Making Connections in Divergent

Asking students to make connections to the text is one way to encourage active reading and improve reading comprehension. Text connections can also spark meaningful discussions about a novel and its themes and can act as precursors to some essays. For this activity, have students use three storyboard cells to connect Divergent to themselves, another text (or film), and the world around them. Ask them to explain the connection in the text box below each cell.

Divergent Text Connections Example

TEXT TO SELF

Tris's struggle to decide which faction to join reminds me of my own decision about which sport to play. I have played soccer and done swim for years, but I could only choose one this year. It was a hard decision. I wish I could have taken an aptitude test like in Divergent!

TEXT TO TEXT

Divergent reminds me of the book The Giver. In The Giver, teenagers are given their future occupations at the Ceremony of Twelve. They then have to learn the language and habits of that profession. This is similar to Choosing Day in Divergent, when all the sixteen-year-olds choose a faction and begin training for life in that community.

TEXT TO WORLD

Even though it is a science fiction novel, the underlying problem in Divergent is a real-world one: how can we develop a peaceful society? The community in Divergent created the factions to eliminate civil unrest and allow society to function smoothly. Differences in opinions and lifestyles create conflicts in our world every day, causing riots, crime, and even civil wars.

Student Instructions

Create a storyboard that shows connections you have made with Divergent. Include a connection for text to text, text to world, and text to self.

1. Click "Start Assignment".
2. Create an image for each connection using scenes, characters, items, and text boxes.
3. Write a description of how the text relates to another text, the world, and you.