Mother's Daughter - Divergent

Chapter Three

DISCLAIMER: The speech that is given by Max for the choosing ceremony is NOT my work! All credit goes to Veronica Roth who wrote this in the book: Four.

Today is the day I choose. Choose my future and my new home, its important time for me. 

I lost a lot of sleep last night and the sleep I had was broken sleep. Constantly debating between my options. I better make a decision soon enough. I don't have much time left before the ceremony begins. 

This morning I got ready by myself. I wore the best Erudite clothing I own, the lab-style coat that my mother wears the majority of the time. Somehow, looking more like my mother made me feel at peace with being an Erudite. However, that is more than likely the sense of familiarity and nothing more. 

There's a knock at my bedroom door, revealing a woman with short blond hair - my mother. She smiles sweetly, as she walks over towards where I'm standing. "Today is your big day, how do you feel?" My mind oddly thinks I should be honest with her, but then I soon realise that it's a Candor decision, not a good thing to act like in front of my mother. "Ready for the day ahead." I reply to her question with caution. She looks directly into my eyes before we get ready to leave the house. The house I might never see or be in again. "We mustn't be late, let's get to my car" Off we go. 

***

The car parks itself beside the pavement and as I open the door, floods of people from each faction begin to gather for the ceremony. Masses of people enter through the main doors and into the building wearing a variety of colours representing each and every faction. Pastel colours, orange, red and yellow belong to the Amity. The simplistic light and dark greys are for the Abnegation. The padded protected jackets for the Dauntless. Black and white clothing for the Candor. And of course, the formal blue for the Erudite. It's an amazing sight. 

"Hurry along Jen, I have to see everything is running correctly." My mother hurries me and to that, I walk over to her and we walk into the building together. We take the elevator instead of the stairs unlike Abnegation as it's illogical to waste time when an elevator is efficient. One ding from the elevator and we are on the top floor. I hear the noise from the choosing ceremony already. Goosebumps rise on my skin as we walk through the double doors into the hall. 

I'm currently staring at a room filled with people, all waiting for the ceremony. I can barely hear the speaker instructing everyone is sitting down it's that loud in here. Turning my head I search for my mother who I realise walked off to the stage to do her 'important' work. Instead of sighing I walk over to the Erudite seats and take any available seat on one of the rows. The row is practically empty - perfect. Having space is my kind of thing.

The intercom instructs everybody once again and everybody takes their seats amongst their factions. All conversation fall into whispers and silence. Someone takes their seat next to me, which turns out to be my mother. This year, its Dauntless' turn to begin the choosing ceremony. Every faction will take it in turn to announce the ceremony so, next year it will be Candor and the following year will be Abnegation. One of the Dauntless leaders, Max steps onto the stage and clears his throat.

"Welcome to the choosing ceremony." His voice is loud and that explains why he doesn't need the microphone. "Today you will choose your factions. Until this point, you have followed your parents' paths, your parents' rules. Today you will find your own path, make your own rules." 

When I turn my head towards mother, shes nodding and smiling. Of course, she agrees with the faction system. I feel like just spitting out about Divergents and how they should be treated just like any other but, I hold myself back. An outburst isn't a good idea. 

"A long time ago our ancestors realised that each of us, each individual, was responsible for the evil that exists in the world. But they didn't agree on exactly what that evil was." Max continues. "Some said that it was dishonesty..." I can certainly lie, but even if I was going to tell the truth, I would at least back up my truth with facts. 

"Some said it was ignorance, some aggression..." By ignorance, he means the Erudite and by aggression, he means the Amity. In some way, I admire the way that the Amity live. Always free and happy. There wouldn't be a single trace of violence and that is certainly peaceful.

"Some said selfishness was the cause." Unlike my mother, I find that it must be a great feeling being selfless. Not thinking about yourself and always helping others. That is what I like to call a rewarding life. I think of when Natalie was administering my aptitude test and she helped me cover up my divergence. That is selfless.

"And the last group said cowardice was to blame." Cheers roar from the dauntless seats. I smile, they are wild but free. Free in the way that they can do whatever they wish, no matter how crazy. Fearlessness can lead us on to so many different paths. My mother nudges me, as I smile. My composure for an Erudite had become out of line. Something I dislike among the Erudite life.

"This is how we came by our factions: Candor, Erudite, Amity, Abnegation and Dauntless." There are a few small chants from the Dauntless that fall back into silence almost instantly. Max smiles. "In them we find administrators and teachers and counsellors and leaders and protectors. In them we find our sense of belonging, our sense of community, our very lives." He clears his throat again. "Enough of that. Let's get to it. Come forward and get your knife, then make your choice." 

My mind trails off from what Max is saying at this point. A boy stands with the knife, cutting into his palm and then letting the blood pour into the bowl of dirt for Amity. I imagine my life as an Amity, being comfortable for who I am, harvesting the crops in harmony with fellow faction members. But, they are too peaceful for me. 

Another 16-year-old goes to the stage, this time a girl from Candor. She chooses to stay in Candor. My aptitude test clearly ruled out Candor, so that isn't even worth thinking about and considering it.

The next person is from Dauntless and he chooses Erudite. That is the first transfer for this year. As the Dauntless would say, that is an act of Bravery. Curiosity makes me wonder why he chose Erudite. Was Dauntless too crazy and overwhelming for him?

Eric, an Erudite dependent, gets called and he too transfers. He chooses Dauntless. Right now, I find it hard to imagine him fitting into the Dauntless lifestyle. He seems pretty dedicated to knowledge but I suppose, I don't know him very well. 

Marcus' Eatons son, Tobias Eaton is called. I have spoken to him a few times. He once helped me gather some books from the library and put them into the back of my mother's car. He's Abnegation so it was what I expected. He too takes the knife and cuts into his palm, blood gushing out. He pauses, and then quickly moves his hand over towards the Dauntless bowl. Looking over to the Abnegation, they wear a look of shock and perhaps disappointment on their faces. My mother smirks. She loves to slowly see the Abnegations downfall. God knows why.

"Jen Matthews." Max calls out. It's my turn to choose. Choose where I belong. I make my way down the stairs, with everyone watching my every move. I hear some of the Abnegation trying to console their leader and offering to help him. I can't help but feel sad for him. Anyway, I arrive before the faction bowls, and drag the knife through my skin, creating an open wound. Taking a deep breath, I glance at the Erudite and Dauntless bowls. Am I brave or am I smart? My blood spills into the bowl. 

"Dauntless." I'm going to be brave. I am brave.