Page 1: The Eve of the Aptitude Test

The opening page introduces the protagonist and her world on the day before a crucial aptitude test. The narrator describes her home and family routines, providing insight into her faction's values and practices.

Highlight: "There is one mirror in my house. It is behind a sliding panel in the hallway upstairs. Our faction allows me to stand in front of it on the second day of every third month, the day my mother cuts my hair."

This passage establishes the austere and controlled nature of the protagonist's society, where even looking in a mirror is strictly regulated. The mother-daughter hair-cutting ritual serves as a metaphor for the careful balance between individuality and conformity.

Vocabulary: Faction - A group or clique within a larger organization, in this context referring to the societal divisions in the Divergent world.

The narrator's observations about her appearance and age reveal her self-awareness and hint at the coming-of-age themes central to the story. Her sixteenth birthday, while not celebrated, marks a significant transition point.

Quote: "I still look like a little girl, though some time in the last few months, I turned sixteen. The other factions celebrate birthdays, but we don't. It would be self-indulgent."

This quote highlights the stark differences between the narrator's faction and others, emphasizing their focus on selflessness and restraint.