Edith Prior

Edith Prior is a significant figure in the Divergent series as the mother of Natalie Prior and the grandmother of Beatrice 'Tris' Prior and Caleb Prior. Her background and choices play a crucial role in the story's exploration of faction identity and sacrifice.

Quick Facts

Affiliation: Erudite
First appears: Allegiant (Novel)

Lore & Background

Edith was born into Erudite, a faction that values knowledge and logic. She married an Erudite man and raised her daughter Natalie within the faction. However, her daughter later fell in love with Andrew Prior, a Dauntless-born man, and transferred to Dauntless. Edith's Erudite background and her daughter's choices highlight the complex interplay between faction loyalty and family bonds.

Reader's Guide

Before the Factions were established, society was fractured by war and chaos. The founders created the faction system to bring order, believing that dividing people by their virtues would prevent further conflict. Edith Prior lived during this transition, witnessing the rise of Erudite's dominance and the subsequent rebellion led by Jeanine Matthews. Her motivations were deeply personal; she sought a life where her children could thrive without the burden of factional prejudice.

By choosing Dauntless with Thomas, she rejected the cold logic of Erudite in favor of a community that valued action over theory. This decision ultimately cost her life during the initial conflict between the factions. Hidden truths revealed later show that Edith's lineage was not just about survival but about preserving Divergence. Her children inherited traits from both sides, making them unique targets for those who sought to control or eliminate such individuals.

Did You Know?

She appears in the video message left for Tris in the 'Allegiant' novel, revealing the truth about the faction system.
Edith was a key figure in the Erudite faction and helped preserve the knowledge of the city's origins.