The Selection

“But I loved Aspen. I’d loved Aspen for nearly two years. And he loved me [...] I couldn’t imagine entering the Selection.”

In chapter 2, the reader learns why America is so resistant to the idea of signing up for the Selection. Her heart belongs to another, and she has already started to plan a future with her first love, Aspen. The prince of Illéa may be impressive, but in America’s eyes, no man can entice her to leave her home and her sweetheart.

“I stayed awake a little while longer, thinking of Aspen and how much I loved him, and how it felt to be loved by him. I felt special, priceless, irreplaceable. No queen on any throne could possibly feel more important than I did.” 

Cass uses these lines at the end of Chapter 2 to foreshadow a significant change that will come over America. Although she declares that no one could ever make her feel the same way that Aspen does, everything changes when she meets Prince Maxon and starts to develop warm feelings for him. Aspen might make America feel special for a while, but once he breaks up with her, she questions her value and her confidence, and this drives her right into the arms of Maxon.

“As if it wasn’t enough that they could have pretty much whatever they wanted, they turned our necessities into luxuries.” 

Fashion and clothing choices are significant motifs in The Selection. Here, America points out how the upper caste members will take the clothing choices of the lower castes and repurpose them to be glamorous or creative. America feels resentment towards the upper castes, because in addition to having more money than they know what to do with, the upper castes gentrify the fashions of the lower castes and steal pieces of their identity for the sake of fashion.

“I almost felt bad for the girl who ended up with him.”

America is quick to pass judgment on Prince Maxon before she has the chance to get to know him. America resents Maxon because he is wholly unlike Aspen, whom she admires greatly, and America is annoyed by anything having to do with the Selection. This passing comment shows America’s immediate dislike for the upper crust of society, and especially for the royal family who want for nothing while families like the Singers and the Legers struggle to survive.

“Enjoy your last night as an average girl. Tomorrow, no matter what, your life will be different forever.”

Queen Amberly’s words are echoed by America later in the novel. From the moment her name is called, America’s life changes forever. She becomes an overnight celebrity across the nation of Illéa, and even if she loses the Selection and is sent home, she will never be able to quietly sink back into a life of anonymity and quietude.

“Miss Singer, this is going to sound harsh, but as of last Friday, you are now considered property of Illéa.” 

The words of the palace representative are indeed harsh, and unfortunately accurate. From the moment America’s name is announced, she loses every bit of freedom she once had as a regular citizen of Illéa. The Selection is temporary, but the implications of this comment could follow America for the rest of her life. She is the property of Illéa, and she could become the property of another person once the Selection ends.

“Your only romantic relationship will be with Prince Maxon. If you are found writing love notes to someone here or are caught in a relationship with another person in the palace, that is considered treason and is punishable by death.” 

America’s mother rolls her eyes at this rule, but for America, this is the most significant of them all. Even though she and Aspen have broken up, America still expresses deep unease at this expectation and its broader implications. Not only does this rule highlight the unfair level of control held over young women, but it endangers both America and Aspen. This foreshadows the reappearance of Aspen towards the end of the novel and emphasizes the danger of reigniting her old relationship within the palace walls.

“It was over, and I knew that. But you don’t love someone for almost two years and then turn it off overnight.”

America’s relationship with Aspen may have ended, but her feelings for him continue to linger. In fact, America tries to use the Selection to escape from Aspen and the heartache that lingers around her home. After investing two years of her life into Aspen, America has a hard time leaving him completely behind, and she acknowledges that she may never stop loving Aspen Leger. 

 “I’d never really had a friend. I’d spent most of my childhood playing with Kenna and Kota. Mom did all my schooling, and she was the only person I worked with.”

America has been highly isolated from others throughout her life. As a homeschooled child who mostly played with her siblings and worked almost exclusively with her mother, America never had many opportunities to make friends, and this makes her nervous as she goes into the Selection. America worries that she won’t get along with the other girls or understand their ways, and she is afraid her lack of social experience will complicate her experience in the competition.

“Marlee and I got along easily, and it gave me hope that maybe I’d come out of this with a friend to show for it.”

While America is apprehensive about meeting the other contestants in the Selection, Marlee Tames is a ray of sunshine who bursts into America’s life. Marlee welcomes America with open arms and heartfelt acceptance, and America blossoms in their friendship. Marlee also teaches America about the secret coded language of female relationships and girl power dynamics, which helps her as the competition continues.

“Miss America Singer is not afraid to get her hands dirty, a quality that many believe our next princess needs.”

America may not believe that she is princess material, but her behavior at the airport proves otherwise. America takes her time not only signing autographs and taking pictures, but also talking to the people of Illéa. America’s openness and ease when it comes to talking to the common people singles her out as a front-runner early on, and she is the one who shows the most diplomatic promise right out of the gate. 

 “They didn’t know I didn’t want this. In their eyes, I was a threat. And I could see they wanted me gone.”

Despite Marlee’s friendliness, America quickly feels the heat of the competition from the other Selected girls. She realizes that her behavior at the airport, though organic and genuine, looks like a carefully-orchestrated publicity stunt to gain attention and favor. The other girls see her as a threat, and the Five from Carolina is suddenly a problem that must be dealt with.

“I hope to find happiness, too. To find a woman that all of Illéa can love [...] I’m ready to find my wife.” 

America may have written Maxon off as a boring, spoiled prince, but he reveals his true colors during their first meeting. Maxon is a romantic at heart, and for him, the Selection is his only real chance to find a wife and a soulmate. Maxon is nervous about the process, but he truly believes that the Selection is an exciting, beautiful experience. He is cautiously optimistic and ready to throw his heart into the competition.

“Everyone here looked like a One. I looked like a Five in a nice dress.”

America struggles with feelings of insecurity, especially when it comes to fashion. As a Five living in Carolina, America rarely had much of a choice when it came to her clothing or makeup. Now thrust into the heart of the Selection with a never-ending parade of gorgeous outfits, jewelry, hairstyles and makeup, America is stumped and feels like she doesn’t belong amidst the glitz and glamor. Still, she grows to embrace her simple, natural look, and it even becomes a fashion trend among the other girls.

“In my mind, they were all Sixes. But there were rankings even within that, statuses that I didn’t understand.”

America has lived with the Illéan caste system her entire life, so when she meets her maids at the palace, she knows that they are Sixes. However, the maids explain to her that it is a great honor to be a maid compared to many of the other servant roles in the palace. America never realized that there can be levels within a single caste, and even in groups where everyone is supposed to be equal, there will always be a sense of inequality that drives people apart.

“He was gentlemanly enough, but when he got too close, he came undone. It was like he knew how to treat a lady, he just didn’t know how to treat a date.”

America’s observation about Maxon’s behavior reveals an unexpected character trait in the young prince. Maxon was raised to be a proper gentleman, but his training seems to have gone in an unusual direction. Maxon lacks confidence when it comes to romance, and although he knows how to respect women, he struggles to understand how to connect with them. America jokes that this is very different compared to Aspen, whose rough manners and unrefined upbringing are overshadowed by his penchant for romance.

“I was unrefined. I didn’t have it in me to be bossy or overly organized. I was selfish and had a horrible temper, and I didn’t like being in front of people. And I wasn’t brave.”

America misunderstands her own nature and how it fits with the role of a princess. America might be unrefined as she says, but she possesses basic manners, and her genuine nature endears her to the masses. She may not be “bossy,” but she can be firm and decisive when the situation calls for it. She says that she is selfish, yet she is quick to sacrifice her wants and needs for others. She also shows remarkable bravery during times of trouble. America is well-suited to the role of princess, whether she wants to admit it or not.

“Why weren’t we given history books?”

America’s question comes on the heels of an unusual history lesson with Silvia. America recalls how she had great difficulty finding a textbook to study Illéan history when she was younger, and when she eventually found a very old book about the United States, it had burns on it, almost as if someone tried to destroy it. This detail raises red flags when it comes to the history of Illéa, implying that there is more to this country’s past than meets the eye.

“I feel that no good leader can let the masses go unfed. Most of Illéa is comprised of these lower castes, and we have overlooked these people far too long.”

When Maxon first meets America, he has gone most of his life without talking to someone of her background. America is the first one to open his eyes to the suffering of the lower castes in Illéa, and because of Maxon’s growing affection for America and her cutting honesty, he realizes that he has a chance as the next leader of Illéa to do some good and help those in need. America seriously alters Maxon’s worldview, and with it, his politics and policies.

“I knew I wasn’t just going to fall in love with Maxon overnight. I knew my heart wouldn’t let me. But I suddenly found myself in a place where that was something I might want.”

Despite America’s early proclamations that she could never imagine loving someone like Maxon, the prince has started to win her over with his good heart and gentlemanly manners. America has come to realize that Maxon is an admirable man, and although she is still mourning her last relationship, America feels a spark of hope as she considers a possible future with Maxon. Still, she is unsure of her feelings, and she wants to move slowly and not rush into this new relationship.

“It was clear that caring about what happened to me as a member of the Selection would mean processing a lot of other feelings that I hadn’t been prepared for.”

While America doesn’t want to rush into a relationship with Maxon, the prince has no choice but to consider his other options in case America decides that she doesn’t want to be with him. When America first agreed to enter the Selection, she never imagined that she would actually fall for the prince, and so she never thought she would have to deal with feelings of jealousy. The Selection has already pushed America way outside of her comfort zone, and it will continue to push her into unfamiliar territory when it comes to her emotions.

“If Celeste could move someone as lovely as Anna to violence, or think it was acceptable to try and take the dress off my back, or make someone as good as Marlee come close to anger, then she really was too much for the Selection.”

In The Selection, Celeste Newsome becomes one of the most antagonistic forces at the palace (aside from the rebels). Celeste’s behavior has always been spiteful and condescending, but as the competition heats up, her antics become bolder and more inappropriate. From “accidentally” spilling wine on Kriss to trying to wrestle America’s dress off of her back, Celeste knows no boundaries, and she never faces any real consequences for her behavior. America worries that if Celeste is left unchecked, it won’t be long before her presence at the palace becomes dangerous to the other girls or the royal family.

“Maxon, I’m not completely sure what we are, but we’re definitely more than friends.”

At the beginning of the novel, America declared that she felt sorry for whatever girl ended up with Maxon. When she met him, she realized that he wasn’t a bad guy, and she was eager to become his friend. By the end of the novel, America is in the process of falling in love with Maxon. She has changed her mind, and she realizes how she unfairly judged the kind, gentle soul who happens to be the future ruler of Illéa.