Chapter Twelve

Chapters twelve! The fan favorite paint ball match! We discussed this one pretty heavily in class so

I haven’t much to say that hasn’t already been said. I thought this was one of the coolest parts of the book and we saw Four and Eric more clearly than in previous chapters, in my opinion. Eric, offensive to a fault, chooses all the strongest fighters and most ruthless players. He opts for an intimidating team while Four chooses a variety of initiates and the underdogs, so to speak. And of course, he picks Tris because of his weird instructor crush that really comes out during this.

In a game of paintball/capture the flag the initiates are mixed for the first time, and they meet pretty much like oil and water. Tris pulls back away from them, seeking higher ground with a more intelligent strategy. Her Erudite is showing, and Eric’s is nonexistent in this chapter! Four follows her and there’s an awkward sort of flirting exchange while they scale a broken Ferris Wheel and risk certain death—but, you know, whatever trips their triggers, I suppose.

In the end, we learn that Four is scared of heights, Tris needs to get her priorities straight (boys come after you know, not dying) and that the opposite team sort of sucks and hiding their flag. After nearly being crushed underneath a passenger car, she reports her finding and they go running off to surprise the other team. Tris wants to be the one to grab the flag, since she was the one that found their hiding place, but Christina’s limbs are longer. She grabs it after telling Tris that she’s already had her moment, and for a moment Tris is incredibly jealous.

It’s just as well, though. The Dauntless born take more of a liking toward Tris anyway, and we formally are introduced to Uriah and Marlene, both which are incredibly important later on. This is Tris’ first taste of acceptance.  In her head she thinks, “It’s been years since I’ve jumped of the building in my Abnegation uniform; it has been decades.” This sentence kind of punches you in the face, probably because Victoria Roth doesn’t believe in semi-colons—but I like the emphatic effect a lot.

I noticed that the paint they used was pink, which doesn’t fall into any of the factions; another sort of symbolic color reference? I’m not totally sure, but I think you can find symbolism in anything if you dig hard enough.