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    Allegiant

    by Roth, Veronica
    “Allegiant” by Veronica Roth is the final installment in the dystopian Divergent trilogy. The story follows Tris Prior and Tobias Eaton as they venture beyond the confines of their fractured city, uncovering a shocking truth: their society is an experiment designed to repair damaged genetic traits. The novel explores themes of identity, sacrifice, and the consequences of rebellion as Tris and Tobias confront a new conflict between the genetically “pure” (Divergent) and “damaged” individuals. The dual-perspective narrative deepens character development, culminating in a tragic yet thematically resonant conclusion that challenges notions of freedom and human nature. Roth’s world-building expands significantly, revealing the broader scope of the series’ dystopian setting.
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    Allegiant

    Chapter Nine

    by Roth, Veronica

    In Chap­ter Nine of *Alle­giant*, Tobias reflects on his impend­ing depar­ture as he shares a qui­et moment with Tris. The night air feels heavy with sig­nif­i­cance, as if each breath could be his last in their cur­rent loca­tion. He holds Tris back from join­ing their friends, sug­gest­ing they go some­where pri­vate. As they stand near an emp­ty canal, Tobias reas­sures her that she’s safe with him, and Tris almost smiles, hint­ing at the com­fort she finds in his pres­ence. The set­ting under­scores the ten­sion between their imme­di­ate con­nec­tion and the loom­ing uncer­tain­ty of their future.

    Tris con­fides in Tobias about her con­flict­ed feel­ings regard­ing her broth­er Caleb, who faces exe­cu­tion. She admits her anger and strug­gle to rec­on­cile her emo­tions with her par­ents’ val­ues of for­give­ness. Tobias, draw­ing from his own expe­ri­ences with his abu­sive father, Mar­cus, under­stands her tur­moil. He rec­og­nizes the weight of her par­ents’ expec­ta­tions on her deci­sions, as Tris insists that sav­ing Caleb is about hon­or­ing their wish­es rather than her own. This moment high­lights the emo­tion­al bur­den she car­ries and the moral dilem­ma she faces.

    Tobias sur­pris­es Tris by offer­ing to res­cue Caleb him­self, demon­strat­ing his deep com­mit­ment to her hap­pi­ness. His self­less act con­trasts with his usu­al guard­ed nature, and Tris is vis­i­bly moved, call­ing him “amaz­ing.” Tobias light­ens the mood by teas­ing her about his ulte­ri­or motives, shift­ing the con­ver­sa­tion to their roman­tic con­nec­tion. Their play­ful ban­ter reveals the ten­der­ness beneath their tough exte­ri­ors, as Tobias delib­er­ate­ly delays kiss­ing her, build­ing antic­i­pa­tion and show­cas­ing their chem­istry.

    The chap­ter cul­mi­nates in an inti­mate moment between Tris and Tobias, where their phys­i­cal con­nec­tion mir­rors their emo­tion­al bond. Tris’s whis­pered request for Tobias to “nev­er have pure motives again” under­scores their dynam­ic of mutu­al desire and trust. As they kiss, Tobias lifts her against the wall, and the night air now feels like a “first breath,” sym­bol­iz­ing renew­al and hope. This scene con­trasts with the chapter’s open­ing, fram­ing their rela­tion­ship as a source of strength amid uncer­tain­ty.

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    FAQs

    • 1. What internal conflict does Tris face regarding Caleb in this chapter, and how does Tobias respond to it?

      Answer:
      Tris struggles with intense anger toward her brother Caleb for his past betrayal, yet simultaneously feels compelled to save him because of her parents’ values of forgiveness. She expresses this conflict when she says, “I’m so… angry” but acknowledges her parents “would say it’s selfish to let someone die just because they wronged you.” Tobias recognizes her turmoil and offers to resolve it by volunteering to break Caleb out of his cell before they leave, demonstrating both his understanding of her emotional struggle and his willingness to act on her behalf despite the risks involved.

      2. How does the author use contrasting imagery of breath to symbolize Tobias’s emotional state at the beginning and end of the chapter?

      Answer:
      The chapter opens with Tobias feeling like the night air is “one of my last breaths,” reflecting his anxiety about leaving their current location and the weight of impending decisions. However, after his intimate moment with Tris, the same night air becomes “one of my first breaths,” symbolizing renewal and hope. This contrast mirrors his emotional journey from dread to vitality, emphasizing how Tris’s presence transforms his perspective and energizes him for the challenges ahead.

      3. Analyze how Tris’s relationship with her deceased parents influences her moral dilemma in this chapter.

      Answer:
      Tris’s parents serve as a moral compass even after their deaths, as seen when she agonizes over Caleb’s fate by asking, “What would they want?” She believes they would prioritize forgiveness over vengeance, stating they’d view letting Caleb die as “selfish.” This highlights how parental expectations continue to shape her identity and decisions. However, Tobias challenges this by asserting, “This isn’t about what they want,” urging her to prioritize her own feelings—a tension between familial duty and personal agency that defines Tris’s character arc.

      4. How does the physical interaction between Tris and Tobias in this scene reveal the nature of their relationship?

      Answer:
      Their playful yet intense interaction—teasing kisses, Tobias lifting Tris against the wall, her “stern” grip on his arms—showcases a relationship balanced between tenderness and mutual strength. The description of Tris as both laughing and assertive (“her fingers slip under his waistband”) underscores their dynamic of equality. Tobias’s “wicked smile” and Tris’s command to “never have pure motives again” further reveal their comfort with both passion and humor, illustrating a bond that transcends physical attraction to include deep emotional understanding and shared resilience.

      5. What does Tobias’s admission about his fantasies of killing Marcus reveal about his character development?

      Answer:
      Tobias confesses that he once fantasized about murdering his abusive father Marcus “with a knife,” acknowledging this desire frightened him as much as Marcus’s violence did. This revelation exposes his ongoing struggle with inherited brutality and self-control. By contrasting this dark impulse with his compassionate offer to save Caleb—a man Tris hates—the chapter highlights his growth: he channels his capacity for violence into protective actions, demonstrating healthier ways to wield power and resolve conflict.

    Quotes

    • 1. “The night air slips into my lungs, and I feel like it is one of my last breaths. Tomorrow I will leave this place and seek another.”

      This opening line sets the tone of impending change and emotional weight as Tobias contemplates leaving. It captures the chapter’s themes of transition and mortality.

      2. “Making that decision frightened me as much as his violence ever did.”

      This powerful confession reveals Tobias’s internal struggle with violent impulses toward his abusive father. It shows how trauma can shape even one’s darkest thoughts.

      3. “It’s always about what they want. Because he belongs to them more than he belongs to me. And I want to make them proud of me. It’s all I want.”

      Tris’s emotional outburst reveals her deep conflict between personal anger and familial duty. This quote highlights the chapter’s exploration of forgiveness and legacy.

      4. “I can see them within her, the courage and the beauty they pressed into her like a handprint.”

      Tobias’s observation beautifully captures how Tris carries her parents’ influence. The metaphor emphasizes how deeply parental guidance shapes identity.

      5. “The night air slips into my lungs, and I feel like it is one of my first breaths.”

      This mirrored closing line contrasts with the opening, showing Tobias’s emotional transformation through his connection with Tris. It bookends the chapter’s journey from dread to renewal.

    Quotes

    1. “The night air slips into my lungs, and I feel like it is one of my last breaths. Tomorrow I will leave this place and seek another.”

    This opening line sets the tone of impending change and emotional weight as Tobias contemplates leaving. It captures the chapter’s themes of transition and mortality.

    2. “Making that decision frightened me as much as his violence ever did.”

    This powerful confession reveals Tobias’s internal struggle with violent impulses toward his abusive father. It shows how trauma can shape even one’s darkest thoughts.

    3. “It’s always about what they want. Because he belongs to them more than he belongs to me. And I want to make them proud of me. It’s all I want.”

    Tris’s emotional outburst reveals her deep conflict between personal anger and familial duty. This quote highlights the chapter’s exploration of forgiveness and legacy.

    4. “I can see them within her, the courage and the beauty they pressed into her like a handprint.”

    Tobias’s observation beautifully captures how Tris carries her parents’ influence. The metaphor emphasizes how deeply parental guidance shapes identity.

    5. “The night air slips into my lungs, and I feel like it is one of my first breaths.”

    This mirrored closing line contrasts with the opening, showing Tobias’s emotional transformation through his connection with Tris. It bookends the chapter’s journey from dread to renewal.

    FAQs

    1. What internal conflict does Tris face regarding Caleb in this chapter, and how does Tobias respond to it?

    Answer:
    Tris struggles with intense anger toward her brother Caleb for his past betrayal, yet simultaneously feels compelled to save him because of her parents’ values of forgiveness. She expresses this conflict when she says, “I’m so… angry” but acknowledges her parents “would say it’s selfish to let someone die just because they wronged you.” Tobias recognizes her turmoil and offers to resolve it by volunteering to break Caleb out of his cell before they leave, demonstrating both his understanding of her emotional struggle and his willingness to act on her behalf despite the risks involved.

    2. How does the author use contrasting imagery of breath to symbolize Tobias’s emotional state at the beginning and end of the chapter?

    Answer:
    The chapter opens with Tobias feeling like the night air is “one of my last breaths,” reflecting his anxiety about leaving their current location and the weight of impending decisions. However, after his intimate moment with Tris, the same night air becomes “one of my first breaths,” symbolizing renewal and hope. This contrast mirrors his emotional journey from dread to vitality, emphasizing how Tris’s presence transforms his perspective and energizes him for the challenges ahead.

    3. Analyze how Tris’s relationship with her deceased parents influences her moral dilemma in this chapter.

    Answer:
    Tris’s parents serve as a moral compass even after their deaths, as seen when she agonizes over Caleb’s fate by asking, “What would they want?” She believes they would prioritize forgiveness over vengeance, stating they’d view letting Caleb die as “selfish.” This highlights how parental expectations continue to shape her identity and decisions. However, Tobias challenges this by asserting, “This isn’t about what they want,” urging her to prioritize her own feelings—a tension between familial duty and personal agency that defines Tris’s character arc.

    4. How does the physical interaction between Tris and Tobias in this scene reveal the nature of their relationship?

    Answer:
    Their playful yet intense interaction—teasing kisses, Tobias lifting Tris against the wall, her “stern” grip on his arms—showcases a relationship balanced between tenderness and mutual strength. The description of Tris as both laughing and assertive (“her fingers slip under his waistband”) underscores their dynamic of equality. Tobias’s “wicked smile” and Tris’s command to “never have pure motives again” further reveal their comfort with both passion and humor, illustrating a bond that transcends physical attraction to include deep emotional understanding and shared resilience.

    5. What does Tobias’s admission about his fantasies of killing Marcus reveal about his character development?

    Answer:
    Tobias confesses that he once fantasized about murdering his abusive father Marcus “with a knife,” acknowledging this desire frightened him as much as Marcus’s violence did. This revelation exposes his ongoing struggle with inherited brutality and self-control. By contrasting this dark impulse with his compassionate offer to save Caleb—a man Tris hates—the chapter highlights his growth: he channels his capacity for violence into protective actions, demonstrating healthier ways to wield power and resolve conflict.

    Note