%% Last Updated: - [[2021-02-28]] - [[2020-09-15]] %% A ceremony is performed at the start of the book that sorts the protagonist into one box or another. The rest of the book is then about how the protagonist reacts to that: - how the protagonist grows into their new role and proves themselves worthy of being chosen, or - how the protagonist rebels against the label or figure out they're exactly the opposite of what they were classified as The ceremony is a great way to hook readers in, because it captures the emotions of the protagonist (and usually their best friend(s)) as they go through this harrowing and life-changing experience. After the Ceremony, their lives are never the same. ## Examples - The Sorting Ceremony, [[Book/Harry Potter (series)]] (find out which house you belong to) - The Selection, [[The Selection]] (competition to win the heart of the prince) - The Matching Ceremony, [[Matched]] (romantic partner) - The Ceremony of Twelve, [[Book/The Giver]] (profession) - Jonas's name is skipped until the end, giving him a scare. He is assigned a profession that is very prestigious but also shrouded in mystery. - The Choosing Ceremony, [[Book/Divergent (series)]] (faction) ## Variations - The Reaping, [[Book/The Hunger Games (series)]] (negative selection - those chosen will die)