Divergent (Divergent, #1)

by Veronica Roth

As we walk toward the Pit, I repeat the line Will quoted to myself so I don’t forget it. I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. It is a beautiful thought.

This line connects to something Tris says elsewhere in the book: “'I never thought I would need bravery in the small moments of my life. I do.” This was important for me to include because all the things the Dauntless do—jumping on and off trains, throwing knives, fighting each other—they’re such obvious examples of what bravery could be. But for the rest of us, this quote is what bravery is: ordinary, quiet, standing up for someone who can’t stand up for themselves…or risking your heart with someone by loving them.