One Book * One School * One Community
This summer, we will become a Divergent Madison! Join the entire JMHS community as we read Divergent by Veronica Roth. Use this blog to participate in discussions. Please note that discussions are broken into chapter sections to prevent spoilers. Email us if you have any questions or concerns.
The idea of a faction based, possibly post-apocalyptic future is interesting. The way Roth writes the book so far brings the reader into it and makes the reality in the book seem real.
ReplyDeleteHello Madison! Mr. Allen is here to help you get the most out of Divergent. Consider these ideas and questions as your read:
ReplyDeleteDiverge (v.) -
1. to move, lie, or extend in different directions from a common point; branch off.
2. to differ in opinion, character, form, etc.; deviate.
3. (Mathematics)(of a sequence, series, etc.) to have no unique limit; to have infinity as a limit.
4. to turn aside or deviate, as from a path, practice, or plan.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/diverge?s=t
Q: Which of these definitions do you predict will best relate to Divergent? Why do you believe this?
Throughout these first chapters, Beatrice mentions mirrors several times. Clearly she is struggling with her identity, and this motif can be a way to start thinking about Beatrice's dilemma.
For example, Beatrice tells us that she only gets to look in a mirror four times a year--and even then she isn't supposed to really look at herself. The average American teenager, on the other hand, probably sees himself or herself in the mirror at least four times a day!
So...
Q: How does one's physical image relate to one's identity or concept of self?
Q: What advantages are there to seeing yourself so rarely? What disadvantages are there to seeing yourself so rarely?
Q: How might your concept of identity change if you didn't see yourself so regularly? Do you think you would change for better or worse?
Later on, Beatrice tries to catch a glimpse of herself in the glass of her watch.
Q: How do you see time and identity mixing in this story? Are there natural links between these two concepts?
Q: Can the average Madison student relate to time and identity in this way? If so, how? Could the average American high school student relate to these ideas? If so, how?
A final thought: We see Beatrice preparing to make (and ultimately making) a significant life choice in this early part of the book. The tagline that Roth tied to this first book in her series is "one choice can transform you."
Q: Do you believe the choices we make transform us? Why or why not?
Q: Do all of our choices transform us? Do only some choices transform us?
Q: Are some choices more significant than others? If so, which ones do you attach the most weight to? If not, explain why you feel this way (honestly, I could go either way with this one!)
Feel free to respond to any of these questions, post your own questions, or take the discussion in a completely different direction! This is your book, Madison, and your discussion; give this conversation an identity of its own! (See what I did there?)
Happy Reading!
Mr. Allen
The advantages to seeing oneself rarely may make the person feel more special and proud. They won't see as many flaws on their face as they would if they checked the mirror four times a day. The disadvantages are that if someone does see a flaw, they would keep brooding over it because they want to fix it.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things from this book that I keep going back to is the whole mirror thing in Abnegation. I'm not super vain or anything, but I can't imagine only looking at a mirror a few times a year. But then I look at the societal impact that might have and I feel like maybe we'd be better off if there were less "mirror-time".
DeleteMiss Ronan
The choices we make do transform us. However, they have to be important choices. For example, choosing what to do in the aptitude test, or choosing a faction, is a choice that will change your life. Choosing what to eat for dinner wouldn't. When Beatrice chooses to join Dauntless, it will transform her. If she choose Abnegation, she would have been completely different.
ReplyDeleteI think that Beatrice is transformed into a new person, but she does have the same personality. Since she is a Dauntless, she can show off her personality more, rather than hide it in Abnegation. Yes, one choice does transform Tris, but in a way where she can bloom, rather than suppress her feelings. I feel that if she was in Abnegation, she would make different decisions, but her choices would have been impacted by the society. That is, Tris wouldn't act in her true nature, but she would act in accordance to Abnegation. So, once choice does transform you, but it can't change your true nature or characteristics.
ReplyDeleteDecisions do transform us because every choice has its own following reaction and consequence. Some decisions are linked and form a greater impact over time as they add up. Every decision you make shows how you think and believe whether or not you are fully aware of it. If you were to look back at many major decisions you have made in the past there is a good chance you would see an emerging pattern that reflects on your abilities and views.
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