Post by Trixxy~<3 on Jul 31, 2013 1:40:05 GMT
ABNEGATION: THE SELFLESS
ABNEGATION
Abnegation is one of the five factions in the world of Divergent, the one and only faction dedicated to selflessness and forgetting oneself for the sake of others. Their substance in the Choosing Ceremony is grey stones.
HISTORY
FORMATION
Abnegation was formed by those who blamed selfishness for human nature’s errors. They believe in selfless actions and attaining peace through the elimination of selfless actions and attaining peace through the elimination of selfishness. By doing so, they choose to completely forget themselves and only serve others.
DIVERGENT
Abnegation is the faction that the main protagonist, Trist, was born into. As such, it holds importance to the novel’s plot. Four is also Divergent. The selflessness, the protagonist was brought up with what gave her strength in her new faction. During the end of the novel, Abnegation was overthrown by an alliance between Erudite and Dauntless causing a collapse of the government. Most of its leaders were killed during the initial confrontation while few were able to flee to Amity.
However, the Abnegation’s main leader. Marcus Eaton was not killed. After the war, the remaining Abnegation left and stayed with other factions, like Candor and Amity, or became Factionless.
DESCRIPTION
VIRTUE
Abnegation value the virtue of selflessness over any other. Abnegation initiates upon attaining membership are forced to reject a life of vanity and self-indulgence, protecting themselves from greed and envy which are considered forms of selfishness. Gossiping, using the mirror for long periods of time and buying luxury items are forbidden. As an Abnegation, the focus of their lives will be in serving others instead of themselves, anything done for self-enjoyment is thereby discouraged. Abnegations are usually very quiet as they don’t like to call attention to themselves and they find joy in helping others.
Members are expected to be compliant to others at all times, even if that person is in Abnegation as well. They take the stairs and allow the elevators to be used by others. It is not unnatural for strangers on the streets to see as Abnegation helping them with anything such as carrying their groceries or treating their injury. Immoral actions are not a trait for Abnegation such as the usage of guns for violence. The faction mandates that gins be only used for self-defense. Their morally incorruptible quality makes them the only reasonable faction to be able to govern the city as political leaders. Because of their apparent submissive nature, it oftentimes allows other factions to think of them as weak.
PHYSICAL TRAITS
Abnegation, despite being seen as peaceful, neutral, and calm, has a fierce ongoing rivalry with the Erudite. Abnegation is in charge of the government, and the Erudite, who seek power, believe that they are in face selfish people who only provide for their own faction. It is rare for a child born into Abnegation to transfer to Erudite and vice-versa, though it has been seem before, for example, Caleb Prior switched to Erudite. This means that parents and family of the Abnegation who switch to Erudite cannot visit their children as Erudite have banned Abnegation from entering their compound.
Stiff is slang for Abnegation, and is commonly used by the Dauntless to describe those from Abnegation. Abnegation transfers to Dauntless are rare, so Beatrice Prior’s choice was fairly radical one. The Dauntless have little respect for the peace and seeming weakness and cowardice of the Abnegation; the Abnegation would likely have little to do with Dauntless, as their faction provides the defense and military for all the faction, and the Abnegation do not approve of violence or weapons, as weapons, even used for self-defense, are self-serving.
Abnegation was discovered to be on good terms with the Amity in the past.
Abnegation’s relationship with Candor is more or less unknown.
ABNEGATION MANIFESTO
“I will be my undoing if I become my obsession. I will forget the ones I love if I do not serve them. I will war with others if I refuse to see the. Therefore I choose to turn away from my reflection, To rely not on myself But on my brothers and sisters, To project always outward Until I disappear.”*
(*Some members add a final line: “And only God remains.” That is at the discretion of each member, and is not compulsory.)
ABNEGATION INITIATION
Abnegation’s initiation ceremony is a quiet affair. The initiates, who spend thirty days performing community services before they can become full members, sit side by side on a bench. One of the older members reads the Abnegation manifesto, and then all of the older members wash the initiate’s feet. They all share a meal, each person serving food to the person on his left.
TRIVIA
- Bow heads when greeting is a form of respect to one another.
- Members are only allowed to stand in front of the mirror on the second day of every third month for a haircut.
- Families move together in harmony, after dinner parties everyone in attendance help to clean-up afterwards.
- The houses in the Abnegation sector are all the same size and shape.
- Not every family is religious, but some are.
- Taught that physical contact is powerful, displayed affection is rare.
- Children aren’t supposed to speak at the dinner table unless their parents ask them a direct question. Their listening ears are a gift to their parents, and then after dinner their parents give them the gift of their listening ears in the living room.
- Co-eds never sleep in the same room.
- Don’t believe in decorating rooms. They see art at impractical, and its appreciation is time that could be spent serving others.
- Don’t form real friendships because it is hard to do when no one feels like they can accept help or talk about themselves.
- On Visiting Day, initiates are allowed to visit their families and to visit with them as adults for the first time. They don’t need permission to speak, and are allowed to ask questions at the dinner table.
- Their funerals are a somber occasion. Everyone gathers to support the family of the deceased. There is no laughter, shouting, or joking.
- Most of what they eat is frozen or canned because the farms are far away.
- Eat dinner at the table. They always pass food to the right and wait to eat until everyone has been served.
- Eat plain food and don’t drink alcohol.
- Believe kisses are not meant to be shared in public.
- View suicide as an act of selfishness because someone who is truly selfless does not think of himself often enough to desire death.
- Guilt is used as a tool, rather than a weapon against the self. They use it to remind themselves to do a better job next time.
- They don’t celebrate birthdays because it would be self-indulgent.
- Wear gray clothes and gray robes.
- In Dauntless slang they are called “Stiffs” one perfect example would be Tris since she is called that in both books, but not as much around the end of Insurgent.
ABNEGATION: THE SELFLESS
Definition: 1. to refuse or deny oneself (some rights, conveniences, etc.); reject; renounce. 2. To relinquish; give up.
Traits: Sit quietly and wait. Bow heads, a sign of respect, when greeting each other. Not manipulative, but not forthright.
Physical Traits: Clothing is all gray and simple. The only adornment allowed is a watch. Female abnegation typically wears their hair in a bun/knot.
Rapport: Rivals with the Erudite Faction.
Leaders: [1] ________
[2] _______
[3] _______
[4] _______
[5] _______
