The Lord's name is taken in vain twice. God's name is taken in vain 12 times with for ---'s sake, thank, oh my, oh and swear to. Profanity used includes h---. Other language used: stiff (a derogatory name for members of Abnegation), hellions, idiot, shut up, jerk, stupid andcrap.
As a part of initiation, Dauntless initiates jump out of a moving train onto the roof of a building; some are hurt, and one falls to her death. Initiates must then jump off a seven-story building without knowing what lies at the bottom. Tris goes first and falls into a net. During training, the instructor holds a gun to an initiate's head because he is not paying attention. Tris has to stand still while knives are thrown at her head; one of them nicks her ear. Initiates face each other in fighting matches and are paired together regardless of gender or size. Two boys fight until one is knocked unconscious. Two girls fight, and when one is beaten so badly she surrenders, the instructor makes her hang off a ledge over rapids for five minutes. A large boy and a small girl are paired, and the boy brutally punches and kicks the girl until she passes out. Tris, angry for being constantly bullied, beats Molly mercilessly during their match — until Molly passes out.
The highest-ranking initiate is targeted and stabbed in the eye by three other initiates while he sleeps. After Tris is ranked first, other initiates kidnap her. They blindfold her, grope her and attempt to throw her over a ledge into the rapids. Four saves her and severely beats one of her attackers. In the virtual simulations, initiates face several of their deepest fears including bird attacks, drowning, shooting family members and kidnapping. Even though the simulations are not real, the teens have horrific nightmares after going through them. Skirmishes break out among initiates who punch each other. Two initiates are almost choked. Using mind control, Erudite turns members of Dauntless into an army that attacks Abnegation and kills several citizens. When Eric realizes Tris and Four are not under the mind control because they are Divergent, he threatens to kill Four. Tris shoots Eric in the foot to stop him. Tris is shot in the shoulder and left to drown. Her mother rescues her by shooting and killing several guards. Tris' mother allows herself to be shot and killed so Tris can get away. Tris is forced to shoot her friend Will before he kills her. Tris' father removes the bullet from her shoulder with a knife. Tris shoots Peter in the arm to get information from him. Tris' father also dies because he sacrifices himself to save her. He kills several soldiers before he dies.
