The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth is arguably one of the
most popular and influential book series of our generation. Fans flock to Etsy and Hot Topic to purchase
temporary tattoos for their collar bones, line up for the midnight movie premiers,
and lust after the infamous “Dauntless Chocolate Cake”. Fans are constantly taking online aptitude tests
to discover if they should be hopping trains like the dauntless or spending all
of their time studying like the Erudite.
While on the surface the stories are nice, entertaining and
give us all the feels, I think there is much more to this series than meets the
eye. In the books every person is forced
into a category, or made to live their life on the outside. In the series the divergents,
or people who are fit for more than one faction, are in danger. In the Veronica
Roth’s fictional society divergents are on the outside of the social structure,
but fans of the series view the
divergent characters as the best characters and strive to be like them.
In the movie “Divergent” most people probably noticed the
tattoos on Four/Theo James’ back and were too busy drooling to hear what he was
saying, so I will remind you that he brought out one of the most profound ideas
from the whole series by saying, “I don't want to be just one thing, I can't
be. I want to be brave and I want to be selfless, intelligent and honest and
kind.”
By the end of the last book (through events that are still
too painful to discuss) it became clear that it was not only ok, but also
normal and necessary to live outside of defined categories. Nobody can
accurately be described by one trait and shoved into one group.
Now reenter our society where people are forced into groups
based on characteristics, just like in the beginning of the series. If you are smart than you are a nerd. If you love to help people you must be a Jesus
freak. If you love sports clearly you are a Jock. There is little room for individuals
to follow their multiple passions and show all sides of themselves. For example, in the Disney classic High School Musical the 'fat nerd" is mocked by her friends for loving dance more than homework, the skater-dude is considered crazy for playing the cello, and the hunky Troy Bolton is ostracized by his basketball playing peers over his passion for the theater. Although most high-schoolers don't spend their time in school simultaneously breaking into song, I think the movie shows many aspects of our society that are all too real.
Fans of the Divergent series root for inclusion of all
people in the franchise but choose to exclude and ostracize people in real
life. Where the fictional society adapted and chose to accept people for what
they were, we continue to see people as we think they should be. While characters like Tris, Uriah, and Tobias
are admired for their drive to show their true selves, real people are shoved
back into their categories and made fun of for trying to be more than others
think is possible.
If you learned one lesson from the Divergent Series I hope
it is about the reality of people. We are all complex individuals capable of almost
anything and suitable for infinite opportunities. Nobody is only one thing and we
should not and cannot try to categorize ourselves or others as so (or maybe a
large scale war will result killing lots of innocent Abnegation people, who
knows?).
