The Testing is a dystopian fiction novel written by Joelle Charbonneau. In the book, Cia, a girl growing up in the Five Lakes colony, is sent to the testing. The testing is a series of exams, ranging from pen and paper to a full on Hunger Games style trek. Cia and several individuals from other colonies are sent to compete. She passes the first few tests relatively easily, but in the fourth test she is sent to complete a several hundred mile long journey in abandoned North America. In doing so, she created several alliances, including her relationship with Tomas. This relationship represents one of the most prominent themes in The Testing; how relationships impact the story.
One example of relationships impacting Cia in a positive way is when her and Tomas are being attacked and caught off guard, and Tomas protects her. On page 259, Cia and Tomas are being followed by some type of mutated human. They walk with a “Surprisingly hunched but fluid gait…ever present with their claws and overwhelming numbers” (Charbonneau 259). When they heard gunshots and saw them tear into the creature right in front of them, Tomas’s instinct was to protect Cia by wrapping around her. Having this relationship benefitted Cia because if the gunshots were aimed for them, then she would be much safer.
…show more content…
Tomas had been shot by Will, their ally who turned on them. Cia tried to get Will to walk, but “it’s clear that after a few steps, walking was clearly not an option” (Charbonneau 281). The pair still had seven miles to go, and with Tomas’s injury, he would require significant assistance if he was going to make it through. Their relationship impacted her negatively because she felt as though she was required to care for