Divergent Connections

My recent book is very relatable to me, the world, and the other books I've read. For instance, one text to text connection is that Divergent is similar to The Hunger Games. I think this because both are dystopian sci-fi novels. Also, Katniss and Triss both are very responsible.

You might be wondering how I could find similarites in my life compared to the crazy society in Divergent. While the worlds are extremely different, the characters aren't. For example, Tris is very unsure at the beginning of the book. I relate to that because I change my mind on things a lot. For instance, I can never decide to buy something or to not. I think that if I were faced with the big decision of choosing a faction that Tris has, then I would have even harder of a time.

Lastly, a text to world connection is that in many places, such as an Aborigine Tribe, if you choose to leave, you cannot come back. This is very similar to Tris because if she chooses to be dauntless, then she will basically be disowning her family. That's something I would never want to do...

If the idea about the Aborigine Tribe interests you check out this link!

Setting of Divergent

Divergent is a Dystopian novel. This means it takes place in some future society. I know this because the author tells us where it is (Chicago) and this government is nothing like Chicago today, or what has ever happened there. Also, there is future technology demonstrated. There is no way, as of today, to tell what kind of a person they are and what they are good at in only a short meeting.

The author directly tells us that the place is Chicago. In some ways I think this is good, but in some ways I don't like it. I like being able to picture it, and be able to describe it easier, but I don't like how it doesn't leave much up to the imagination. However, since this is taking place in the future, we can assume that many things have changed.

To finish the blog post, I would like to suggest clicking here if you are interested in learning more about the connections to present day Chicago.

Why did I choose to read Divergent?

As I was browsing good reads, and trying to decide what to read, I saw the book Divergent. What exactly makes someone choose a book and begin to read it?

The Cover

As you can see, the cover on the right, is very to the appealing to the eye. When you first look at it you see the ring of fire because the orange and yellow it much brighter than the blue background of the book. I think this fire represents the fire in the hearts of the people who want to rebel against the faction lead government. Also, it represents the dauntless faction because they are know to be brave. Next, you notice the title and author. These are very important because you need to know the title if you want to read something. If you really study it you can see the city skyline. I know that this particular skyline is Chicago because that is the setting of the book. This element is very important to the book because not only does it allow the reader to use imagery, it allows them to relate to it if they have ever been to Chicago. Lastly, notice the smoke. I think this is symbolic for how the four factions are shielded from another. This means, that if you are in the dauntless faction, and your family is in another, then you cannot talk to them.

Synopsis

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris, and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together, they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes-fascinating, sometimes-exasperating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret: one she’s kept hidden from everyone, because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly-perfect society, she also learns that her secret might be what helps her save those she loves . . . or it might be what destroys her.

 

I realize that this is in extremely small font, so if you would like to see it on the other's blog, click here. Once you look at the cover, you want to find out what the book is really like because you can't tell what it is really about just from the pictures. There are several things every good synopsis has including the setting, character introduction, conflict introduction, and background information to allow you to understand the previous things. In the first line, you learn the main character and setting. The rest of the paragraph reveals the conflict. Then, the next paragraph gives what makes the situation difficult to Beatrice Prior. This is an extremely well written synopsis because it really draws the reader in. It demonstrates extremely well syntax when it says, "extreme" and intense". These words are a part of what makes this interesting. Lastly, there is creative syntax in the last time. The author's use of ellipse increases the curiosity of the reader. Without a powerful synopsis, this book would not have been as successful as it is.

 

First Line

"There is one mirror in my house. It is behind a sliding panel in the hallway upstairs. Our faction allows me to stand in front of it on the second day of every third month, the day my mother cuts my hair."

As a reader, this line sparks my curiosity because it illustrates the life the protagonist in the book. It also makes me question why she is only allowed to look in a mirror once a month. This first line is important to the reader because it gives us an idea of what the author's craft is like. If the author was had a very sarcastic, dry tone and a lot of times sarcasm goes right over your head, you probably wouldn't understand or like the book.

I hope next time you pick up a book you will consider this!

A Fault In Our Stars Favorite Quote

“There are infinite numbers between 0 and 1. There's .1 and .12 and .112 and an infinite collection of others. Of course, there is a bigger infinite set of numbers between 0 and 2, or between 0 and a million. Some infinities are bigger than other infinities. A writer we used to like taught us that. There are days, many of them, when I resent the size of my unbounded set. I want more numbers than I'm likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful.” 

This is my favorite quote from the current book I am reading. I think it is a crazy thing to think a about, and an excellent way to express Gus and Hazel's time together. In order for you to understand, I will give you some background information.


Hazel and Gus are two teenagers who fell in love. They both have cancer. Gus was supposed to be cured, but the measures the doctors took to prevent it from coming back failed. Hazel was saved by a miracle medicine. The words above are Hazel's eulogy.


Also, the italicized part is when Hazel is talking about Peter Van Houton. He wrote An Imperial Affliction. This was Hazel's favorite book, and she shared it with Gus. She loved it so much, that Gus used his wish (all cancer kids got a wish were they could go anywhere they wanted or do anything they wanted for free.) to go visit him. I don't want to ruin any more of the book than I already did, so go read the book! It is a sad story, but an excellent one.