Chapter 9

The fights begin!  Tris is lucky and doesn't have to fight the first day, because there is an odd number of people.  I just want Al and Will are the first fight.  Al asks when the fight ends and Eric says when one cannot continue.  Four says that one of them could also concede. Apparently though, only in the old rules did that apply.

"A brave man acknowledges the strength of others," says Four.  "A brave man never surrenders," replies Eric.

Al ends up winning the fight with his brute strength.  Four leaves the initiates with Eric while he takes Will out of the room.  Bad move.  Molly and Christina fight next.  Molly is a transfer from Candor, and Christina has told her before she hates her.  During the fight Christina gets beat up badly.  She says she's done and gives up to save herself more pain.  Eric, who sees her surrender as cowardice, forces her to hang over the side above the raging river.  Christina has to hold onto the railing for five minutes.  If she falls she'll die, and if she refuses to do it then she becomes factionless. 

Tris and the other initiates are forced to watch.  Everytime one of Christina's hands slip Tris wants to help, but is afraid of the consequences.  It reminds her of what her father always said.

Human reason can excuse any evil; that is why it's so important that we don't rely on it.

With only a minute left Al starts to cheer Christina on and then Tris joins in.  Finally, the five minutes end and Christina lives to see another day in Dauntless.

This chapter made me so angry when I read it!  The fights are unfair, and why would you have initiates beat eachother up when they're probably going to be working together in the future.  And Eric is a sadist who obviously enjoys making people suffer.  I mean, none else would have thought to have someone hang over a dangerous river.  I'm starting to think that Four is the only Dauntless isn't completely psycho!