---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because if it is to spite her,' Biddy…"
description: "\"“Because if it is to spite her,' Biddy pursued, 'I should think -but you know best- that might be better and more independently done by caring nothing ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/charles-dickens-34_inspirational-life_because-if-it-is-to-spite-her-biddy-purs_785214.jpg"
---

#  Because if it is to spite her,' Biddy pursued, 'I should…

![“Because if it is to spite her,' Biddy pursued, 'I should think -but you know best- that might be better and more independently done by caring nothing for her words. And if it is to gain her over, I should think -but you know best- she was not worth gaining over.” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/charles-dickens-34_inspirational-life_because-if-it-is-to-spite-her-biddy-purs_785214.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/charles-dickens-34_inspirational-life_because-if-it-is-to-spite-her-biddy-purs_785214.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/charles-dickens-34_inspirational-life_because-if-it-is-to-spite-her-biddy-purs_785214.jpg)

> ““Because if it is to spite her,' Biddy pursued, 'I should think -but you know best- that might be better and more independently done by caring nothing for her words. And if it is to gain her over, I should think -but you know best- she was not worth gaining over.””

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

## About This Quote

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

A character contemplates using spite or indifference as a strategy to manipulate another, questioning the value of winning someone over.

**In simple terms:** Using spite or indifference to control others is questionable.

Key Takeaway

Consider motives before acting spitefully.

Themes

manipulation relationships motivation

Mood

cautious reflective

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- personal conflict
- family dynamics
- social interactions

Key Concepts

psychology power dynamics self‑interest

Questions to Reflect On

- Is it worth harming trust for perceived control?
- What healthier ways exist to resolve conflict?

A Different Perspective

Spiteful tactics can damage trust and relationships.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Inspirational life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-life/) [Spite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spite/)

## Related quotes

> [Acting happened to me. If I had pursued it, I think it would have been like someone going to a bar, desperately looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-russell/acting-happened-to-me-if-i-had-pursued-it-i-think-it-would-have-been/)

[Keri Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-russell/)

> [I love to be pursued. I think that when you're not a challenge, it's just nnot as fun for the guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-longoria/i-love-to-be-pursued-i-think-that-when-you-re-not-a-challenge-it-s/)

[Eva Longoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-longoria/)

> [There can't be a quarrel without two parties, and I won't be one. I will be a friend to you in spite of you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-can-t-be-a-quarrel-without-two-parties-and-i-won-t-be-one-i/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [Why am I always at war with myself? Why have I told, as if upon compulsion, what I knew all along I ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/why-am-i-always-at-war-with-myself-why-have-i-told-as-if-upon/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [The pious farmer, who ne'er misses pray'rs, With patience suffers unexpected rain; He blesses Heav'n for what its bounty spares, And sees, resign'd, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/the-pious-farmer-who-ne-er-misses-pray-rs-with-patience-suffers/)

[Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/)

> [I stopped painting in 1990 at the peak of my success just to deny people my beautiful paintings, and I did it out of spite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-gallo/i-stopped-painting-in-1990-at-the-peak-of-my-success-just-to-deny/)

[Vincent Gallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-gallo/)

> [I tell my mother I went to God in spite of my religious education. I feel that my religious education was inadequate, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-tell-my-mother-i-went-to-god-in-spite-of-my-religious-education-i/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

> [...the plan will happen in spite of us, not because of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/the-plan-will-happen-in-spite-of-us-not-because-of-us/)

[Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/)

> [If I can get enough signatures, to present an apology to slavery, I will present it to the President. The House of Representatives has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/if-i-can-get-enough-signatures-to-present-an-apology-to-slavery-i/)

[Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/)

> [...that in spite of living in a mansion an American is not above wearing a pair of secondhand pants, bought for fifty cents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhumpa-lahiri/that-in-spite-of-living-in-a-mansion-an-american-is-not-above-wearing/)

[Jhumpa Lahiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhumpa-lahiri/)

> [There is nothing which so certifies the genuineness of a man's faith as his patience and his patient endurance, his keeping on steadily in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-nothing-which-so-certifies-the-genuineness-of-a-man-s-faith/)

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

> [Beauty's a doubtful good, a glass, a flower, Lost, faded, broken, dead within an hour; And beauty, blemish'd once, for ever's lost, In spite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/beauty-s-a-doubtful-good-a-glass-a-flower-lost-faded-broken-dead/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/)

[Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/)

> [Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/ring-out-false-pride-in-place-and-blood-the-civic-slander-and-the/)

[Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/)

> [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

## More by Charles Dickens

> [“All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretences did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/all-other-swindlers-upon-earth-are-nothing-to-the-self-swindlers-and/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [... Arthur Gride, whose bleared eyes gloated only over the outward beauties, and were blind to the spirit which reigned within, evinced - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/arthur-gride-whose-bleared-eyes-gloated-only-over-the-outward/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [There can be no disparity in marriage like unsuitability of mind and purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-can-be-no-disparity-in-marriage-like-unsuitability-of-mind-and/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“Mrs. Joe was a very clean housekeeper, but had an exquisite art of making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mrs-joe-was-a-very-clean-housekeeper-but-had-an-exquisite-art-of/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“evening, they began to think that although he could never hope to be an Englishman, still it would be hard to visit that affliction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/evening-they-began-to-think-that-although-he-could-never-hope-to-be/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“Besides which, all that I could have said of the Story to any purpose, I had endeavoured to say in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/besides-which-all-that-i-could-have-said-of-the-story-to-any-purpose/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“The wheels rolled on, and rolled down by the Monument, and by the Tower; and by the Docks; down by Ratcliffe, and by Rotherhithe;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-wheels-rolled-on-and-rolled-down-by-the-monument-and-by-the-tower/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“The three customers pulled off their hats to Madame Defarge, with three flourishes. She acknowledged their homage by bending her head, and giving them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-three-customers-pulled-off-their-hats-to-madame-defarge-with/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“What a situation!' cried Miss Squeers; '...What is the reason that men fall in love with me, whether I like it or not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/what-a-situation-cried-miss-squeers-what-is-the-reason-that-men-fall/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“Mr. Pickwick was a philosopher, but philosophers are only men in armour, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mr-pickwick-was-a-philosopher-but-philosophers-are-only-men-in-armour/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

[Explore all 2,309 Charles Dickens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

## More Inspirational life quotes

> [I have learned that you can go anywhere you want to go and do anything you want to do and buy all the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c-2/i-have-learned-that-you-can-go-anywhere-you-want-to-go-and-do/)

[C JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c-2/)

> [From the grasses in the field to the stars in the sky, each one is doing just that; and there is such profound peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/from-the-grasses-in-the-field-to-the-stars-in-the-sky-each-one-is/)

[Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/)

> [Fear is not my portion, limitation is not my portion for that reason I will dream massive dreams and I will continue to dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-not-my-portion-limitation-is-not-my-portion-for-that-reason-i/)

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

> [“Rose is like a woman love;when love odorous but gets offended when bony..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonnaville/rose-is-like-a-woman-love-when-love-odorous-but-gets-offended-when/)

Jonnaville

> [“Live your dreams. Breathe your dreams. Never give up on your dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/live-your-dreams-breathe-your-dreams-never-give-up-on-your-dreams/)

[Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/)

> [“A Beautiful verse takes birth when "U"n"I" VERSE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajesh-walecha/a-beautiful-verse-takes-birth-when-u-n-i-verse/)

[Rajesh Walecha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajesh-walecha/)

> [“Today if anything is trying to hold you back, give no attention to it. Get your hopes up, get your faith up, look up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/today-if-anything-is-trying-to-hold-you-back-give-no-attention-to-it/)

[Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/)

> [“I am a firm believer in the ‘Power of Persuasion.’ Insomuch as, whatever you believe are your limitations, will become your limitation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonny-k-brown/i-am-a-firm-believer-in-the-power-of-persuasion-insomuch-as-whatever/)

[Tonny K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonny-k-brown/)

> [Why waste your time being around people who drag you down? You don't live forever, at least in this life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/why-waste-your-time-being-around-people-who-drag-you-down-you-don-t/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [“To justify one's actions is easy. Acting responsibly and being accountable for actions is very difficult.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubha-vilas/to-justify-one-s-actions-is-easy-acting-responsibly-and-being/)

[Shubha Vilas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubha-vilas/)

> [“Age doesn't mean Maturity but Senescence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-asumadu-sarkodie/age-doesn-t-mean-maturity-but-senescence/)

[Samuel Asumadu-Sarkodie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-asumadu-sarkodie/)

> [The happiness you are seeking is not to be found in the flow of life, but in your attitude toward whatever life brings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramesh-s-balsekar/the-happiness-you-are-seeking-is-not-to-be-found-in-the-flow-of-life/)

[Ramesh S Balsekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramesh-s-balsekar/)

> [“Nobody has the right to break your spirit, not even you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhuwan-thapaliya/nobody-has-the-right-to-break-your-spirit-not-even-you/)

[Bhuwan Thapaliya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhuwan-thapaliya/)

> [“In life you dream, you step out and you make it happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/in-life-you-dream-you-step-out-and-you-make-it-happen/)

[Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/)

> [The survival of the fittest is the ageless law of nature, but the fittest are rarely the strong. The fittest are those endowed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-smalley/the-survival-of-the-fittest-is-the-ageless-law-of-nature-but-the/)

[Dave Smalley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-smalley/)

[Browse all 1,903 Inspirational life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-life/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Because if it is to spite her,' Biddy pursued, 'I should think -but you know best- that might be better and more independently done by caring nothing for her words. And if it is to gain her over, I should think -but you know best- she was not worth gaining over.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Charles Dickens"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/because-if-it-is-to-spite-her-biddy-pursued-i-should-think-but-you/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Inspirational life"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/because-if-it-is-to-spite-her-biddy-pursued-i-should-think-but-you/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/charles-dickens-34_inspirational-life_because-if-it-is-to-spite-her-biddy-purs_785214.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/charles-dickens-34_inspirational-life_because-if-it-is-to-spite-her-biddy-purs_785214.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/charles-dickens-34_inspirational-life_because-if-it-is-to-spite-her-biddy-purs_785214.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Because if it is to spite her,' Biddy pursued, 'I should think -but you know best- that might be better and…” — Charles Dickens",
                "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": "Charles Dickens",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Because if it is to spite...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/because-if-it-is-to-spite-her-biddy-pursued-i-should-think-but-you/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/because-if-it-is-to-spite-her-biddy-pursued-i-should-think-but-you/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
