Allegiant
Chapter Thirty-Two
by Roth, VeronicaTris is summoned to David’s office, filled with apprehension about their last encounter where she threatened him at gunpoint. Zoe escorts her through the compound, noting David’s wheelchair-bound state and advising Tris not to show pity. Tris struggles to conceal her anger and distrust, reflecting on the recent violence and Uriah’s coma, which weighs heavily on her. The opulent surroundings of David’s office contrast sharply with her inner turmoil, making her feel out of place.
David, though physically weakened, appears composed and likable, a stark contrast to the man Tris knows orchestrated the attack simulation. Despite her revulsion, she maintains a facade of politeness to preserve his trust, recognizing the need to stay close for her own motives. David praises her bravery during the attack, unaware of her true intentions, and offers her a position training for the council, framing it as an opportunity to influence the compound’s future.
The proposal places Tris in a moral dilemma: joining the council would mean aligning with the very people responsible for her parents’ deaths and the attack simulation. David emphasizes the need for a stronger stance post-attack, implying Tris’s unique perspective could be valuable. Tris cautiously inquires about the training process, which involves attending meetings and learning the compound’s operations, all while masking her inner conflict.
As David silently awaits her response, Tris grapples with the implications of his offer. Accepting would grant her access to the inner workings of the compound and potential avenues for revenge, but it would also require her to betray her principles. The chapter ends with Tris’s unresolved tension, highlighting her struggle between vengeance and morality, and the difficult choices ahead.
FAQs
1. How does Tris’s internal conflict manifest in her interactions with David in this chapter?
Answer:
Tris experiences significant internal conflict as she maintains a facade of cooperation with David while secretly harboring anger and distrust. Though she physically assists him (pushing his wheelchair) and engages in polite conversation, the text reveals her repulsion (“his skin feels dry as paper and I am repulsed by him”) and her awareness of his likely involvement in the attack simulation. This duality serves her strategic purpose—she recognizes that maintaining his trust (“keep his fondness for me intact”) is necessary to uncover the truth about her parents’ deaths and potentially seek justice.2. What does David’s offer to train Tris for a council position reveal about his motivations and the compound’s political strategy?
Answer:
David’s offer demonstrates his desire to co-opt Tris’s leadership qualities for the compound’s agenda. He explicitly states they need “to take a stronger stand for our cause” after the attack and believes Tris’s experience with violence makes her uniquely qualified. The training (learning their history, values, and governance) suggests an attempt to assimilate her while also potentially using her as a symbol. This mirrors the compound’s broader pattern of manipulating outsiders, as seen earlier with the attack simulation—they value utility over ethics.3. Analyze how the chapter contrasts the Bureau’s refined environment with Tris’s emotional state. What effect does this create?
Answer:
The lavish descriptions of David’s office (gilded frames, wood furnishings, flowers) and the sterile precision of the compound (guards at attention, security barriers) starkly contrast with Tris’s raw grief over Uriah’s coma and her lingering trauma from the attack. This juxtaposition heightens the reader’s sense of alienation—the Bureau’s controlled elegance feels incongruous with human suffering. The detail about Tris feeling her clothes are “smudged with dirt” among the finery underscores her psychological displacement and the compound’s emotional detachment from the consequences of its actions.4. Why might the author have chosen to emphasize Zoe’s demeanor (“chipper, but businesslike”) after the attack?
Answer:
Zoe’s unchanged behavior serves multiple narrative purposes. First, it highlights the Bureau’s institutionalized detachment—she treats the attack as a minor disruption rather than a tragedy. Second, it contrasts with Tris’s visceral pain, emphasizing the cultural gap between the compound’s calculated worldview and Tris’s lived experience of violence. Finally, it foreshadows David’s later revelation about “taking a stronger stand,” suggesting that Zoe’s attitude reflects the leadership’s broader disregard for empathy in favor of their agenda.
Quotes
1. “I wonder if this is how it is with all evil men, that to someone, they look just like good men, talk like good men, are just as likable as good men.”
This quote captures Tris’s internal conflict as she observes David, a man responsible for violence, yet appearing harmless and charismatic. It reflects the chapter’s theme of moral ambiguity and the deceptive nature of evil.
2. “In order to find some way to avenge my parents, I need to keep his trust and his fondness for me intact. And I won’t do that with a scowl.”
Here, Tris reveals her strategic mindset and determination to seek justice, even while masking her true feelings. This moment highlights her growth and the tension between her emotions and her mission.
3. “We are going to have to take a stronger stand for our cause. And I think you know how to do that.”
David’s statement to Tris underscores the chapter’s turning point, where he recruits her for his agenda. It foreshadows future conflict and raises questions about the morality of their “cause.”
4. “I feel heavy and achy, like my muscles are communicating a deeper, emotional pain. Uriah is still in a coma.”
This poignant reflection reveals Tris’s grief and trauma after the attack. It emphasizes the personal toll of the larger conflict and grounds the narrative in human vulnerability.