Allegiant Sacrifice
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Sacrifice
- Chapter 5: Tris
- Beatrice "Tris" Prior
"I used to think about giving my life for things, but I didn't understand what 'giving your life' really was until it was right there, about to be taken from me." (5.34)
Early in the book, Tris has second thoughts about sacrifice. This sets us up for a surprise later on when she decides that she does want to die for a cause she believes in—and then sacrifices herself just like we expected her to all along.
- Chapter 15: Tris
- Beatrice "Tris" Prior
I know that I don't want to die, and for me, that's something—more than I could have said a few weeks ago. (15.120)
Tris realizes that she appreciates her life after smooching with Tobias for a bit. Is this the classic YA-heroine needs a man in order to live syndrome, or does her newfound value for life run deeper than that?
- Chapter 32: Tris
"You demonstrated the quality I most need in my advisers," he says. "Which is the ability to make sacrifices for the greater good." (32.48)
David's line here is filled with dramatic irony. This "ability to make sacrifices for the greater good" is exactly what motivates Tris to go against David and trigger the memory serum at the end. Hmm… maybe he wanted that to happen all along?
- Chapter 41: Tris
- Beatrice "Tris" Prior
"If sacrifice is the ultimate way for that person to show you that they love, you should let them do it." (41.39)
This is the Abnegation way, which gets discussed a lot in Chapter 41 and factors into Tris's ultimate decision to sacrifice herself. Had she been raised by a different faction, do you think she still would have sacrificed herself?
I don't want to die anymore […] I can't sacrifice myself, this time. (41.32)
Tris still feels doubt about sacrifice a few chapters before she decides to do it. Why is that? Is it because she hasn't forgiven Caleb yet? Or is she just in denial the whole time? Of course, sacrifice isn't supposed to be easy, but we have to wonder about her motivations.
- Caleb
"I'm the one who chose the wrong side, who worked with Jeanine Matthews; I'm the one none of you care about, so I should be the one to die." (41.14)
That fact that everyone chooses to sacrifice Caleb raises a bunch of questions. If he's expendable, is it really sacrifice? And if they're choosing to sacrifice him, kind of against his will, does that make it murder? And why the heck don't they try harder to just learn the passcode?
- Cara
"It is worth it," Cara says. "One death, to save thousands of people from a terrible fate?" (41.6)
This idea that it's okay to sacrifice one person to save thousands comes up a lot when thinking about sacrifice. What's the cutoff on this? Is it okay to sacrifice one person to save hundreds? Dozens? Two or three? And who should the sacrificed person be? Why?
- Chapter 45: Tris
- Beatrice "Tris" Prior
The Abnegation say you should only let someone sacrifice himself for you if it's the ultimate way for them to show they love you. And for Caleb, that's not what this is. (45.49-45.50)
Caleb doesn't want to sacrifice himself to show that he loves Tris. He wants to sacrifice himself so that she will forgive him. Is that the same thing? If not, how is it different? Is one reason better than the other, as Tris thinks?
- Chapter 49: Tris
- Beatrice "Tris" Prior
If I go to join my parents, I want to carry with me a good reason, not this—this senseless collapsing at the threshold. (49.12)
Tris's need to die a noble death drives her in her last moments. Even though she's been shot by David, she keeps going by sheer force of will until she succeeds at her goal and can die a hero.
- Chapter 50: Tris
- Beatrice "Tris" Prior
"[My mother] taught me all about real sacrifice. That it should be done from love […] That it should be done from necessity, not without exhausting all other options. That it should be done for people who need your strength because they don't have enough of their own." (50.24)
Do you think Tris exhausted all other options before sacrificing herself? Should she have tried harder to find out the security code? And if she did do this out of love, who is it she loves? Who is she sacrificing herself for? Tobias? Caleb? Everyone?
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