Brent Kennedy

Comp 1
Mrs. Cramer
10/31/2016
Criticism Essay Rough Draft
Veronica Roth the great author of Divergent wrote the book that I am talking about. This
Novel was written with an adventurous structure that took us from one setting to the next and
back again through a few small flashbacks from the main characters point of view. This affected
the books meaning and the readers ability to understand the book very thoroughly because Roth
used such great detail that while reading this book you could paint a picture in your mind of what
is happening throughout this story. That is why I could follow along so easily with this book it
took me on an adventure in the post apocalyptic and futurized Chicago area. From the
Abnegation lifestyle to the daring and courageous world that the Dauntless live in. Veronica
Roth's Divergent uses an effective structure of flashbacks and first person point of view to show
that the theme is fear is not always the worst thing.
Throughout the story Veronica Roth uses gripping detail about how afraid and frightened
that Beatrice the main character may be. Early in the story she is forced to choose between her
lifestyle of boring and conceded living to adventurous and courageous with many dangerous
things she may encounter. She is concerned for her parents her brother and everyone in
Abnegation that they may shun her after she leaves them because she does not enjoy living there
at all. But also is scared to choose to become Dauntless because she has heard of their initiation
that has forced many initiatives to become factionless or that they may even die. This example
shows her fear previous to her decision that she has to make about her life. And is important
because this is one of the first time she has expressed her fear of the future.

Secondly during the book Roth brings in one of the most dangerous and probably the
physically most frightening thing that Beatrice is forced to do. After she chooses to become
Dauntless and is now being transferred by train to the world of the Dauntless people. The way
she had to get on the train is by jumping up onto the moving rails with a cargo car carrying all of
the rest of the initiates too. Once on the tracks she is exhilarated by what she has just done but
soon realizes that other initiates are jumping off of the train in between a skyscraper into a large
black hole. This is the part of the book where Beatrice is most afraid, She feels that she may die
but it is the only way that she may not become factionless with the other initiates that may not
jump. She decides to jump because what the heck the worst that could happen is death right. She
jumps into the hole hundreds of feet below the train and lands into a safety net that keeps her
alive. This also shows that fear is not the worst thing in the world because being afraid drives
you to do things, like jump off of a train.
At this point In the story she is almost at the end of her initiation fighting with other
initiates to the death. She is afraid from death because she has to fight one of the biggest people
that she could. This initiate is so strong and has killed other people to enter the faction of
Dauntless. I would be afraid to battle this person because Veronica Roth paints a picture of how
frightening they are with their huge frame and scary growl. At this point In the story it is the
night before the fight and she could die the next day. After reading the book I know that she
survives then makes it into the Dauntless Faction. She is afraid but also is more confident now
because she has done other courageous things and is more driven to do dangerous things. This
shows that her fears have changed and she is not as afraid as in the past and that she can do more.
Finally, towards the back of the book when they have already rebelled and are trying to
survive against the powerful and evil factions that have banded together to kill all of the

Divergent people including Beatrice. On this page she has just been shot and survived. With her
brother Caleb witnessing it, this excerpt is from the book "Beatrice. Oh God, are you shot?"
(Roth 447). Caleb screams this because he sees her shoulder wound and because he is still from
the Abnegation he is more scared than she is because she is now Dauntless. She has lost almost
all of her fear she could stand in front of a gun and not be afraid and shoot back. This is the part
of the book she knows she no longer needs to be scared she can face anything that fear is nothing
and it can be overcome.
Veronica Roth's Divergent uses an effective structure of flashbacks and first person point
of view to show that the theme is fear is not always the worst thing. She overcomes her fear
throughout the book after leaving her family, jumping off of a train, fighting for her life and now
shooting weapons and rebelling against the government thats trying to kill her. A great book
with very detailed excerpts and good storyline can get the theme across to many readers about
fear.