Insurgent
Chapter Eleven
by Veronica, RothTris and Tobias are abruptly arrested by Candor faction members and taken to a sterile holding room on the third level. Despite their repeated questions, no explanation is given for their detention. Tris paces anxiously, grappling with possible reasons for their arrest, including her guilt over shooting Will and other Dauntless members during the simulation attack. Tobias remains silent but visibly troubled, while Tris spirals into self-doubt, wondering if Candor views her actions as siding with Erudite.
The tension between Tris and Tobias escalates as he confronts her about withholding information, suspecting she doesn’t fully trust him. Tris deflects, insisting her distress stems from her parents’ deaths, though her guilt over Will’s death weighs heavily. Their emotional exchange is interrupted when Jack Kang, the Candor leader, enters with armed guards. Jack reveals their shocking accusations: Tobias is charged with crimes against humanity for allegedly running the simulation attack, while Tris is deemed his accomplice.
Jack presents damning video evidence, misinterpreted to suggest Tobias controlled the simulation and Tris collaborated with him. Tris and Tobias vehemently deny the claims, explaining they stopped the attack, but Jack dismisses their protests. He insists on interrogating them under truth serum, a prospect Tris dreads, knowing it will force her to confess to killing Will. The chapter ends with Tris panicking at the inevitability of her secrets being exposed, while Tobias remains stoic but equally trapped by the false accusations.
The confrontation highlights the fragility of trust and the devastating consequences of misinformation. Tris’s internal struggle—balancing her guilt with her fear of judgment—mirrors the broader theme of moral ambiguity in a fractured society. Jack’s unwavering reliance on flawed evidence underscores Candor’s rigid adherence to perceived truth, even when it’s distorted. The chapter sets the stage for a high-stakes interrogation that threatens to unravel Tris’s relationships and her sense of self.
FAQs
1. Why are Tris and Tobias arrested by the Candor, and what specific accusations are made against them?
Answer:
Tris and Tobias are arrested under suspicion of crimes against humanity, with Tobias accused of running the Dauntless attack simulation and Tris accused of being his accomplice. The Candor leadership claims to have seen video footage showing Tobias controlling the simulation while Tris was nearly beaten to death before they reconciled and stole the hard drive together. Jack Kang suggests they may have stolen the data to prevent Candor from accessing evidence of their collaboration with Erudite. However, Tris knows they actually stopped the simulation—a heroic act now being misinterpreted (Chapter 15).2. How does Tris’s internal conflict about her actions during the Dauntless attack resurface in this chapter?
Answer:
Tris grapples with guilt over shooting Will and other Dauntless members under the simulation, fearing this could be why Candor arrested her. She bites her lip anxiously, a physical manifestation of her turmoil, and tries to minimize herself (“the smaller I become, the safer I am”). When Tobias presses her about hiding something, she deflects, claiming her distress is only about her parents’ deaths. The chapter highlights her unresolved trauma and the tension between her truth and the narrative Candor believes (Chapter 15).3. Analyze the significance of Jack Kang’s introduction and how his leadership style contrasts with Dauntless values.
Answer:
Jack Kang embodies Candor’s pragmatic, truth-focused ethos. At 39, he’s young by most faction standards but older than Dauntless leaders like Eric (who rose to power at 17). His flat, uncharismatic tone reflects Candor’s rejection of charm as deception. Unlike Dauntless’s impulsive actions, Jack prioritizes evidence (the footage) and procedural justice (truth serum interrogations). His skepticism toward Tris and Tobias underscores Candor’s reliance on empirical proof over personal testimony, creating friction with Tris’s lived experience of stopping the simulation (Chapter 15).4. How does the chapter use physical space and body language to reflect Tris’s emotional state?
Answer:
The sterile, furniture-less holding room with its white marble floor mirrors Tris’s feelings of exposure and vulnerability. Her pacing (“five steps forward and five steps back”) signals obsessive rumination, while Tobias’s stillness contrasts her chaos. When she curls into a ball (“hug my knees to my chest”), her body language screams self-protection. Later, Tobias’s hand on her cheek—a gesture of intimacy—briefly transports her to “safe places,” but the guilt from his touch underscores her emotional isolation (Chapter 15).5. Why is the truth serum interrogation such a threat to Tris, beyond revealing her alleged crimes?
Answer:
Truth serum would force Tris to confess not just her misunderstood heroism but also deeply painful secrets: killing Will, her parents’ deaths, and her Divergence. Christina’s earlier description of Candor initiations—public humiliation under serum—hints at the violation Tris fears. Moreover, her identity hinges on selective honesty (e.g., lying to Tobias about her guilt). The serum threatens to strip her agency, laying bare truths she’s not ready to share, especially in a faction that values transparency over context (Chapter 15).
Quotes
1. “I feel like, the smaller I become, the safer I am.”
This poignant line captures Tris’s psychological state as she grapples with guilt and fear. It reveals her instinct to withdraw and minimize herself when facing danger or emotional turmoil.
2. “Sometimes, I worry that you don’t trust me.” / “I trust you. Of course I trust you. Why would you think otherwise?”
This exchange between Tris and Tobias highlights the growing tension in their relationship and the secrets between them. It represents a key moment of vulnerability in their dynamic.
3. “My great act of heroism, the only important thing I have ever done, and they think I was working for the Erudite when I did it.”
This ironic reflection shows Tris’s frustration at being misunderstood and falsely accused. It underscores the theme of perception versus reality in the faction conflicts.
4. “The truth will come out when you are both interrogated under the influence of truth serum.”
This statement introduces the high-stakes threat of Candor’s truth serum, creating major tension. It forces Tris to confront her hidden actions and sets up a crucial conflict in the chapter.
5. “There’s something you have to hide?”
Jack Kang’s pointed question cuts to the heart of Tris’s dilemma about revealing her actions during the attack. This moment tests her honesty and sets up the moral conflict about truth and consequences.