Summary: Chapter 13

The next day, Eric is in a bad mood from losing capture the flag. He announces that the first training stage is almost over and orders everyone to take a dagger from a table in the center of the room. Four demonstrates how to throw the knives at a target, and Tris practices the movement before actually throwing. Peter mocks her, but she’s the first person to hit the target. Meanwhile, Al fails to land a single hit. After Eric rebukes him, he misses intentionally, and Eric orders him to pick up the knife while the others are still throwing. When Al refuses, Eric orders him to stand at the target while Four throws knives around him. Four questions his decision, and Eric reminds him that he’s the leader. Angry, Tris calls Eric a bully and volunteers to take Al’s place. Four throws three knives at her, nicking her ear with the last one. Eric is impressed, but Tris recoils from his praise and worries that her Divergence is showing. After everyone else leaves, she accuses Four of hurting her on purpose. She’s confused and frustrated when he says she should be grateful to him for helping her.

Summary: Chapter 14

It’s the day before Visiting Day and the final day of stage one training. After her shower, Tris discovers that her pants no longer fit her muscled legs. She leaves the girls’ bathroom wearing only a towel, hoping no one sees her, but Peter, Molly, and Drew are in the dorm. They mock her body, calling it childlike, and snatch her towel away, leaving her naked. She runs back to the bathroom and stifles sobs of embarrassment, then changes into the dress she managed to retrieve from her room. She decides she wants to hurt them, especially Peter.

Tris changes into more appropriate fighting clothes and heads to the training room. Wanting revenge, she hopes she’ll be assigned to spar with Peter. Instead, she’s been paired with Molly, the next best option. She watches as Al surrenders quickly to Christina, a strategy he’s been using since his first fight. When Tris and Molly’s turn comes, Molly again insults Tris’ body. Tris knocks Molly to the floor and kicks her repeatedly, drawing blood and prompting Four to wrestle her away.

Summary: Chapter 15

On Visiting Day, Eric advises the trainees not to get too attached to their families, as the Dauntless are strict about the motto “Faction before blood.” He then compliment’s Tris’s victory over Molly, making her question her violence. At the Pit, she is relieved to see her mother, whom she didn’t expect to come. Her mother is apologetic for her father’s absence, and Tris is surprised to hear her say he’s been selfish lately. Her mother also reveals that Erudite has prohibited members of Abnegation from visiting their compound, so she can’t see Caleb.

Next, Tris’s mother spots Four and introduces herself to him. He tells her Tris is doing well, and she says he looks familiar. Then they meet Al’s mother, who can’t find him anywhere, and Will’s sister, who hostilely accuses Abnegation of hoarding food. Tris’s mother leads Tris to a remote hallway and asks about Tris’s training and test results. She advises Tris to stay ranked in the middle, then asks her to visit Caleb and convince him to research the test simulation serum. As she leaves, Tris realizes her mother must have grown up Dauntless.

Analysis: Chapters 13 – 15