The following article contains spoilers. Please read at your own risk. |
| “ | Underneath thick lashes were eyes blue as ice, something cool to balance out the flames in her hair. | ” |
—Maxon on America Singer
| ||
America Schreave (née Singer) is the protagonist and narrator of The Selection, The Elite and The One. She was a Five chosen for the Selection, and became one of the Six Elites. She was ultimately chosen by Prince Maxon and got married to him, thus becoming the Queen of Illéa.
Biography
America is the middle child of five children, her older siblings being Kenna and Kota and her younger siblings being May and Gerad. She grew up living in the fifth caste in the province of Carolina at their home. America found her trade in music, being talented at singing, piano, violin, and many other instruments.
When Kota moved out of the house, America helped him move, thinking he was trying to be independent when he was in fact trying to separate himself from his family. While she was helping Kota, she got to know a Six named Aspen Leger. After careful glances and flirty conversations, Aspen gave her a card on her fifteenth birthday saying to meet him in the tree house at midnight. America went and they both confessed their love for each other. Then, America and Aspen began secretly dating and meeting up at the tree house past Illéan curfew.
The Selection
Aspen and America had been dating for two years when Aspen encouraged her to enter the Selection. As a bribe for entering, America's mother allowed her to work alone and keep half of whatever she earned. America learned from Aspen's mother Lena that Aspen was saving up to marry someone. After she heard this, she was filled with joy because she knew Aspen meant to use the money to marry her, and took a beautiful picture despite her worries about the Selection. After America came home she tried to do something heartfelt for Aspen, and chose to make him a full dinner even though she is admittedly not the best cook. As a Six from a large family, Aspen never got enough to eat, a fact that caused America great worry. Although America had saved leftovers from her dinners at home for Aspen and intended that he receive the dinner as a gift from her, it only served to wound Aspen's pride and remind him that America constantly provided for him, while he wanted it to be the opposite after the example of his own father. He worried what would happen to America after she chose to marry him because doing so would force her to move down a caste and give up a relatively stable life with her musical talents for a poverty-filled life as a Six. He realized he could never spoil her and ended the relationship, leaving her heartbroken. America got called for the Selection, to her surprise, and asked him Aspen to help her pack as a way to tell him goodbye. She gave him all her allowance money and the small collection of pennies he has given her as compensation for the songs she sang for him. Aspen refused to take them, but America insisted and ordered him to leave. When he left, America noticed that one penny was stuck to the bottom of the jar in which she stored the pennies and other trinkets Aspen had collected for her over the years. She debated simply leaving it on her windowsill in her room, but changed her mind and decided to pack it at the last minute so that she would have something to remind her of her home and the boy who still had a firm grasp on her heart.
After being chosen as one of the Selected, America saw Aspen with another girl, Brenna, who was a Six, when she was leaving for the palace. She got upset that he moved on so quickly, but had already packed the jar with the one penny to bring with her.
At the palace, America was clearly not over Aspen, but tried to let him go. While in her room on the first night, America began to feel trapped and ran to the door that led to the expansive palace gardens. However, the two guards that were stationed there didn't allow her to proceed. Just as America was about to faint, Prince Maxon appeared and ordered the guards to let her go outside. Immediately after they opened the doors, America ran outside and went to sit on a bench. Maxon found her and spoke to her, and the two got to know each other during a brief conversation, which ultimately became an argument. In the process, America made it clear to Prince Maxon that she didn't have any feelings for him, and probably never would because she felt she belonged to someone else. Maxon tried to comfort her, but failed miserably and simply left America outside to grieve. The next day during their first official meeting, the two agree to a "trade": America will find out what the other girls think of Maxon and give him advice as long as he keeps her until the very end of the competition, so that her family continues to receive the checks that the palace sends them and she doesn't have to face her lost love.
For a time, America seemed to get along fairly well, and formed a close bond with some of the girls, particularly Marlee Tames, an especially kind and cheerful Four from Kent. She liked her maids too: hardworking Anne, girlish Mary, and sweet but nervous Lucy. Her biggest problem seemed to be settling her conflicting feelings for Maxon and Aspen, as well as a particularly nasty Selected Two named Celeste Newsome, who believed herself above everyone else and desired the crown more than Maxon himself. During a rebel attack, America broke protocol and helped several other girls reach safety, along with bringing her maids to the safe room reserved for the royal family upon seeing Lucy's distress. Many believed her actions to be radical, but she thought nothing of it because she deeply cared for them. Many of the maids, servants, and guards grew especially fond of America after this because they knew she cared for the "little people," not a common trait in the upper class castes. At that point, eliminations sped up much more quickly as girls were fearful and wished to return to their homes, and the royal family wanted to wrap up the Selection as quickly as possible to prevent any harm from coming to the girls. America was chosen as one of the Elite on Maxon's suggestion, much to his father's disapproval.
Eventually, America ran into Aspen, who had been drafted and became a palace guard. Not realizing Aspen was actually America's ex-lover, Maxon had Aspen stationed to guard her room when America revealed that they knew each other because she seemed comfortable around him and he seemed so devoted to her well-being. At the end of the first novel, Aspen promised America that he would be here as long as she needed him, and that whenever she was eliminated, he would still be there to take care of her when she went home.
The Elite
Although they could have both gotten into serious trouble if caught, America and Aspen both had secret meetings at the palace whenever they could. America, however, was not sure whether she loved Aspen or Maxon more.
Her struggle only intensified when her best Selection friend, Marlee Tames was caught having an affair with a palace guard named Carter Woodwork, one of Aspen's closest friends in the service. As punishment, the king sentenced them to caning and changed their rank so that they were "the lowest of the low," the Eights. America desparatley tried to stop the torture the two went through as she believed it to be morally wrong, but was dragged away by several guards before she could intervene. Aspen promised he was proud of her, along with her father.
Aspen protected America during a rebel attack in the middle of the night, but during another attack the next day, America was chased into the woods. She managed to outrun them and hide to avoid capture. One young woman rebel spotted her, and curtsied to her before leaving. She and Kriss were partnered to host the Italian dignitaries, and their party went over quite well, with the Italian princess Nicoletta insisting America should contact her personally should she need anything.
When Silvia assigned the girls a philanthropy project, America used Gregory Illéa's diaries as a framework with which to eliminate the caste system. When it was broadcast live on The Report, the king was furious and told Maxon he had to "take care of her." Maxon was preparing to send America home when the rebels attacked once more. Officer Tanner found America and Maxon and lead them to a nearby safe room. Once inside, America tended to Maxon's wounds: he had been beaten by his own father in a misguided attempt to punish and toughen him up after what happened in The Report. Maxon revealed that it happened fairly often and America couldn't help but be struck by the pain she had inadvertently inflicted on him.
When the rebels left, America believed that she was leaving and told Aspen that she needed time to get over the Prince, which caused her to realize she wanted Maxon's love more than Aspen's. America did not leave, however, and instead Natalie went home, because her younger sister was killed by the rebels. Maxon was able to convince his father to allow America to stay by telling him she supposedly saved his life and got him to safety when he was too weak to go alone. Maxon said that as long as America was on her best behavior, his father would allow her to stay. Maxon though told America that while she'd had his heart from the beginning of the Selection, she did not have his trust. He explained that even though he had told her many secrets and defended her, America acted rashly, and Maxon needed her to have faith in him. After Maxon left for a date with Kriss, America became determined to win the Selection.
King Clarkson then came to give her a talking to. He warned her that if she won and became queen, she would ruin centuries of work, and that Maxon should not choose her. He told her not to mention this conversation to Maxon or else. He then told her good-bye and left, as if nothing happened. America returned to her room, honestly frightened by the king's threats. Her maids were thrilled to see "their lady" return, and when she asked for their aid in helping her secure Maxon's heart and the public's favor, they were all too happy to comply.
The One
The maids' first plan of attack was an attempt to increase America's sex appeal, as she had heard from the king that Maxon was physically intimate with some of the other girls (she had even seen Celeste trying to seduce him one night after a party.) She had been Maxon's first kiss, but other than that, nothing too physically romantic had happened between them. It did not go over well, as it was not in America's nature to be flirtatious, and she worried what she could say to remedy things with Maxon and set their relationship back on track.
America and Maxon were contacted in the palace by August Illéa and Georgia Whitaker, the leaders of the Northern rebels. The Rebels assured them that they were not out to destroy the monarchy. In fact, they believed Maxon to be a very good man who would be ten times the king his father was, and America was the candidate whom they backed for princess. They only wanted Maxon's promise that he would work to eliminate the caste system as America had suggested, in order to alleviate the people's suffering. In exchange, they promised loyalty to Maxon and protection from the Southern rebels if outfitted with proper weapons.
A short time later, the king received word that the rebels are now attacking people by caste, the castes of the four Elites, starting from the Twos and working their way down to Fives. America encourages the people of Illéa to fight back the rebels. America asked Aspen for help smuggling her and Maxon out of the palace so that they could meet up with August and Georgia, in hopes of getting more information about what was going on outside. Aspen agreed, although reluctantly, and accompanied them.
Unfortunately, Aspen, Maxon, and Officer Avery were forced to fight off a gang of crimminals who wanted to rob them, and were seperated from America in the process. She soon discovered she was shot and worried she would lose too much blood on the way back to the palace, but Paige, a new Eight who worked as a prositute, found her bleeding on the street and offered help. She stayed with America until Maxon found her. America wanted to thank the young girl for her help, and asked Maxon to bring her back with them and give her job in the kitchens. Anne and Marlee, who had been working secretly as a kitchen maid in the palace since her caning, stitched America up and cleaned her wound, a non-severe one that healed quickly.
During a required ceremony known as The Convicting, each of the remaining Elite must publicly convict a criminal each to show their obediencee to the law as part of their service to Illea. Elise, Kriss, and Celeste were all given criminals who had all committed minor crimes, but been given extremely long prison terms, a sign that they were actually enemies of the king. All three were shocked, but couldn't think of a way to right the injustice, so they had no choice but to give in. America's felon, however, had only stolen clothing for his family and was assigned to her by Clarkson as a test. America couldn't find it in herself to sentence him to prison for life, so she gave the man the jewelry Maxon had recently given her as a gift (along with a treasured necklace her father had given her for her birthday) and told him to pay his debt to the king with it. This angered the king immensely, but he had to accept the jewels instead of the prison sentence because the Convicting was broadcast live for the public, and he wanted to uphold his image as a merciful king. Enraged by this offense, Clarkson gave Maxon the option to call the entire Selection off and start a new one, which Maxon ultimately refused because, for all the trouble she caused him, he knew America was the right girl for him and the right girl to be the queen.
Clarkson (even though he didn't find out about the alliance America had forged with the Italians, who had loaned Maxon some money so they could supply their newly found Northern allies with the guns they needed to protect the royal family and themselves) forced America to agree to film propaganda in favor of the castes. If she didn't obey, then she must not have truly cared about the competition or Maxon. Before she could create the commercials, however, she learned that her father had died just hours earlier.
America traveled back to Carolina for her father's funeral, where she learns that Shalom was secretly a Northern rebel, in a special last letter from him. Kota revealed just how far his caste-climbing ambitions have removed him from his family. He brought America and Aspen's secret romance into the open (they had never told their own families for fear they would not approve) and threatened to tell the prince. After her elder sister Kenna revealed that she had suspected America and Aspen were together and that she approved, America admitted that she no longer loved Aspen romantically, but thought of him as another brother. She still wanted though to keep him in her life, in case Maxon didn't choose her. Kenna told her that Aspen would always be family for all of them, but she must tell him the truth about her new feelings if she ever truly loved him. America knew Kenna was right and tried to explain things to Aspen on the way back to the palace, but it was too painful.
When she returned to the palace, America found out that Kriss and herself were the last two girls standing and that Maxon had invited all of the previously Selected back to the palace to celebrate. America realized that the necklace Kriss was wearing depicted the North Star, revealing that she was also a Northern rebel. America confronted Kriss about this and Kriss admited that at first she was in the Selection because she was a rebel, but then when Maxon and America were fighting after Marlee's caning, she saw a chance to get close to Maxon and she really fell in love with him.
In America's room later that night, Maxon revealed that he had bought a house for America's family near the palace, and that he had chosen her to be his wife and future queen. They began making out and they ultimately admitted their love for each other aloud for the first time. They undressed, almost to their underwear, while America reassured Maxon that she loved the scars on his back because they were a sign of his love for he: he had taken his father's abuse to protect her from it. A sudden noise in the hallway stopped them from going any further. Maxon simply slept next to America, both of them feeling safe and loved, confident that they would be able to express their love for each other physically very soon.
In the morning, however, Maxon learned about America and Aspen's previous relationship when he found them in what appeared to be a romantic moment. Completely heartbroken and hurt, Maxon accused America of lying to him about everything and took his proposal back, saying he would be glad to see her go so that she couldn't break his heart anymore. America tried to explain the situation, but Maxon refused to listen and left in a rage.
However, right before Maxon was about to reveal his selection of Kriss, the Southern rebels infiltrated the palace and attacked, killing Celeste and Anne among many people. A rebel attempted to shoot America, but Maxon lunged toward her on instinct to save her life and took a hit below his left shoulder. Close to death, he apologized to America for almost not choosing her, and told her that he loved her to his last breath and that his heart belonged to her to "break it a thousand times if [she] like[s]." He ordered Aspen to save America, not him, and Aspen obeyed. He took her to a safe room with the intention of returning and saving the Prince too.
When the attack was over and the Southern rebels were defeated with help from the Northern rebels, America was released from the safe room and went to the hospital where she reunited with Aspen, who was alive, though severely wounded. He informed America that Maxon was also alive and now officially the king, as both his parents were killed by the rebels. Aspen confessed to America that he still cared a great deal for her, but was no longer in love with her. Lucy arrived at that moment to see Aspen and greeted him with a kiss. America finally realized their relationship and approved immensely.
When America visited Maxon, he told her about his decision to dissolve the castes, an idea inspired entirely by her. His plan would take some time to fully implement, but they could start with the Eights merging with the Sevens and go on from there. He then gave her a beautiful engagement ring, complete with their birthstones, officially asking her to marry him. She happily accepted his proposal.
At the wedding, Aspen, who was almost completely healed, walked America down the aisle and gave her to Maxon, as America's father had died and the two men had grown to fully respect each other. Maxon called America "my dear" (an old pet peeve of hers) and they both smiled, ready to exchange their wedding vows.
Post The One (2nd Epilogue)
2 years after their wedding, during Maxon's birthday party, America announced to him that she was expecting their first child. The news made him tearfully happy and love her even more.
The Heir
America has given birth to twins, a girl and a boy, named Eadlyn and Ahren, and two other boys, Kaden and Osten. Eadlyn is the heir of Illéa's crown and the narrator of the fourth book of the Selection series, titled The Heir. America is close friends with, still, Marlee and Lucy and May visits the Palace occasionally. America and Maxon had changed the barring girls from inheriting the throne, thus making it possible for Eadlyn to be the future ruler of Illéa. America, now known as Mom, slowly starts telling Eadlyn about her Selection.
As more things get revealed to Eadlyn, Eadlyn wonders how America and Maxon ever got together in the first place. In the end of The Heir, America's oldest son, Ahren, elopes and secretly gets married with the French princess Camille, heir to the french throne. As America had heart problems that already ran in the family, the shock of Ahren leaving was too much for her, eventually causing a heart attack.
The book ends with her still alive in the hospital and her family, along with the remaining Selected, praying that she survives.
Personality
Like her fiery red hair, America takes a rebellious attitude in concept. She tends to have a short temper, which she inherited from her mother. Despite saying she has no leadership skills, America isn't afraid to speak her mind. For example, when the palace was under rebel attack by the Southerners in The Selection, Silvia ordered America's maids to bring food to the Selected. America, however, told her that the girls can take care of themselves, and ordered Anne to provide food for the royal family only.
She is very stubborn and persistent at times, and may jump to conclusions a lot. She can also be hypocritical, but always apologizes if she is proven wrong. America's greatest fear when entering the Selection was losing her individuality, something the other Selected girls would even give up to take over the throne. Overall, America is a very courageous person that, at the end of the day, will always realize the mistakes she might have caused and will do anything to make things right. She is always afraid of losing someone she loves.
She usually defends people who are mistreated when her stubbornness doesn't blind her from the truth. She doesn't hesitate to think that the modern caste system is absurd and unfair, as shown in The Elite. America had personally thought that she would never have had a shot in the competition, which was proven otherwise when her relationship with Prince Maxon grew. In addition, America is not the girly type, as at first she didn't react well when she had to wear a dress instead of her usual wear of pants, and even requested pants from the prince at the palace in a bet. She often lacked self-esteem and tended to compare herself to the other Selected girls, Queen Amberly, and others, feeling inadequate to become a queen or to make Maxon or even Aspen like her. Thus, she almost never tried to be "sensual" and flirty. Her only attempt to seduce Maxon resulted in a comical situation, as he laughingly pointed out that she was not being herself.
Features
America has pale skin, "fiery, brilliant red hair, like honey and roses and the sun all together" and blue eyes "like the morning sky." She thought that she was not as beautiful or classy as the other Selected girls, as opposed to the opinion of almost everyone else around her. She found even her body plain, with non-noticeable curves. Maxon, however, during their first meeting, described her like this: "I was absolutely floored the first time I finally, truly saw her... As if it weren't enough that she was willing to stand up to me and clearly unafraid to be herself, she was dazzlingly beautiful. Underneath thick lashes were eyes blue as ice, something cool to balance out the flames in her hair. Her cheeks were smooth and slightly blushed from crying. And her lips, soft and pink, slightly parted as she studied our hands." He reassured her that "she is too beautiful for her own good."
Relationships
Maxon Schreave
The first time, America saw Maxon on TV, she thought of him of being a boring, stiff and distant person. She couldn't imagine who would fall in love with him. The first night they met she accused him of being "stuck-up and shallow." To stay away from home she offered Prince Maxon a trade: She would help him as a friend to find his wife, which Maxon gladly accepted. Slowly she realized that Maxon is a different person she imagined and she felt attracted to him, getting jealous when Maxon had other dates or other issues to attend to.
After a month at the palace she clearly changed her mind. After her first kiss with Maxon, she said it could be possible for her to have any sorts of romantic feelings for him.
In The Elite their relationship got complicated after Marlee's caning. America struggled if she would be a good princess and if she could handle the exercises of this job. She believed not and near the end of the second book America purposely pulled a stunt on The Report that she thought would surely get her sent home. However she wasn't eliminated, because Maxon protected her. Admitting her mistake, she accepted her second chance and promised to herself to fight harder for Maxon and his love.
In The One she finally realized that she wanted to be with Maxon and that she truly loved him. Although she refused to say the words out loud, she realized that all her stupid actions she made were out of love. After America arrived back to palace after her father's funeral, Maxon told her his decision to marry her. They ultimately admited their love for each other and Maxon slept next to her, both of them feeling safe and loved. The next morning, however, before the announcement, Maxon caught her touching Aspen's chest, realised they used to date and said that he would not marry her. Desperate, she read the letters from Maxon, a late Christmas present.
However, when Southern Rebels attacked the palace some hours later during the Choosing Ceremony, Maxon got shot protecting America, proving that he still loved her no matter what had happened. He refused to get helped by Aspen, deciding that America will be alive "no matter what." Aspen took her in a safety room, but America tried to get out of it, because she wanted to be by Maxon's side, especially now when she thought that he was dying. She promised that Maxon could call her "my dear" and she wouldn't complain as long as he was alive.
After the attack, she finds indeed that Maxon is alive. He proposes to her and she gladly, in tears, accepts. They marry at the end of "The One" and Maxon calls her "my dear". They are both left smiling to each other.
Two years later, America is still fascinated by the way her love grows for Maxon. When she finds out something new about Maxon, her heart swells. After telling Maxon about her pregnancy, they are both smiling and in tears rushing back into the palace. Later, she gave birth to twins, Eadlyn and Ahren, and two other boys, Kaden and Osten.
Aspen Leger
Her first love was Aspen and after flirting for some time, they began to meet in secret. America, being a caste higher, was prepared to marry down, but before the Selection, he breaks up with her. America wanted to stay at the palace to refuse to see Aspen with a new girlfriend. Actually, Aspen was promoted at a guard at the palace. They started to meet secretly after arguments she had with Maxon. Being afraid Maxon would not choose her, she used Aspen as a "safety net". Once she realizes she is in love with Maxon, she tries to set up her maid Anne with him, but does not succeed (he states she is simply stiff). At the end of The One, after America sees Aspen after the attack and Lucy comes to Aspen and kisses him, she realizes that they have romantic feelings for one another. Which America highly approves of. She said that she was as happy for them when they got married as she was on her own wedding day.
She knows how Aspen and Lucy struggled to have children on their own. She offers them to be a surrogate but it was turned down later because of the difficulties this might cause.
Shalom Singer
America always had a better relationship with her dad than with her mom. Shalom had always call her by his pet name, "kitten". She always came to him if she needed help or his advice. Even at the palace, he was the only person America could talk to without any problems about her relationship with Maxon. In return, her dad always wanted her to be happy and did not cared whom she marry or not. When he died, she had broken down into tears.
Clarkson Schreave
Clarkson and America had a harsh relationship. He ignored her and threatened her, even forced her to allow him to take away the payments for her family. Clarkson was afraid that Maxon would choose her, and tried to make a deal with new Selected girls. He described her as selfish, money-hungry, very plain and not good enough for his son or as a princess.
Amberly Schreave
At first, there was no interaction between America and Amberly because Amberly was afraid to build up a relationship and lose it again.
Their relationship grew closer in The One. America asked for advice in the Convicting and Amberly gave her some. Later America begged for pardon calling Amberly jokingly "mom". Amberly told her if the Selection ended the way she thought, "mom" would be fine leaving America in tears.
America grieved her loss, remembering how kind and accepting she treated her.
May Singer
May Singer was America's sister and they loved each other. Their mom called them twins, as they looked like each other. May has a romance side: when May came to the palace, she asked America if she had kissed Maxon.
In The Heir, May was the only sibling who had frequently visited America and her family.
Possessions
- Her birdsong necklace was a present from her father. She gave it away during the Convicting in "The One" to a man who couldn't pay his debts to the king.
- Her custom jewelry, a bracelet and a set of earrings from Maxon who had given it to her as part of tradition for the Elite girls during the Convicting. Later, she gave it to a man who couldn't pay his debts to the king.
- Her jar and pennies given by Aspen. After their break-up she gave all the pennies back except for one that stuck to the bottom of the jar. She took the jar and the penny with her to the palace and after she returned home for the funeral of her father the jar with the penny stayed there.
- Her string bracelet with a button was given to her by Aspen. The button was part of his uniform and America made a bracelet with the button. Later, she placed it in the jar, stating that was where it belonged.
- Her New Asian bracelet given to her by Maxon after his trip to New Asia. The stones are blue.
- Her engagement ring given from Maxon. America describes it as "a web of thin gold vines crawled up, forming the circle of the ring, holding at the top two gems—one green, one purple—that kissed at the crown of it. I knew the purple one was my birthstone, so the green one must be his. There we were, two little spots of light growing together, inseparable".
- Four pianos each of them with special features as a wedding gift from Maxon. One is standing her room, one in Maxon's, one in the Women's Room and one in a parlor on the fourth floor.
Quotes
- "Maxon Schreave is the epitome of all things good. He is going to be a phenomenal king. He lets girls who are supposed to be wearing dresses wear jeans and doesn't get mad when someone who doesn't know him clearly mislabels him... Whoever he marries will be a lucky girl. And whatever happens to me, I will be honored to be his subject." — America Singer to Gavril Fadaye about Maxon Schreave.
- "...I hope you find someone you can't live without. I really do. And I hope you never have to know what it's like to have to try and live without them." — America Singer to Maxon Schreave.
- "...True love is usually the most inconvenient kind." — America Singer to Maxon Schreave.
- "It's you... I don't want to leave you." — America Singer to Maxon Schreave.
- "I'm not choosing him. Or you. I'm choosing me." — America Singer to Aspen Leger.
- "Is it strange that I feel better about going into a den of rebels than I did when I had to entertain the women of the Italian royal family?" — America sharing a tense joke with Maxon during a Northern rebel escapade.
- "Don't worry. The best people all have some kind of scar." — America Singer to her maid, Anne, regarding her shoulder wound.
- "You've always kept my secrets. I'll always keep yours." — America to Anne regarding Anne's crush on Aspen.
- "Your eyes look like chocolate." — America to Maxon as he is carrying her up the stairs in her delirious state.
- "Always the picture of bravery." — America poking fun at Queen Amberly's distress at meeting Celeste's outrageous guests.
- "Oh, no. Nope. I was not putting it out there first." — America stubbornly refusing (in her mind) to say 'I love you' to Maxon until he says it first.
- “I tentatively reached out for Celeste’s hand, fingers brushing against hers. The second she felt them, she took hold, looking into my eyes with concern. 'What’s wrong?' she mouthed. I shrugged. And so she just held my hand. After a minute, she seemed to get a little sad, too. While the men in suits prattled on, she stretched out, reaching for Kriss’s hand. Kriss didn’t question it, and it took her only seconds to extend her hand for Elise’s. And there we were, in the background of it all, holding on to one another. The Perfectionist, the Sweetheart, the Diva......and me.” — America setting of a hand-holding chain reaction among the Elites on the set of The Report in The One.
- “And all my anger made sense. I wanted everything from him and everything for him, because I wanted every piece of him. It was infuriating that everyone had to have their hands on this - the girls, his parents, even Aspen. So many conditions and opinions and obligations surrounded us, and I hated Maxon because he came with them. And I loved him even so." — America settling an internal conflict with herself over Maxon.
- "If you think, even for a second, you can twist my past into something and try to blackmail me with it, think again. You once asked if I told Maxon about you, and I did. He knows exactly what a spineless, ungrateful jackass you are." — America telling off her brother Kota in The One.
- "Maxon, some of those marks are on your back so they wouldn't be on mine and I love you for them." — America Singer to Maxon Schreave.
- "If you'll still have me, I want to stay." — America to Maxon
- “It's hard to get a hug wrong.” — America to Maxon while he hugs her
- "Even now I know that it won't be happily ever after. There will be hard times, confusing times. It won't be perfect not all the time. This isn't happily ever after. It's so much more than that." — America's thoughts about the future during her wedding
Trivia
- America was the former name of the country Illéa. Her mother had named her that supposedly because she kicked and fought her way out of her mother, just like America did to fight off China; however, it may have also been because her father, Shalom, was a Northern rebel.
- America's birthday is on February 26, according to Kiera Cass.
- America is a multi-instrumentalist (plays the piano and the violin) as well as a singer but she seems to prefer the violin.
- Her surname, Singer, matches her last occupation before she entered the Selection.
- She is of Jewish descent.
- Queen Amberly, during a fun day in the Women's Room, said that America could call her "Mom" if the Selection ended the way she (Queen Amberly) thought it would.
- America's favorite color is blue.
- According to Maxon, America sometimes hums or sings to herself while she walks around the palace.
- America can speak French and Spanish aside from her first language of English.
- Actresses Aimee Teegarden and Yael Grobglas portrayed America in the two, separate CW pilots.
- Had the caste system not fallen into place, America's last name would be Cohen.
- Since America is born on February, her birthstone is Amethyst.
- Audrey Hollister is the model for America in the book covers.
- America is 5 feet 7 inches
- America Schreave has blue eyes, but the model for the book covers have green eyes.
Gallery
