Contents
Chapter 10: Beatrice
Overview
Abnegation initiation begins with a month of silent service, leaving Beatrice restless and questioning stasis. A nocturnal discovery of a council photo confirms she saw Evelyn Eaton alive during the attack. Summoned to the Memory Vault, Beatrice’s father orders an excision to remove that memory. Beatrice’s Divergence lets her resist, and she feigns amnesia, realizing her father’s complicity and the danger of memory tampering.
Summary
After dinner, Abnegation instructors Eleanor and Benjamin gather the initiates and announce that the month-long initiation of rotating service posts will be conducted in complete silence. The group reacts with dread as Benjamin frames it as a unifying challenge. That night the initiates share last conversations before silence begins.
The next morning opens with strenuous silent meditation and a cooperative, wordless breakfast. Beatrice organizes cooking and reflects uneasily on sameness. When assignments are given, she’s frustrated to receive the factionless donation center again. Working alongside Mary and under her mother’s supervision, Beatrice performs clothing triage and laundering, unsettled by the lack of change and watching subtle courtship among initiates.
Days repeat: meditation, silent service, and evening activities she sidelines. Restless and sleepless, Beatrice roams headquarters at night, finding unused spaces. On the third night she discovers a reading room with historical photos and recognizes Evelyn Eaton beside Marcus and their son, confirming the woman she saw armed during the attack was Evelyn.
The next morning, Beatrice’s father summons her to the Memory Vault, where Marcus Eaton and Councilor Abigail Baker collect attack testimonies for Candor investigators. Beatrice recounts the chaos and the armed “Amity” woman; pressed, she admits the woman looked like Evelyn. Marcus scoffs, but Beatrice insists, citing the photo she found.
After Marcus and Abigail step out, Beatrice’s father asks her to offer memories. He quietly requests an excision—erasure of her Evelyn memory. As the Vault rewinds her recollection toward forgetting, Beatrice fights the process, forcing the memory forward. Realizing her Divergence blocks full control, she pretends compliance when she surfaces. Her father records a bland version; Beatrice says nothing more, recognizing he tried to erase her memory and that Abnegation is indeed tampering with memories.
Who Appears
- BeatriceAbnegation initiate; struggles with silent service, confirms Evelyn is alive, resists a forced memory excision using Divergence, then feigns amnesia.
- Andrew (Beatrice’s father)Abnegation leader; gently questions Beatrice, then orders a memory excision to remove her Evelyn sighting, revealing complicity.
- Marcus EatonCouncil leader; skeptical of Beatrice’s claim about Evelyn, supports proceeding with the excision.
- Councilor Abigail BakerCouncilor facilitating attack testimonies; grants exception to silence and moderates questioning.
- EleanorInitiation instructor; announces the month of silent service and emphasizes learning by doing.
- BenjaminBoys’ instructor; explains service rotations and the initiation’s enforced silence.
- Beatrice’s motherSupervises the donation center; assigns Beatrice to clothing intake and processing.
- MaryFellow initiate assigned to the donation center with Beatrice; well-meaning but slow.
- EustaceInitiate who helps with breakfast; flirts with Mary, hinting at Abnegation courtship.
- SusanInitiate; appears exhausted, helps Beatrice at breakfast, knits at night.
- ConstanceTentative initiate; questions the Penalty of Silence and marks days on a calendar.
- MarthaAnxious initiate; asks about consequences for breaking silence.
- Evelyn EatonPresumed-dead Abnegation woman seen armed during the attack; confirmed by photo; target of the attempted excision.
- CalebBeatrice’s brother; appears in her memory after the attack, delivering news of Robert’s death.