171 pages • 5 hours read
Veronica RothDivergent
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2011A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Chapters 11-15 Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 11 Summary
That night, Tris dreams that she is being interrogated by Peter, who accuses her of being Divergent. The next day, Tris looks in the mirror and finds her bruised and battered appearance jarring. As Christina helps her tie her shoes, she reflects that maybe there is an element of Abnegation in everyone (except for Peter). They make their way to the train and hoist themselves aboard, with Tris managing in spite of the pain. Peter starts teasing her, prompting Molly and Drew to laugh and Will and Christina to retort. However, everyone becomes quiet when Four orders them to stop bickering.
As they look out at the landscape beyond the train’s doorway, Will remembers when Dauntless police used to patrol the factionless sector. Tris recalls that her own father had voted to get the Dauntless out of the area, his argument being that the factionless need help rather than policing. She does not like to mention this, however, as the Erudites are liable to use it as evidence of Abnegation’s incompetence.
After departing the train, Four leads the initiates to a gate and tells them that this is probably where they will end up if they do not rank in the top five after initiation. Namely, they will become fence guards. Peter dares to ask Four what rank he had been, and Four replies that he was ranked first. Peter is shocked that Four had not gone on to a government job, but Four says that he did not want one. Tris cannot imagine Four surrounded by computers; he seems to belong in the training room.
Students had learned about faction jobs in school, with the Dauntless having limited options: they could guard the fence or work for the city’s security; alternatively, they could find employment inside the compound or work for the Dauntless leaders. Tris feels that the last option is the best for her, but she is aware that her rank is terrible. She may even become factionless by the end of stage one.
A truck stops at the gate and Tris sees Robert seated in the back among a few other Amity members. Given that he, Caleb, and Tris have all transferred, Tris wonders how many others did too and whether Abnegation is fizzling out. However, she pushes this thought from her mind. Robert tries to strike up a conversation with Tris, calling her by her real name. Molly takes this as her cue to make fun of Tris, and Robert remarks that some of the Dauntless do not seem very nice. He tells Tris that she could go home, as Abnegation would no doubt make an exception for her, and she asks if he thinks she can’t handle her new faction. His response is that she should not have to—she should be happy. She maintains that she has made her choice and that just being happy is not the goal of her life. He subsequently asks, “‘Wouldn’t it be easier if it was, though?’” (128). However, the truck departs before she can answer. As she watches it move away, Tris envisions Amity as another, peaceful life that she could have chosen.
When the Dauntless guards lock the gate from the outside, Tris is perturbed by the thought that they are going to be locked in. However, she pushes this thought from her mind on the grounds that it makes no sense. Four then tells her that it was unwise to engage in conversation with Robert, even if it was only for a few minutes. He also says that, if she could learn to attack first, she might be better off. She asks how that would help, and he says that her speed would allow her to get some good hits in before her opponent could figure what is going on. Tris is surprised by his advice, especially given that he left halfway through her only fight. His explanation is that it was not something that he wanted to watch. Tris wonders what he means, but their conversation ends when the train arrives.
Chapter 12 Summary
A couple of days after Tris’s first fight, Four informs the initiates that they are going to play capture the flag. Eric and Four each pick teams, and Tris is surprised when Four picks her first. She feels that, whatever his strategy, it must be based on his recognition that she is weaker than the other initiates. However, when Four then chooses Christina, who is not weak, Tris is no longer sure she’s right. Looking at the other initiates that he has chosen, Tris wonders what they have in common. After a while, she realizes that they all have a similar, small-framed body type, whereas the members of Eric’s team are broad and strong. Four had told her that she was fast, and he seems to be picking his team on the basis of their speed. Tris concludes that Eric is ruthless but Four is smart.
Tris’s team makes their way across the city after midnight, and Tris finds it eerily quiet. When one initiate teases another for using a flashlight, Tris tells us that Dauntless are not supposed to need any help. Tris thinks that this is good, as there may come a day when there are no flashlights, guns, or guiding hands. They reach a pier where they plant their flag, and Tris decides that the best way to find the other team is from a high vantage point. She proceeds to climb a nearby Ferris wheel.
Four notices what Tris is doing and insists on accompanying her. As they climb, he asks her what she believes the purpose of the exercise is. When she suggests that it is teamwork, he says that teamwork used to be a priority. Tris feels nervous and is shaking, but she realizes that it is not because of the climb; rather, there is something about Four that provokes this reaction. Four, however, does seem affected by the climb, and asks Tris whether she is human—isn’t she scared being up so high? She knows that she will die if she falls but she does not believe she will fall. At this point, she feels Four’s hand on her hip and it is her turn to struggle for breath.
When they reach the platform, Tris realizes that Four is afraid of heights. She asks how he has managed to live as a Dauntless, and he replies that he ignores his fear when making decisions. Tris reflects on this, observing that not being afraid is different from acting in spite of fear. She then remarks they are still not high enough and that she is going to carry on climbing. Four is shocked, and Tris tells him that he does not have to accompany her. However, he says that he does.
Tris knows that what she is doing is perilous, and, when she looks down, she imagines herself plummeting. Still, she continues climbing until she spots a tiny pulsing light coming from the park at the end of the pier. She and Four then start to descend the Ferris wheel, but a bar collapses beneath Tris’s feet, leaving her dangling. She is terrified but Four says that he has an idea. Tris subsequently feels the wheel moving, lowering her to the ground. When they reach the ground, Tris watches for the right moment and lets herself drop onto the concrete.
As Four joins her and clasps her hands, Tris is aware how close they are and that the space between them seems charged with electricity. Four then pulls her to her feet and, trying to sound casual, Tris says that he might have told her that the Ferris wheel was still working. That way, they would not have had to climb. However, Four says that he had not known and was taking a risk by trying it out. He then says that it is time to get the other team’s flag.
When Tris and Four rejoin their teammates, Four reveals that they now know where the other team is stationed. One member asks what to do next, and Tris says that they should split in half: one half will go to the right side of the pier and the other to the left, so one half can charge at the opposing team while the other half goes for the flag. Christina looks at Tris as though she no longer recognizes her, and Tris does not blame her.
Once they reach the pier and half of the team has charged, both Tris and Christina reach for the flag. Christina gives Tris a patronizing look, telling her that she already hero of the day and cannot reach the flag anyway. Tris wonders if maybe Christina is right—she has already proved herself, so why be greedy? Christina then grabs the flag and Four puts his hand on Tris’s shoulder, telling her “‘Well done’” (154).
Back on the train, the other team looks dejected. Some of Tris’s teammates say that climbing the Ferris wheel was a smart move and start joking around. Tris now feels that, as long as her life is filled with loud laughter, bold action, and the exhaustion that comes after a hard but satisfying day, she will be content. All she has to do is get through initiation.
Chapter 13 Summary
The next day’s lesson entails learning how to aim, and Tris notices that Eric seems to be in an especially bad mood; most likely because the previous night’s loss had hurt his pride. Tris is the first to hit the target with the knife provided and, half an hour later, Al is the only one who has not succeeded. Eric is angrier than ever and instructs Al to fetch his knife—even though the other initiates are throwing their knives at the same time. Al is honest about his fear of getting stabbed, and this honesty is his big mistake. Eric then tells everyone except Al to move the edge of the room and instructs Al to stand in front of the target. Next, he says that Four will throw knives until Al learns not to flinch. Four asks whether this is necessary, but Eric reminds him who is in charge.
Having witnessed this exchange, Tris cannot help but yell at them to stop. She argues that standing in front of a target does not prove anything except that Eric is bullying them—and bullying is a sign of cowardice. Eric responds by asking her to take Al’s place, and she does so. Four starts throwing the knives and one grazes Tris’s ear, at which point Eric seems satisfied. He says that that’s enough for the day and comments to Tris, “‘I should keep my eye on you” (164). She, in turn, feels as though the word Divergent is branded on her forehead.
When she and Four are the only ones left in the room, Tris accuses him of having grazed her ear on purpose. He confirms that this is true and says that she should be grateful for his help. She is incredulous and calls him sadistic, but he points out that, if he wanted to hurt her, he would have done so already. He then slams the knife into a table and walks away.
Chapter 14 Summary
Tris has wrapped a towel around herself before leaving the bathroom, and she enters the dormitory to find Peter, Molly, and Drew laughing. She tries to avoid them but they surround her and start taunting her. Peter then grabs the towel, leaving her naked, and she sprints to the bathroom while the other initiates laugh. At first she cries but, then, she feels angry and wants to hurt Peter and his cohorts.
On the day of her final fight, Tris looks at the chalkboard and sees that she has not yet been assigned an opponent. Four then writes on the board, and Tris sees that her opponent is Molly. She had hoped that it would be Peter, but Molly is good enough. When the two face each another, Molly starts teasing Tris about what happened in the dormitory and then throws the first punch. Tris manages to evade and block Molly’s punches but she then notices that Molly’s ribs and stomach are exposed. She proceeds to punch and kick Molly, who falls to the ground in a bloodied heap. Tris continues regardless until Four pulls her away. He looks alarmed and tells her to go for a walk but she says that she is fine now. She wishes that she could say that she feels guilty; however, the truth is that she does not.
Chapter 15 Summary
It is Visiting Day and everyone is quiet and nervous. Eric enters the dormitory and tells the initiates that if by some miracle their families do visit, they should avoid seeming too attached. Remaining detached will make things easier for everyone, with Dauntless taking the “faction before blood” credo very seriously. Eric then commends Tris for her actions the previous day, and this prompts her first feelings of guilt—if Eric approves then she must have done something bad.
Among the clusters of families standing on the Pit floor, Tris spots her mother. Tris can barely hold back her tears and her mother’s eyes light up. They embrace and Tris realizes that her time at Dauntless has been lacking this affection. Tris asks where her father is, and her mother replies that he had to work. Tris tells her mother that it is alright to say that he did not want to visit. Her mother responds that he has been selfish lately but that does not mean that he does not love his daughter. Tris is surprised to hear her mother refer to her father as selfish, and wonders if she is angry at him. Tris also asks whether her mother will visit Caleb, but her mother reveals that the Erudite have prohibited Abnegation from entering the compound. Part of Tris is still angry at Caleb, but she feels bad that he should be denied his mother’s visit.
Spotting Four, Tris remarks that he is one of her instructors, and her mother notes that he is handsome. Tris nods without thinking, and Four catches sight of them. Tris’s mother introduces herself and offers him her hand, though Tris observes that the handshake does not seem natural to either of them. She concludes that Four was not originally from Dauntless. When Four introduces himself, Tris’s mother asks if “Four” is a nickname. He affirms that it is, though he does not elaborate. This prompts Tris to wonder what his real name is.
Four explains that he has been overseeing Tris’s training, and assures her mother that there is nothing to worry about. Tris wonders if he is just saying this or whether he really believes that she is capable. Her mother then comments that Four seems familiar to her, but he says that he does not make a habit of associating with Abnegation. He subsequently leaves Tris and her mother to their reunion, and Tris wonders whether he was originally Erudite, hence his aversion to Abnegation, or whether he believes the negative articles that the Erudites write about Abnegation.
Tris then introduces her mother to Will and Christina, as well as their visiting families. Will’s sister, however, is impolite and says that she cannot believe Will associates with one of “them.” She adds that Tris’s mother runs an agency that pretends to help the factionless but is really hoarding goods for its own faction. Tris’s mother says that she must be mistaken, but Will’s sister scoffs at the supposed selflessness and altruism of Abnegation. Tris gets angry and threatens to punch Will’s sister, but her mother leads her away.
As her mother takes a sharp turn and walks down a dark alleyway, Tris asks how she knows where she is going. Her mother does not reply but instead asks Tris how things are really going and how she is currently ranked. Tris is surprised by her mother’s knowledge, but her mother merely says that information about Dauntless initiation is not top-secret. Tris finds it hard to believe that such information is easily accessible, but she replies that she is ranked close to the bottom. Her mother says that this is good, as no one pays much attention to bottom-ranked individuals. She then asks Tris what her aptitude test results were, and Tris recalls the warning to never tell anyone. However, she trusts her mother, so she reveals that they were inconclusive. Her mother says that she had thought as much and that Abnegation children often receive such a result, though no one knows why.
Tris’s mother then instructs her not to draw attention to herself, and Tris asks her what is going on. Her mother replies that she does not care what faction Tris chooses as long as she is safe. Tris says “Is this because I’m a—” (187) but her mother tells her never to utter that word. Tris concludes that being Divergent is indeed dangerous, though she still does not understand why or even what it really means. She asks her mother, who replies that she cannot say.
Her mother then asks her to visit Caleb when initiation is over and tell him to research the simulation serum. Tris says that she does not want to spend time in the Erudite compound without good reason. Still, her mother refuses to give any further information and says that it is best if she leaves now, as she does not want it to look as though she and Tris are too close. Tris says that she does not care how it looks, but her mother says that she should care and that she is probably already being monitored.
Following this visit, Tris realizes that her mother is familiar with the compound and its initiation process—which means that she had been Dauntless.
Chapters 11-15 Analysis
At the start of Chapter 11, Peter and his friends Drew and Molly continue to tease Tris. We also learn more about the city’s politics: Dauntless police used to patrol the factionless sector, and Tris’s father had been one of those who voted to get them out of the area. In accordance with Abnegation values, he felt that they needed to be helped rather than policed.
The next phase of training introduces the initiates to the type of job that they will probably be assigned if they fail to rank in the top five after initiation. Namely, they will become fence guards. Paying a visit to the fence, Four explains that there is minimal potential for advancement in this field. Some guards may be able to go on patrols beyond Amity’s farms, but Four says that they will only discover the purpose of these patrols if they ever find themselves in this situation. Four is dismissive of this topic, instead emphasizing the fact that most guards who start off guarding the fence will continue to do so. However, his comments pique the readers’ curiosity about what lies beyond the fence and what the wider patrols entail.
When Peter asks Four where he ranked following initiation, we learn that he was first. This is surprising, given that the role of training instructor is not a very eminent job, but he states that he did not want a government job. Four is still a relatively cryptic figure at this point, but he certainly does not seem power-hungry or bureaucratic.
A truck is admitted and checked by the Dauntless guards during this field trip, and Tris recognizes a former member of Abnegation, Robert, who has transferred to Amity. The peaceful, contented life of Amity stands in marked contrast with that of Dauntless, and Robert cannot imagine that Tris is happy in her new faction. However, Tris replies with a statement that is characteristic of her outlook: she does not want to just be happy and content. Here, we perceive the impulse for excitement and freedom that encouraged Tris to join Dauntless in the first place. Still, Tris cannot help but imagine what her life would have been like if she had chosen Amity or stayed in Abnegation, which both would have been easier options.
As the truck starts forward, Tris notices that the Dauntless guards close the gate and lock it from the outside. This makes it seem that they want to keep people inside rather than out of the city, and Tris wonders why this could be. She dismisses this thought but, again, it prompts readers to wonder what lies outside these boundaries and why the city is seemingly cordoned off from the wider world. Also, why does Amity lie beyond the fence? If this pastoral, farming community exists outside the boundary, what does this say about this outside world in general? Ultimately, the answers are left to the reader’s imagination, reflecting Divergent’s status as the first novel in a trilogy.
Following her conversation with Robert, Four gives Tris some advice about her fighting technique, telling her that she should try to get some hits in right away, before her opponent knows what is going on. Tris is surprised by his knowledge of her previous fight, as he had left partway through; however, he says that it is not something that he wanted to watch. Tris and the reader can only speculate about his reasons for not wanting to watch Tris fight, but his unspoken feelings for Tris would appear to be a strong possibility. Furthermore, he is not in favor of the brutality that Dauntless now prioritizes, with the faction having lost touch with its original ideals.
Chapter 12 focuses on another field trip in which the initiates split into two teams and play capture the flag. Eric and Four pick their respective team members, and Tris is Four’s first choice. As the two leaders continue to make their choices, Tris realizes that Eric is picking those who are visibly strongest while Four is selecting those with a smaller frame. This reiterates Four’s emphasis on speed and agility rather than pure brawn, highlighting the difference in mindset between the two leaders.
After the teams have split up and planted their flags, Tris decides that finding a higher vantage point will allow her to spot the rival team. She starts climbing a nearby Ferris wheel, and Four insists on accompanying her. Several key pieces of information emerge during this climb. Firstly, Four remarks that teamwork used to be a priority in Dauntless, thus confirming that the faction has shifted away from its original values. Secondly, despite being ranked first in initiation, Four has a fear of heights. This demonstrates one of Four’s principles, which is that being Dauntless is not about being fearless but rather about pushing through despite one’s fears.
As well as observing Four’s fear of heights, Tris makes an observation about herself: she realizes that her nervousness and breathlessness during the climb are not due to the climb itself but are the result of Four and his proximity to her. Here, both Tris and the reader perceive that there is an attraction emerging and that Tris does not merely see Four as an instructor.
Having spotted the rival team, Tris starts to descend the Ferris wheel. However, the bar beneath her feet collapses and she is left dangling. A dramatic scenario then ensues, in which Four manages to start the Ferris wheel so that it lowers them to the ground. As Four clasps her hands following the ordeal, Tris is again conscious of the “electricity” that she feels when she and Four are close to each another.
Rejoining their teammates, they proceed to ambush the opposing team and capture the flag. They are in an upbeat mood as they travel back to the compound, and Tris feels a renewed sense that she has chosen the right faction. The day was hardly one of peace and contentment, but, as Tris told Robert, that is not what she wants. She does not want an easygoing life but rather to experience exhaustion after a tough but satisfying day—a day filled with bold action and loud laughter.
The lesson that the initiates learn in Chapter 13 is how to aim, and this involves knife throwing. After a while, everyone but Al has succeeded, and Eric is clearly in a bad mood, most likely as a result of losing to Four in the previous day’s exercise. Eris is keen to exert his authority, and he instructs Four to start throwing knives at a target while Al stands in front of it. Demonstrating her strength of character, Tris objects to this and accuses Eric of being a bully and a coward. That she is willing to take Al’s place further demonstrates her courage and compassion, though she is not conscious of this at the time.
Four starts throwing the knives, one of which grazes Tris’s ear, and Eric is satisfied. However, when he tells Tris that he will be keeping an eye on her, she is acutely conscious of her Divergent status. She also feels that Four grazed her ear on purpose, and he subsequently confirms this. She is incredulous but he says that she should be grateful for his help and that, if he wanted to hurt her, he would have done so already.
Four is especially cryptic during this episode, but his words and actions are informed by the source of Tris’s bravery; that is, selflessness. Though Tris sees herself as selfish, Four recognizes that her strength comes from her Abnegation background and that she is more selfless than she realizes. By goading her with comments such as “Let someone else stand there and take it” (164), he is tapping into the source of her bravery, knowing that this will increase her resolve. However, Tris does not understand his mindset and assumes that Four is being sadistic like Eric. Four clarifies his reasoning to Tris later in the book but, here he offers little explanation for his behavior. Tris’s confused, angry reaction is therefore understandable.
Another relevant point is that Four is not the only instructor in the room: it was Eric who instigated Al’s punishment, and Four is conscious of being watched by him. Four knows that Eric is not someone to be crossed, and he is aware that Eric sees him as an adversary. He therefore does not want to rouse any suspicions on Eric’s part or draw attention to himself and Tris. It may also be that he already suspects Tris of being Divergent. In this case, it is imperative that Eric not be given any cause to be wary or keep tabs on them.
Peter and his friends resume their taunting of Tris in Chapter 14, with Peter grabbing the towel that Tris has wrapped around herself following a shower. Naked and humiliated, Tris takes refuge in the bathroom. However, she is also angry and keen for revenge. Her ideal scenario is to be assigned Peter as her opponent in a fight but, when she checks the schedule, she sees that her opponent is his friend Molly. Molly wastes no time in taunting Tris, but Tris is savage and unyielding when she starts to fight; so much so that Four has to drag her away. This, again, is behavior that she would never have exhibited in Abnegation, and she wishes that she could say that she feels guilty. Really, though, she does not: Peter and Molly have been taunting her and humiliating her throughout the initiation process, and she is looking to get even.
Visiting Day arrives in Chapter 15, and Eric reaffirms the “faction before blood” motto by advising the initiates not to get too attached to their families. He also comments that the likelihood of them receiving visits is negligible, which, as established in the initial chapters, might indeed be the case. Even so, Eric’s smug manner indicates that he is not merely imparting advice or facts.
Given the comments that Tris’s mother made before the choosing ceremony, as well as her reaction afterward, it is not surprising that she chooses to visit her daughter. Tris’s motive for leaving Abnegation was not to get away from her family, and is clear that she has been missing them during the initiation period. Their reunion is therefore emotional, even though Tris’s father is absent. Again, this is not unexpected, given his reaction to her daughter’s choice. That Tris’s mother refers to her father as “selfish” is a notable comment, as selfishness is the antithesis of Abnegation values. This consequently suggests that even the Abnegation leaders are not perfect, with Tris’s father failing to put aside his grievances and demonstrate his love for his daughter, though Tris’s mother assures her that he does love her.
Tris’s mother also reveals that she has not been able to visit Caleb because members of Abnegation have been prohibited from entering the Erudite compound. From this information, we are aware that the antagonism between the two factions is worsening. Indeed, when Tris’s mother says that her father is occupied with work, this may not just be an excuse to spare Tris’s feelings. Rather, it seems that Abnegation and Erudite have become engaged in political disputes and attacks. As for Tris, she has felt angry and betrayed by Caleb for concealing his plans from her. Her father is therefore not the only one who experienced feelings of shock and betrayal during the choosing ceremony. Still, Tris loves her family and believes that Caleb should be allowed a visit from their mother.
When Tris introduces her mother to Four, she notices that the act of shaking hands does not seem natural to either of them. This gets Tris thinking about Four’s background, and she rightly concludes that he is not a native of Dauntless. When Tris’s mother says that she feels as though she recognizes Four, he replies that he is not in the habit of associating with Abnegation. This comment makes Tris wonders if he could have hailed from Erudite or have bought into the negative reports that Erudite has been publishing. She also wonders about his nickname, but Four remains a mysterious, guarded figure at this point.
Tris next tries to introduce her mother to Will’s family but, unlike Will, his sister has taken on board the reports about Abnegation. She is rude to Tris’s mother and believes that those in Abnegation are hypocrites for preaching selflessness when they are hoarding goods, or so the reports claim. At this, Tris’s fiery nature reemerges and she starts threatening Will’s sister, but her mother leads her away.
As her mother leads her down a dark alleyway, Tris is surprised: it seems as though her mother knows her way around the Dauntless compound. When her mother starts asking her about the initiation and her aptitude test, it is clear that this is not chitchat or regular curiosity. As she trusts her mother, Tris reveals that her test results were inconclusive, and her mother says that she had assumed this to be the case. Her mother is also glad that Tris is not high ranked among the initiates, as this would attract attention.
Tris is understandably puzzled and intrigued by her mother’s comments. Most of all, she is aware that she could potentially be in grave danger. Asking whether this is because of her test result, her mother warns her never to utter the word “Divergent,” though she cannot say why. Indeed, rather like Four’s background, Divergence is shrouded in mystery. That it is dangerous is, however, plain to see.
Knowing that they might be being monitored, Tris’s mother does not want to linger. However, she instructs Tris to visit Caleb and tell him to research “the simulation serum.” Tris is stunned and confused as her mother departs, and there are many things that she still does not understand. From her mother’s familiarity with the Dauntless compound and its initiation, though, she has concluded that her own mother used to be Dauntless.
Related Titles
By Veronica Roth
