Four is more than “man candy,” says Veronica Roth
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"Tris' voice is hard, direct straightforward and repetitive -- like a man's," author Veronica Roth said of the protagonist in her "Divergent" trilogy. She appeared Sunday at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
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In between some rants and caveman talk, "Divergent" trilogy author Veronica Roth explained Sunday how she came up with the female protagonist of her dystopian coming-of-age novel.
Roth, 25, spoke at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books with Leigh Bardugo, whose books include "Shadow and Bone" and "Siege and Storm." Bardugo set the stage by explaining why young adult novels such as "Divergent" are such hits.
"That feeling never goes away of finding somewhere to belong," she said.
Borrowing from the five groups of people in Roth's books, here's a look at what Roth shared about her process, characters and message to young adult readers.
Amity (the peaceful): Four, the male partner-in-crime for Tris, was purposely well-balanced with the heroine.
"I didn't want one person's strength to require the sacrifice of the other," Roth said. "I think there can be two strong people but they have to be complicated people."
"I think it's important to show he's a human being, not just man candy." - Veronica Roth on Four
In that same vein, Four isn't a typical male. He respects Tris, respects women, Roth said, toning herself in a caveman voice. "That's appealing," she said.
At the core of her series, Roth said, is a reversal of the typical character arcs of males and females. Traditionally, female characters keep things, such as family, together. Male characters go through a journey of becoming a fully formed adult. Instead, in "Divergent," Tris is becoming her "fully realized self."
