In your essay, be sure to:

• Introduce a clear, debatable thesis that takes a stance on how the faction system shapes — and distorts — individual identity.
• Use at least three specific pieces of textual evidence (scenes, dialogue, or character choices) to support your argument.
• Analyze how protagonist Tris Prior's experience as a Divergent challenges or reveals the limitations of the faction system.
• Consider a counterargument — for example, that the faction system offers community, purpose, and social stability — and refute it using evidence from the text.
• Conclude by linking the novel's themes to a broader real-world context, such as conformity, social categorization, or the suppression of individuality.

Guiding Questions to Think About Before Writing

• What does it mean to be "Divergent," and why does the ruling system view it as a threat?
• How does the phrase "faction before blood" either strengthen or weaken a sense of self?
• In what ways does Tris's decision to leave Abnegation reflect an internal struggle between identity and belonging?

• Beatrice "Tris" Prior's struggle between loyalty to her faction and her journey of self-discovery
• The repercussions faced by the Divergent, who cannot be limited to a single faction
• The function of the Choosing Ceremony as a tool for social control
• The way faction ideology is employed to legitimize political power and oppression

Requirements

> "Faction before blood." — Reflect on what this motto indicates about the world Roth has constructed and the sacrifices it demands from its citizens.

• Clearly present your thesis in the introduction.
• Include at least three pieces of textual evidence, properly cited.
• Address and counter one opposing argument (for example, that the faction system offers community and purpose).
• Conclude by linking the novel's themes to a broader discussion on conformity vs. individuality in society.