Insurgent
Chapter Two
by Veronica, RothThe chapter opens with Tris waking up in Amity headquarters, disoriented and haunted by memories of the recent violence. She discovers her gun tucked into the sheets, triggering a flashback of Will’s death—a moment of guilt she struggles to shake. After hiding the weapon under her mattress, she focuses on concealing the hard drive containing critical simulation data, the only record of her parents’ deaths. The weight of these secrets and her physical pain from a shoulder injury underscore her fragile state as she prepares to face the day.
Tobias (Four) arrives, bringing pain medication and news that the Amity will soon decide their fate. Their exchange mixes tension with tenderness, as Tris grapples with her unspoken guilt over Will’s death. Tobias’s use of her birth name, “Beatrice,” momentarily lightens the mood, but the heaviness of their circumstances lingers. When he asks how she’s coping, Tris avoids confessing her turmoil, instead finding solace in his touch and a brief kiss, which momentarily dulls her emotional pain. The scene highlights their deepening bond amid shared trauma.
After Tobias leaves, Tris showers in the Amity’s utilitarian bathroom, noting the faction’s resource-conscious rules. The pain medication eases her discomfort, allowing her to dress in borrowed clothes—a mix of Amity and Abnegation colors—that symbolize her fractured identity. Susan, an Abnegation survivor, arrives with food, her calm demeanor masking her own loss. Tris observes her with a mix of curiosity and sadness, recognizing the quiet resilience of her former faction.
The chapter captures Tris’s internal conflict as she navigates grief, guilt, and uncertainty about the future. The Amity’s peaceful setting contrasts sharply with her inner turmoil, while her interactions with Tobias and Susan reveal the complexities of loyalty and loss. The hidden hard drive and gun serve as metaphors for the burdens she carries, both physically and emotionally, as she braces for the Amity’s impending decision—a moment that could determine her next steps in the unfolding rebellion.
FAQs
1. How does Tris’s physical and emotional state reflect her trauma from the previous events?
Answer:
Tris exhibits both physical and emotional distress stemming from the recent traumatic events. She wakes up terrified, clutching sheets, and experiences intense pain in her shoulder from her injuries. Emotionally, she is haunted by memories of Will, questioning her actions during his death (“his hand, I could have shot his hand, why didn’t I, why?”). Her attempt to hide the gun and hard drive symbolizes her desire to suppress painful memories and responsibilities. The chapter highlights her internal conflict—wanting to confess to Tobias about Will but being paralyzed by guilt. Her reliance on physical touch (their kiss) to momentarily ease her emotional pain further underscores her fragile state.2. What significance does the hard drive hold, and why does Tris hesitate to destroy it?
Answer:
The hard drive contains critical simulation data that controlled the Dauntless and evidence of the Erudite’s actions, making it politically valuable. However, for Tris, it holds personal significance as the only record of her parents’ deaths. This duality creates her conflict: while destroying it might prevent misuse, she cannot bring herself to erase this tangible connection to her parents. Her decision to hide it (wedging it between the dresser and wall) reflects her compromised state—balancing practicality with emotional attachment. The hard drive thus symbolizes both the weight of truth and her unresolved grief.3. How does the contrast between Amity and Dauntless cultures manifest in this chapter?
Answer:
The chapter emphasizes cultural dissonance through setting and interactions. Tris, a Dauntless member, feels out of place in the Amity headquarters, noting the “strange” bright colors of Tobias’s borrowed red shirt and the Amity’s communal decision-making (“to decide our fate”). The Amity’s resource-conscious shower signs and peaceful demeanor clash with Dauntless impulsivity and violence, which Tris still embodies (e.g., hiding a gun under her mattress). The Abnegation’s practical kindness (leaving gray clothes for her) further highlights faction differences. These contrasts underscore Tris’s displacement and the broader societal fragmentation post-attack.4. Analyze Tobias’s role as a support figure for Tris in this chapter. How effective is he?
Answer:
Tobias demonstrates nuanced support, blending practicality and emotional care. He provides pain medicine, updates her on the Amity meeting, and lightens the mood with humor (“Beatrice”). His question about her well-being shows genuine concern, though Tris fears his insight might expose her guilt. Their physical connection (the kiss) temporarily alleviates her pain, but his assumption that he “knows” her struggles risks oversimplifying her trauma. While he offers stability, his inability to fully grasp her specific guilt (about Will) reveals limits to his support. His presence is comforting but incomplete, mirroring Tris’s fragmented healing process.5. How does the author use sensory details to immerse readers in Tris’s perspective?
Answer:
Sensory details anchor Tris’s disoriented state. The “smell of sawdust” immediately grounds her in Amity, contrasting with her Dauntless memories. Cold shower water and the “old lemon” taste of medicine create tangible discomfort, mirroring her emotional pain. Visual cues (the red shirt brightening Tobias’s eyes) distract her momentarily, while tactile experiences (the gun’s pressure, his hand on her cheek) emphasize her hyperawareness. These details immerse readers in her physical reality, reinforcing her trauma and the fleeting moments of relief, making her perspective visceral and relatable.
Quotes
1. “I OPEN MY eyes, terrified, my hands clutching at the sheets. But I am not running through the streets of the city or the corridors of Dauntless headquarters. I am in a bed in Amity headquarters, and the smell of sawdust is in the air.”
This opening quote immediately establishes Tris’s psychological state—haunted by recent traumatic events—while contrasting the chaos of Dauntless with the peaceful Amity setting. It introduces the chapter’s theme of trauma recovery and faction contrasts.
2. “For a moment I see Will standing before me, both our guns between us—his hand, I could have shot his hand, why didn’t I, why?—and I almost scream his name.”
This visceral flashback reveals Tris’s unresolved guilt over killing Will, a pivotal emotional conflict that persists throughout the series. The raw self-questioning demonstrates how trauma disrupts rational thought.
3. “Now that the adrenaline rush of yesterday is gone, and whatever made me sleep has worn off, the deep ache and shooting pains of my shoulder are intense.”
This physical description mirrors Tris’s psychological state, showing how the aftermath of violence affects both body and mind. It represents the chapter’s exploration of consequences following dramatic action.
4. “It’s not a strange question, after what we’ve been through, but I tense up when he asks it, worried that he’ll somehow see into my mind. I haven’t told him about Will yet.”
This moment captures the central tension in Tris and Tobias’s relationship—the secrets between them—while illustrating Tris’s internal struggle with vulnerability versus self-protection.
5. “When he touches me, the hollowed-out feeling in my chest and stomach is not as noticeable. I don’t have to tell him. I can just try to forget—he can help me forget.”
This intimate moment reveals Tris’s coping mechanism (avoidance through physical connection) and establishes the complex dynamic where Tobias becomes both her comfort and potential distraction from necessary emotional processing.