In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. (Full description here.)
Alright, so the setting is after America goes down the drain. It's actually Chicago, Illinois, but the author never writes that in the book. But of course I (the smartest blogger you know!) figured it out as soon as they said Navy Pier!
Only because I've been there before. And I definitely knew it was Chicago when they mentioned the Cloud Gate!
So, back to setting, eh? Well Chicago at this point is split up into five factions*.
1. Candor (the honest)
2. Erudite (the intelligent)
3. Amity (the peaceful)
4. Dauntless (the brave)
5. Abnegation (the selfless)**
Each person is given a faction at their 16th birthday. On their birthday, they're taken into a room where they participate in a simulation. I can't explain this in a non-boring way. Sorry! It's more interesting in the book! In the simulation they go through a number of scenarios. Finishing one gets them into another one, and that determines their faction! After the simulations, all of the 16-year-olds go to a ceremony called the Choosing Ceremony. Where, clearly, they choose their faction.
And... onto the characters!
Main character one, Beatrice. She's born into Abnegation where everyone is polite (like, extremely). They never think of themselves and wear grey clothes and they never look in a mirror! I don't think I could live like that. Never ever, ever. Not in a million years; but Beatrice does. In the beginning of the book she seems really quiet and polite, but she's an Abnegation so she can't help it. Also, people call her a 'Stiff' for obvious reasons***. But after her own simulation, she learns that she doesn't fit into any single faction. She fits into three; Dauntless, Abnegation, and Erudite. So if you'd be so kind as to look above, you will see that this shows that Beatrice is brave, polite, and smart. Good qualities, if you ask me!
Next main character is Four. Right, his name is Four. Pronounced like 4. Four is mysterious at first but then you get to know that he's really an awesome dude. He's really obvious about his feelings if you catch on fast. If you're like Beatrice, which means you don't, then he just seems mean and weird. He's two years older than Beatrice, making him eighteen but it isn't such a big gap if you get my drift about what happens between them. I bet you can guess.
Go ahead, guess.
Yep.
After the two main characters, there are the minors. Christina from Candor, Will from Erudite, and Al, a very emotional brick-wall-shaped boy from Candor. Then there's the enemies. Peter, a violent boy from Candor (who attacks Beatrice on a few occasions), and Molly and Drew--also from Candor as far as I know.
SPOILERS!
When it's Beatrice's turn at the Choosing Ceremony she chooses Dauntless. It's kind of a split-second decision. The Dauntless are not just brave, they have a death wish, seriously! They jump from trains--moving trains. They jump around from building to building like Batman or any other superhero. Cuhh-razy!
After the Choosing Ceremony, the kids who choose Dauntless have to jump on a moving train as part of their initiation. Those who don't make it aren't let into the Dauntless faction and they have to live on the streets as one of the factionless****. Those who don't live through initiation can't get into the Dauntless faction because, well, they're dead. One of the initiates does die, so don't doubt me!
Well, Beatrice (who names herself 'Tris' at this point) is the first to jump off the top of a building and into the Dauntless' Faction Compound. The first to help her on her feet is a mysterious boy named Four. Like the number.
That's all I will say, other than the fact that the Dauntless initiation is ridiculous in terms of fighting and beating each other up!
At this point, I would usually go into a Word from Wiki, but Wiki has nothing to say. I would quote Amazon but I don't even want to look at that website. It makes me buy things.
I can say nothing but bring Insurgent to me, Amazon! Bring it fast and furiously!
*Not fractions, factions, it's weird. I know.
**Got this from Wikipedia, I never would have remembered these!
***If you can't figure it out, they call her that because Abnegations are reserved and 'stiff'. Thus the name.
****The homeless people of the bunch.
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