Insurgent
Chapter Forty-Five
by Veronica, RothThe chapter opens with Tris reliving a traumatic moment, closing her eyes to avoid witnessing a death before sprinting into a blue-lit room filled with photographs and documents. She recognizes faces of friends and family among the materials, realizing this is where Jeanine develops simulation serums. As her vision clears, she hears voices ahead—Tori confronting Jeanine about her brother’s death. Tris hurries toward the confrontation, driven by urgency and the need to retrieve critical information from Jeanine.
Tori, consumed by grief and rage, holds Jeanine at gunpoint, demanding accountability for her brother’s death. Jeanine defends her actions as sacrifices for the greater good, but Tori remains unmoved. Tris intervenes, fearing Jeanine’s death will prevent her from accessing a vital video file. A physical struggle ensues as Tris tries to stop Tori, resulting in Jeanine being shot in the leg. The tension escalates as Tris and Tori grapple for control of the gun, with Tris determined to protect Jeanine for the sake of the information she possesses.
Tris manages to seize the gun and points it at Tori, pleading for her to trust her. She explains that Jeanine holds crucial data only she can access, emphasizing the importance of the mission over personal vengeance. Tori, however, remains steadfast, declaring Jeanine’s death her priority. The confrontation reaches a breaking point as Tori, undeterred by Tris’s appeals, draws a knife and stabs Jeanine. Tris watches in horror as Jeanine collapses, her dying screams filling the room, while Tori murmurs her brother’s name in grim satisfaction.
The chapter ends with Tris’s desperate efforts thwarted, leaving Jeanine dead and the critical information potentially lost. The violent resolution underscores the themes of vengeance, sacrifice, and the moral complexities of leadership. Tris’s failure to sway Tori highlights the deep divisions and raw emotions driving the conflict, setting the stage for further turmoil in the story. The scene leaves readers questioning the cost of justice and the limits of loyalty in a fractured world.
FAQs
1. What is the significance of the room Tris enters after escaping the simulation?
Answer:
The blue-lit room Tris enters contains critical information about Jeanine’s simulation serums, evidenced by photographs of key characters (Tris, Tobias, Marcus, Uriah) and crossed-out chemical lists on the walls. This room serves as Jeanine’s lab for developing the serums used to control or attack Divergents. The presence of these materials underscores Jeanine’s systematic experimentation on individuals, particularly targeting those who threaten her faction’s control. Tris’s observation of this setup reinforces the novel’s central conflict about power and genetic manipulation.2. How does Tris’s reaction to Tori’s confrontation with Jeanine reveal her priorities?
Answer:
Tris intervenes in Tori’s attempted execution of Jeanine not out of loyalty to Jeanine but because she recognizes Jeanine possesses vital information—likely the location of a crucial video file. Despite sharing Tori’s hatred for Jeanine, Tris prioritizes the larger mission over immediate vengeance, shouting, “There’s something important, something only she knows the location of.” This highlights Tris’s strategic thinking and willingness to endure moral ambiguity for a greater goal, even at the cost of conflict with allies like Tori.3. Analyze the symbolic contrast between Tori’s and Tris’s motivations in this scene.
Answer:
Tori embodies raw vengeance, driven by personal grief over her brother Jonathan’s death. Her wailing and insistence on hearing Jeanine say his name reveal an unresolved trauma. Tris, however, represents pragmatic resistance, prioritizing collective survival over personal justice. Their physical struggle over the gun mirrors this ideological clash: Tori’s knife strike symbolizes the futility of vengeance (Jeanine dies without revealing the information), while Tris’s failed intervention underscores the cost of unchecked emotion in a larger conflict.4. What does Jeanine’s statement—”The reasons for my actions are beyond your understanding”—reveal about her character?
Answer:
Jeanine’s claim reflects her authoritarian worldview, justifying unethical experiments (like the simulation serums) as “sacrifices for the greater good.” Her condescension toward Tori (“something you have never understood”) highlights her belief in intellectual superiority and moral absolutism. This aligns with her faction’s dogma that values logic over humanity. However, her desperation when wounded (“only I can locate it”) exposes her manipulative tactics, undermining her earlier arrogance and revealing her fragility when power slips away.5. How does the chapter’s climax foreshadow future conflicts for Tris?
Answer:
Tori’s accusation—”you are both an idiot and a traitor”—foreshadows potential alienation Tris may face for her choices, as allies misinterpret her pragmatism as betrayal. The physical violence between them (biting, punching) also hints at escalating divisions within the resistance. Additionally, Jeanine’s death with undisclosed information creates a power vacuum and unresolved plot threads (e.g., the computer’s secrets), suggesting Tris will grapple with leadership challenges and moral ambiguity in the aftermath.
Quotes
1. “I close my eyes at the moment the trigger presses back, and when I open them, it is the other Tris who lies on the ground between the dark patches in my vision; it is me.”
This quote captures Tris’s psychological turmoil and dissociation during a traumatic simulation. It reflects the recurring theme of identity and self-confrontation in the series, as she literally sees herself as both victim and perpetrator.
2. “The reasons for my actions are beyond your understanding. I was willing to make a sacrifice for the greater good, something you have never understood, not even when we were classmates!”
Jeanine’s defense reveals the moral complexity of the conflict, showcasing her utilitarian worldview that justifies cruel actions for perceived greater benefits. This represents the central ideological clash in the series.
3. “Nothing is more important than her death.”
Tori’s chilling declaration demonstrates the destructive power of vengeance, contrasting with Tris’s more pragmatic approach. This moment highlights how personal trauma can override rational decision-making during revolution.
4. “I am a Dauntless leader. You don’t get to decide what I do.”
Tori’s final assertion of authority before killing Jeanine shows the breakdown of hierarchy and order in the rebellion. This quote marks a pivotal turning point where personal vengeance overrides collective mission.
5. “I see Tori’s gritted teeth, I hear her murmur her brother’s name—’Jonathan Wu’—and then I watch the knife go in again.”
This visceral conclusion to the chapter’s climax ties Tori’s actions back to her personal trauma while demonstrating the brutal reality of their revolution. The naming of her brother makes the violence deeply personal rather than ideological.