Savannah Lucas - Blog Post 2

Blog Post 2

1.

“Decades ago our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human personality--of humankind’s inclination toward evil, in whatever form that is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world’s disarray.” (pg 42)

Summary: Marcus, an Abnegation councilman, is giving the opening remarks at the Choosing Ceremony. He is providing the history of the development of factions, supplying the root of division that is prevalent throughout the novel.

2.

Question 1: What is important about this quote?

Answer: From the start, an idea of segregation and placing the blame on someone else’s head is seen. In the novel, this way of thinking is put in place to keep peace but an underlying tension will always be there when you have such division.

Question 2: What detail from the quote is noteworthy?

Answer: Taking something as complex and abstract as personality and turning it into something concrete and simple to divide people seems farfetched. Humans are complex beings and being categorized is often something we want to get away from. In Divergent however, it almost seems comforting for the people to have strict boundaries regarding where they belong. The characters often find themselves wondering about why they have qualities in them that don’t fit in with their faction and try to oppress them, much like the government is trying to do by finding divergents.

Question 3: What does this tell us about dystopias?

Answer: Dystopias often have some sort of opposition within them. The challenge is finding unity and compromise. Perhaps in some ways the factions resemble political parties. People in society want things concrete and simple but don’t realize all the grey area that surrounds every issue. There are different versions of each right and wrong and maybe true compromise can’t ever be reached.