In the "Divergent" series by Veronica Roth, there are five Factions that separate everyone from each other. Certain traits define one person from another, and fit them into a certain group of people. There’s Dauntless, the brave, Abnegation, the selfless, Candor, the honest, Erudite, the intelligent, and Amity, the peaceful. Just like when someone reads "Harry Potter" or "The Hunger Games" for the first time, readers want to know where they would fit in. Would they take a leap of faith and become Dauntless, or would they stick to their roots in Abnegation?
When I first read the books, I knew I would never be a part of Dauntless in a million years; I’d be too scared to do the kind of things they do and weak. I thought about Abnegation, since I like to volunteer and did a lot of it in high school, but their lives seemed so boring to me. Candor I never really thought about, and Erudite was out because I’m definitely not smart enough. When Amity was described, I knew that it was meant for me.
Some information about Amity, found here:
“DEFINITION: [Pronounced: Am-it-ee] l. friendship; peaceful harmony. 2. mutual understanding and a peaceful relationship, especially between nations; peace; accord. 3. cordiality. It's not just about and apple-picking. It’s about cultivating strong relationships and trying to understand each other.
HISTORY: Amity is the faction that dislikes war. They formed Amity in order to have a peaceful society free from conflict and sadness caused by wars and instigation. They are truly a democratic faction, voting on everything, almost unanimously.
TRAITS: They love music, art, games, and laughter. They give hugs when greeting. They vote on everything, almost unanimously. Their bread has peace serum added to prevent their members from fighting. Amity's essential nature comes from its crop-growing. They run the farms, which provides some of the food for all the factions. They tend to be counsellors, caretakers & artists.
PHYSICAL TRAITS: Members dress comfortably in red and yellow clothing. Their dress code is less formal than other factions, as long as it is bright and pleasant.
AMITY INITIATION: Like Erudite, very little knowledge of Amity's initiation process is given away in the books. From what we can gather, though, it involves fruit-picking and singing songs.
NICKNAME: 'banjo strummin' softies'.
RELATIONS: On good terms with Abnegation; on very good terms with Erudite who provide them with farming inventions; opposing views on violence to Dauntless but on neutral terms; a slight rivalry with Candor, who believe "those who seek peace will always deceive to keep the waters calm" suggesting Amity can be dishonest.
CURRENT LEADER: They don't recognize a leader but use Johanna Reyes as their representative.”
Pretty much sums up my whole life. I always try to be a positive person, to be open and honest and to always give people a fair chance. Obviously sometimes that can bite me in the butt, but I was raised in a household that was loving and supportive, which seems to be what the Amity community is like. Their love for the arts is exactly the type of person I am as well (I mean, c’mon, I go to a liberal arts school), I admire art, I love music and participating in it, and whenever there’s a good time, I like to be a part of it. Amity seems to be for people who enjoy life and want to live it to the fullest.
Someone in Amity is always willing to help put a smile on someone's face; in a way they can be compared to someone who is sorted into Hufflepuff (like myself); they want to spread peace and make sure that everyone is satisfied with everything in front of them. There is no time for arguments, war, discomfort, etc.: the people in Amity want what's best for each other, even if they don't believe in certain views of others.
Although I may dress more on the Dauntless side when it comes to color (red and yellow aren't really my thing), being comfy is something that I always consider when I shop for new clothes. Sweaters are my favorite thing in the world, because they're so comfy and warm, and fall is of course my favorite season, so I get to break out every sweater I own. Just like Amity, I don't dress formally that often, only if I have too. I'm always content with something plain and simple, a nice t-shirt and jeans. Classic.
Who knows, maybe one day I'll end up working on a farm instead of at the grocery store I'm currently employed at.
