In the beginning of the story, Mare is a thief living in the Stilts, a poor, red village. Her younger sister, Gisa, on the other hand, is pretty, skilled, and has a job, which means no conscription. Mare is jealous of Gisa, which leads to self-doubt within herself, “And everyone knows I’m the jealous one, Gisa. I can’t do anything but steal from people who can actually do things” (Aveyard 14).
Additionally, because of the cruel life Mare has been given and her hatred for the silver nobles, she believes they are the ones