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Symbols
After each milestone in her life, Beatrice Prior gets a tattoo. Each tattoo has a different, specific symbolic meaning—for example, she gets a tattoo of the Dauntless symbol (a ring of fire) to celebrate the fact that she’s finally feeling at home among the Dauntless. In general, though, Beatrice’s tattoos symbolize her desire to form an identity for herself: tattoos remind her who she is, and inspire her to be strong and true to her principles. Thus, her first tattoo represents her family, symbolizing her continued allegiance to her old life in Abnegation; her second tattoo is Dauntless, symbolizing her love for her new community, etc.
Tattoos Quotes in Divergent
The Divergent quotes below all refer to the symbol of Tattoos. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 8
Quotes
But I understand now what Tori said about her tattoo representing a fear she overcame—a reminder of where she was, as well as a reminder of where she is now. Maybe there is a way to honor my old life as I embrace my new one. “Yes,” I say. “Three of these flying birds.” I touch my collarbone, marking the path of their flight—toward my heart. One for each member of the family I left behind.
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Chapter 28
Quotes
We stop on the concrete around the metal bean, where the Erudite sit in small groups with newspapers or books. He takes off his glasses and shoves them in his pocket, then runs a hand through his hair, his eyes skipping over mine nervously. Like he’s ashamed. Maybe I should be too. I’m tattooed, loose-haired, and wearing tight clothes. But I’m just not.
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Tattoos Symbol Timeline in Divergent
The timeline below shows where the symbol Tattoos appears in Divergent. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 8
In the evening, Tris eats with her new friends. Al proposes getting a new tattoo to celebrate his new home among the Dauntless, and Christina jokingly suggests dying his hair....
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Tris and Christina go to “the tattoo place,” where they find Al getting a tattoo of a spider. Tris notices a tattoo...
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Chapter 19
Christina and Tris go to get tattoos, and Christina convinces Tris to get a tattoo of a flaming circle—the Dauntless seal—to go...
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Chapter 20
After her simulation, Tris goes to visit Tori, who works in the tattoo parlor. She asks Tori for some information about being Divergent. Though she doesn’t say the...
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Chapter 25
Late at night, Will, Christina, and Tris look out over the chasm. They’ve gotten new tattoos to commemorate Al’s death. Tris got a symbol of Abnegation: a pair of hands. Tris...
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Chapter 28
...jump onboard. Tobias and Tris kiss and touch each other, and Tobias notices Tris’s collarbone tattoo. After some time, they arrive at their destination: Erudite headquarters. Tobias points out that the...
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Chapter 31
...for sex, but Tobias vigorously denies this. Tobias also notices that Tris has a new tattoo—the Abnegation sign, on her back. Tobias smiles and says that he has the same tattoo....
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