Crying defies scientific explanation. Tears are only meant to lubricate the eyes. There is no real reason for tear glands to overproduce tears at the behest of emotion.

— Veronica Roth

Crying defies scientific explanation. Tears are only meant to lubricate the eyes. There is no real reason for tear glands to overproduce tears at the behest of emotion. I think we cry to release the animal parts of us without losing our humanity.

— Veronica Roth

Damn,' someone behind me says. 'I was hoping we would get to scrape some Stiff pancake off the pavement later.

— Veronica Roth

Dead people can be our heroes because they can't disappoint us later; they only improve over time, as we forget more and more about them.

— Veronica Roth

Doing a little at once can fix something, eventually, but I feel like when you believe something is truly a problem, you throw everything you have at it, because you just can't help yourself.

— Veronica Roth

Do remember, though, that sometimes the people you oppress become mightier than you would like.

— Veronica Roth

Eric called Al's suicide brave, and he was wrong. My mother's death was brave. I remember how calm she was, how determined. 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

Every faction conditions its members to think and act a certain way. And most people do it. For most people, it's not hard to learn, to find a pattern of thought that works and stay that way. But our minds move in a dozen different directions. We can't be confined to one way of thinking, and that terrifies our leaders. It means we can't be controlled. And it means that no matter what they do, we will always cause trouble for them.

— Veronica Roth

Everything inside me screams for just one more kiss, one more word, one more glance, one more.

— Veronica Roth

Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up. I've seen it. It's fascinating." He releases me but doesn't pull away, his hand grazing my jaw, my neck. "Sometimes I just...want to see it again. Want to see you awake.

— Veronica Roth