“For some of us books are important as almost anything
else on earth. What a miracle it is that of these small, flat, rigid square of
paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you comfort and quiet or
excite you. Books help us understand who we are, and how we are to behave. They
show us what community and friendship mean, they show us how to live and die”
says Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird. Before I read the Divergent series I would’ve
probably picked a simpler quote, one that was a bit more universal. I’d pick a
quote explaining how important it is to read, or how reading is life. However
the Divergent series taught me balance and understanding, my identity as a
reader has changed my view on life and how the world functions.
While reading the Divergent series I noticed a constant
motif of a “lack of balance”. Many of the main characters throughout the series
identify with one or two of the factions, the use the faction identity to
determine who they are and what choices the will make for the rest of their
lives. There is a constant backstory of Tris and her feeling misplaced in
Abnegation sector with all the conflicting emotions and identities in Tris,
guided by the fact that she is a “divergent”, she is often confused with
finding balance within her world and herself. In a post-apocalyptic Chicago,
their society struggles with balance and acceptance of one another.
The Divergent Series Checks and Balances changed my
perspective of balance within oneself. Reading the text proved how balance is
essential to human development, and without checks and balancing there would be
chaos. The text also changed my perspective of myself as a reader. The text
taught me to define myself in many ways, much like a Divergent. I thought I was
always more of a nonfiction reader but Veronica Roth takes me to
post-apocalyptic Chicago inside and out. Anne Lamott said “For some of us,
books are important as almost anything on earth. What a miracle it is that out
of these small, flat rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after
world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us
to understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community
and friendship mean; they show us how to love and die”. I know this to be true.
Reading about Tris’ adventures and how the factions struggle with balance of
power helped me understand my struggles of balance and identity.
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