---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not often you encounter the real…"
description: "\"“It's not often you encounter the real person behind a good-natured mask, the darkest parts of someone. It's not comfortable when you do.”\" — veronica ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/veronica-roth-66_dark_it-s-not-often-you-encounter-the-real-pe_321661.png"
---

#  It's not often you encounter the real person behind a…

![“It's not often you encounter the real person behind a good-natured mask, the darkest parts of someone. It's not comfortable when you do.” quote by veronica roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/veronica-roth-66_dark_it-s-not-often-you-encounter-the-real-pe_321661.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/veronica-roth-66_dark_it-s-not-often-you-encounter-the-real-pe_321661.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/veronica-roth-66_dark_it-s-not-often-you-encounter-the-real-pe_321661.png)

> ““It's not often you encounter the real person behind a good-natured mask, the darkest parts of someone. It's not comfortable when you do.””

[veronica roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Encountering a person’s true self behind a pleasant façade reveals uncomfortable, darker aspects.

**In simple terms:** Seeing true self behind a mask can be unsettling.

Key Takeaway

Accept complexity in others.

Themes

identity masking discomfort

Mood

thoughtful uneasy

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- social gatherings
- dating
- workplace introductions

Key Concepts

psychology authenticity

Questions to Reflect On

- What masks do you wear?
- How do you handle uncomfortable truths?

A Different Perspective

Facing darkness may cause conflict.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Fragile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fragile/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Mask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mask/)

## Related quotes

> [It's not often real that you encounter the real person behind a good-natured mask, the darkest part of someone. It's not comfortable what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-s-not-often-real-that-you-encounter-the-real-person-behind-a-good/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [“I feel uneasy. It's not often that you encounter the real person behind a good-natured mask, the darkest parts of someone. It's not comfortable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-feel-uneasy-it-s-not-often-that-you-encounter-the-real-person/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [When I met you, flowers started growing in the darkest parts of my mind & heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uknown/when-i-met-you-flowers-started-growing-in-the-darkest-parts-of-my/)

Uknown

> [“Sometimes the darkest parts of us can be our teachers in ways that our sweeter qualities never could.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/sometimes-the-darkest-parts-of-us-can-be-our-teachers-in-ways-that/)

[Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/)

> [“In my life and work, I've seen the darkest parts of the human soul (at least I hope they're the darkest.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-debecker/in-my-life-and-work-i-ve-seen-the-darkest-parts-of-the-human-soul-at/)

Gavin deBecker

> [Anyone I have ever made an impact on.. Comment. I live in the darkest parts of the universe currently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/anyone-i-have-ever-made-an-impact-on-comment-i-live-in-the-darkest/)

[Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/)

> [I'm a big believer in the notion that our greatest potential lies in our darkest parts. To a certain extent it's only in facing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-m-a-big-believer-in-the-notion-that-our-greatest-potential-lies-in/)

[Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/)

> [We have to own even the darkest parts of our past, understand them and vow never to repeat them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ketanji-brown-jackson/we-have-to-own-even-the-darkest-parts-of-our-past-understand-them-and/)

[Ketanji Brown Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ketanji-brown-jackson/)

> [When you ask a person to jump, his attention is mostly directed toward the act of jumping and the mask falls so that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-halsman/when-you-ask-a-person-to-jump-his-attention-is-mostly-directed-toward/)

[Philippe Halsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-halsman/)

> [When the photographer Philippe Halsman said, 'Jump,' no one asked how high. People simply pushed off or leapt up to the extent that physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-halsman/when-the-photographer-philippe-halsman-said-jump-no-one-asked-how/)

[Philippe Halsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-halsman/)

> [Become abundant with your compliments to others. We're all so fragile, especially when we put on a brave face. A sincere compliment can penetrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/become-abundant-with-your-compliments-to-others-we-re-all-so-fragile/)

[Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/)

> [“Rex has never been unkind to me intentionally. It's just that he isn't a real person at all; he's just a few faculties of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/rex-has-never-been-unkind-to-me-intentionally-it-s-just-that-he-isn-t/)

[Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/)

> [At some point, you have to disconnect, if the obsession with playing a real person gets in the way of the movie at large.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/at-some-point-you-have-to-disconnect-if-the-obsession-with-playing-a/)

[Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/)

> [I like to play people that are real, a real person, and then something that's interesting with that person. I think it's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-bostick/i-like-to-play-people-that-are-real-a-real-person-and-then-something/)

[Devon Bostick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-bostick/)

> [“No one had ever left me so simultaneously relaxed and knotted up all at once (except maybe Rhett Butler, which doesn't count since he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-white/no-one-had-ever-left-me-so-simultaneously-relaxed-and-knotted-up-all/)

[Cecily White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-white/)

## More by veronica roth

> [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [“I was beginning to feel that I had finally found a place to stay, a place that was not so unstable or corrupt or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-was-beginning-to-feel-that-i-had-finally-found-a-place-to-stay-a/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [“He acts so tough that he’s probably afraid of marshmallows and really bright sunrises or something. Overcompensating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/he-acts-so-tough-that-he-s-probably-afraid-of-marshmallows-and-really/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [And is it selfish of me to crave victory, or is it brave?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/and-is-it-selfish-of-me-to-crave-victory-or-is-it-brave/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [You always look like someone's sucked the life right out of you when something fascinates you. -Tris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-always-look-like-someone-s-sucked-the-life-right-out-of-you-when/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [“We can be mended. We mend each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/we-can-be-mended-we-mend-each-other/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [Don’t worry about me handling the pain," I say. "I’ve had a lot of practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/don-t-worry-about-me-handling-the-pain-i-say-i-ve-had-a-lot-of/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [Soon I will honor my parents by dying as they died. and if all they believed about death was true, soon I will join…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/soon-i-will-honor-my-parents-by-dying-as-they-died-and-if-all-they/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [“Mas lembre-se, já agora, que por vezes as pessoas que oprimimos tornam-se mais poderosas do que nós gostaríamos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/mas-lembre-se-j-agora-que-por-vezes-as-pessoas-que-oprimimos-tornam/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [“am aware of how little space there is between us—six inches at most. That space feels charged with electricity. I feel like it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/am-aware-of-how-little-space-there-is-between-us-six-inches-at-most/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [“Oh, good,” I say, a sour taste in my mouth. “Heroism is what I was focused on. Not, you know, trying not to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/oh-good-i-say-a-sour-taste-in-my-mouth-heroism-is-what-i-was-focused/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [“Caleb frowns at him. "How old are you, anyway?" "Eighteen." "And you don't think you're too old to be with my little sister?" Tobias…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/caleb-frowns-at-him-how-old-are-you-anyway-eighteen-and-you-don-t/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [What do you think they're going to do to us when they find us guilty?" she says after a few minutes of silence have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/what-do-you-think-they-re-going-to-do-to-us-when-they-find-us-guilty/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [“La paz está restringida, eso es libertad”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/la-paz-est-restringida-eso-es-libertad/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [In some parts of the ancient world, the hawk symbolized the sun. Back when I got this, I figured if I always had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/in-some-parts-of-the-ancient-world-the-hawk-symbolized-the-sun-back/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

[Explore all 1,589 veronica roth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

## More Dark quotes

> [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [“I could see her will leaving and death seeping through her skin to skewer her soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-stroube/i-could-see-her-will-leaving-and-death-seeping-through-her-skin-to/)

[J.D. Stroube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-stroube/)

> [The soul wanders in the dark, until it finds love. And so, wherever our love goes, there we find our soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-zimmerman/the-soul-wanders-in-the-dark-until-it-finds-love-and-so-wherever-our/)

[Mary Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-zimmerman/)

> [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/)

[Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/)

> [All comedy comes from a dark place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katt-williams/all-comedy-comes-from-a-dark-place/)

[Katt Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katt-williams/)

> [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/)

[Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/)

> [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/)

[Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/)

> [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/)

[Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/)

> [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/)

[Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/)

> [Memory revises me. Even now a letter comes from a place I don’t know, from someone with my name and postmarked years ago, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-young-lee/memory-revises-me-even-now-a-letter-comes-from-a-place-i-don-t-know/)

[Li-Young Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-young-lee/)

> [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/)

[Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/)

> [Let death bless me with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-death-bless-me-with-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“what do you call/that space between the dark geographies of sex?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethaway/what-do-you-call-that-space-between-the-dark-geographies-of-sex/)

Natasha Trethaway

> [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/)

Nicole Gentile

> [Even in the dark your shadow is like a guide to me! you are my rising sun that brings forth hope just as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkemjika-linus/even-in-the-dark-your-shadow-is-like-a-guide-to-me-you-are-my-rising/)

[Nkemjika Linus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkemjika-linus/)

[Browse all 10,198 Dark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“It's not often you encounter the real person behind a good-natured mask, the darkest parts of someone. It's not comfortable when you do.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "veronica roth"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-s-not-often-you-encounter-the-real-person-behind-a-good-natured/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dark"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-s-not-often-you-encounter-the-real-person-behind-a-good-natured/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/veronica-roth-66_dark_it-s-not-often-you-encounter-the-real-pe_321661.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/veronica-roth-66_dark_it-s-not-often-you-encounter-the-real-pe_321661.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/veronica-roth-66_dark_it-s-not-often-you-encounter-the-real-pe_321661.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's not often you encounter the real person behind a good-natured mask, the darkest parts of someone. It's…” — veronica roth",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "veronica roth",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“It's not often you encounter the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-s-not-often-you-encounter-the-real-person-behind-a-good-natured/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-s-not-often-you-encounter-the-real-person-behind-a-good-natured/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```