Line #36 Literature/TheSelection


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6	[[quoteright:265:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_selection_cover_candy_5332.jpg]]
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8	The Selection is a YoungAdult [[{{Dystopia}} dystopian]] romance trilogy by Kiera Cass, consisting of ''The Selection'', ''The Elite'', and ''The One''. There are also four companion novellas, ''The Prince'' (told from Prince Maxon's point of view), ''The Guard'' (told from Aspen Leger's point of view), ''The Queen'' (told from Queen Amberly's point of view) and ''The Favorite'' (told from Marlee's point of view). The four are collected in an anthology titled ''Happily Ever After'', which includes bonus content.
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10	In the country of Illea (formerly America) your caste determines everything from your job to your quality of life, and there's little chance for moving upward. Except for The Selection: when the crown prince comes of age, thirty-five girls are picked in a random draw to compete for the chance at winning his heart and becoming Illea's future queen.
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12	For America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means leaving behind the love of her life, Aspen, and entering a strange new world where her every action is watched and judged. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself - and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
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14	In August 2014, Kiera Cass [[http://www.kieracass.com/home/2014/8/14/huge-news.html announced]] she would be writing two more full length books in the series, which take place twenty years after the trilogy. The two are titled ''The Heir'' and ''The Crown''.
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16	Creator/TheCW had unsuccessfully attempted to adapt the novels twice. Before the first book was even released, the network ordered a PilotMovie starring Creator/AimeeTeegarden as America, Creator/EthanPeck as Maxon, and Creator/WilliamMoseley as Aspen, but it was ultimately not picked up. In 2013, The CW ordered another pilot movie, which starred Creator/YaelGrobglas as America, but, again, it was not picked up. By 2020, it was reported that Creator/{{Netflix}} is developing an adaptation, though there are no news about the cast yet.
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19	!!The books provide examples of:
20	* AbusiveParents: Maxon's father (Clarkson) is emotionally abusive, and ''his'' parents (Porter and Abby) were at the very least abusive to each other. [[spoiler:Maxon's father is revealed to be physically abusive as well.]]
21	* ActionGirl: Georgia, who is part of the Northern rebels and can hold herself in a heist pretty well.
22	* AerithAndBob: Character names range from Ashley and Lucy to Gavril and Amberly.
23	* AnAesop:
24	** Abuse sometimes comes in cycles. While it's never explicitly stated whether King Clarkson was abused, it's probably likely considering his parents' problems: his father was implied to almost hit his mother, his mother is constantly drunk, and those two things probably culminated in quite a lot of emotional-and perhaps physical-turmoil. That shaped him to be Maxon's abuser, but thankfully the cycle stopped with him.
25	** Life will throw rocks at you, but you will get up and heal and become stronger. After Natalie loses her sister in a rebel invasion, she completely breaks down and leaves the Selection. Her family is utterly broken by her sister's murder, with her parents even considering divorce. Natalie reminds them that her sister wouldn't have wanted this, and they eventually pick themselves up. She goes on to start her own business, becoming successful and happy.
26	** Sometimes your first love won't work out, and that's okay. Kriss was pretty upset over Maxon marrying America, but she eventually meets a man she loves and marries him.
27	* AfterActionPatchUp: After [[spoiler: Maxon gets beaten by his father, he and America have to hide underneath due to rebel attacks, he exposes his injured back to her, to which she tends to.]]
28	* AllForNothing: [[spoiler: what the New Asia war was]].
29	* AllLoveIsUnrequited: Daphne for Maxon
30	* AllTakeAndNoGive: ''The Queen'' paints Clarkson and Amberly’s relationship as this. It’s easy to read Clarkson’s reasons for choosing Amberly as ‘you do what I say without question,’ while Amberly gets, and expects, nothing in return.
31	* AllWomenArePrudes: Illea believes in ladies maintaining their purity until marriage, and any act before is considered a crime.
32	* AlphaBitch: Celeste, until she mellows out - but only slightly.
33	** Queen Abby, who physically assaults some of the girls in Clarkson's selection.
34	* AmbiguouslyBrown: Amberly and [[spoiler:Eadlyn]], who are both mentioned to have olive toned skin. Amberly also comes from Honduraga, sounding very much like the real country, Honduras.
35	* AmbiguouslyJewish: America's father was named Shalom and the Singer family used to be the Cohen family. WordOfGod confirms that the Singers are of Jewish decent.
36	* AmicableExes: Aspen and America. Despite all the drama, in the future, they are relatively good friends, and Aspen and Maxon respect each other quite a lot.
37	* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Josie is one to Eadlyn despite them not actually being sisters. She is also one to her real sibling, Kile.
38	** May is one for America, with her constant teasing about Maxon.
39	* AttemptedRape: [[spoiler: It's revealed Lucy, one of America's maids, was grabbed by a southern rebel during a massive raid on the palace. It's unclear how far he got before getting shot dead by a palace guard.]]
40	* ArrangedMarriage: A few examples. Illea’s princesses are married to princes of other nations to secure allies, and Daphne's father chooses her suitors, though she got the final say.
41	** Maxon’s Selection could be seen as this. Most of the Selected were picked by Clarkson himself. America was truly one of the few chosen at random.
42	* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler: King Clarkson gets killed off, yet it's hard to feel bad for him when he's abused his son since he was a young child, in one instance making it seem like a guard started roughhousing with Maxon, getting him fired, and continuously treating his wife like shit throughout their marriage.]]
43	* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Anne may seem serious and business-like to Mary and Lucy, but during Lucy's panic attack she's there trying to comfort her.
44	** Magda seems like she doesn't love Shalom, yet she makes a remark about how even though she wasn't in the previous Selection, she was lucky enough to find him.
45	* BabiesEverAfter:
46	** Maxon and America have four in the upcoming books, twins Eadlyn and Ahren and sons Kaden and Osten. Eadlyn is the elder of the twins by seven minutes - which means ''she's'' the heir to the throne.
47	** [[spoiler: A bonus epilogue in ''The Crown'' reveals Eadlyn and Eikko (Erik) have a daughter and another child on the way.]]
48	%%* BetaCouple: [[spoiler: Aspen/Lucy and Carter/Marlee.]]
49	%%** [[spoiler:America and Maxon become this in The Heir.]]
50	* TheBet: Maxon tells America if May doesn't cry from eating the pastries, they will go on a garden walk together.
51	%%* BettyAndVeronica: Maxon (Betty) vs. Aspen (Veronica). [[spoiler:Maxon wins.]] Celeste (Veronica) to America (Betty).
52	* BerserkButton: Marlee is one for America. After her caning, Celeste calls her a whore, to which America ''loses'' it, giving her one hell of a slap, even going to the point of ''smashing a saucer against her head.''
53	** America is one for Maxon. It's implied Janelle was kicked out for badmouthing America.
54	* BadassInDistress: America isn't the strongest, yet she's the most determined and resourceful and was able to outrun a group of rebels. However, she finds herself in many situations where she has to be saved.
55	* BitchAlert: Celeste arrives trying to scare the other girls, and during the limo drive flat out implies that she thinks Marlee slept with some people in order for them to adore her.
56	* BlackSheep: America's brother Gerad isn't artistic. Too bad he's a Five, so it's the only career path he can take.
57	* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Marlee and Natalie, Kriss and Celeste, America.
58	* BreakTheCutie: Marlee, who is caught having an affair with Carter, has to be caned and possibly live in the streets for the rest of her life.
59	** Lucy having a panic attack during a rebel invasion. Up until now, she was just the kind, sweet maid.
60	** May having to see two people get caned on their hands and back. To top it off, Celeste's parents make classist remarks towards her and her family.
61	* BrokenAce: Maxon is handsome and charming, yet has to deal with a verbally abusive father who constantly undermines him and fears he cannot do anything perfectly.
62	* CantKillYouStillNeedYou: Elise, but to a nonviolent extent. The reason she's still in The Elite when Maxon shows no interest (and shows more annoyance) towards her is because of her ties to New Asia, a country that King Clarkson wants to keep a hold on.
63	* CannotTalkToWomen: Played with. Maxon is capable of talking with girls, he just doesn't know what to say when they cry.
64	* ChekhovsGun: King Clarkson rigging the Selection, as early on the applications ask for the contestant's language skills. If it truly were a lottery, these things wouldn't need to be known.
65	* ColorMotif: While unintentional, since America was named after the former fallen nation, her appearance seems reminiscent of the US' flag: she has red hair and wears mostly blue in the first part of The Selection.
66	* CoolUncle: Inverted. May becomes one for Eadlyn.
67	* CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds: Aspen [[spoiler: gets paired with Lucy, and the other girls of the Elite, except for Natalie, get married as well.]]
68	* ClingyJealousGirl: America starts acting very jealous when Maxon starts spending time with Kriss.
69	* CourtlyLove: Due to Illea's strict laws about pre-marital sex, the Selection is essentially this.
70	* TheCynic: Clarkson. He has a very negative outlook on life, and seems to pity Amberly when she tries to encourage him to become better, saying how it's "adorable" she thinks that's all it takes.
71	* DaddysGirl: America. She's shown to talk about her feelings mostly with him, and even tearfully hugs him when she leaves.
72	** Eadlyn as well. She's incredibly close with her father, as they talk business and political affairs, and she specifically tells Aspen to make sure her father eats.
73	* DatingWhatDaddyHates: Maxon is a male example, continuously seeing America although his father hates her.
74	* DarkerAndEdgier: What the TV series wanted to be. The pilot aged everyone up and gave it a more "adult" tone, made Maxon into a JerkWithAHeartOfGold, Illea a more obviously oppressive nation, and added a subplot about Celeste's family wanting to usurp the monarchy.
75	* ADayInTheLimelight: Maxon, Amberly, Aspen and Marlee are all given their own novellas from their perspective.
76	* DefrostingIceQueen: Eadlyn starts becoming more compassionate and amiable throughout her Selection.
77	* DeusExMachina / DiabolusExMachina: Just as it seems there's no way out for America, who has to either leave the competition or abandon her principles to spread King Clarkson's propaganda, [[spoiler: a terrorist shooting breaks out and the king is assassinated]].
78	* TheDitz: Maxon stresses to America that the Illea's diaries and the room they're found in are top secrets. Not only does she reveal their existence ''twice'' (once to her father and once on ''national TV'') she has the gall to be surprised there are consequences for her ''and'' Maxon.
79	* DumbBlonde: Natalie, who suggests that to solve the country's rebel problem, they could [[InsaneTrollLogic ban the rebels.]]
80	* EveryoneCanSeeIt: No matter how many times America says that she's just Maxon's friend to help with relationship advice, everyone can see how much Maxon likes her, and how much she likes him as well.
81	* EveryoneLovesBlondes: Marlee is a fan favorite amongst the people to win the Selection. [[spoiler:That quickly changes after she's revealed to be having an affair with Carter (one of the guards).]]
82	* {{Expy}}: Aspen is basically [[Literature/TheHungerGames Gale]] and Gavril Fadaye is [[Literature/TheHungerGames Caesar Flickerman]].
83	* ExtremeDoormat: Elise, to a lesser extent. While she doesn't let anyone trample all over her, and even has her own take on Marlee's situation, Maxon tells America that she concedes his every opinion, to his annoyance.
84	* FantasticCasteSystem: In Illea your entire life is determined by which caste you're born into. Women automatically assume their husband's caste upon marriage, much like how traditional surnames work. It's possible to move up through marriage, being drafted into the army (automatic Two), and the Selection (Three when drawn from the lottery, Two if you make it to the Elite, One if you win), but these are all rare.
85	** One - royalty or equal to it.
86	** Two - celebrities, socialites, professional athletes.
87	** Three - Unknown, presumably intellectuals and the educated, such as teachers, professors, and doctors.
88	** Four - shopkeepers and business owners.
89	** Five - artists, craftsmen, and musicians.
90	** Six - indoor workers and domestic servants.
91	** Seven - outdoor workers, manual laborers.
92	** Eight - the homeless and those who have committed serious crimes, also those born out of wedlock to mixed castes.
93	* AFatherToHisMen: Inverted. Amberly often acts like a surrogate mother figure towards the Elite.
94	* {{Foreshadowing}}:
95	** [[spoiler: Marlee's secret love affair with Carter. We're treated to moments such as her standing in the burning sun, unknown to the reader that it's because Carter is near]].
96	** In ''The Heir'' it's mentioned that Kenna, America's older sister, passed away between series from cardiac problems like their father. [[spoiler:The book ends with America suffering a heart-attack after discover Ahren eloped with his long-time ladylove...who he was probably going to marry anyway...]]
97	* FireAndIceLoveTriangle: Maxon, the sophisticated and soft-hearted prince to Aspen, the independent and resilient Six.
98	** Kriss and America. While Kriss is the daughter of a professor and is more even-tempered and conservative, America is from a family of artists and is hot-tempered and more liberal.
99	* FirstGirlWins: [[spoiler: America met Maxon first, and she married him]].
100	* FourTemperamentEnsemble: The final four again. Celeste (Choleric/Melancholic), America (Sanguine/Choleric), Kriss (Sanguine/Phlegmatic) and Elise (Phlegmatic/Melancholic).
101	* FreudianExcuse: As we see in The Queen, Clarkson's abusive home life has shaped who he is. It might explain why he's so controlling over many things (i.e., Maxon's work) because he never had control in his palace when he was younger. It also shows why he's so against America. He saw no order in his life, and he finally instills it in his palace. Then a fiery and reckless girl comes along with no sense of order, and he thinks she'll just put the palace back to where it was before. He admits to Amberly that the reason he wants to become king is because of the "order and that my word is definitely".
102	* [[spoiler:HeelFaceDoorSlam: Celeste.]]
103	* {{Foil}}: Camille and Eadlyn. Both are future queens of their country, but while Camille is sweet and kind and beloved by her people, Eadlyn is cold and snobbish and is very much disliked throughout Illea.
104	** America and Celeste. While both girls are determined and not afraid to say what's on their mind, America is from a lower caste and treats most people, especially her maids, with respect, while Celeste is from a rich family and tries to intimidate the other girls and treats her maids like trash.
105	* FounderOfTheKingdom: Gregory Illea created the country named after him after the Fourth World War.
106	* GoldDigger: Many of the Selection girls seem to care more about Maxon's status as a prince rather than the man himself.
107	* GratuitousPrincess: Dystopia - with princesses! Also, when America is thinking of marrying Maxon, she always refers to herself as "becoming a princess" rather than a queen.
108	* HappilyEverAfter: [[spoiler: America and Maxon marry and have four kids, Marlee and Carter get to live in the castle with her best friend and have two children. In the sequel books Eadlyn and Eikko marry and in a bonus epilogue have a daughter with a second child on the way.]]
109	* HappilyMarried: America's older sister Kenna and her husband James, and later [[spoiler: Marlee and Carter, America and Maxon, Eadlyn and Erik, Kaden and Josie]].
110	* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Marlee and Lucy.
111	* HeirClubForMen: Illea's princesses marry foreign royals for alliances, though it's never mentioned if the prince becomes HeirInLaw. And if individuals of different Castes marry, the woman apparently marries into her husbands Caste. The idea of Aspen marrying into America's family never comes up.
112	* HeroicBSOD: America after Marlee's caning. She starts questioning whether she wants to be queen or not, pushes her maids away, and sobs into her bed all day.
113	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Both Maxon and his mother make them to protect America and the King respectively. Maxon lives. His mother doesn't.]]
114	* HiddenDepths: Kriss [[spoiler:is a member of the Northern rebels - and so was America's father.]]
115	** Anne, one of America's maids. She's bitter towards Lucy's idealistic dreams because she wants them- a happy marriage, a happy family- but is very bitter because she has no hope of achieving them. She's a servant, and she feels stuck in her position.
116	* {{Hypocrite}}:
117	** America gets upset when Maxon sees Kriss or Celeste, but she’s been seeing Aspen behind his back whenever things get too difficult for her.
118	** The only real reason why [[spoiler:Ahren elopes with Princess Camille]] is because Eadlyn wouldn't have let him marry her otherwise. There is nothing to suggest a marriage between the two wouldn't have been accepted by everyone ''but'' Eadlyn. Yet, Eadlyn spends most of the book moaning about ''her'' autonomy and its importance.
119	* IAmNotPretty: America's narration drops this trope verbatim in the first book.
120	* IdenticalGrandson: Well, granddaughter. It’s explained early on that Eadlyn has a strong resemblance to Amberly.
121	* IDidWhatIHadToDo: Maxon's attitude towards Marlee and Carter's caning. The only other option was death.
122	* IJustWantToBeLoved: Maxon and America don't care about castes, just for finding the person who truly values them.
123	* InformedJudaism: According to WordOfGod the Singer's would have been Jewish had Gregory Illea had not made the systems he did. Reader's would never know beyond Shalom Singer's name. This carries... implications.
124	* InformedPoverty:
125	** The Singer's financial situation comes off as this. Despite America explaining that they're in the tough period of the year, they're well off enough to afford chicken and tea. Well enough for America and May to develop a SweetTooth. Well of enough to have a house that can fit five kids and a treehouse in the backyard. And well enough to afford a TV. But they apparently don't have enough for seconds. A little later Magda bribes America with half the money she makes for the family for each job they do, but there's no talk about how this will affect the family beyond Magda looking hesitant. And once she has this money, she splurges on sweets and extra food instead of putting it aside to marry Aspen. So it ends up coming across as...not ''great'' just a tad difficult.
126	** Also Aspen. He's apparently worse off than America's family, yet he pays her a penny every time she sings for him (with no indication if a penny in Illea is worth the same as a penny in modern America) and America just accepts the payment despite knowning how much his family needs the money. And when America makes Aspen food he throws a fit because ''he's'' supposed to be the provider despite being "hungry".
127	* InMemoriam: In-Universe. America named the ladies room the [[spoiler: Newsome Library]] after [[spoiler: Celeste]].
128	* IfYouEverDoAnythingToHurtHer: [[spoiler:Celeste warns Maxon that if he hurts America, she'll make him cry.]]
129	* ItsAllMyFault: How America feels towards Marlee's situation. She felt that she wasn't there for her friend and that if she were, perhaps Marlee would've been spared from her terrible fate.
130	* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: [[spoiler: Henri does it for both Eadlyn and Eikko/Erik in ''The Crown''. He loves Eadlyn and is best friends with Eikko and steps aside for the two to be together.]]
131	* KilledOffScreen: Both America's father and older sister, both from cardiac problems.
132	* JerkAss: America's brother Kota and King Clarkson. Also Celeste, at first, trying to sabotage the other contestants and making snide remarks at the lower castes.
133	* JerkassHasAPoint: While King Clarkson is a philandering husband and abusive father, he may not have been too in the wrong when it comes to America being queen. When her task is too hard, she simply puts it aside instead of working through it. She reveals Illea's diary, even though Maxon told her to keep it secret, and did it without thinking much about the repercussions. The King is a total douchebag, but if America acts this hotheaded, impulsive, and dismissive, it's no wonder he doesn't see her fit to be queen.
134	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Celeste, after her CharacterDevelopment in ''The One''.
135	* LadyInRed: The other contestants and their stylists notice that America, who is quickly becoming Maxon's favorite, has a preference for blue, and so they all request a blue dress for a television broadcast. America's maids notice this and create a crimson red dress for her instead, making her stand out. Said dress can be seen on the cover of ''The Elite.''
136	** Queen Amberly was also known for favoring red dresses during her selection, although she goes for a darker, more wine-like shade.
137	* LooseLips: '''America''' . To the point it's a wonder her affair with Aspen lasted as long, [[spoiler:and even then, Maxon says he suspected something]]. To wit, Maxon let's America know about [[spoiler: a hidden room where Gregory Illea's diaries and a computer where old world data is kept]]. Maxon makes it clear that this is top secret and America can't tell anyone... only for her to tell her father for the flimsy excuse of "he's my dad" and [[spoiler:on ''national television'']]. In that case America has the absolute ''gall'' to act surprise that Clarkson, who had [[spoiler:Marlee publicly canned for her affair with Carter]], is furious about this and later [[spoiler:take it out on Maxon for telling her in the first place]]. It's only by sheer dumb luck that [[spoiler:revealing the diaries existance to her father and on TV]] helps in the end. She later let's it slip that she saw Maxon with his shirt off and has to ''actively remind herself'' not to mention [[spoiler:the whip marks]] on his back.
138	* LoveAtFirstSight: [[spoiler: ''The Prince'' strongly implies this was the case for Maxon towards America.]]
139	* MarriageOfConvenience: Clarkson seemed to be going for this by [[spoiler:hand picking the majority of the Selected girls.]] Most notably Elise, who has relations in New Asia.
140	* MeaningfulName:
141	** America, because she is a fighter, and Singer because [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin she's a musician]].
142	** Tiny's appearance and demeanor live up to her name.
143	** [[ShapedLikeItself Anna Farmer is a farmer]].
144	* MoralityPet: Amberly to Clarkson. While he can be controlling in their relationship, he's shown to put a protective arm around her when rebels are invading, and Gavril points out that while he never really liked Clarkson, he says he's never seen someone care so much about someone as he has seen Clarkson do for her.
145	* NiceGirl: Amberly, sweet girl. Even when her future mother-in-law is abrasive to the Selection girls, pulls a contestant out ''by the hair'', and even ''slaps Amberly'', Amberly never once thought bad about her, even expressing a little bit of sympathy for her stressful situation. After she's slapped, the first thing she does is ask if her friend is okay. She goes out of her way to comfort America after Marlee's caning, almost acting like a mother figure to her.
146	** Marlee, who is quick to befriend the other girls in the Selection and is super sweet to everyone.
147	* NiceGuy: Maxon. When he's pressured by his father to make an early elimination, he does this in a very awkward way, ending it in more of a question. He apologizes profusely, and when the girls ask him if it's because of their appearance, he states in a confused manner he never even noticed.
148	** Henri, who acts polite and pleasant towards Eadlyn, and even helps her when people are throwing vegetables at her.
149	* NiceToTheWaiter: America is kind to her maids, Anne, Lucy and Mary because she comes from a low caste herself and understands what it's like. Most notably, when there is a rebel raid on the palace she insists they come with her to the safe room that's supposed to be reserved for royalty, Selection girls, and high ranking officials - then tells their superior where to shove it when the woman demands they start serving drinks.
150	** [[spoiler: Eadlyn is very kind to servants and treats her maid Neena very well. It's an early sign that despite some of Eadlyn's more snobbish qualities she is, in fact, a good person.]]
151	* NoSexAllowed: Sex before marriage is a serious enough crime to put you in prison. And since there's no birth control for the lower castes, most people marry young.
152	* NotLikeOtherGirls: America is particularly bad about this in the early stages of the Selection, thinking she's the only girl who doesn't want to be there, she's not "over-the-top" like all the others -- even thinking she might be the only candidate who had to be warned not to turn the prince down, because all the others aren't just interested in dating him, but happy to make themselves sexually available any time he asks. And apparently, America is the only one out of thirty-four other girls who did not want her looks changed.
153	* NotSoAboveItAll: America initially says she isn't going to go the extra lengths for Maxon's affection or be jealous of him, yet come ''The Elite'' and ''The One'' and she tries to wear a revealing red dress to try to seduce Maxon, and gets jealous over Celeste dancing with him and Kriss spending time with him.
154	* ObliviouslyBeautiful: America thinks she's plain and mousy, yet her mother tells her about how boys keep trying to ask her out, Aspen and May both point it out and Maxon seems to be awestruck by her the first time he sees her.
155	* OnlySaneMan: Avery. Although he's a very minor character, he seems to be the only chill person in the palace.
156	* OpenMindedParent: Amberly and Shalom. Amberly promises she'll try to see his wife from his perspective, and Shalom just wants America to marry a man she loves.
157	* PapaWolf: Maxon. When it turns out that Eadlyn was almost sexually assaulted, he is in a big rage and says he doesn't care if the man is unconscious, just that he gets out of the palace. He gets even madder when she almost gets injured in a fight between two guys, making Maxon so furious he even scares Eadlyn.
158	** Shalom as well. After the public caning, he pleads and yells about seeing America, and is thoroughly disgusted with the fact that they let May watch two people get caned.
159	* ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything:
160	** The rebels get into the palace an astounding number of times after the guards supposedly amped security for the Selection. It doesn't help that Aspen explicitly says in ''The Guard'' novella that so long as you act like you know what you're doing the other’s will follow, indicating the guards have little in the means of order and discipline. The scene where the Elite are [[EatingTheEyeCandy oogaling shirtless guards]] as they run laps? That wasn't a mandatory training session. ''The Guard'' explains that they have excess energy to burn off after their ill-defined shot.
161	** Eadlyn constantly moans about the work she does as heir apparent, but she's never shown doing said work, and apparently learns about the goings on in Illea from the ''morning newspaper''.
162	* PrinceCharming: Maxon is a prince. While he is charming and beloved, he struggles with pleasing his father, often never feeling good enough and feels like everyone is trying to control his life.
163	* PrincessClassic: Ashley, who is shown and regarded as acting almost like a princess, despite not being royalty.
164	* ProperLady: Ashley, Amberly, and Celeste.
165	* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: When Maxon starts seeing Kris, America gets catty and then throws a temper tantrum when he tries to blow off steam with Celeste. But America conveniently forgets that she's been guiltlessly seeing Aspen behind his back whenever there's a hiccup in her relationship with Maxon.
166	* TheDeterminator: America, big time. Despite all odds, she still runs for Marlee, despite the fact that she could never get past two guards. She still screams how sorry she is to Marlee, even though the crowd is so loud and her friend is screaming.
167	* TheReveal: King Clarkson lied about the war in New Asia, leading thousands of people to die for nothing.
168	* RealWomenDontWearDresses: Played with. Although wearing feminine clothing isn't demonized, the book seems to have a deep disdain for the girls who go the extra mile with their dresses and jewelry, and even America pokes fun of the girls wearing makeup.
169	* RichSuitorPoorSuitor:
170	** Maxon and Aspen.
171	** The contestants in The Selection are this too. America herself is a poor suitor to Maxon, especially compared to rich contestants like Celeste.
172	* RichBitch: Celeste.
173	** She gets better in ''The One'', where she admits that [[spoiler: she's worried about the fact that she only really has her looks to rely on, and she knows she'll eventually lose them and fade into the background. After bonding with America, she apologizes to the other girls, and although Elise has a moment where it looks like she'll ruin Celeste, they all forgive her and become friends.]]
174	* RichInDollarsPoorInSense: Celeste in particular. She may be living the lap of luxury, but she's competitive to a toxic extent and doesn't hold back her biting commentary, even in the most inappropriate times. She gets better throughout though.
175	** King Clarkson as well, one of the worst examples. See the Woobie entry on YMMV.
176	* RomanticRunnerUp: [[spoiler:Aspen, who ends up with Lucy.]] Also Kriss ends up with a man named Elliot Pierra.
177	* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: The royal family is consistently shown actively running the country. Maxon - on the advice of America - even diverts some of the money from the Selection to start a food program for the lower castes.
178	* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Aspen was told to send out letters to families saying they were knocked down a caste for not reporting suspicious behavior, however, he goes against this and burns them.
179	** Marlee and Carter were supposed to be killed, but Maxon convinces his father not to take this action, and even hides them in the palace and gives them work in the kitchen.
180	** America takes her maids into the special room during a rebel attack. She insists that she won't go in if they don't.
181	* ShelteredAristocrat:
182	** Maxon. He's grown up in a luxurious palace with servants everywhere. He's kind to America even though she yells and insults him, and he is very naive: he is genuinely shocked that the lower castes go hungry very often. As usual per this trope, this sets up some character development.
183	** Elise and Kriss. Both grew up financially affluent, and are pretty ignorant to the thought of Marlee having to live in the streets, saying it's better than dying.
184	%% ** [[spoiler: Eadlyn in the sequels. She too gets better.]]
185	* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: America and Eadlyn, who just want to find a good guy for them.
186	* ShipTease: ''The Crown'' hints at Kaden/Josie, meaning she might become a princess after all. [[spoiler: They get married several years down the road in a special bonus epilogue in ''The Crown.'']]
187	* ShowDontTell: A recurring problem with the books.
188	** We're ''told'' that things can, and have, gotten pretty bad for the Singers financially. But whenever we do see them they're doing just fine, well enough to afford chicken with spices, tea, and popcorn. Well enough for America to receive half the pay of a job without informing the reader if things have gotten any tighter. And apparently well enough for America to sneak her leftovers to Aspen when they can't afford seconds and she's apparently not scolded for wasting food. This is ''before'' America is chosen for the Selection and her family gets compensation for it.
189	** We're constantly told how Eadlyn is stressed overdoing her work as the successor to the throne, yet we're never shown her actually doing it, just complaining about it.
190	* ShootOutTheLock: Averted. During the climax of the One America is locked in a safe room with only a pistol should the worse happen. She tries to shoot the door open and… it doesn’t work.
191	* StarvingArtist: The Singers. [[ShowDontTell Apparently.]]
192	* StayInTheKitchen: Invoked. Early in the first book, America cooks a romantic dinner for herself and Aspen, which he couldn't afford. He throws a tamper tantrum about how he's the one who should provide, and dumps her on the spot.
193	* TallDarkAndHandsome: Aspen.
194	* TheAlcoholic: Adele.
195	* TheWisePrince: Maxon.
196	* TokenMinority: Elise has little personality beyond "I'm Asian."
197	* TrueBlueFemininity: America in the first book. She commonly wears blue dresses throughout.
198	* UncannyValleyMakeup: The books treat girls who go the [[RealWomenDontWearDresses extra mile]] like this. Especially during the pre-Selection excitement.
199	* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Daphne for Maxon, and [[spoiler:Aspen for America]].
200	** [[spoiler: Kile and Eadlyn. Subverted in that they had no interest as children and later neither is that upset that it didn't work out.]]
201	* UnwantedHarem: A majority of girls in The Selection.
202	* WhatTheHellHero:
203	** America revealing the existence of the diaries. It doesn't matter whether she did or didn't know that King Clarkson was abusive; Maxon specifically told her to keep it a secret. Didn't she think there was a reason?
204	** Eadlyn with most of her contestants. Insulting them to their faces all because she's salty over having the Selection, being a jerk to Josie for the dumbest reasons, and being condescending to one contestant because "I'm supposed to approach you". She even tries to break up Ahren and Camille, all due to her possessiveness over her twin.
205	* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: Not so much an "epilogue," but the ''Happily Ever After'' collection features brief summaries of the lives of each member of the Elites [[spoiler: (sans Celeste)]] lead after the Selection.
206	** Natalie tries to put her family back together after her sister's death and runs a jewelry business.
207	** Kriss returns home and meets her eventual husband, Elliot,
208	** Elise becomes an ambassador and marries, having two sons later on
209	%% * WillTheyOrWontThey: Maxon and America. [[spoiler:They do.]]
210	* WorldWarIII: There's been a Fourth World War.
211	* WorldWarWhatever: At least four World Wars happened in the Selection universe, and Illéa was founded after the fourth.

Context Literature / TheSelection