Divergent Quotes About Facing Your Fears and Being Different
These Divergent quotes from the novel and the movie about facing your fears and being different make it easy to see why people like the story.
In 2011, my preteen daughter and all her friends were reading this new novel named Divergent by Veronica Roth. They seemed enamored with the book for sure, and a few years later (2014) when the movie came out, my daughter all but demanded I take her to the theater.
Her best friend is my best friend’s daughter, so we decided we would have a mother and daughter day and drive two hours to the big theater in Salt Lake City to see it. I thought we would be in for a boring kid’s story, but boy was I wrong!
This movie and the novel are filled with YA tropes like dystopian realities that flaunt authority, giving people a way to sort themselves (factions), and romance between the strong female heroine and the attractive male lead.
These quotes from Tris and Four will show each of these tropes in full force. Some people ask why is this movie so terrible, and while I disagree, I can see their arguments. Keep reading these Divergent quotes before deciding yourself!
Don’t forget to also check out these unity and diversity quotes to help us stand together.
Divergent book quotes about fear from the novel
1. “Becoming fearless isn’t the point. That’s impossible. It’s learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.” ― Veronica Roth
2. “Fear doesn’t shut you down; it wakes you up.” ― Veronica Roth
3. “Fear doesn’t shut you down; it wakes you up. I’ve seen it. It’s fascinating.” ― Veronica Roth
4. “Learning how to think in the midst of fear is a lesson that everyone needs to learn.” ― Veronica Roth
5. “Like you don’t want to know what his fears are. He acts so tough that he’s probably afraid of marshmallows and really bright sunrises or something.” ― Veronica Roth
6. “We believe in freedom from fear and in acquiring the skills to force the bad out of our world so that the good can prosper and thrive.” ― Veronica Roth
7. “But maybe what I saw as fearless was actually fear under control.” ― Veronica Roth
8. “I ignore my fear. When I make decisions, I pretend it doesn’t exist.” ― Veronica Roth
9. To me there’s a difference between not being afraid and acting in spite of fear, as he does.” ― Veronica Roth
10. “I have to face the fear. I have to take control of the situation and find a way to make it less frightening.” ― Veronica Roth
Divergent quotes about bravery from the novel
11. “We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.” ― Veronica Roth
12. “I have a theory that selflessness and bravery aren’t all that different.” ― Veronica Roth
13. “A brave man acknowledges the strength of others.” ― Veronica Roth
14. “It must require bravery to be honest all the time.” ― Veronica Roth
15. “He told me once to be brave, and though I have stood still while knives spun toward my face and jumped off a roof, I never thought I would need bravery in the small moments of my life. I do.” ― Veronica Roth
16. “A chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy.” ― Veronica Roth
17. “Half of bravery is perspective.” ― Veronica Roth
18. “It’s easy to be brave when they’re not my fears.” ― Veronica Roth
19. “Sometimes it isn’t fighting that’s brave, its facing the death you know is coming.” ― Veronica Roth
20. “And is it selfish of me to crave victory, or is it brave?” ― Veronica Roth
21. “It isn’t just brave that she died for me; it is brave that she did it without announcing it, without hesitation, and without appearing to consider another option.” ― Veronica Roth
Divergent quotes from Four that make you feel like you’re watching the movie
22. “It’s okay, I already have my spot on the floor.” ― Four
23. “As a Dauntless soldier you have to follow orders you don’t always agree with.” ― Four
24. “I don’t want to be just one thing. I want to be brave, selfless, intelligent, and honest, and kind… Well, I’m still working on kind.” ― Four
25. “You’re supposed to be smart. If I wanted to hurt you, I would have.” ― Four
26. “I know who you are. If you wanna survive, follow me.” ― Four
27. “As Dauntless we fight to protect every life inside the fence without fail. That’s why we train your the way we do, to teach you not to give up, and to find out who has what it takes.” ― Four
28. “Your last feat is your worst fear. It lives in the deepest part of your mind.” ― Four
29. “Everyone’s afraid of something.” ― Four
Divergent quotes from Tris that remind you how awesome the movie is
30. “Today I take the test. I’m scared it’ll tell me I’m not Abnegation, that I have to leave my family. But I’m even more scared that it’ll tell me to stay. For my brother Caleb it’s easy.” ― Tris
31. “Trust the test. The test will tell me who I am, where I belong. Am I smart? Kind? Am I honest? Selfless? Or brave?” ― Tris
32. “I’m the weakest one here.” ― Tris
33. “Everyone knows where they belong. Except for me. My mother says there’s an art to losing yourself, but I haven’t figured it out yet. I’m supposed to never think of myself, to always help others. To never look too long in the mirror.” ― Tris
34. “If you ever come close to me again, I will kill you!” ― Tris
35. “You just stay away from me! You are a coward!” ― Tris
36. “I think you might be overestimating my character!” ― Tris
37. “We have nothing. We have no home, no faction. I don’t even know who I am anymore.” ― Tris
38. “I will not ask you again! Do it! Shut it down!” ― Tris
39. “I’m Divergent.” ― Tris
Inspirational Divergent quotes about the different factions
40. “Our founders built the wall to keep us safe, and they divided us into five groups, factions, to keep the peace.” ― Tris
41. “The smart ones, the ones who value knowledge and logic, are in Erudite. They know everything.” ― Tris
42. “Amity farm the land. They’re all about kindness and harmony, always happy.” ― Tris
43. “Candor value honesty and order. They tell the truth, even when you wish they wouldn’t.” ― Tris
44. “And then there’s Dauntless. They’re our protectors, our soldiers, our police. I always thought they were amazing. Brave, fearless and free. Some people think Dauntless are crazy, when they kind of are.” ― Tris
45. “My faction is Abnegation. The others all call us “stiffs.” We lead a simple life, selfless, dedicated to helping others. We even feed the Factionless, the ones who don’t fit in anywhere. Because we’re public servants, we’re trusted to run the government.” ― Tris
46. “You made a mistake choosing Dauntless. They’ll find out about you.” ― Tori
47. “People have always been so threatened by Divergents. But now Erudite is looking for them everywhere, they’re actively seeking them out.” ― Natalie
48. “Every minute we waste another Abnegation dies, and a Dauntless becomes a murderer.” ― Tris
49. “We’re like the Factionless now. We’ve left everything behind, but we found ourselves and each other. Tomorrow we may have to fight again, but for now we’ll ride the train to the end of the line. And then, we’ll jump.” ― Tris
50. “Maybe there is some Abnegation in everyone, even if they don’t know it.” ― Veronica Roth
What did you learn from these Divergent quotes?
Critics argue that the novel and the movies fall short of mega-hits like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. I mean sure; they were a little lighter on the political aspects and social reform that fed the dystopian nature of The Hunger Games.
And granted, you don’t see people actively declaring themselves part of a faction the way people pick houses like Hufflepuff. But hey, Divergent, the first film in a series of films grossed $288 million worldwide against its budget of $85 million, which is not too shabby!
Some people also argue that the books should be banned because of their political, sexual, and rebellious nature. Our little group that went to see Divergent in 2014, and has watched every installment since, disagrees! The star-studded cast of Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ashley Judd, Jai Courtney, Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Tony Goldwyn, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, and Kate Winslet never disappoint.
What do you think about the book or the movie? Do you have any other favorite Divergent quotes and lines to add? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
June 1, 2021 7:00 AM EST