' inner conflict with the fact that she was NOT selfless. Roth does not make Tris seem as though she was 'in the right place at the r..."

I KNOW RIGHT!!