Have you ever related to the main character in a really good novel that you were reading? I grew up loving to read fantasy books that were part of a series. Most of the main characters in the books that I read were male, like Harry Potter; I wished that I could both be him and marry him at the same time. During my teenage years, the books that I read contained female main character roles. Although I could imagine myself in the girl’s position—like Bella Swan in Twilight, deciding between dating a vampire or a werewolf—I have never related to a protagonist in the way that I relate to Tris Prior in the Divergent series.
1.) Struggle with Guilt
Tris struggles with guilt. She has a problem loving and forgiving herself after she kills a cursed friend, while trying to save her mother and herself. It is difficult for her to live with what she did. She is so worried that everyone hates her for what she did, even though she was only trying to protect herself and her mother. In the end of Insurgent, she finally puts the pieces together and realizes that even if no one else forgives her, the only thing that matters is that she forgives herself. I am similar to her in this way because I had a situation happen that gave me much guilt. It was difficult to move past it and get over it. I had to learn to forgive myself and learn from my mistakes. In this case, she is my mirror image.
2.) Blondeness
Tris and I are both blonde. Everyone has this stigma that blondes are cute and innocent, but Tris and I do not let our blondness define us. It is rare for a main character to be blonde, and Tris is an intelligent blonde. It is nice to see a smart blonde as the main character. Being blonde is a recessive gene, so it is a unique trait that we both share. I would say it is less desirable to be blonde because dark hair is viewed as being sexy. Especially my curls give off the cutesy vibe instead of fire-hot.
3.) Idea of Beauty
Tris is apparently a gorgeous young woman, yet she does not believe so. I have been told that I am beautiful, yet I am shocked nearly every time. I do not see myself as beautiful. I do not understand how people could see me in that way.
4.) Shortness
Tris is short; according to the book, Tris is about 5’ tall. I am 5’2”. It truly inspires me that the author chose a small, frail girl as the protagonist who transforms into a stealthy, strong woman. I literally see myself in her.
5.) Child-like features
Tris is described as child-like in the books, on numerous occasions. My facial features and overall body-size have caused people to view me on similar terms. They see me as a little girl or as young or naïve. Even though others see her as a child, Four sees her as a warrior woman.
6.) Underestimation
Tris is continuously underestimated; no one takes her seriously. Because of my small stature and young face, individuals tend to underestimate me. They do not believe that I am good at sports; they do not think that I can takeover adult responsibilities, and they do not want me to be “exposed” to adult ways of living.
7.) Fear of boys and their desires
Tris is worried and scared about what Four wants in the relationship, considering she has never dated anyone before and Four is an older man. It can be a scary idea to think of the immense amount of pressure that boys and society place on girls. In society, one could be ostracized for being pure, and one could be excluded for sleeping around. Girls are told that both ways are wrong, for different reasons.
8.) Unconditional love
Tris has unconditional love for her sibling, Caleb. Although, Caleb betrayed her and did her wrong, it does not keep her from sacrificing her own life for her brother. She takes risks to save others; it is what she does best. She is selfless and brave: the best combination. I have unconditional love for my loved ones and my selflessness would enable me to protect and save them under terrible circumstances.
9.) A stiff
Where Tris comes from, the Abnegation are referred to as Stiffs. They are extremely structured, orderly, serious, and, above all, selfless. I have been called Stiff before. I get really stiff when I am nervous or when I dance. I am extremely structured and follow the rules to a “T.”
10.) A leader
Tris is a true leader. She understands how to be a good person and wants to decide on what will help the majority of the society that she is living in. She knows what she wants and is independent. When Four did not believe her and followed his own path, she basically said, “Boy, bye.” She is always herself and sticks true to who she is. Tris fights for what is right; she is stubborn and set in her ways. All of these character traits describe me fairly well.
Tris is my dopple-ganger, both internally and externally. We are a walking contradiction. Our appearance is soft, yet our personalities are tough and hard. We are Stiffs at heart. No one can tell us what to do or change who we are. We do our best to follow the established rules and make sure that others do so to benefit society. Tris and I want to change the world for the better. She is not just one thing, I am not just one thing, we are not just one thing. We are all honest, and intelligent, and brave, and selfless, and kind. We are divergent, and we are all unique.
