Chapter XXXV

Tris awakens in a small tank and realizes she is not in a simulation and will die.  She knows this but doesn’t want to die this way:

“If I refuse to give up now, it will look brave to whoever watches me with that camera, but sometimes it isn’t fighting that’s brave, it’s facing the death you know is coming.”

As she fights to break out of the tank, she realizes the camera is there to watch and learn from her reaction.  Tris stares at the camera as water rises in the tank and Tris remembers her mother submerging her in water as a baby to give her to God.  She realizes she hadn’t thought about God for a long time and it becomes natural.  The water fills the tank and she floats, remembering her father and thinks she sees a dark figure of her mother.  Suddenly the glass breaks and Tris is thrown out of the tank.  Her mother tells her to run and they make their way out of the cell, stepping over dead Dauntless guards. So many characters care for Tris. Tobias, now her mother? If it wasn't for her, Tris could have been in big trouble. Tris realizes her mother was Dauntless when she sees a tattoo and has a number of questions but her mother says they need to go. As they move through Abnegation headquarters, Tris finds out her mother is Divergent and was advised to choose Abnegation for safety.  Tris doesn’t understand why the Divergent are such a threat to the leaders and her mother explains how the Divergent can’t be controlled like the others. I think Divergent people could be a threat because they are smart enough to rebel against the factions. That could lead to severe consequences for the faction. As Dauntless guards bear down on them, her mother tells her to go to her father and brother as she distracts the guards.  Tris refuses but obeys and looking back, sees her mother shot down. This is so sad. She truly is an Abnegation. Although she is distraught, she knows she must do as her mother said and be brave.