Divergent Book Club Discussion

MissDemeanor · August 2014

Better late than never, right?

Thanks @GolferGirl08 for the reminder. I knew I was forgetting something! Please feel free to add your own thoughts on the book in addition to the questions, or instead of them.

1. Did you read the book, watch the movie, or both? Which did you prefer?

2. What purpose does each of the five factions serve in society? What personality types are drawn toward each faction? Do you think these factions represent every basic personality type and fulfill all the basic needs of people? If not, what faction(s) would you create to fill in any gaps?

3. What was the reason behind the creation of the factions? Do you think the factions are working “toward a better society and a better world” (p. 44) as

they say they are? What about the structure seems to be working for Tris’s society? What doesn’t seem to be working at all?

4. What faction do you think you would have been born into, given your family and its values? Which faction would you select at your Choosing Ceremony? Why? How would you feel about making a decision that would determine your life’s course at the age of sixteen?

5. What is the difference between being fearless and learning to control your fears? Do you believe anyone can be truly fearless? What does Tris mean when she says that “half of bravery is perspective” (p. 458)?

6. Tris’s mom says, “Human beings as a whole cannot be good for long before the bad creeps back in and poisons us again” (p. 441). Do you agree or disagree? Why? What is the difference between being fearless and learning to control your fears? Do you believe anyone can be truly fearless? What does Tris

mean when she says that “half of bravery is perspective” (p. 458)?

7. What choices have you made that have changed you? What future choices will you also make, and how do you think that they will change you?

Book Summary for those of you who haven't read it, but would like to know what we're talking about.

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions—Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite—each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue. Now that she’s sixteen, Beatrice must select the faction to which she will devote the rest of her life and decide between staying with her family or being who she feels she really is. But she also has a secret—one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. As Beatrice chooses her path and starts training to become a contributing member of society, she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel the very foundations of the world she knows. She also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.A “perfect society” unravels, revealing an electrifying dystopian world, in this first book of the Divergent trilogy.

Questions are stolen off the Publisher's Website. Check it out here

hammysmommy · August 2014

Wow- good questions.... I'm going to need some time on some of them...

#1 Read (listened to) book and watched movie - the book was definitely better - I found the movie sorely lacking in detail, anticipation and excitement.

hammysmommy · August 2014

4. What faction do you think you would have been born into, given your family and its values? Which faction would you select at your Choosing Ceremony? Why? How would you feel about making a decision that would determine your life’s course at the age of sixteen? My family (parents) were pretty fixated on our educations, so I would have to say that I would’ve been born into Erudite. Well my mom’s more Amity/Abnegation, but dad’s definitely Erudite (except I’m not calling him arrogant).

I’d have a hard time choosing a faction. I’ve always hated conflict and wanted people to like me (Amity), but at the same time I’ll defend those who I feel need defending to the ends of the earth (Dauntless). I don’t think I’d survive Dauntless initiation though, and I’m sure I would have over analyzed it before the ceremony (Erudite) and therefore wouldn’t have chosen Dauntless (S – wtf are you thinking?? You’re terrified of heights, spiders and an introvert!). And with my math-loving, science brain, I’d probably end up staying in Erudite.

At 16 or now, I wouldn’t be able to make the decision easily. It takes me up to an hour to pick out a birthday card for crying out loud and that doesn’t have a lifetime of repercussions!

Soap1 · August 2014

I read the book and watched the movie. I'd say I moderately enjoyed both, but loved neither. Probably prefer the movie?

4. What faction do you think you would have been born into, given your family and its values? Which faction would you select at your Choosing Ceremony? Why? How would you feel about making a decision that would determine your life’s course at the age of sixteen?

DH and I watched the movie together and we both agreed that Dauntless looks like our worst nightmare. Just a bunch of reckless idiots acting stupid. Like living in a frat house. Ugh. But I think 16 year old me would have been drawn to it, which is why the books/movies are alluring to 16 year olds

Probably would have been born into Candor and stayed there. But in general, I tend to dislike books/movies that do the categorization thing that is so popular in YA. Remember high school how there were different groups and maybe you didn't feel like you fit into one of them? Again, why these books appeal to younger readers.

I generally dislike YA fiction though. I'm infuriating.

JackieP1023 · August 2014

1. Did you read the book, watch the movie, or both? Which did you prefer? I read the book, then watched the movie with DH. I don't know that I preferred one over the other. I enjoyed both. I missed a few of the details from the book, but also thought the movie really did a good job of bringing the book to life.

4. What faction do you think you would have been born into, given your family and its values? I think I probably would have been born into Candor. Which faction would you select at your Choosing Ceremony? Why? I probably would have chosen Erudite at age 16. Now, I'm not so sure. I think I can rule out Dauntless and Amity, for sure. I think now, I would probably still choose Erudite, or maybe Abnegation, to truly fit who I am at almost 30. How would you feel about making a decision that would determine your life’s course at the age of sixteen? If that's how it was, then I suppose it would work out eventually. Although I don't think most 16 year olds are prepared to make this sort of decision that will be so instrumental in the rest of their lives.

5. What is the difference between being fearless and learning to control your fears? Do you believe anyone can be truly fearless? What does Tris mean when she says that “half of bravery is perspective” (p. 458)? It seems to me that being fearless IS learning to control your fears. I don't think anyone can be truly fearless. Sure, they may appear to be fearless, but like Four in the book, he just learned to control it. (Control his fear of heights by avoiding them as much as possible) I think everyone has SOME fear, even if it is something 'silly'. I usually don't think too in depth about what characters say in books (which makes me a horrible book club reader!), but I get the "half of bravery is perspective". I think that by looking at things from a different perspective, you are able to rationalize some of your fear, which is part of bravery. If that even makes sense.

7. What choices have you made that have changed you? What future choices will you also make, and how do you think that they will change you? I have made many choices that have changed me over the years. Some good (deciding to go back to school), some not so good (wasting 7 years of my life with my XH). Going back to school was great. It taught me to be better at multitasking (so important now, as a mom!), and also changed my perspective on many different levels. Wasting those 7 years with my XH really damaged the relationship I had/have with my family--he was very controlling, and I wasn't able to see my family much during that time. It has changed the relationships I have with my siblings, especially the younger ones--they grew up without me, and so now they don't really know me. We are working on this more now, especially with DD around. As for future decisions-I think almost every decision that you make affects your life. It may not be a lot, or a drastic change, but everything shapes your life. For example, even though I consider the decision to stay with my XH for 7 years a waste, if it wasn't for that decision, I would have never ended up in SouthEast MO, never worked at the factory where I met MH.

I think this is the most critically I've actually thought about a book before. I love to read... read quite a bit actually. But I typically don't think about things out of the context of the book. I guess I am a superficial reader!

Dexter&11 · August 2014

I read the book only - actually I read all three over two days as I got a bit addicted

My mum's a teacher so I'd have been born into Erudite. The 16 year old me would definitely have chosen Dauntless as this was my tattoo and body piercing phase (both nips, belly button, nose, ear cuff, and three holes in each lobe). I think 30 something me would still be Dauntless though as although Abnegation is the sensible choice, I'm NOT giving up alcohol!

MissDemeanor · August 2014

I just saw this article on 10 Differences between the book and movie https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Divergent-10-Big-Differences-Between-Movie-Book-42202.html

joolaya · August 2014

Dexter&11- what did you think about the last two books? I liked the first two, but thought that the third was too much. I could have done without it.

courtls22 · August 2014

I just noticed this thread and don't have a ton of time but will answer a couple of the questions.

1.) I read the book and watched the movie. I definitely preferred the book but that's expected because movies will never live up to books, in my opinion.

4.) I think I would have been born into Abnegation and most likely stayed in it. I possibly would have chosen Erudite but I think I would have stronger ties to Abnegation. I think I could have made that choice at 16. I have always been very mature for my age and to be honest in many ways I'm similar to my 16 year old self, except the random hormonal tampers (or maybe not).

6. Tris’s mom says, “Human beings as a whole cannot be good for long before the bad creeps back in and poisons us again” (p. 441). Do you agree or disagree? Why?

I find that quote very interesting but don't really agree with it. I definitely don't think someone can be 100% good all of the time, but things aren't as black and white as "good" and "bad." What one person may perceive as good, another could perceive as bad or the situation may be a trying one and even though you are normally "good" you have to make a "bad" choice to get through (i.e. steal food if starving.) It does remind me of the "you can't fully appreciate the good without the bad" which I do agree with.

Dexter&11 · August 2014

joolaya said:
Dexter&11- what did you think about the last two books? I liked the first two, but thought that the third was too much. I could have done without it.

It was a bit like a book written just to write another book, not nearly as good as the first two. Nice to read from Four's perspective for a few chapters, but other than that, they could've written an epilogue on the end of Insurgent and achieved the same thing

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