Divergent

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What is the true meaning of justice? How might the meaning of justice change over time or due to circumstances?

Teaching Suggestion: Different factions, or groups within the population, in the book would view justice differently. Brainstorming as a class varying ideas of justice can guide students’ explorations of the novel. This is also an opportunity to bring in current events and view them through the lens of justice.

• This article by Human Rights Careers explores the meaning of social justice.
• The poem “Phenomenal Daughter” by Nathalie Handal presents a conversation between a mother and daughter about the world and can be discussed in terms of its views on justice.

2. How can we approach divisions in society?

Teaching Suggestion: People deal with Social Divisions in many ways, some more effective than others. One way to begin discussion on this topic is to ask students if they have ever disagreed with someone about an issue they felt strongly about. Another idea would be to connect to a current event about which people have differing opinions.