Chapter Two - The One With The Aptitude Test

The majority of the aptitude tests are conducted by Abnegation volunteers. What a surprise! Abnegation volunteers. Anyway, since Beatrice is a member of Abnegation, an administrator from a different faction was required so her test was administered by a woman named Tori from Dauntless. Beatrice is very nervous about the test. Beatrice notices a tattoo that Tori has and asks about what it stands for. Tori tells her it resembles a fear she has overcome and comments on how un-Abnegation her curiosity is. This makes me feel like Beatrice isn't going to be getting Abnegation as her result of the test. And what is up with all these Dauntless connections so far? Hmmm......

"Never met a curious Abnegation before."

Tori gives Beatrice a clear liquid to drink. After she drinks it, Beatrice's eyes close. The test has begun.

Tori must prefer Whoppers to Big Macs

The aptitude test consists of a few different simulated scenarios. First, there are two items placed in front of Beatrice: a knife and some cheese. A voice tells her to choose. I am assuming her choice will have a major impact. Choosing the knife most likely will indicate that she isn't afraid to be violent and the cheese probably represents wanting to be more tactical than aggressive. Beatrice is stubborn and chooses neither. I wonder how that will affect the test. I have a feeling it won't be good.

"Have it your way."

The second scenario involves an intimidating dog slowly closing in on Beatrice. If she would have chosen the cheese she could have fed it to the dog, or she could have killed the dog with the knife, but instead she finds herself with nothing. She calmly looks on as the once intimidating dog begins to playfully lick her face. It appears that she made the right decision for this part of the test. However, there is a twist. A small girl appears and runs toward the dog. The dog quickly turns hostile and sprints toward the girl. Acting quickly, leaps at the dog, risking her own life to save the little girl in a very Abnegation-esque fashion. When she leaps, the dog disappears and she hits the ground hard. 

Then comes the third, and final, simulation.  Beatrice finds herself on a bus with a man asking her if she knows who the murderer on the front of a newspaper is. Beatrice does somewhat recognize the person, but insists to the man that she doesn't. I'm pretty sure the fact that she is lying is going to negatively affect her chance at Candor. The man can tell that she is lying and tells her that if she admits that he knows who it is, it could save him. Once again, Tris denies having any knowledge and this is where the chapter ends. 

I found the aptitude test to be very interesting. I could tell that the choices that were made in the test would affect the final outcome with each choice resembling an action someone of a certain faction might do. I thought the simulations were all a little weird, but I found the bus simulation the most exotic. When the man says that telling him she knows the murderer would save him was pretty bizarre. This scene was pretty vague, maybe there will be some clarity later in the book.