While family may set the stage, it is our own choices that write the scripts of who we become. Novels Educated, by Tara Westover and Divergent, by Veronica Roth, both share a common theme of having to leave their family behind, to pursue a dream further from home. Family does not define who a person is, or who they will become.

In Educated, Tara defies her family’s wishes to stay at Bucks peak and work at the Junkyard for the rest of her days. Instead, she becomes something greater in the ‘’real-world’’. When Tara was growing up, she never thought she would go to school and eventually join the rest of society, until Tyler planted the seed of curiosity. When Tara got accepted into BYU against her father’s adversity, she couldn’t believe it. ‘’There was no mistake. Somehow – and a miracle was the only way I could account for it – I’d done it…I resolved to never again work for my father.’’ (Westover, 148). Gene had done everything in his power to prevent Tara from going to school and keep her in the junkyard. It would have been difficult for Tara to stay at Bucks peak, as life was only getting worse by the day. It was the first time that Tara stood up against her father and did something with her own intentions in mind for once. Tara started to become her own person and not let the dramatic issues at Bucks peak chain her down. Secondly in Educated, Tara eventually moved on from her life at Bucks peak and was forced to temporarily cut ties with her family to pursue her education. Tara was attempting to expose the truth of Shawn and Genes abuse, and in the midst of her family feud she began to fail her PHD. Tara struggled with staying out of the fights and she always ended up being dragged into it, until she wrote an email to Gene and “Between insults and fits of temper, I said I needed a year to heal myself.’’ While Faye pleaded for another option, Tara resisted the pull back into the drama. Westover, 313.) All of the stress piled on her back, and the burdens her family had placed on her nearly brought her right back to where she started. Tara had to cut ties for 1 year with her family to focus on herself and pull her life back together. She is unable to be free while under the influence of her family. Whom people grow up with does not mean they have to agree with their ideals, or to be like them.

Likewise in Divergent, Tris had to make a choice of leaving her family to make her happy or staying with them to please her family. Tris was convincing herself she would choose Abnegation, regardless of her aptitude results. Until she received her confusing divergence results, Tris was truly lost in her options. She spiraled in this impossible dilemma until her selection day; ‘’I left Abnegation because I wasn’t selfless enough, no matter how hard I tried to be.’’ (Roth, 336). Tris knew she wanted to stay with her family, but she knew deep down that she would be chained down in Abnegation, a place she doesn’t belong. She would find herself looking outside and see the Dauntless jumping from rooftops and feel jealous of their adventurous lifestyle. She began to understand that she had to leave her family to pursue her dreams, regardless of what they thought of her. Furthermore, in Divergent, Tris chooses Dauntless and becomes independent from her family, and makes a new one. ‘’I didn’t jump off the roof because I wanted to be like dauntless. I jumped off because I was already like them, and I wanted to show myself to them.” (Roth, 293). She always knew inside that there was something pulling her in the Dauntless direction, away from Abnegation and her family. An urge to become who she truly wanted to be, not what her parents or brother want her to be. Tris even started to believe in ‘’Faction before blood’’. This shows how big of a desire she had to spread her wings and explore life outside of Abnegation. Tris had to make a choice, lie to herself to please her family, or do what she wants to potentially ruin her relationship with her family. In the end Tris does what is right for herself, and what makes her happy.

The novels Educated and Divergent both prove that just because their family is a certain way, doesn’t mean they have to be the same. Both characters defied their families with an end goal in mind. They had 2 opposing circumstances, yet they had similar paths. Tara searched for safety, and further education away from home that ultimately led her to great success later in life. In contrast, Tris had a loving and caring family with Abnegation, yet she didn’t fit it. She knew she was bound for something more, something greater and she had to leave her family behind to achieve that. In the end, both characters needed a change, and had to make a sacrifice that not many are willing to make, and such a young age.