If you have never read the book series “Divergent” by Veronica Roth, then here is some background to the book. The book is set in a futuristic society that divided into five factions. The society was created to divided people into the factions that they fit into. The five factions are Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the kind), Erudite (the intelligent), Abnegation (the selfless), and Candor (the honest). The people are divided into the factions based on their aptitudes and values. When the kids in the factions turn 16 years old they have to take a placement test that tells them which faction they should go to. Even if you grew up in one faction, your placement test may tell you that you should actually live in another when you turn 16. The factions were created to develop the “perfect” society, but there are flaws in every society.
One philosopher that had a similar idea of the people’s purposes in the factions was Socrates. He believed the perfect society is based on justice. This justice was rooted in the fact that hat each person had a purpose and that purpose should be embraced fully for their own excellence. He believed that each induvial fills a role that they did not chose, it was determined by forces out of their control. This is the exact way the system in Divergent worked. When the 16 year old’s take the placement test it told them exactly where they belonged in order. Socrates believed that there were only three types of people: workers, guardians, and the rulers. This is similar to the idea that every person must take the test to find out which faction they must be placed in. Socrates also believed that we should expose our children to many different experiences to learn what suits them best. This is also how the placement test works. It exposes them to different simulations to see what faction they fit into best.
The main character in the book is Tris. She grew up Abnegation but when she took her placement test she discovered she was divergent. What this means is that she doesn’t fit into only one of the faction, which goes against everything the leaders want. Divergents could not be controlled like the other people who fit into one faction. Those who were divergent could control their thoughts and minds beyond the controls of the leaders and their ways of brainwashing the people. The factions main purpose was to eradicate the qualities they believed were responsible for the world’s issue. Since Tris grew up in Abnegation but was also divergent, she has several traits that are like those of Buddhist. The Buddhist belief in “the middle way” which was based on moderation, and not going to far one way or the other. She had a harder time in her faction because she didn’t understand how everyone around her could be completely selfless. She was not a bad person, but she was definitely living in “the middle way”. Another trait she has that is similar to Buddhist meditation is that she is aware of the voices in her head. They are a constant reminder of her past and the decisions she is making. A goal of their meditation is to be able to control their thoughts and Tris does this throughout the book.
If you are interested in knowing what faction you belong to, OR if you are divergent…. Take this quiz: https://www.sweetyhigh.com/read/divergent-faction-test
Quiz Questions:
1. What is one of the factions?
2. Who believed that each person has a purpose in life that is determined for them?
3. Which faction is similar to most Buddhist beliefs?
4. What philosophy of Buddhism did Tris seem to follow?
DQ Questions:
1. Do you think the overall idea of creating the perfect society through the factions system would actually work?
2. Do you believe like Plato that we all have a purpose that is beyond our control to change?
3. Which faction do you think you would fit into, and why?
4. What would it mean to be divergent in our society?
Raelen, this was an interesting presentation. I saw the Divergent movie a while back. Your overview of the story was a helpful refresher and it set things up for a good comparison with Plato's ideal society, a comparison I never thought to make. You did a nice job of pointing out how Plato's arrangement of society was based on his principle of justice. That's important! I wonder if that, or anything similar, ever comes up in divergent . . . . Did the book mention or did you try fitting the Divergent factions into Plato's three classes of society (producers, warriors, and rulers)? I also appreciate the take on Tris' character, and I agree that the faction system seems to push people toward extremes when, in reality, many of us are far more moderate, a little of this and a little of that, etc. With that being said, do you think there is anything positive about a society structured this way? Has being a "divergent" yourself impacted your life positively or negatively? Can't wait to see what you think about existentialist philosophies, which tend to emphasize how we create the meanings (or "purposes") for our lives rather than having them handed to us. Great job!
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