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The following discussion question was included in some copies of the June book of the month, Divergent.

What purpose does each of the five factions serve in society? What personality types are drawn toward each faction? Do you think these factions represent every basic personality type and fulfill all the basic needs of people? If not, what faction(s) would you create to fill in any gaps?

Well the purpose of the factions is to keep apart different personality types in order to maintain the peace. Each faction represents different personality types, feelings and believes.

There are the five factions dividing by character types: Abnegation (selflessness), Amity (happiness), Candor (honesty), Dauntless (brave), and Erudite (knowledge).

I do not think that these five factions fit all personality types. Some people, like Tris, are not just one personality type. I would create a faction for people who are mixed personalities and another faction for those who failed the tests.

Anyway, people are too complex to fit into molds (and factions).

The factions are there to "keep the peace", yes, but also to maintain the balance. To make sure no one thinks For themselves. To
Ensure everyone plays their little part. Its not an ideal situation but it did seem to work fine fir a while at least. But, when selfishness and arrogance take over, it becomes chaos. People rebel. People fight. They kill. They die. When our freewill is taken, as humans, we take it back. No matter the cost.

Even tho abnigation are basically hippies already, i thing thete should have been a seperate weed smoking faction. Lol. Could have called it tranquil. Lol.

The ones that fascinate me are the faction-less. One mistake and you are kicked out of your faction to live without community. What is there to keep them from forming their own groups? How many of them are there anyway?

The purpose of the factions was to maintain control. They wanted there to be a secure structure in society and dividing the civilians into groups must have appealed to them the most. I think on paper, the idea is fantastic. By having the factions, you are more likely to have friends and family who think just like you and to many people, that is probably a comforting thought. However, they obviously did not factor in the possibility of people not falling into one of the five categories, or factions.

Said people, are obviously know as Divergents. I think there should have been a faction for Divergents, but then what kind of people who know themselves to be different and not a part of the other factions? Or maybe too many people would like to presume they are Divergent and chose that as their faction. I think the factionless could have been developed into faction had they been given support from the other five. The only way you could be placed in said faction would be then if your results came back inconclusive.

I definitely think that there was a hole in the system. Obviously not everyone is going to be honest or brave or selfless or intelligent or creative. Because the option is only there, if you solely value that one trait. This is why Four is one of my favourite characters in literature, because he recognises this and realises that he does not want a single trait, but a piece of all of them.

The factions serve as an order, a balance to the chaos that previously inhabited the world. Instead of people having the options to do whatever they wanted, the factions were created for people to pick a specific trait and job field. Dauntless serves as the army, the thrill seeking ones who want a taste of the action. Abnegation are basically the servants of the society, putting away anything of themselves and looking only to the needs of others. Amity are those who are happy-go-lucky kinds of people and are more the pretty ones. They tend the gardening I believe and protecting the border. Candor serves as the justice system of society, always pursuing truth. And finally Erudite are the intellects of society, advancing the world in technology and knowledge.

To me these factions represent a majority of the traits of people: Courage, Selflessness, Joy, Honesty, and Wisdom. Although there are traits that could "fill the gaps" so to speak, I think the author did a good job in finding the ones that contribute most to society. There could have been a political faction, but factions like those would only be additive to the main ones.

There were five factions, plus the faction-less. Having these factions separate was a way to streamline society. The five qualities of people were concentrated to their factions, in order to serve the community.
Each faction kept their comprehensive place in society. One faction to regulate peace, one to administer security, one for servitude, one for honesty, and one for knowledge. The five pieces coming cohesively together to create one whole society of fluidity.
Humans do posses the ability to have each one of these qualities, but when we are sheltered into an environment where we are bred and raised to have a predominate quality, we can have that quality to excess. Nature vs. nurture has argued both sides of this theory, and there is a strong case for how one is raised affecting how one develops, compared to the qualities given from human nature. I believe that one belonging to a group of individuals that have certain qualities, if practiced in a non-corrupt fashion, would be beneficial to society. Unfortunately, this is why socialism does not generally work. There is always a dictator, (Jeanine), waiting to gain power and take advantage of the lack of power structure. There would have to be some sort of power check system, which would eventually become corrupt, as well. Human beings sometimes posses a strong hunger for power, and it will come out, in some way or another, until the end of human time.

There are the five factions dividing by character types: Abnegation (selflessness), Amity (happiness), Candor (honesty), Dauntless (brave), and Erudite (knowledge).

I think that they divided up the majority of people pretty good, but the factionless are the ones that I wonder about. How many are there, and why don't they rise up as a new, seperate faction? I did think that it was really harsh how easy it was to be declared factionless. And I think there are a lot of people that could go into more than one faction. Kinda hard to see how it could be that black and white. Of course, when you are bred and raised for it, then it makes more sense. If you look at other cultures today, you can see how that works.

I feel like each faction could have different subgroups of people joining them. For example, Dauntless could be for people who genuinely want to fight and serve as protectors, but it could also include adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers. Candor could be for people who genuinely believe honesty is the best policy but it could also include bullies who like to tell hurtful truths, etc. I do think the factions are divided up well because it seems that different types of people could still fit in, but I definitely think there should be more divisions.

Considering the background (or lack thereof) of the world at whole in this series, it looks to be more of a caste system or guilds. What I'm wondering is with an entire portion of the US walled off, what do outsiders think of these factions? This is a group clearly meant to fail since you have each faction boxed into specific roles for the city, and a bunch of factionless that apparently don't count at all.

Has anyone tried to dissect these books for resemblances of our own government? This series is clearly centered around fear and fear of the unknown.

Each of the factions have a different purpose and brings a fundamental element to society that the others don't. The people of Abnegation act as only selfless and giving. Candor people are truthful and open. The Amity faction is peaceful and full of kindness. The Dauntless are brave and courageous. Erudite people are very smart and are focused on research and learning.

The factions is one of the things that makes this book so intriguing. It makes you think where would I fit in if I had to choose a faction? What other things do I value that would not be a part of this faction? What about my friends, family? What about people who don't seem to fit into any of the categories? They could be successful in our world but they would be factionless and that seems pretty bleak in the world of Divergent. I think about people who use their money and social influence to run things but not necessarily are kind, seekers of knowledge, brave, certainly not truthful, and don't put others before themselves. They are who they are because of who their parents were, the money their family had and the people they know which don't really fit in Divergent.

The purpose is to create peace by having order and people in places where they excel.
These factions are divided by personality types and behaviors.

The five factions are:
1. Abnegation or selflessness: These people are humble and aren't allowed to be vain by looking in the mirror or wearing nice clothes.
2. Amity or happiness: These people were the farmers and they are happy carefree people, who go with the flow and live life without worry.
3. Erudite or knowledge: These people are the intellectuals, so they make medicine and technology.
4. Candor or honesty: These people have the need to say the truth, because the truth is essential.

and finally

5. Dauntless or bravery: These people are jumping of buildings because they need that adrenaline rush, they are the ones that face danger.

I don't think people should be grouped or labeled according to one prominent behavior or personality type. Everyone should just be free to live their lives without fear of being stigmatized, because of one action. I learned from this book that we should all learn to accept each other for who we are because the personality type you show to the outside might be different of the personality type you are with people you are comfortable with.

Abnegation are (selflessness), Amity are (happiness), Candor or (honesty), Dauntless or (brave), and Erudite or (knowledge).
i don't think that any more groups should be created because for the people who do not fit into any factions are called faction less.

I believe the purpose of the 5 factions is to have peace and organization. In reading the book there are five factions: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite.
Dauntless are those that are brace and have no fears. Abnegation are those that are selflessness. Candor are those that present honesty. Erudite are those that are knowledgeable. Amity are ones of happiness. I don't think these five factions fit all personality types. Some people as the story states (Tris) represent multiple types and shouldn't have to just choose one destiny. I feel people are to hard to understand to live as these people hard to live.