***SPOILER(S) ALERT***
This week in class, we wrote a synthesis about where resilience comes into play in our own lives, The Color of Water, and included tips talked about in the article we read. As I concluded my reading for the week, I realized that Tobias is resilient. The part I was reading discussed his difficulty about being beaten when he was younger. I realized that although he discusses his poor childhood memories, he doesn't let them bother him much. He didn't let his father ruin his entire life because of those bad situations, instead he used them for his own good. Tobias let those bad situations shape him, and make him stronger. He doesn't live with it in a depressing way, but in a powerful way that can help him grow, and that's exactly what resilience is.

From what I have read of Tris, I also think that she is resilient. She is actually shown as being resilient a lot throughout the Divergent series. For example, in Divergent when her mother was shot,
she put it aside at the moment and focused on would mother would want her to do. She needed to focus on dissembling the factions and protecting herself at the same time. Her resilience showed when she took her  focus off of her mother just dying, and focusing on the task at hand that could effect her more in the future.

When I am in a bad situation or am faced with a problem, I see myself as being resilient by not letting it destroy me, but putting it into a positive perspective. I will look at a situation or problem and think of positive pieces that I can take away from that will help me with other situations or problems in the future. I think that this really helps because focusing on positive things are good and healthy for you! You don't want to be negative towards every situation that comes your way. Think of situations as lesson so that you can learn from them instead. My mother will always say, "When you have to deal with a bad situation, learn from it in a positive way because all bad situations will only make you stronger in the end."

This link goes to different quotes about resilience:
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/resilience

So far, my favorite character in the book has to be Tris. I really like her curiosity and determination. Ever since the first book, her curiosity has always preserved her. For example, in Divergent, she was curious about her being Divergent. Another example, from Insurgent, is her determination to find out what had been going on at Erudite Headquarters. A third example, from Allegiant, is her curiosity about what would be beyond the fence. That curiosity goes away, but is only replaced with her new curiosity and determination to find more about her parents past lives. As I continue, I think I will see more curiosity and determination coming from her, and it will only make the book so much better.

As I read on this week, I connected  Tris to a character in a movie I recently saw, The Maze Runner. The main character, Thomas, is also very curious and determined like Tris. He wakes up in an unknown place to a group of boys looking at him. He realizes that he is trapped with the high walls surrounding him, and that the only possible way out is going into the maze when the wall doors open. It is one of the rules there (in the Glade) that you can't to go into the maze unless you're a "runner", but Thomas does anyway. He went beyond the walls just like Tris went beyond the fence. They both were curious and determined to go beyond where they were not  allowed to go. I know Tris' curiosity took her places, but did Thomas'? Read or watch The Maze Runner to find out! I very much recommend it!

My reading this week was filled with answers to my curiosity about things happening in the book! It has only gotten more suspenseful as I have continued to read. I'm hoping that it will only get more suspenseful further on. I like Tris' curiosity about her parents, but I would really like it if she became curious about a different topic. Maybe something to do with Tobias? It will only make the book more intriguing! Veronica Roth has done a wonderful job at keeping me hooked onto this book, and I'm hoping I still will feel that way when I am closer to the end!

My link this week is to The Maze Runner trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64-iSYVmMVY

*Spoilers-Read at your own risk*

 

As I read this week, I yet made another connection to Tris in the book! Tris was finishing reading part of her mother's file: "My teeth dig into my lower lip. Here in the Bureau compound, people are sitting in the cafeteria right now, eating and drinking and laughing. In the city, they're probably doing the same thing. Ordinary life surrounds me, and I am alone with these revelations" (Roth 190). I read this and I automatically made a connection to how I am when I read. Whether I'm at school, in the library, or at a restaurant when I read, sometimes I can get so lost in the book that it doesn't matter what is going on around me. I like that a lot about reading because there are thousands of stories you can fall in love with, and make up whatever kind of setting that you picture in your head to go with them. 

 



 

I'm happy that Tris decided to read part of her mother's file! It was really interesting to read about her mother's childhood, what her parents were like, and how she got into the Bureau. The file revealed that Tris' mother was part of the Bureau, and I think that this made Tris feel more comfortable and welcome being there. I predict that Tris feeling this way will make Tobias and her other friends feel more welcome and comfortable too.





 

In the reading this week, it was revealed that Marcus would not be executed, but sent outside the gates. I was really surprised that they didn't execute him, especially with all the terrible things he has done. Evelyn spoke about these terrible things: "You deceived innocent children into risking their lives for your purposes. Your refusal to follow the orders of myself and Tori Wu, the former leader of Dauntless, resulted in countless deaths in the Erudite attack. You betrayed your peers by failing to do as we agreed and by failing to fight against Jeanine Matthews" (Roth 200). I would think that the citizens would have been upset about not having him executed, but I guess that Evelyn thinks that sending him beyond the fence is even worse than that. I'm wondering if this means he and Tobias might meet again? That would be a thrill to read about! I'll just have to read more to see what happens!

 

 

 

My link this week is to a goodreads page for the popular books of 2014:

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/books-to-read-in-2014

I made a text to self connection as I read this week about Tris taking her first ride in an airplane. As I read, I connected that when I took my first plane ride (two years ago), I also felt how Tris felt. I was nervous, but very excited. I was questioning the ability of the plane at the same time. It amazes me (as it seemed to amaze Tris) that something so heavy and huge had the power to stay flying high up in the sky. And the view you get from that high up is one you never can forget. It gives you a perspective of how big the world really is, as you compare it to your everyday life. 

***SPOILER ALERT*** One crazy part of Allegiant that I read this week was when Tobias was told he isn't Divergent!!! I was so shocked! He had lived up to that title for a long time, and now it has no meaning to who he is. But he should also realize that he is the same person he has always been, with that title or not. I predict that he will realize that he is the same person as I read this next week, but maybe he won't and he'll take this news a different way. 

Another big event happened in the reading this week; Tris received her mother's file to read. Like Tris acted in the book, I wouldn't know what to do with it. I would be so anxious if I waited forever to decide if I should open it or not. I might also be way too excited and just open it right when I got it! The information that could be held inside could be heartbreaking or super fantastic! It will be interesting to find out what is inside!

My link this week is for a goodreads page full of Allegiant quotes:

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/15524549-allegiant