Roth, Veronica — Divergent 01 — Divergent
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
by Veronica, Roth,The chapter follows Tris and her companions—Caleb, Marcus, and her father—as they flee the Abnegation sector to avoid Erudite forces. They plan to board a slow-moving train to navigate the city, with Tris leading the group due to her Dauntless training. The tension is palpable as they prepare to jump onto the moving train, each member struggling with the physical challenge. Tris reflects on her growth, acknowledging how her experiences have reshaped her understanding of bravery and selflessness, themes central to her identity.
As the train approaches the Dauntless compound, Tris strategizes their entry, opting for the less guarded back entrance that requires a dangerous leap. The group’s dynamics are highlighted through brief exchanges, particularly Marcus’s skepticism about Tris’s choice of faction. Tris’s father, however, seems to understand her journey, subtly supporting her. The train ride offers a moment of quiet reflection as they pass the Erudite compound, a stark contrast to the chaos they’re fleeing.
The group faces their most daunting challenge yet: jumping from the train onto a rooftop seven stories up. Tris coordinates their leaps, ensuring the older members go first to minimize the distance. Despite the peril, they all make it, though Marcus barely survives. Tris’s internal conflict surfaces as she briefly wishes for his failure, revealing her unresolved anger. The physical and emotional stakes escalate as they prepare for the next hurdle—a leap into the Dauntless compound.
The chapter culminates with Tris demonstrating her leadership and courage by jumping first into the net below, despite the pain it causes her injured shoulder. She guides Caleb through the process, emphasizing the need to act without overthinking. The group’s survival hinges on their ability to trust her and confront their fears. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger, leaving their fate uncertain as they prepare to face the dangers within the Dauntless compound.
FAQs
1. What strategic considerations does Tris make when planning their route into the Dauntless compound, and what does this reveal about her character development?
Answer:
Tris strategically avoids the Abnegation sector where Erudite forces are concentrated and chooses the Dauntless back entrance (requiring a building jump) because she predicts Jeanine would guard the main entrance more heavily. This demonstrates her growth in tactical thinking and leadership. Her analysis reflects both Dauntless bravery (“jumping off a building”) and Abnegation selflessness (prioritizing the group’s safety). The chapter highlights her synthesis of faction traits: “Often they’re the same thing,” she remarks about bravery and selflessness, showing her evolved perspective beyond rigid faction divisions.2. How does the train-jumping sequence illustrate the theme of perspective, and what contrast does Tris draw between her past and present self?
Answer:
Tris reflects that “half of bravery is perspective,” noting that while train-jumping was once terrifying, it now feels trivial compared to her recent challenges. This highlights how adversity reshapes one’s perception of difficulty. She contrasts her initiation-era self (for whom the jump was a major hurdle) with her current self, who has faced life-or-death situations. The passage underscores her maturation: surviving harder trials makes physical feats seem smaller, yet she recognizes that even greater challenges (like living factionless) await—a sobering acknowledgment of her growth trajectory.3. Analyze the significance of the tattoo discussion among Tris, Caleb, and their father. How does this moment reveal thematic tensions in the story?
Answer:
When Caleb mentions Tris’s Abnegation tattoo, it sparks a rare moment of familial connection—her father almost smiles. This exchange symbolizes Tris’s dual identity (she also has a Dauntless tattoo) and the story’s central tension between faction loyalty and personal integration of values. The tattoos physically manifest her belief that bravery and selflessness intertwine, challenging Marcus’s faction-purist stance (“spits” at Dauntless leaders’ betrayal). The moment also subtly contrasts Caleb’s observational role with Tris’s active synthesis of ideologies.4. What internal conflict does Tris reveal during Marcus’s near-fall from the rooftop, and how does this relate to larger themes in the novel?
Answer:
Tris admits to a vicious internal voice chanting “fall, fall, fall” as Marcus dangles, revealing unresolved trauma from his abuse of Tobias. This moment humanizes Tris—even as she acts heroically, she struggles with vengeful impulses. Yet she doesn’t act on them; Caleb and her father save Marcus. The conflict mirrors the book’s exploration of human complexity: Tris recognizes darkness within herself (“vicious voice”) but chooses compassion, reflecting her earlier statement about selflessness and bravery being intertwined. It also foreshadows harder moral choices ahead in the compound.5. How does Roth use physical movement (train jumps, rooftop descent) as a metaphor for Tris’s psychological journey in this chapter?
Answer:
The chapter’s kinetic sequences—leaping onto a moving train, free-falling seven stories—mirror Tris’s leap into the unknown of leadership and rebellion. The train ride physically carries them toward danger just as Tris’s choices propel her into irreversible conflict. The rooftop jump, where she instructs others to “not think, just jump,” parallels her own surrender to uncertainty about the future (“live without a faction”). Roth contrasts the concrete physicality of the jumps with Tris’s abstract realizations about courage, emphasizing that growth requires both action and introspection.
Quotes
1. “Often they’re the same thing.”
This profound statement by Tris highlights the thematic connection between bravery and selflessness—a core revelation of her character development. It represents her realization that Dauntless courage and Abnegation sacrifice are fundamentally intertwined virtues.
2. “Half of bravery is perspective.”
A key insight about how Tris’s understanding of courage has evolved through experience. This quote encapsulates her growth from someone who found train-jumping terrifying to someone who now sees it as trivial compared to greater challenges.
3. “For an instant I am suspended in nothingness, and then my feet slam into cement and I stumble to the side, away from the roof’s edge.”
This vivid description of the rooftop jump captures both the physical intensity and symbolic weight of Tris’s journey—momentary uncertainty followed by decisive action, mirroring her broader character arc throughout the story.
4. “Don’t think. Just jump.”
A concise distillation of Dauntless philosophy that takes on deeper meaning in this life-or-death context. This command represents both practical survival advice and a metaphor for the instinctual courage Tris has developed.
5. “Somewhere inside me, a vicious voice chants: fall, fall, fall.”
This internal monologue reveals Tris’s lingering resentment toward Marcus while demonstrating her moral complexity. The brief but powerful moment shows how personal feelings conflict with her better nature during crisis situations.