Chapter Twenty-three

I understand that most books won't sell without romance these days, and not many ever did, but I just... Can't get into Tris and Four's relationship. Their flirting is incredibly weird, and they know each other for about a month before they're together. I just feel like it's sort of rushed and too much in detail (but I'll complain about that later) for the situation they face; but, that aside, his chapter has formal relationship development. She sleeps in his bed that night and they have a banter in the morning before she explains what happened to Christina and Will.

Drew is in bad shape and Peter refuses to look at anyone. Four is rather pointed, and maybe a bit jealous throughout the day though he has only known Tris for you know, three weeks, and is her teacher--but no judgement or anything. He shows them the fear landscape which will serve as a room for their final evaluation  (which might be a bit less painful than writing 20 blogs in one night like a certain Cheyenne Moore, but I brought that upon myself). He explains just a  bit, but it's basically like the previous simulations on steroids.

Al attempts to apologize to Tris for what he's done, clearly quite beat up over what he's one.

"Somewhere inside me is a merciful, forgiving person. Somewhere there is a girl who tries to understand what people are going through, who accepts that people do evil things and that desperation leads them to darker places than they ever imagined. I swear she exists, and she hurts for the repentant boy I see in front of me.
But if I saw her, I wouldn't recognize her."

Tris recognizes all these things as fact, as truths--yet she chooses to disregard them. I can't say I would act differently the day after, but Tris basically turns her nose up to these validations and chooses the bitter path instead, which, in the end always ends up hurting more. Those who cannot forgive tresspasses done unto them will lead unhappy lives; and Tris has racked up so bad mojo.

She validates herself by separating herself into different Trises but in truth she just refuses to accept all the areas of her personality so she doesn't have to be held accountable to her natural traits.