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Sophie Sheridan
Mrs. Cramer
College Composition 0101
9 November 2016
Realistic Characters in Divergent
The book Divergent by Veronica Roth includes multiple characters. They have different

personalities, but they can still relate to one another. Through the main character, Triss point of

view, readers can visualize other characters. Tris secretly studies people and their actions. For

example, I glance at the boy to my left, who was Erudite and now looks as pale and nervous as I

should feel. (49). The example shows how she studies other people. This allows Tris to easier

understand the other characters. I find that her descriptiveness also makes it more interesting to

read. This book relates to people in a sense of reality and the way life is rather than the setting.

Divergent has believable characters and they are all unique in their own way, but more

specifically Tris.

In Divergent, the main character is Tris. As a dynamic character, she undergoes an

important inner change. Triss old faction was Abnegation and they were not allowed to think

about themselves at all. So when Tris becomes a Dauntless, she learns more about herself,

including her goals. Tris realizes that even though she is technically Dauntless, she wants to feel

like one. In the story, one of her goals is to fit in and feel like everybody else. There is another

character in the book who almost became the main character, but Veronica Roth changed her

mind. This character had an important role in this book. His name is Tobias, also known as

Four. Tobias is a highly interesting character. He is mysterious and hard to figure out. Before

Tris and he became acquainted, she would always question him. In the story it says, If Four isnt

trying to prove something by choosing the weak, what is he doing? (135). In that example, Tris
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is questioning Fours motive. It seems like he is that way is because of his past. As the readers

read, they find out that Tobias has a dark past. This has a great effect on the story. The way these

characters act is definitely believable, because they appear to be common people. Divergent is

an extremely realistic book, minus the setting. In the beginning, Tris is sympathetic for people

who did not make it through initiation and were hurt. By the end of the book, she is not at all

sympathetic. She realizes she just needs to focus on herself.

It may appear as if someone has a motive; however, this is not necessarily true. Many

times people just do things without thinking. Sometimes characters act or talk without thinking.

This also applies to Tris. Not all the time, but throughout the book there are many actions she just

does out of instinct and did not know why she did. This does not go for Tobias as much. He is

usually keen to his thoughts and actions. In Divergent, Tobias purposefully nicked Triss ear with

a knife. Tris had no clue why he did that, but Tobias had a reason. It was partially because he

liked her and also because he wanted to teach her a lesson. Once Tris discovered why Tobias did

it, she understood him better. So, characters act and talk a certain way because that is just what

they think is the right thing to say or do.

Veronica Roth appears to be an extremely experienced author. She is a highly descriptive

writer. Divergent was one of the most descriptive books that has been published in a while. An

example to show her descriptiveness is, The crowd spreads out in a long line. The train glides

toward us on steel rails, its light flashing, its horn blaring. (50). Since she is strong in that area,

it helps to show how the characters are. It even helps teach about unimportant, small characters.

Tris possesses a multitude of traits. Some of them are, petiteness, determination, selflessness,

bravery, and divergence. Triss physical size helped to shape her limitations and motivations.

Since she was petite and everybody knew it, it helped her to become more determined. Through
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her different experiences, Tris became even more determined. If she had not focused, she would

have failed initiation. Being in her previous faction, Abnegation, made her have selflessness. Her

selflessness balanced out her bravery. Her bravery made her choose to transfer to Dauntless in

the first place. Triss most important trait is, her divergence. She cannot be manipulated or

controlled by anybody. Without her divergence, she would not have been able to fight for

freedom.

Ultimately, the book Divergent includes amazing characters, especially the main

character, Tris. They are believable and unique in their own ways. The characters are extremely

relatable for the readers. They also make the story seem believable, even though it was set in the

future. In the end, this book had extremely realistic characters that multiple people could relate

to.