Insurgent
Chapter Thirty-Three
by Veronica, RothThe chapter opens with Beatrice (Tris) awakening in a sterile testing room, exhausted and guarded by Peter. Her brother Caleb appears, sparking a tense confrontation. Tris accuses him of betraying their family by siding with the Erudite faction, questioning when his allegiance shifted. Caleb defends his actions, claiming the conflict is larger than Tris understands, hinting at secrets beyond the city’s fence. Their exchange reveals deep resentment, with Tris condemning his moral compromises while Caleb argues for nuance, asserting that their father was originally Erudite—a revelation Tris struggles to accept.
The emotional confrontation escalates as Tris confronts Caleb about his role in their parents’ deaths and his collaboration with the Erudite leader, Jeanine. She condemns his actions as evil, particularly his complicity in her captivity and the faction’s oppressive experiments. Caleb counters that morality is subjective, but Tris remains unwavering, her pain and fury palpable. Despite her rage, she collapses under the weight of betrayal, physically aching from the emotional toll. The scene underscores the irreparable rift between the siblings, framed by their opposing worldviews.
Jeanine and her team enter, shifting the focus to Tris’s test results. The Erudite scientists reveal that Tris possesses an abundance of mirror neurons, which enable empathy, imitation, and adaptability. Jeanine smugly connects this to Tris’s Divergent nature, suggesting her brain structure explains her ability to fit multiple factions. Tris responds with weary defiance, feigning indifference while internally reeling from the psychological implications. The revelation forces Tris to confront her identity, but she masks her vulnerability, refusing to give Jeanine the satisfaction of seeing her distress.
The chapter closes with Tris requesting to return to her cell, desperate for solitude to process the emotional and scientific revelations. Jeanine taunts her with promises of future simulations, but Tris dismisses her with apathy. The scene highlights Tris’s resilience amid manipulation and grief, as well as the ongoing tension between her inner turmoil and outward stoicism. The final lines shift abruptly to Tobias shaking her awake, leaving the reader on a cliffhanger about his arrival and its implications for the next chapter.
FAQs
1. What is the significance of Beatrice’s discovery about mirror neurons, and how does it relate to her Divergence?
Answer:
The chapter reveals that Beatrice has an abundance of mirror neurons, which are responsible for imitation, learning language, understanding others’ intentions, and empathy. Jeanine explains that these neurons likely contribute to Beatrice’s “flexible personality,” allowing her to adapt to different faction behaviors—a key characteristic of Divergence. This scientific explanation provides concrete evidence for why Beatrice (and other Divergents) can resist simulations and display aptitudes for multiple factions. The discovery cracks open Beatrice’s understanding of her own identity while simultaneously giving Jeanine more data to weaponize against Divergents.2. Analyze the confrontation between Beatrice and Caleb. How does their exchange reveal their differing worldviews and moral frameworks?
Answer:
The siblings’ argument highlights fundamental ideological differences. Caleb defends his Erudite allegiance by claiming morality is relative (“Evil depends on where you’re standing”) and that the conflict involves larger stakes (the city and the world beyond the fence). Beatrice, however, judges actions based on concrete harm—mind control and betrayal—which she unequivocally labels as evil. Their clash mirrors the faction divide: Caleb prioritizes intellectual nuance and perceived greater goods, while Beatrice, shaped by Dauntless and Abnegation values, focuses on loyalty and moral absolutes. The revelation that their father was originally Erudite further complicates their debate about choice and identity.3. What narrative purpose does Jeanine’s cheerful demeanor serve during the mirror neuron revelation?
Answer:
Jeanine’s uncharacteristic cheerfulness underscores her triumph at uncovering a scientific explanation for Divergence, which she views as a breakthrough in her quest to eliminate it. Her near-smile and didactic tone (reminiscent of a teacher) emphasize her Erudite obsession with knowledge as power. This demeanor also creates dramatic irony—Beatrice realizes the implications (her uniqueness is now quantifiable), while Jeanine relishes having the upper hand. The moment heightens tension by showing Jeanine’s confidence in her impending victory, making Beatrice’s defiance (“Now if only you could get a simulation to suppress that…”) more poignant.4. How does the chapter develop the theme of betrayal through Caleb’s actions and Beatrice’s reaction?
Answer:
Caleb’s admission that he “always was Erudite” even while in Abnegation devastates Beatrice, as it reframes their shared past as a lie and compounds the loss of their parents. His collaboration with Jeanine—including delivering Beatrice for experiments—embodies betrayal on familial and ideological levels. Beatrice’s physical pain (“it hurts, in every part of my body”) mirrors the emotional wound. The theme deepens when Caleb deflects by invoking their father’s Erudite past, forcing Beatrice to reconcile her idealized memories with complex truths. This confrontation crystallizes the cost of factional extremism: it fractures even the closest bonds.5. What clues does the chapter provide about the larger conflict beyond the faction wars, particularly regarding “outside the fence”?
Answer:
Caleb’s mention of “what’s outside the fence” and the implication that Abnegation’s secret knowledge relates to it hints at a broader geopolitical context. Beatrice’s internal questioning (“Outside? How could any of this have to do with what’s outside?”) suggests her limited understanding of the world beyond Chicago’s borders. This foreshadows future revelations about the society’s purpose (revealed later in the series as an experiment). The cryptic references create suspense, positioning Jeanine’s faction war as a smaller part of a larger mystery—one that likely connects to Divergence’s true significance and the city’s isolation.
Quotes
1. “Arrogance is one of the flaws in the Erudite heart—I know. It is often in mine. But greed is the other. And I do not have that. So I am halfway in and halfway out, as always.”
This introspective quote captures Tris’s self-awareness about her conflicting traits and faction allegiances. It reveals her internal struggle with identity and morality, a central theme of the series.
2. “Evil depends on where you’re standing.”
Caleb’s sharp retort to Tris challenges black-and-white moral thinking. This philosophical statement encapsulates the moral relativism theme and faction conflicts that drive the story’s tension.
3. “Someone with many, strong mirror neurons could have a flexible personality—capable of mimicking others as the situation calls for it rather than remaining constant.”
Jeanine’s scientific explanation reveals the biological basis for Divergence. This quote provides crucial insight into the story’s central mystery of what makes Tris and others like her special.
4. “I must seem nonchalant, but I’m not. I want to go back to my room so that I can cry in peace. But I don’t want her to know that.”
This vulnerable moment shows Tris’s emotional turmoil beneath her brave facade. It highlights her character development in learning to balance strength with authentic emotion.