Embedded Files
Identification of Author's Style:
Roth utilizes characters in order to create and portray their motivations, relationships, and their internal conflicts. By including these complex characters and feelings it allows many different perspectives for all types of readers to relate to. For example, by creating Tris as a teen character in a relationship with Tobias Roth explores the themes of trust and vulnerability. While they both are on opposite sides of the spectrum, one being confident, and the other being unsure it shows that opposites attract and work very well together. This specific example can be a piece of the plot that allows readers to feel connected to the characters.
The setting in Roth’s books is a story on its own. It’s not just a backdrop, but a key piece to the characters development and central themes of her books. Each setting of each faction mirrors a different characteristic that the members of that faction hold. Abnegation bening selfless and boring is reflected in the gray and impoverished environments they live in. While Dauntless is known for their risk taking and bravery this is reflected in the dark cave that they live in with no fears. The dystopian setting in her books enforces the chaos and fracture within the factions and their society as a whole.
Roth’s speaker is consistent throughout her books. In both Divergent and Insurgent the main character, Tris, speaks in 1st person perspective. Tris is growing physically and mentally through her challenges, and slowly gaining confidence while also fighting the internal battle of where she fits in within society. By having the 1st person perspective as a reader one also gets to experience it first hand. Tris being the narrator allows a closer look at her thoughts, feelings, and inner conflicts to give the readers more insight.
Emulation of Author’s Style:
I’ve always hated the silence after curfew. So mysterious and obscure.
Not because I’m afraid of the silence. It’s to be said that fear is for the ones who still believe in the rules and the system. Ive hated the silence because then there's nothing to distract me from my thoughts. From what I did.
The city sleeps beneath the glitching of fake stars and moons. The sky above is darkened by the Dome’s tinted shell, hiding the real stars that “never mattered”. I press my hand to the glass of the observation deck and pretend I can feel something through it. Air. Wind. Grass. Anything that isn’t what i'm in. I feel like a zoo animal being contained within a cage.
“You’re not supposed to be up here.”
The voice belongs to Kair. Of course it does. He’s always finding me and looking out for me.
I don’t look at him. “Neither are you.”
He steps closer. “That doesn’t answer anything.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
We stand in the cold, glitching dark, the kind that only exists inside manufactured worlds like ours. His reflection beside mine is sharper—straighter shoulders, steadier gaze. He was always better at hiding the cracks. Mine are showing.
“They moved Lena to Unit Twelve,” he says, quietly.
I close my eyes with disappointment. That’s code. He’s not in Twelve. He’s dead.
Erased.
“Because of me,” I whisper.
He doesn’t argue. That’s what hurts most, his silence is agreement.
I had a choice. Report his escape attempt, or risk my entire family being relocated to the Reconditioning Blocks. Or even worse, my family being killed. I made that choice to ensure that they kept breathing and living.
But Lena isn’t breathing now.
“I know what you're thinking,” he says. “That you’re a traitor. That you’re broken. That she’d hate you.”
I open my eyes. “Wouldn’t she?”
“No,” he says. “Because he would’ve done the same to you.”
I want to believe him. I really do. But the guilt’s a living thing in my chest, chewing through whatever’s left of who I used to be, and eating me alive.
Still, I turn to him. “Then help me fix it.”
He hesitates. Then nods.
And just like that, the silence isn’t so loud anymore.
Explanation of Emulation
Characters: I used the characters: Lena, Kai, and the narrator in order to build a complex person who my readers could relate to. The narrator’s sense of guilt and compassion towards others is typically a universal theme, and can be understood by most readers. The theme of control by a system or government is mentioned briefly in order to explore the idea that people will go to desperate measures in order to protect the ones they love when feeling squashed by a higher power.
Setting: Though I didn’t mention setting as much as Veronica Roth does. I did explore the “night” time setting and setting up this feeling of an artificial environment that isn’t even real. This caused my characters to feel trapped and in a simulation; also typing into the government control theme.
1st person Narration: I utilized first person narration in order to show the inner thoughts and conflicts within my narrator. This creates a special bond amongst the reader and narrator, and causes the reader to be sympathetic and understanding of the narrator's actions. Simply because they get to hear the “why”, and not just see the action.
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