Summary
Maxon arrives late to dinner the night of his conversation with America, and when he walks in he is in the middle of an argument with his father. Before he sits, Maxon turns to the Selected and tells them that there has been a change to the nature of their compensation for the competition. If they are a Two or a Three, they will no longer be compensated for their participation, and if they are a Four or a Five, their compensation will be less than what it had been. He tells them that anyone unsatisfied with the change is welcome to leave after the meal.
Maxon opens the Report, and tells the cameras that he has recently been made aware of the suffering outside of the palace walls, and intends to do something to rectify it. He announces the beginning of a public assistance program dedicated to combating hunger and indicates that the compensation that the women had been receiving will now be dedicated to funding that project instead. America is overwhelmed with gratitude at Maxon’s proclamation. She notes that the reaction to the announcement is mixed and that although the Queen looks proud of her son, the King is unenthusiastic with his applause. She can't understand why that might be.
When it is America’s turn to be interviewed, she notes Gavril’s oddly shaped pin. Upon being prompted by both Gavril and Maxon, she tells the story of her first interaction with Maxon. Gavril asks if she thinks her chances in the competition were hurt by her caste, and in responding that Maxon isn't like that, she forgets to call him by the appropriate title. When asked what she thinks about Maxon, a question that all the other Selected have been asked and to which most responded by calling him “nice,” America says she thinks the Prince is “the epitome of all things good” (247).
That night, Maxon visits America in her room. He asks her if she meant what she said about him, and she responds that she did. He kisses her and she responds with shock. He tells her he likes her, and that that was his first kiss. She realizes that even though she has feelings for Aspen, she could fall for Maxon, too. She tells him to kiss her again, and he complies. He asks her the question he had asked the first night—if it is possible that America might ever love him—and this time she responds that it is.
A few days later, America learns that Maxon kissed another girl. America is immediately jealous but attempts to talk herself out of that jealousy. Speaking with her friends Kriss and Tuesday, America realizes that the Selection is something they are all going through together, and this calms her.
At the reception with the royal family of Swendway, America meets the Queen’s younger sister, Adele. Adele is refreshingly unpretentious and open with the girls as speaks of the Queen’s humble beginnings. When Adele is pulled away from the conversation, two other Selected girls begin to make fun of her for being so “vulgar” (262). The conversation worries America that if she wins, living in the castle will change her. America has a tense conversation with Maxon where she lets her frustrations about the competition show, and then another tense conversation with Marlee, who is stubbornly sitting in the sun on her own. America flees inside, where she finds Adele also hiding. Adele tells America that the queen has had three miscarriages, and that was the reason Maxon was an only child. Adele tells America that she makes the queen happy and that she looks at America as if she was going to become her daughter. America decides that she will emulate the queen’s strength and not let the stress of the Selection get in the way of her relationship with Maxon.
Time passes, and America settles into a routine at the palace. 22 girls remain at the palace. Marlee confesses to America that she doesn't think she has feelings for Maxon, as they have little in common. Marlee tells America that she suspects the only reason she is still in the competition is that the public holds her in such high esteem. America suggests Marlee should tell Maxon the truth, but Marlee is reluctant to go home. A few days later, Maxon calls upon America for a date. They go to watch a movie in the theater in the palace. On the way, they pass a congregation of soldiers who have been enlisted in the draft. Aspen is among them. America tells Maxon that Aspen was from her hometown, and Maxon enthusiastically determines that he will place Aspen on the rotation to guard her room. America keeps Aspen’s true identity a secret from Maxon because she is worried that the prince will retaliate against the hurt Aspen had caused her.
Maxon throws a birthday party for Kriss and makes attendance mandatory for all the Selected. America decides to play Kriss a song on her violin as a gift. Kriss arrives at her birthday party in a dress that resembles a wedding gown. America plays her song with her eyes closed. Playing her violin is an important moment for America, as it reminds her of her worth outside of her beauty or caste status. When she opens her eyes, Maxon has arrived and is staring at her with awe. Celeste ruins the moment by purposefully spilling her drink all over Kriss’ dress, and Kriss runs from the room crying, the Prince close behind. America resolves to get Celeste out of the competition.
Analysis
Maxon’s growing affection for America is challenged by both the other competitors as well as America herself, but her determination to stay out of the spotlight is routinely undermined by her genuine connection with Maxon. During the interview, America is again given a lead among the other women for simply daring to be herself. Maxon is clearly moved to learn that America has suffered from poverty, and seems determined to do something about it on a larger scale, even though America has not suggested anything of the sort to him. Still, America continues to be blind to this affection, thinking that Maxon only keeps her around because he is amused by her presence. When she realizes, finally, that he has feelings for her and that she might reciprocate them, it is a surprise, but not an unwelcome one.
In the time following their conversation about inequality, Maxon seemed to become more assured in his position as Prince. Before the Report, America notices that he is authoritative and decisive as he plans things she is not privy to. Although America attempts to catch his eye and nonverbally communicate as they had the previous week, he resists these attempts. When he opens the Report, Maxon addresses the country on his own for the first time ever. The food assistance project that Maxon announces is a complete surprise to America, but she is overwhelmed with joy about it. It seems as though she has successfully opened his eyes to the inequality in his country: “Most of Illéa is comprised of these lower castes, and we have overlooked these people far too long,” Maxon says (242).
During his speech, Maxon calls upon those of higher castes to donate to their local Province Service Office in order to help fund the venture. It is clear that Maxon is using the tools that he has at his disposal—he can not influence the decisions of those in charge of the budget, but he can decide what occurs with the budget for the Selection, and he can openly encourage other wealthy Illéans to donate their money. There are hints that this will become a problematic venture in the future, as support for his decision is not particularly widespread.
Meeting Adele helps America place herself within the context of royalty. She realizes that to become queen is to be forced to be strong in the face of a series of personal sacrifices. She also realizes that despite her status, the queen at her core is simply a woman and a mother and that her life contains the struggles and triumphs that come from being both of those things. America knows that if she were to ascend into royalty, she will have to learn how to better manage her emotions, particularly her temper, and she begins to make a conscious effort to do so.
Marlee’s confession to America brings perspective to the competition, in that it brings up the fact that if love were to bloom between a contestant and the prince, that would have to be a two-way street. Although America thinks most of the Selected are not struggling to have feelings for the Prince, and that others will not let something as simple as their emotions get in the way of their becoming a princess, America is still hesitant to admit to her own feelings for Maxon. She struggles with the fact that even though she and Maxon are dating now, he is not committed to her and fundamentally can't be. Because of this, she requests that he not kiss her again until she is sure about her feelings for him.
Seeing Aspen furthers this dilemma for America. Part of America wants to flee the competition so that she won't have to see the man again. Part of her wants to stay because Maxon has become her closest friend over the course of the competition, and America is reluctant to cut off the compensation her family is receiving from the palace. She responds to her dilemma by hiding away in the Women’s Room, which prohibits the entry of any man unless they are expressly invited in by the queen.
