Divergent

Divergent

Most of this movie session and points have come from Adam Willer – worship leader and general all-round top man!

SPOILERS ALERT – there are spoilers listed here for Divergent and the following movie, ‘Insurgent’

The movie is rated 12 in the UK for ‘moderate violence and threat.’

Divergent – The Movie Overview

Ultimately the movie deals with three things: 

1. Finding your place

2. Self-sacrifice

3. The concept of human nature.

Who Are You?

Chapter 1 (start – 00:07:37)

In the future, five factions have been created to keep the population under control and you can only ever one of 5 things / factions: selfless, brave, intelligent, peaceful or honest. 

Point from the Movie – If the devil can control us and put us in a box, he’s won. We were created in God’s image to more than just one of those things. To fulfill our true potential, we can’t be one or the other, we need to be a mix of most if not all of them.

Not Of This World

Chapter 2 (00:07:38 – 00:12:10 as Tris leaves the room)

In the movie, Tris has a test to see which of the five groups she is. But she finds out that she is none of them – she is a Divergent – someone who cannot fit into any one category. (In the movie, she chooses to become part of the ‘Dauntless’ crew – effectively the police).

Point – Christians don’t fit with society, we can never find our place in society. Christians are, effectively, Divergents! Yes!

Choices / Unpopular Decisions

Chapter 2 (00:14:54 – 00:22:23). You can stop at 00:20:27 as Tris leaves the room.

Tris and her brother, at the Choosing Ceremony, choose to defect to a different faction from their current one, ultimately disappointing their parents. Tris chooses to be 

Point – Sometimes Christians have to make big decisions which other people will not agree with.

Faith

Chapter 4 – (00:22:34 – 00:25:40 as Kris jumps down from the net)

Jumping off the ledge to get into Dauntless is a good example of faith. All Tris has known up to that point is love and care, being good to people, and she would never have done anything like jump off a ledge. She’s being forced out of her comfort zone but she shows faith by stepping up and being the first one to jump off.

Point – FAITH!!!!!

Self-Sacrifice 

Chapter 7 (00:42:36 – 00:46:33)

Tris puts herself forward to take a punishment that someone else deserves, putting herself in danger.

Point – This is something that we are called to do – self-sacrifice and putting other people first.

Silencing Different Viewpoints

Chapter 11 – Chapter 12 (01:16:46 – 01:18:53)

In this Kris talks to the ‘leader’ of all the factions (played by Kate Winslet). Kate Winslet explains how she needs Kris to be obedient and explains why there is need to get rid of Divergents.

Point – Just as much as Kate Winslet’s character wants to get rid of all Divergents because she believes they are a threat to the system, how many people in society want to shut Christians up because we don’t agree with equal rights etc.

Conquering Fears

Chapter 13 (01:25:05 – 01:29:30)

Four and Tris’ dreams: To pass the 2nd Dauntless test,they have to conquer the fears in their mind. 

Point – Christians can be fearful but God has given us a spirit of boldness.

Relationships

Chapter 13 (01:31:20 – 01:32:27)

There is a point when the leading characters appear to want to sleep together but Kris (leading female) says not to do so because she wants to take things slowly. (01:31:48). Four agrees not to do anything – another great bit of advice!!

Point – this is very good advice for Christians. The Bible says that sex is for the place of marriage alone!

Control and Propaganda

Chapter 14 – (01:38:03 – 01:41:58)

In the movie, all the members of Dauntless are given a drug in the neck which controls them. Only those who are Divergent are able to overcome the drug. Trius and Four have to pretend (initially) that they are being controlled by the drug. Eventually, they take a stand (as the Dauntless start to take innocent life without realising it)…

Point – the Bible tells us that people in the world have been fooled by the devil and his lies. They are effectively controlled by a ‘drug dealer’ who is satan and seeks to bring destruction. That is why the Bible says our battle is against the spiritual powers who control this world (the battle is fought through prayer). In Divergent, Trius and Four don’t seek to kill the Dauntless crew, but go to switch off the drug that is controlling people and confront the force behind that evil – Kate Winslet’s character. As Christians, we know that our ‘battle’ is not against people but against evil.

Insurgent – the next movie – SPOILERS ALERT

Although you won’t see until the next movie – Insurgent – Tris is hunted bu Kate Winslet and the Dauntless and that affects her and those around her, she also has to make a decision whether to turn herself in to Kate Winslet or not. This decision also affects both her and those around her. There is a scene where she has a dream and her Mum talks to her and Tris says about herself that she is not brave, she’s not a leader. Sometimes we get put into positions of leadership where we have to make tough choices that affect us and those around us, but we need to conquer our fears.