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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 Twenty

    by Roth, Veronica

    In Chap­ter Twen­ty of *Alle­giant*, Tobias meets Nita, who leads him through an under­ground tun­nel in the Bureau’s facil­i­ty. The dim­ly lit pas­sage, adorned with shift­ing col­ored lights, reveals a stark divi­sion between the genet­i­cal­ly dam­aged (GDs) and the genet­i­cal­ly pure (GPs). Nita explains that GDs, like her­self, are rel­e­gat­ed to sup­port roles, while GPs hold posi­tions of pow­er. Tobias ques­tions the fair­ness of this sys­tem, draw­ing par­al­lels to the fac­tion­less hier­ar­chy he once knew. The con­ver­sa­tion high­lights his grow­ing frus­tra­tion with the Bureau’s rigid genet­ic deter­min­ism and its impact on soci­etal roles.

    Nita shares her tat­too of bro­ken glass, sym­bol­iz­ing damage—a bit­ter joke about her genet­ic sta­tus. This res­onates with Tobias, who grap­ples with his own genet­ic test results and the lim­i­ta­tions imposed on him. Their dia­logue under­scores the ten­sion between genet­ic des­tiny and per­son­al agency. Nita attempts to reas­sure Tobias by stat­ing that even GPs have lim­i­ta­tions, but he rejects this notion, argu­ing that the sys­tem is about more than just genes. His anger sim­mers as he con­fronts the injus­tice of being defined by his DNA, a theme cen­tral to the chap­ter.

    The pair even­tu­al­ly arrive at a vibrant under­ground bar, filled with music and chat­ter. The atmos­phere shifts abrupt­ly when a man announces a ver­dict, prompt­ing a rush of peo­ple to leave. Nita spec­u­lates it’s about Mar­cus, Tobi­as’s abu­sive father. Tobias sprints back through the tun­nel, torn between con­flict­ing emotions—whether he desires Mar­cus’s pun­ish­ment or mer­cy remains unclear. His inter­nal strug­gle reflects the broad­er theme of moral ambi­gu­i­ty, as he wres­tles with the dual­i­ty of his par­ents’ actions and their per­ceived masks of virtue or cru­el­ty.

    The chap­ter ends with Tobias run­ning toward the con­trol room, dri­ven by a mix of urgency and unre­solved emo­tions. His phys­i­cal sprint mir­rors his psy­cho­log­i­cal tur­moil, caught between his past trau­ma and the Bureau’s oppres­sive struc­tures. The nar­ra­tive leaves read­ers ques­tion­ing whether Tobias will con­front Mar­cus or Eve­lyn, and how his actions will align with his evolv­ing under­stand­ing of iden­ti­ty and free­dom. The chap­ter effec­tive­ly blends per­son­al con­flict with broad­er soci­etal cri­tique, set­ting the stage for future con­fronta­tions.

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    FAQs

    • 1. What is the significance of Nita’s tattoo and how does it relate to the theme of genetic damage in this chapter?

      Answer:
      Nita’s tattoo of broken glass symbolizes damage, which she describes as “sort of a joke” - a bitter reference to her status as genetically damaged (GD). This connects directly to the chapter’s exploration of genetic hierarchy in their society, where GDs are relegated to support roles while genetically pure (GP) individuals hold positions of power. The tattoo represents both personal acceptance and societal labeling of perceived genetic inferiority, mirroring Tobias’s own struggles with his genetic test results. Nita’s explanation “spits out the explanation like it tastes bitter” suggests internalized oppression rather than genuine humor.

      2. How does the physical setting of the underground tunnels reflect the social hierarchy between GDs and GPs?

      Answer:
      The underground tunnels, originally built as protected laboratories after the Purity War, now house support staff - primarily GDs. This physical descent mirrors the social descent of genetically damaged individuals in their society. The description of “grainy” floors and shifting colored lights creates an atmosphere of marginalization, contrasting with the presumably better-maintained above-ground areas where GPs work. The text explicitly states that “all of the scientists and leaders are GPs,” showing how physical space reinforces social stratification. The vibrant bar scene underground suggests GD communities have created their own culture despite their marginalized position.

      3. Analyze Tobias’s reaction to learning about the strict GD/GP division. What does this reveal about his character development?

      Answer:
      Tobias responds with anger and defiance, rejecting the notion that genetic tests should determine human limitations (“Why do you get to determine my limits?”). This builds on his earlier factionless experience recognizing unfair systems. His outburst shows both his Dauntless-trained resistance to imposed labels and his personal struggle with identity after learning his own genetic results. The text describes his anger as boiling and directionless - at Nita for accepting her status, at the system that created it, and perhaps at his own situation. This moment marks a crucial point in his character arc as he confronts institutionalized discrimination.

      4. What is the significance of the “verdict time” announcement at the chapter’s end, and how does it create narrative tension?

      Answer:
      The abrupt announcement about Marcus’s verdict creates sudden urgency and unresolved tension. Tobias’s immediate sprinting response reveals his complex feelings toward his abusive father - he can’t determine whether he hopes for conviction or exoneration. The chapter ends mid-thought (“I don’t have to remember where the control room is, because”), using sentence fragmentation to mirror Tobias’s fragmented emotional state and maintain suspense. This cliffhanger forces readers to consider the implications of Evelyn judging Marcus, given both characters’ problematic relationships with Tobias, while propelling the plot forward toward the next chapter’s revelation.

    Quotes

    • 1. “The one on my back is of broken glass. It’s … sort of a joke.”

      Nita’s tattoo symbolizes the bitter irony of being labeled “genetically damaged.” This quote introduces the chapter’s central theme of societal divisions based on genetic purity and the psychological toll of such labels.

      2. “The division is based on knowledge, based on qualifications—but as I learned from the factionless, a system that relies on a group of uneducated people to do its dirty work without giving them a way to rise is hardly fair.”

      Tobias reflects on the systemic inequality between GPs (genetically pure) and GDs (genetically damaged). This insight critiques how power structures maintain oppression through artificial barriers disguised as meritocracy.

      3. “It’s just the way things are, Tobias. It’s just genetic, nothing more.” / “That’s a lie. It’s about more than genes, here, and you know it.”

      This heated exchange captures the core conflict: Nita’s resigned acceptance versus Tobias’ rebellion against deterministic thinking. The dialogue challenges the Bureau’s foundational ideology that reduces human potential to DNA.

      4. “I feel like I am separate from this place and these people and my own body, and besides, I have always been a good runner.”

      As Tobias races to Marcus’ verdict, this introspective moment reveals his emotional dissociation. The physical act of running mirrors his psychological struggle to escape inherited identities and societal constraints.

      5. “Everything is either Marcus’s evil or Marcus’s mask, Evelyn’s evil or Evelyn’s mask.”

      This philosophical observation underscores Tobias’ crisis of perception regarding parental figures. The binary framing reflects the novel’s exploration of how trauma distorts our understanding of others’ true nature.

    Quotes

    1. “The one on my back is of broken glass. It’s … sort of a joke.”

    Nita’s tattoo symbolizes the bitter irony of being labeled “genetically damaged.” This quote introduces the chapter’s central theme of societal divisions based on genetic purity and the psychological toll of such labels.

    2. “The division is based on knowledge, based on qualifications—but as I learned from the factionless, a system that relies on a group of uneducated people to do its dirty work without giving them a way to rise is hardly fair.”

    Tobias reflects on the systemic inequality between GPs (genetically pure) and GDs (genetically damaged). This insight critiques how power structures maintain oppression through artificial barriers disguised as meritocracy.

    3. “It’s just the way things are, Tobias. It’s just genetic, nothing more.” / “That’s a lie. It’s about more than genes, here, and you know it.”

    This heated exchange captures the core conflict: Nita’s resigned acceptance versus Tobias’ rebellion against deterministic thinking. The dialogue challenges the Bureau’s foundational ideology that reduces human potential to DNA.

    4. “I feel like I am separate from this place and these people and my own body, and besides, I have always been a good runner.”

    As Tobias races to Marcus’ verdict, this introspective moment reveals his emotional dissociation. The physical act of running mirrors his psychological struggle to escape inherited identities and societal constraints.

    5. “Everything is either Marcus’s evil or Marcus’s mask, Evelyn’s evil or Evelyn’s mask.”

    This philosophical observation underscores Tobias’ crisis of perception regarding parental figures. The binary framing reflects the novel’s exploration of how trauma distorts our understanding of others’ true nature.

    FAQs

    1. What is the significance of Nita’s tattoo and how does it relate to the theme of genetic damage in this chapter?

    Answer:
    Nita’s tattoo of broken glass symbolizes damage, which she describes as “sort of a joke” - a bitter reference to her status as genetically damaged (GD). This connects directly to the chapter’s exploration of genetic hierarchy in their society, where GDs are relegated to support roles while genetically pure (GP) individuals hold positions of power. The tattoo represents both personal acceptance and societal labeling of perceived genetic inferiority, mirroring Tobias’s own struggles with his genetic test results. Nita’s explanation “spits out the explanation like it tastes bitter” suggests internalized oppression rather than genuine humor.

    2. How does the physical setting of the underground tunnels reflect the social hierarchy between GDs and GPs?

    Answer:
    The underground tunnels, originally built as protected laboratories after the Purity War, now house support staff - primarily GDs. This physical descent mirrors the social descent of genetically damaged individuals in their society. The description of “grainy” floors and shifting colored lights creates an atmosphere of marginalization, contrasting with the presumably better-maintained above-ground areas where GPs work. The text explicitly states that “all of the scientists and leaders are GPs,” showing how physical space reinforces social stratification. The vibrant bar scene underground suggests GD communities have created their own culture despite their marginalized position.

    3. Analyze Tobias’s reaction to learning about the strict GD/GP division. What does this reveal about his character development?

    Answer:
    Tobias responds with anger and defiance, rejecting the notion that genetic tests should determine human limitations (“Why do you get to determine my limits?”). This builds on his earlier factionless experience recognizing unfair systems. His outburst shows both his Dauntless-trained resistance to imposed labels and his personal struggle with identity after learning his own genetic results. The text describes his anger as boiling and directionless - at Nita for accepting her status, at the system that created it, and perhaps at his own situation. This moment marks a crucial point in his character arc as he confronts institutionalized discrimination.

    4. What is the significance of the “verdict time” announcement at the chapter’s end, and how does it create narrative tension?

    Answer:
    The abrupt announcement about Marcus’s verdict creates sudden urgency and unresolved tension. Tobias’s immediate sprinting response reveals his complex feelings toward his abusive father - he can’t determine whether he hopes for conviction or exoneration. The chapter ends mid-thought (“I don’t have to remember where the control room is, because”), using sentence fragmentation to mirror Tobias’s fragmented emotional state and maintain suspense. This cliffhanger forces readers to consider the implications of Evelyn judging Marcus, given both characters’ problematic relationships with Tobias, while propelling the plot forward toward the next chapter’s revelation.

    Note