Growing up in a divided society: The representation of adolescence in Veronica Roth's Divergent

Abstract

This study explores the depiction of adolescence in Divergent by Veronica Roth, the coming-of-age story of one protagonist in a faction-based dystopian society in which the individual identity is in conflict with institutional conformity. This study employs a qualitative approach of text analysis in a novel and based on the psychosocial theory of identity development by Erik Erikson and the view of young adult literary criticism. It examines the intersections of ideas of identity formation, social categorization, fear, moral choice, resilience and resistance through close reading and thematic analysis. The results reveal that adolescence in Divergent is more than just a biological change, it is a process of self-construction influenced by ideological control, institutional discipline and ethical choice. The identity of Tris Prior functions as a metaphor for multiple and fluid individuality questioning the rigid social structures and identities on their roles. The study also unearths that the conception of the traditional coming of age narrative altered by Roth as resistance for a part of psychological growth set in a dystopian context. This study foregrounds adolescence as a space for identity negotiation and critique of society, and it contributes to advance a critical field of literary study for young adults while providing a more nuanced reading of the way dystopian fiction promotes critical thinking about conformity, autonomy, and adolescents' maturity