Divergent

Veronica RothFiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2011

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Introduction

Before Reading

Reading Context

During Reading

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Answer Key

After Reading

Discussion/Analysis Prompt

Activities

Essay Questions

Exam Questions

Exam Answer Key

Introduction

Divergent

Genre: Fiction; young adult dystopian
Originally Published: 2011
Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 700L; grades 7-12
Structure/Length: 39 chapters; approx. 576 pages; approx. 11 hours, 11 minutes on audio
Protagonist and Central Conflict: Sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior lives in a futuristic city where members of society live in factions according to personality type. When her aptitude test presents puzzling results ahead of the choosing ceremony at which young people claim their place in one of the five factions, Beatrice’s doubts about staying with her parents in the faction Abnegation grow; when her brother leaves Abnegation for Erudite, she decides to join Dauntless, where her courage, strength, and loyalty will be tested in ways she could not have foreseen.
Potential Sensitivity Issues: Violence; gun violence; self-sacrifice; suicide

Veronica Roth, Author

Bio: Born in 1988 in New York but raised in Illinois; attended Northwestern University for creative writing; found great success as a young writer with Divergent and its sequels in book publishing and film deals; has written additional short stories and novels in the genre, including several short story prequels to Divergent from character Tobias Eaton’s perspective; currently lives in Chicago
Other Works: Insurgent (2012); Allegiant (2013); Carve the Mark (2016); Chosen Ones (2020); Poster Girl (2022)
Awards: The Amelia Bloomer Book List Award (2012), for Divergent

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CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

Social Divisions
Identity and Choice
Faction Versus Family
Fear and Bravery

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

Develop an understanding of social inequality and basic human rights.
Study paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Social Divisions, Identity and Choice, Faction Versus Family, and Fear and Bravery.
Analyze and assess the society of Divergent to develop structured essays and an authentic project.