Dystopian novels such as ‘Divergent‘ by Veronica Roth are reflections of people’s fears and anxieties that are oftentimes a result of historical events that shaped them. In ‘Divergent,’ Veronica Roth draws from a variety of historical events, such as the bombing of the World Trade Center, the Cold War, and various revolutionary movements.
In exploring themes such as identity, power struggle, and family unity, Veronica Roth expanded the social conversations about the role young people play in economic and political revolution, as well as the need for self-discovery and identification.
Influence of Divergent on Society
Young adult dystopian books are often targets of social trepidation, especially surrounding their acceptance and the cultural conversation they’ll lead to, or become a part of. ‘Divergent‘ was an important addition to the social discussion about young people finding their identity, the need for diversification, and youth involvement in politics and governance.
‘Divergent‘ also drew from George Orwell’s ‘1984,’ a book about the oppressive power of a totalitarian government that silences the voices of its citizens. Similar to ‘1984,’ ‘Divergent‘ discussed power tussles in politics, and the sometimes subtle but influential manipulation of news stories to propagate agendas. ‘Divergent‘ plays a historically important role because, beyond the usual conversation around young love and romance, readers and fans of the book had important conversations about childhood traumas and their effects on young people.
Despite its importance in driving social and political conversations and the power young people wield in changing oppressive governments, some parents criticized the book for its propagation of sex, unhinged violence, and attempted usurping of constituted power. After the movie was released, it was bashed by several film critics and enthusiasts as a screen slog. Writing for The Guardian, Tom Shone said the movie ‘was too long and poorly plotted. Film critique blogs and websites such as Rotten Tomatoes scored the movie 41%, while on Metacritic, it had a 48% score.
The Orwellian style of the book was unfit for the screen. And while Harry Potter was a success, the previous failures of similar books adapted into films such as Hunger Games set the precedence for a hard-to-pull movie. Despite the negative reviews, two other films from the Divergent trilogy were shot and released. The shooting and release of the fourth film were stopped by the production company, Lionsgate.
Influence of the Psychology on Divergent
While attending a psychology class in college, Veronica Roth was deeply moved by the power of fear in people’s lives. This informed her decision to incorporate the fear chamber into ‘Divergent‘ to explain how gripping fear and past traumas can be. Throughout ‘Divergent,’ Roth’s understanding of human relationships and power heavily informed the behavioral patterns of her characters. This includes Peter’s obsession to be liked, his bullying, and his intimidation of other recruits were mirrors of deeply-seated desires to be loved and accepted.
It was also easy to see that Al’s struggle with anxiety revealed a deliberate attempt by Roth to expose mental illnesses, how it is socially perceived, and the consequences of social neglect and ignorance. Some people have also argued that the segmenting of factions based on personality traits reflects the Myers Brick Personality types. However, on closer inspection, the factions only partially reflect the MBTI.
Awards Won by Divergent
Since it was published in 2011, the story of ‘Divergent‘ has received several nominations and awards across different young adult subgenres. It won the 2012 Teen Choice Awards’ Choice Book, which testified to its impact and popularity among teenage readers. The book’s remarkable entry into the world of literature was recognized when the author, Veronica Roth, won the 2012 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Debut Goodreads Author. ‘Divergent‘ was also nominated for the California Young Reader Medal in the Young Adult category.
FAQs
What type of novel is ‘Divergent‘?
Divergent is a young adult dystopian novel that explores friendship, love, family, and the human greed for power.
What genre does ‘Divergent‘ belong to?
Divergent is a young adult dystopian novel that blends elements of science fiction, adventure, and coming-of-age themes.
Is ‘Divergent‘ worth reading?
The book has received critical acclaim from the literary community for its plot depth, character development, and language. The storyline is straightforward, and the transition from scene to scene, unraveling the different characters and how they are interwoven, is brilliant as it is smooth.
Is ‘Divergent‘ a movie?
Yes, there is a film adaptation of the book, released in 2014. Directed by Neil Burger, the movie received some positive reviews from film critics but it was not a Box Office success, falling just short of 300 million dollars worldwide.
