It’s easy to bash a movie like Divergent, especially when the best-seller written by Veronica Roth is such a page-turner. Although it’s fair to argue that there are too many plot changes to accurately depict Roth’s dystopian Chicago, that’s not what should be valued when comparing the book to the movie. What we should be asking is whether or not the integrity of the book is conserved.
So what is Divergent, the book, really all about? Tris, the main character of the series, longs to find out where she belongs in a society that prides itself on categorization. In a city divided into five factions that represent selflessness, bravery, intelligence, honesty and kindness, she finds that the definitions of these qualities have been lost through the erosion of time.
What hits home with this novel is its message about what it means to be brave: “We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.”
The guts it takes to participate in a reckless and daring act could never compare to the courage it takes to make a sacrifice for what or who you love. In the end, being selfless and being brave don’t seem all that different.
Hand in hand with bravery comes the idea of fear and how it controls people. The characters are horrified by anything ranging from simple fears like moths or intimacy to deeper terrors like helplessness or their capacity to take away life. In a world where fear consumes its victims, Tris is capable of managing it to show her true bravery.
Through the brutality of initiation in the Dauntless faction, where putting oneself in danger is not only encouraged but also rewarded, each of the characters learn to lean on one another as a method of survival. Loyalty to friends, family and loved ones is an obvious value for each of the characters, especially Tris. This makes it easy for a reader to fall in love with everyone in her life.
Regardless of whether or not the plot was altered to fit cinematic standards, these themes needed to be preserved in order to capture the true essence of Divergent.
All things considered, the movie does an incredible job showing the political system involving the separate factions. This was easily done with eccentric outfits and various stereotypical characteristics represented in each division. Through the almost clichéd actions of the characters audiences can make snap judgments about who to like and who to see as an enemy.
The true definition of bravery is packed heavily into Divergent. We get a glimpse of sacrifice from Tris as we watch her take a friend’s place and have knives thrown at her. It is not until we see both of her parents die for their faction and witness Tris turn the gun on herself rather than the man she loves, however, that we see what it means to be brave.
The fear factor in this movie is what makes this dystopian world feel a little less impossible. Shailene Woodley, playing the role of protagonist Tris, masterfully pulls off an almost impossible task of seeming determined and terrified at all times. The fears in this movie are relatable because no one wants to feel helpless, even in less extreme situations.
As a whole, the film lacks character development. Throughout the book it is easy to grow attached to Christina’s brutal honesty and Will’s witty charm. Even Al, who in the movie hardly shows up until his betrayal, has a loveable soft side that only appears in the book. Aside from Tris and Four, it is difficult to grow attached to any other characters in the adaptation.
By and large, the movie does a respectable job of capturing the true meaning of Divergent. Although I do not recommend wasting money at the theatre when the more holistic experience of the story can be found in a library for free, the movie is definitely worth catching. I can’t wait to see what surprises lay in the sequel, Insurgent.
