There are certain lines from books that everyone knows, regardless of whether they have read them or not. Maybe they remember studying these titles at school, pick up on quotes through social media or loved ones, or simply hear them through the grapevine — these quotes are ingrained in people’s minds. It’s also not unusual forclassic literature pieces with loads of cinematic adaptationsto make particular lines from the source material famous.
While several of these are consideredfamous movie lines, audiences may be unaware that they are originally from prominent books. Yet these quotes are memorable for many reasons and aren’t restricted to specific genres, either. There are just as many notable lines fromclassic Gothic books and storiesas there are from sci-fi titles, for example. Regardless of why,it’s astounding how many of these iconic book lines are so widely known by readers and non-readers alike.
10"Always."
Said By Severus Snape - Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows
Even those who haven’t seentheHarry Pottermoviesor read the books are familiar with Professor Severus Snape’s iconic “Always.” From the varyingHarry Pottermerchandise to the fandom’s social media posts,everyone recognizes the moment that the bitter potions teacher admits that he never stopped caring about his childhood love, Lily.Chapter 33 ofHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallowsdelves into Snape’s time as a student at Hogwarts, which Harry witnesses through the Pensieve, and how his pining for Lily is never reciprocated.
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When Snape’s memories catch up to the night Lily and James died, Harry is able to understand just why his professor was so difficult. Although some of Snape’s behavior is far from justified, Harry sees the man’s vulnerability and realizes just what he and Dumbledore had been up to behind closed doors. From just this line, Harry realizes thatSnape wasn’t really a villain, and his death just moments before releases him from his many years of grief.
9"Call Me Ishmael."
Sai By Ishmael - Moby-Dick
“Call me Ishmael” is a classic line in literature, and as the opening line ofMoby-Dick, it’s one that pretty much everyone knows. What’s so interesting about this is thatwhile Ishmael is the narrator of the story, he doesn’t actually play a huge part in the book. This line is a brilliant way to start a book because it’s short, sweet, and to the point. It’s easy to remember, and it sets up the fact that a present person is telling the story.
Even though Ishmael isn’t the most reliable narrator, it establishes that whoever is recounting events to the reader, they are ready to share. There are many ofMoby-Dickadaptations and titles that maintain the novel’s core themes, making it natural to include this line, too. In fact,Moby-Dickis such a notable piece of literature that there is a movie based on the real-life event that inspired the book:In the Heart of the Sea.
8"Stay Gold, Ponyboy."
Said By Johnny Cade - The Outsiders
“Stay gold, Ponyboy” is a quote that many casually throw around, despite being truly aware of the context of it in the bookThe Outsiders. Intriguingly, Johnny Cade’s famous words are actually a reference as well, to the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay"by Robert Frost, which makes it even more iconic.Johnny says this as he lies dying in Windrixville Church, and this reference is his way of explaining that nothing good can last forever,which is a rather deep and profound way to translate his feelings.
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While perhaps not everyone will know this quote from the original novel, some may be familiar with it from the 1983 movie adaptation.Ralph Macchio’s Johnny inThe Outsidersfilmalso famously delivers this line, which is another reason why it’s so famous and moving. Many use this book line as a way of saying goodbye, or simply a turn of phrase that doesn’t hold a lot of meaning, but it’s interesting to see how the message differs from person to person.
7"Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost.”
From “The Riddle Of Strider” Poem - The Fellowship Of The Ring
One ofJ. R. R. Tolkien’s best quotes that inspire adventurefrom theLord of the Ringsseries is “Not all those who wander are lost,” from the first part,The Fellowship of the Ring. This line actually comes from Tolkien’s poem “The Riddle of Strider,” which is designed to make readers self-reflect. However, many are also unaware that it is inspired by William Shakespeare’s works, too.While theLord of the Ringsfranchise is one of the biggest in the fantasy genre, many emotionally resonate with it,regardless of its context or whether they’re familiar with the original text.
Most perceive this line to mean that being directionless in life isn’t a bad thing and that having a goal at all times isn’t always necessary. Because this quote is applicable to a lot of situations in life and doesn’t directly referenceThe Lord of the Ringscharacters, it’s one that many people can feel a connection to, demonstrating the beauty of Tolkien’s epic but grounded fantasy writing.
6"It Was The Best Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times."
Said By The Narrator - A Tale Of Two Cities
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” is the opening line ofA Tale of Two Cities, and a quote that many use in real life.This sets up the context ofA Tale of Two Cities, a story set during the French Revolution,and explains the tone of society at that time. While the quote holds a lot of historical accuracy, it also establishes that, regardless of the setting, the journey that readers are about to embark on is dramatic and the characters they meet are facing tough times.
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However, readers and non-readers of Dickens alike often use this quote outside of the original context. Although this line doesn’t directly discuss a particular topic or event, it is often used as a throwaway comment about how times of hardship can have a silver lining. Considering the variousadaptations of Charles Dickens' book, however, many are familiar with this quote even if they haven’t read the landmark novel.
Said By The Cheshire Cat - Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland
|We’re all mad here" fromAlice’s Adventures in Wonderlandcan be applied to a lot of contexts, so it’s no surprise that the quote has transcended the source material and become a phrase that many use.The Cheshire Cat’s remark to Alice about everyone in Wonderland being mad highlights the titular character’s reason for being there in the first place,and it reestablishes that Wonderland is not a place for those looking for a sense of reality or to be grounded.
The movie adaptations of this book share the quote with a wider audience, and because it can be used as an explanation for why someone may spend a lot of time in one location or keep the company of a particular group of people, everyone is generally familiar with it. However,Disney’s unmade version ofAlice in Wonderlandreinterprets this line and uses it to depict theHatter and the Hare as unhinged characters from an asylum, which is a bit too literal.
4"There Is Some Good In This World… And It’s Worth Fighting For."
Said By Samwise Gamgee - The Two Towers
Sam’s iconic statement to Frodo inThe Two Towers,the second part ofThe Lord of the Rings,about there being “some good in this world” and it being “worth fighting for” is a deep quote that many continue to find solace in.Sam makes this speech at the end of the book, just as the Hobbits are at their lowest,and Frodo almost hands the Ring over. His profound words help everyone understand that no matter how bleak things appear, there is always something to pull them out of the darkness and back into the light.
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However, regardless of whether those who use this quote live in a fantasy world or not, it’s a line that everyone can apply to themselves. It can be interpreted in several ways, although many use it as a comment on mental health, especially how there is always something to look out for and help pull them through their most difficult days. Sean Astin’s Sam inThe Lord of the Ringsmoviesalso makes this speech, contributing to it being such a well-known quote.
3"The Answer To The Ultimate Question Of Life, The Universe And Everything Is 42."
Said By Deep Thought - The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy
Regardless of whether people have read theincredible sci-fi bookThe Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxyor seen any of the adaptations, everyone and anyone is somewhat familiar with the conclusion that “The answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything is 42.” WhileThe Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s origins are as a radio series, the later novel also features this line. The quote comes from the moment that the supercomputer, Deep Thought, finally calculates the answer to the Great Question after over seven million years of searching.
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Many people have no idea about the deeper lore behindThe Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxyand its story, yet they know about 42. This is mainly because the concept, which dwells on what the meaning of existence in the universe is, has such an unbelievably ridiculous answer.It’s hilarious, especially as nobody knows what the Great Question initially is,until the sequelThe Restaurant at the End of the Universe, when Dent and Prefect discover that it is simply asking what six multiplied by nine is.
2"May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor."
Said Effie Trinket - The Hunger Games
“May the odds be ever in your favor” is one ofthe most memorable quotes fromThe Hunger Games, both the books and the films. Effie’s words to the potential tributes are haunting, and the quote has more than one layer to its meaning. Panem’s youth need the odds to be on their side, whether that’s so that their name isn’t selected in the Reaping, or that they manage to outlive the other tributes in the arena if they are chosen. Of course, many use this line elsewhere. In general, life can make people feel that the odds are against them.
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The Hunger Gamesmoviesare mainly the reason why this line is so prominent in culture.Elizabeth Banks’ version of this in the first film sets up the overall tone of the whole franchise,and considering how popular the YA book series was at the time of release, it’s no surprise that it is such a repeated phrase withinThe Hunger Gamesfandom, and features on so many pieces of merchandise.
1"It Is A Truth Universally Acknowledged, That A Single Man In Possession Of A Good Fortune, Must Be In Want Of A Wife."
Said By The Narrator - Pride And Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice’s opening line is another quote that everyone knows and one of the most famous in all literature. While some opening lines of books are quite vague, this one brilliantly establishes what the story is about, or at least the topics that readers will encounter throughout.Mr. Bingley’s arrival is the inciting incident ofPride and Prejudice,and Jane Austen elegantly begins to illustrate the rich bachelor’s interactions with the Bennett family.
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It also foreshadows Mr. Darcy’s attitude towards marriage, and how his relationship with Elizabeth will progress. While this line isn’t exactly a phrase or term that people use generally, it’s still one that everyone is familiar with one way or another. This is probably because the manymovie and TV show adaptations ofPride and Prejudicehave made it so popular, but it’s more likely because the book is also very popular in school curriculums.
