Chapter Thirty-One

Post evaluation Eric congratulates Tris but stops to give her an injection. Now, these serums have always made me queasy. I'd, of course, conform if I was brought up in their world, but somehow, injecting nanotechnology into the bloodstream just seems like a bad idea. Perhaps it's the blood infection talking but there are SO many ways for that to go wrong and and in the neck especially--talk about possible paralysis. 

That aside, it's really creepy, and even Tris picks up on that vibe. Eric is obscenely calm and collected, which gives him a creepy air. He's just all sorts of creepy, okay. I'm a bit of an ex-anime junkie, and every time she talks about his piercings I was reminded of a character but I couldn't remember who until right now--

Meet Levi from Katekyo Hitman Reborn! Aka, Eric if he was a cartoon.

And for a more human connection--given, this is a girl, but you know.

Anyway, that tidbit aside, Tobias joins Tris to congratulate her. They go back to his room and share an intimate moment involving examining each other's tattoos and Tobias shares that he believes all the factions have traits that all people should have all at the same time. So, like a regular human-being? Woah! Satire aside, this is actually a very big concept that's explored in the second book--but, I digress.

Tris responds with, "It doesn't work that way. When one bad thing goes away, another bad thing comes and takes it place."

I feel like I have a nasty habit of responding to quotations with quotations--but I'll do so anyway.

"When people see some things as beautiful,

other things become ugly.

When people see some things as good,

other things become bad. 

Being and non-being create each other.

Difficult and easy support each other.

Long and short define each other.

High and low depend on each other.

Before and after follow each other."

This is a concept very early in the Tao Te Ching, but I think this is the circle she's talking about. We cannot have good without bad, and vice versa. It was we consider as good and bad that's subject to change. Nothing is good or bad, nor beautiful or ugly, nor difficult or easy,  unless defined by a person by the other. Tris is looking for the bad, and so it exists.

She reflects a bit more and they kiss, before parting ways to prepare for the banquet.