Sunday, November 23, 2014

Year, Bittersweet, and Twice Loved I. Pregnancy

It all began my senior year. I suppose I was going down a destructive path far before then, but this time God just gave up on me. Or maybe he just handed me the road to success; I can’t really say. All I know is my senior year of high school was a dreadful mistake...
            “Hey Edaline!” Maccyn shouts.
            “Hey! Whose Cubcat time are you in?”
            “Mr. Fineburg’s,” she says making a very prominent frowning face.
            “Oh my god! Me too!”
            “Yay! Did Jerrick take you home last night? I left pretty early,” she says.
            “Yeah, then we had a fight. He was all drunk and stuff. I don’t think it’ll last much longer. Did you hear from Jacoby?”
            “No, but I bet I will. His birthday party is in a couple weeks. Should we crash it?” I say with a sly smile on my face. Jacoby is my on and off boyfriend for the last five years, and he is turning 20 in a couple of weeks. Though we are not technically together at this moment I still want to show up at that party. I want us to be known as high school sweethearts who get married and have like four kids. I don’t want this yo-yo dating to continue.
            Maybe, because I am a senior it will help everything. Everything is always hard in high school, right? Everyone is going through changes, trying to find out who they are. Well I have always known who I am, but Jacoby, well that’s a different story. He always treats me like a child even though there is only a two year difference; I am 17 and he is 20. That shouldn’t matter though, they say men mature slower than women. Maybe this weekend I can prove I am not a child. Maybe I can prove to him that I am the wonderful young lady that he needs to fall in love with, because well I don’t want to have wasted these last five years to throw it all away. 
***
            The first week of school went by in a flash considering we only had two days. As the weekend approached the talk of going to Jacoby’s party, a party that could ruin my life.
            Standing by our vehicles (we always park together at school then at least we know who dings our vehicles) in Tahoma High School’s parking lot, I am spacing off staring at the wonderful white topped mountains in the background. That I would much rather focus on than this conversation. This week is our first football games, and according to Annabeth and Maccyn it was our “senior duty” to show up at the first football game. I would rather curl up with Mockingjay, and be taken into another world, but for now I suppose I must listen to what the theme for the football game is…
            “I really would like to go to the first game. What is the theme? Togas?” says Annabeth.
            “Yeah I think it is, let’s go to the game then out to Malster’s pre 20th party.” says Maccyn.
            “Why? So, we can all get drunk and then once again I get back together with him?” I say.
            “No. So, he can see how awesome you are doing without him. Besides I doubt you will even see him. It’ll be packed.” says Annabeth.
            Jacoby and I did not need to get back together again it was time for us to part ways. And we both know that us seeing each other will lead to this. I have had enough of him. “Fine. Meet at my house at 6 to get ready?”
            “Sounds good!” both the girls say in unison.
            Sighing I look down at my phone which has not stopped going off for even two minutes all day hope I see u tis weekend. I shiver with a thought of what is to come. I don’t want to become his child again. I already have parents I don’t need another…but, maybe Annabeth and Maccyn are right, maybe him seeing me looking super sexy will make him realize how much he misses me and then maybe he will change. For once.
***
Upon Annabeth’s arrival at my house, Maccyn is styling my long brown hair up into a twisted pony. “Do you guys really think I look okay?” I ask.
“Of course you do! Now after the game we can just take off the sheets and head out to Jacoby’s” says Annabeth, flipping her hair back to create volume.
Looking fabulous in my black skinny jeans that fit every curve of my legs perfectly, my shirt is a very loose bright pink v neck that plunged to my belly button, under that I have a black sparkle tank top. I look perfect. For once.
“I really want to make his jaw drop when I walk in.”
“Are you almost ready!?” Maccyn says while looking at her phone.
“Yeah, let me just pack my purse”
“Don’t forget your fake ID!” they say in unison.
I always do seem to forget that. I find  my hot pink crossbody purse, that’s as big as a tote bag and begin to fill it with my foundation, powder, lip gloss, mascara (both regular and waterproof), and eye liner, just in case my night took a turn for the worse then at least I can cover the bruises... I also decide to sneak some tissues, a flashlight and an extra shirt in the bottom of my bag just in case. I then throw in $20 and left my card in my change mug that way when that money is gone it’s gone. Maccyn coughs. “I’m almost ready!”  I throw in my cell phone, Ipod, a change of shoes, my flask, driver’s license, my fake ID for buying alcohol, and my car keys even though I am not driving. I zip it up quickly and run out of my room not realizing that Maccyn and Annabeth are already in my kitchen waiting on me.
“Okay, I’m ready. Bye Mom! I’ll let you know when I’m on my way home” I shout.
“Thanks hun” she replies, not even turning around from the kitchen sink to acknowledge that I’m leaving.
As we jump into Annabell’s truck I grab the USB cord for the stereo and crank up the music to LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It”.
When we arrived at the stadium, I look around just to realize that the whole town seems to be here..but that doesn’t take much. I checked for his vehicle, which was stupid he wouldn’t come to some high school football game even if I got down on my knees and begged. He is too good for that. But again, my mind goes to the glorious white tip mountains. Someday I wish I can disappear into those mountains forever, life would be easier without humanity. Annabeth grabs my arm and drags me into the stadium. I really need to get better and spacing out but keeping one ear into the conversation.
“Hey! I said do you want food?!” Maccyn shouts at me.
“Yeah, grab me Snickers.”
“Finally you answer me! I only asked you like ten times! What is the matter with you?”
            “Nothing, I was….just enjoying the band.”
Maccyn and Annabell laugh at me. They have to know something was wrong but they don't want to ask for fear of losing their night with free alcohol. That is what I am worried about: ruining their night.
As the game comes to an end with us bears winning 51-7 we all join arms to sing our school song. Luckily I am in between Maccyn and Annabeth so no one can tell Jacoby that I linked arms with any other guy. We skip our way to Annabeth’s truck singing “Heeeeyyyyyy hey baby. I wannaaa knowww, I you will be my girl bum bumpbump bum.” I throw off my flip flops and pull out my tall black Naughty Monkey's with just the right amount of sparkle and a slight heel.
“Let’s stop and get gas and some Dew. They should have plenty of alcohol out there” Annabell says.
While looking at my phone I respond “Or maybe we could go to Jerrick’s party..?”
“Why? Did he text you?” Maccyn says.
“No, but I’m sure he is having a party he always does on Friday nights.”
“Okay, really why do you not want to go to Jacoby’s?” says. Annabeth
“Because we all know how it’s going to end up.”
“No we all don’t so please share”
“It’s going to end up with me seeing him with another girl and leaving the party, leaving me to have to walk home.”
“I promise if he is there with some other girl I will bring you home before I start drinking. But, I am positive that he is not with someone else. I am positive that he will see you looking fab and you two will get back together” Looking at me with a sly grin
“Is that really what needs to happen?”
“Why, shouldn’t it? Everyone knows how cute you two look together!” Maccyn says.
“Cute does not make up for everything else…”
“Everything else?”  Maccyn says. looking quite confused.
“Nothing….nothing else…” I just can’t admit that I am stupid enough to stay around after he has cheated on my more times than I can count. But that is on a need to know basis, and they don’t need to know.
“Alright? But if there is something else you know we are here for you” Annabeth says.
So, that is that and we head out to Jacoby’s party.

After a short half an hour in the car we arrive at Jacoby’s house to find the driveway and the street lined with cars, bumper to bumper. Yeah, this is totally not obvious. All these cars are totally not going to attract any attention whatsoever. I grab my purse just in case. Slowly I get out of Annabell’s truck and make my way into Jacoby’s house. I am terrified of what I know is to come. As I walk into the house the smell of dog piss catches me off guard. It has only been two months, but that smell will never get old…or less disgusting.
“Hey ladies!” says Declan.
“Hey!” we reply.
“Long time no see” says Claire.
“You guys look cute tonight!” Alice says as the four of us snap a quick selfie.
The farther into the house we make it the more of his friends I see, but I don't see him.
“Hey Aiden!” I say losing track of where Maccyn and Annabeth go.
“Hey Edaline! Didn’t expect to see you here? You guys together?”
Smiling, “No, just decided to come crash it” Aiden and Jacoby never really got along. Aiden has had a crush on me since before pre-k but Jacoby was always the one to steal my heart, but maybe not this time. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh you know free beer” Holding up his drink
Laughing,  “Yeah, I better go find myself some of that”
“I’ll join you.”
“Okay.” I know he is following me just in case I run into Jacoby. He is always the guy to save me from the drama. The one that is always there for me when all comes crashing in. In all honesty he is he only one there when everything does fall apart, the one that fixes the tears, and makes me feel partially whole again. He is the one is should have been with all along.
Aiden and I make our way into the kitchen to find all sorts of alcohol. Jacoby’s mom always purchases tons of it for these parties. I grab a Mike’s and we head outside.
“It’s so nice out tonight” I say leaning against the edge of the deck.
“I love coming out here it is always so clear” he says looking up at the sky.
“Yeah, that is one thing I miss, being able to just lay and stare at the sky” As I began to look at the sky my eyes meet his, and he proceedes to make his way to us. Great, now here comes the moment where I get yelled at for showing up to this party uninvited and for not answering his slew of texts from the past weeks. I look frantically around for Maccyn and Annabeth or some kind of escape route. I take a couple steps down the stairs heading towards another crowd. Then I hear it. I hear his sweet voice saying my name and in that very instant my knight in shining armor  vanishes like a ghost.
“Edaline?” Jacoby says.
Turning around I reply “Yeah?”
“I didn’t expect to see you here” He comes bounding toward me like a cat to his prey.
“Me either. Annabeth and Maccyn wanted to come. I just tagged along.” I say checking my phone and taking the slightest step backwards.
“Well good. Then we can talk. Since you won’t answer my texts” Jacoby moves aggressively closer to me.
I won’t answer your texts for a reason. I am over you. Done. I think while taking a step backwards. “I didn’t know you texted me,” looking at my phone, “I guess my phone didn’t receive them.”
“Oh.” He looks at his phone, “well, before you leave can we talk?”
“Yeah, of course.” Oh god this is not going to end the way I planned but it is going the way I hoped...I think.
“Good,” he says smiling, grabbing my hand forcefully, he really doesn't give me a choice. Kind of like a lion will not let go of his dinner for the night I have to go with him. “Well let’s go enjoy this party!”
I go with him not knowing what to think or how to feel. I should be done with our yo-yo dating and his…comments about me..his actions when things don’t go his way. It is not fun for me. But, a part of me does not want to be done with it. A part of me doesn't want to be done with him. A part of me wants to hope that this time he has “changed”.

The rest of the night is a blast, more fun than I can remember any of his parties being. We all stand around the beer pong table taking turns playing. Jacoby and I were kicked out of playing, because we always win, and we enjoy winning, together.Turning to each other with the biggest smiles on our faces, Annabeth and Maccyn aproach with an eaqually as big smile.
"We should begoin," says Annabeth"
Leaning over close enough so I can smell the stench of alcohol and fresh cigarette smoke, "You should stay we've hadn't talk yet"
I know I shouldn't stay, but a part of me wants to tell him all of my discomforts of getting back together. Though I know I won't stand up to him. This is why I shouldn't stay. I need to find a backbone before I stay here again with him. "Gals I think I will stay here. Jacoby wants to talk, and I am just far to drunk to face my mom."
The smiles return to their faces. I am still sipping on my first Mike's, but neither of them will argue with me. They want me back with Jacoby. They want the chance to party every weekend and get free beer every weekend. And me and Jacoby getting back together is that ticket."Okay. Call me tomorrow?" says Annabeth, and before she turns away she offers me a wink. I offer her a weak smile in return, because she doesn't even know how much I wish she would tell me I can stay at her house. She has no idea that I shouldn't be here.
  I turn around to and meet eyes with Aiden who has overheard everything, he even knows how big of a lie I have just told, and I wish he would save me from this lie. But he doesn't, instead he shakes his head and walks out of the door. My only knight in shining armor has left the enemies' kingdom, and doesn't even try to win his prize.
***
When I walk through the door later the next morning, I see my mom lying on the couch as a rush of guilt washes over me I realize I forgot to tell her that I was not coming home. She wakes up the minute I close the door, inviting the smell of detergent and Clorox. Mom is laying on the leather couch that wraps around the whole living room making it easier for me to disappear from the walk of shame.  
“So, where did you end up staying last night?”
“Jacoby’s”
A look like she has just ate a lemon washes over her face “So, you guys are back together again?”
“No, I just went with Maccyn and Annabeth to his party,” looking at the TV,
“they had drank quite a bit so we all decided to stay there.”
“How hung over are you?”
“Not at all, I didn’t drink” that is the worst lie I have ever told her, well maybe not as bad as telling her that I am still a virgin. But she knows deep down that both of these are untrue.
“Well, I hope that you don’t get back together with that trouble maker. He is not good for you. You need to go to college and do something with your life. He is…”
 “...yes mom I know. I am going back to my room to do some homework.”
When I get to my room I remove all the items from my purse that I realize I didn’t need last night, though I wish I had needed them. Unfortunately something else happened. Burying my face in my pillow I lie there and cry. I should really figure out what I want in life. My mom is right I need to let this trouble maker go and do something with my life. I really wish I knew how to listen to my own heart…
***
Over the next few weeks I hear nothing from Jacoby and as homecoming is rolling around I am asked by Aiden. I accept the invite. My mom was more than excited that I was going with him and not ‘the boy that no longer needed a name in our household’.
Why don’t you call into work tonight. Let’s take off and go to Seattle and find you a dress for homecoming. My mom texts me.
I have never been a fan of texting so I call her to decide whether it was truly a good idea for me to really take off of work to find a dress.
“Hello.” Mom answers.
“Hey! Do you really think I should call in?”
“Well, you work all weekend and then the following weekend is homecoming. If you want to not see yourself walking by we should probably go to Seattle tonight.”
“What should I tell Savita?”
“Tell her your Grandfather is not doing well again, and your parents are going to Seattle to see him and you want to go with. You will be out of town no one will know the truth.”
“Okay. I’ll see you at home in an hour?”
“Yes. Love you hunny.”
               A long two hours later we arrived in Seattle and proceeded to our favorite mall, Westlake Center. We found ourselves in Younkers looking at a beautiful silver pleaded fitted dress. It fit me perfectly, in all the right places.    
“You look gorgeous.” Mom says with tears in her eyes.
I turn around to see myself in this dress, and for the first time I believe her. Maybe it's because I know I am going to have the night of my life with Aiden, or maybe it's because I finally feel free of Jacoby's spell. Either way I finally see what everyone else does when they say I am beautiful, sexy, gorgeous, and pretty. I see a beautiful brown haired girl, with striking blue eyes, who is going to blow Aiden away.  And I cannot wait.
***
As the day of homecoming approaches I start not feeling like myself. I am feeling very sick early in the morning and start eating a ton of food. I blame it on all the stress I think I am enduring but in the back of my mind my worst fear is haunting me. I decide to go to lunch with Annabeth the day before to finalize plans for homecoming night.
“I think we need to get a test” she says, “and you should have told me sooner. I thought you were mad at me whenever you said you were “busy” and couldn’t go drink with us.”
“I am sorry. I was not sure what to think or who to talk to. But what if I am just dramatizing? My mind is playing tricks on me, it does that a lot.”
“You are late, we are getting a test tomorrow night after the dance”
“Better be after Aiden drops me off at your house. We will change and everything there. Mom wants pictures at the park and she will cook dinner.”
“Of course, just tell him you are staying with me. I’ll take you home afterwards”
***
The day has finally arrived. Homecoming is here. That morning I go to get my hair and makeup done. Then take my dress over to Annabeth’s where I will get ready.
“Can you zip me please?”
“Yeah...was this zipper always this tight?!” she said
“....No...”
That uneasy feeling fills my gut and I push it back down calling myself crazy... I brush all feelings to the side and go on to have the best night of my life; knowing it would probably be the last. As Aiden drops me back off at Annabeth’s we say our goodnights and I go inside to figure out what was really going on with me.
“I have a test,” she says “now go take it.”
I dilly dally around a bit, not wanting to know the results, but at the same time I do. A few minutes later I emerg. With tears in my eyes I look at Annabeth and exclaim “It’s positive!” She gives me the biggest hug squeezing me until I felt like I am going to hurl and tells me everything is going to be okay, but I really can't see how. I can't wrap my mind around the fact that I am now 17 and pregnant.
After I get through the initial shock I decide to call Jacoby, whom I haven’t heard from since the night of the party. I really want nothing to do with him anymore but I guess he has the right to know. I have decided in my mind that we are toxic, but now I guess I have to deal with him….
“Hi, uh Jacoby?”
“Can I help you”
I pause, trying to get ahold of my breathing so I don’t sound like a child crying on the phone, but it doesn’t work and breaking down in tears I cry “I’m pregnant”
Without missing a beat,“So, what are the chances it’s mine?”
“Considering you the only person I have ever been with. It’s yours.” I cry. How can he say something like this to me?!...but really it is not that big of a surprise.
And then just like that he hangs up. Hangs up the phone. I slowly pull my phone away from my ear. As the tears well up in my eyes I just sat there, staring at it.
“Edaline? Hey, hun?” she magically appeared beside me with her arms around my shoulders.
“Yeah?”
“Are you okay?”
Seriously what kind of question is this? Are you okay? Well, of course I am not okay. I am pregnant my ass hole exboyfriend does not care about me and now I am just a disappointment to my family. My family. How am I going to tell my mom?! Oh. God. I hold my tongue this time. Which honestly is not hard, I do the only thing I can in this moment, because words just are not working for me. I lay into Annabeth’s shoulders and I cry, huge tears, I sob.
 As I walk into the house I can barely look my mother in the eyes. I go straight back into my room and begin posting the pictures from the night. The last high school dance I will ever attend. Because I am pregnant.
 How could I have let this happen? He was drunk that night not me. I should have been more responsible. Why? Why? Why? I can’t tell my mom. I can’t hurt her like this. I know I will be doing it alone. Jacoby will never grow up. I should have been done with him years ago. And how could he hang up on me like that? He doesn’t care about me. He never did. Picking up my phone, I delete his number from my phone.               

Dating and single parenthood

It is no secret that dating as a single mother is hard. Especially when she has her child 24/7. Tomorrow marks a month. It has now been a month since Eugene and I broke up. Not only does it mark a month, it marks a year and a half that we would have been together. This date is bittersweet. The break up had to happen, neither one of us were happy in the relationship, but I think the hardest part of all of this is not how I am taking it. It is how my son is. 

When a man comes into a life of a single mother and stays for a large amount of time. When he becomes invested in the family structure and the routine of everyday life. That man takes in the role of daddy. It is a fact of life. If he is not comfortable with that role he shouldn't become involved and invested. Because when that relationship falls apart it is worse for the child. I don't know how many times I have been asked "when is daddy coming home?" How do I answer this? I have just been saying that "he's on a trip" I can't find it within myself to bash someone that simply 'changed his mind.' Am I wrong for this?  

Don't get me wrong. I am angry, very angry. That he can walk away with no repercussions. No feelings. No feeling of loss. He just walks away, sorry for nothing. He walks away empty handed while I am left once again to pick up the pieces. Is this what being a single mom is all about? Constantly picking up the pieces? I want to say no, but at this point letting someone else into my son's life seems far fetched without a wedding date made..I can't break his heart like that again.  It is not fair for a two year old.  

But what makes me every more upset is he was in the life of this little boy for a year and five months. He held him when he was sick, watched him strive, and grow. He allowed him to call him Daddy. How can he just walk away? I think my little boy is incredible, maybe I'm biased. Maybe I am the shallow one thinking that this isn't hurting him at all. Maybe he does look at the pictures of my wonderful son and cry. But if he does, why doesn't he do anything about it? This is what leads me to think he doesn't care. 

So a tip for all guys out there that are thinking about dating a single mother, or are getting to the point where you are meeting her child(ren): Dont. Unless you are 250% positive that you are ready to become a father or take on a family role. If you have any questions about anything DO NOT get involved. Share your concerns with her, she will understand. But don't make the children suffer because you are not sure if you are ready to settle down. 

Women are not toys to be played with. This goes for single mom or the party girl you met last night. We have feelings. We think into things, and overreact. We are filled with drama, and cry for no reason. But we can love and care about you more than you ever thought possible. As for the single mom population. We know rejection. We know how to work hard, and we know how to love hard. Do not take advantage of that. We can be the best thing that ever happened to you, or your worst night mare. 

Each and every single mother out there is fiercer than a mother bear when it comes to her children. Don't put the children in the middle of your insecurities. :)

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Less is More.

When looking at the best-selling series of Divergent, readers are enthralled with the well-developed characters, plot, and setting. But the root of the story is the simplicity of the words on the page and how she molds and shapes them into something new, something exciting, and portrays the largest of ideas with the fewest words. This series is targeted at ages fourteen years and up, so it is placed in the Young Adult Literature category. But the interesting thing about this is even though it is targeted at eighth graders there are concepts and ideas that an adult would understand and thrive on. Even though this is considered adolescent literature, the writing in the novel is spectacular and Veronica Roth’s use of words is something to admire.
Many critics compare Divergent and The Hunger Games, even as far as saying that “for a book that explores themes about the right to be individual and the importance of breaking away from the pack, ‘Divergent’ does not exactly distinguish itself” (Dominus). But I have to disagree, though Divergent follows some of the same themes as Hunger Games did like girls breaking out of their societies norms, Roth does something more. Roth leaves the reader to interpret and make his/her own story. She uses phrases with very little words to portray a larger idea. In the second book in the series Insurgent, Roth leaves her main character Tris reflecting on her own feelings, motives, and actions, leaving the reader to stop and analyze how Tris is truly feelings, “I am almost afraid of him. I don’t know what to say or do around the erratic part of him, and it is here, bubbling just beneath the surface of what he does, just like the cruel part of me. We both have war inside of us. Sometimes it keeps us alive. Sometimes it threatens to destroy us” (242). This passage speaks to me. Roth uses simplicity to portray the larger image of the story: fear. There is even an element of the unknown shown throughout the series, the unknown of each other, and the unknown of the future. But never once is this said, instead it is shown.
Another critic for the New York Times states, “the book’s characters and themes are blunt, coarse things, with almost no nuance. What is compelling in Katniss, for example—her ambivalence about power, violence and romantic love—is entirely absent in Tris, who lives in a world of moral certainties. The regime’s overthrow is the only right thing to do, worthy of any kind of sacrifice; her companion, Four, is the man for her from the start of the books to the finish. In other words the thing is flat, flat, flat” (New York Times). Again I disagree, and loudly, I have read both series, if anything is flat it would have to be Katniss. Katniss fails to show any emotion throughout the series, whereas Tris has long excerpts like the one above where she reflects on the situations at hand. I could go on and on about the differences of both series, but that is meant for another paper.
In one of my other classes, I choose to look at the etymologies of the words that Roth uses in a 170 excerpt. I used the last two pages of Divergent, and found that most of Roth’s words stem from Old English. This is interesting because these are the simpler words, those that are not specific to any trade such as: a, and, everything, become, brother, behind, the list goes on and on. These are the words that adolescents use on a daily basis, those that come up in daily conversations amongst their peers Of the 170 words I looked at 106 of those were from Old English. The type of the words fairly matters, though it is interesting to look at, what does matter is how Roth shapes these words into ideas and even larger into a story.
The passage I used discuss the ambiguity that awaits them. The passage reads as such:
I kiss him as the train slides into unlit, uncertain land. I kiss him for as long as I want, for longer than I should, given that my brother sits three feet away from me.
I reach into my pocket and take out the hard drive that contains the simulation data. I turn it in my hands, letting it catch the fading light and reflect it. Marcus’s eyes cling greedily to the movement. Not safe. I think. Not quite.
            I clutch the hard drive to my chest, lean my head on Tobia’s shoulder, and try to sleep.
Abnegation and Dauntless are both broken, their members scattered. We are like the factionless now. I do not know what life will be like, separated from a faction—it feels disengaged, like a leaf divided from the tree that gives it sustenance. We are creatures of loss; we have left everything behind.  I have no home, no path, and no certainty. I am no longer Tris, the selfless, or Tris, the brave.
            I suppose that now, I must become more than either.
This passage is just as striking as the one in Insurgent because a sixteen year old should be scared of what is to come right after losing her parents in an all-out war and now they are being hunted. But what she doesn’t say is that she is scared. Instead she talks of what is lost, what is disengaged, that she has nothing anymore. She even questions who she is. This is far from a flat character.
            Critics need to reread both series back to back. The Hunger Games lacks plot, and is very repetitive, as a reader one has an idea of what is to come. In Divergent it is the complete opposite, the ending of the series takes everyone by surprise. Veronica Roth does a lot with very few words, she conveys ideas using the words that her audience uses in everyday conversation. Though she parallels the themes that are being seen throughout adolescent literature today, she does it in a captivating way that makes the reader young or old to question the book itself, and his or her self.


Works Cited
DOMINUS, SUSAN. "In This Dystopia, Teens Must Choose Wisely." New York Times. The New York Times, 12 May 2011. Web. 22 Nov. 2014.
Dean, Michelle. "Our Young-Adult Dystopia." The New York Times. The New York Times, 31 Jan. 2014. Web. 22 Nov. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/02/magazine/our-young-adult-dystopia.html>.
Roth, Veronica. Divergent. New York: HarperCollins, 2011. Print.
Roth, Veronica. Insurgent. New York: HarperCollins, 2012. Print.