--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just because he has black fingernails…" description: "\"Just because he has black fingernails doesn't mean he's a monster-that's how you've defended yourself for years.\" — Ellen Schreiber" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a2/ellen-schreiber-9915_black_just-because-he-has-black-fingernails-do_1547437.jpg" --- # Just because he has black fingernails doesn't mean he's a… ![“Just because he has black fingernails doesn't mean he's a monster-that's how you've defended yourself for years.” quote by Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a2/ellen-schreiber-9915_black_just-because-he-has-black-fingernails-do_1547437.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a2/ellen-schreiber-9915_black_just-because-he-has-black-fingernails-do_1547437.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a2/ellen-schreiber-9915_black_just-because-he-has-black-fingernails-do_1547437.jpg) > “Just because he has black fingernails doesn't mean he's a monster-that's how you've defended yourself for years.” [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Judging someone by superficial traits, like nail color, ignores their true character. **In simple terms:** Don’t judge by appearances. Key Takeaway Look beyond external signs. Themes prejudice appearance character Mood reflective cautious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - interpersonal relationships - conflict resolution - self‑reflection Key Concepts social perception bias Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do you make about others? - How can you practice deeper empathy? A Different Perspective People may resist confronting their biases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) ## Related quotes > [I've always defended Shania. She not only opened doors; she knocked several down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hill/i-ve-always-defended-shania-she-not-only-opened-doors-she-knocked/) [Faith Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hill/) > [They say, "Katie, you're wrong." And if I say, "How dare you say that? I have studied and studied." Or, "I am an expert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/they-say-katie-you-re-wrong-and-if-i-say-how-dare-you-say-that-i-have/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [I was the girl in the black leather jacket with the black fingernails, picked up after school by guys with loud cars and motorcycles.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/i-was-the-girl-in-the-black-leather-jacket-with-the-black-fingernails/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [I told my wife she looks sexy with black fingernails. Now she thinks I slammed the car door on her hand on purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-told-my-wife-she-looks-sexy-with-black-fingernails-now-she-thinks-i/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I've always said that wherever I have played, I've always respected that jersey, and I've always defended it as though I had been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edinson-cavani/i-ve-always-said-that-wherever-i-have-played-i-ve-always-respected/) [Edinson Cavani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edinson-cavani/) > [“A cad of the lowest order with a soul as black as his fingernails.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse-3/a-cad-of-the-lowest-order-with-a-soul-as-black-as-his-fingernails/) [P G Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse-3/) > [A country should be defended not by arms, but by ethical behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinoba-bhave/a-country-should-be-defended-not-by-arms-but-by-ethical-behavior/) [Vinoba Bhave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinoba-bhave/) > [Defend an institution. Follow the courts or the media, or a court or a newspaper. Do not speak of 'our institutions' unless you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/defend-an-institution-follow-the-courts-or-the-media-or-a-court-or-a/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [Democracy is not a good that people can enjoy without trouble. 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You matter. And no one is allowed to take away your right to your property, your right to your safety, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/you-are-somebody-you-matter-and-no-one-is-allowed-to-take-away-your/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) ## More by Ellen Schreiber > [It's not about changing--it's about growing, together," he said, like the wise soul that he was. "I wanted to let you know--that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/it-s-not-about-changing-it-s-about-growing-together-he-said-like-the/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [Raven! What are you doing up so late? You have school tomorrow!"..."But I thought it was just the one time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/raven-what-are-you-doing-up-so-late-you-have-school-tomorrow-but-i/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [I hope you enjoyed your visit. You never know. You may want to join forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/i-hope-you-enjoyed-your-visit-you-never-know-you-may-want-to-join/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [“A marriage made in heaven—or in my case, hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/a-marriage-made-in-heaven-or-in-my-case-hell/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [I want a relationship I can finally sink my teeth into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/i-want-a-relationship-i-can-finally-sink-my-teeth-into/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [Go in and get us a shrunken head!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/go-in-and-get-us-a-shrunken-head/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [I'm looking for someone to quench my thirst-for all eternity" -Luna Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/i-m-looking-for-someone-to-quench-my-thirst-for-all-eternity-luna/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [I'm going to a dance." With Becky?" No, with Alexander." Who's Alexander?" The love of my life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/i-m-going-to-a-dance-with-becky-no-with-alexander-who-s-alexander-the/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [“I think some people call this love. I call it hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/i-think-some-people-call-this-love-i-call-it-hell/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [“showing up to school without knowing what classes i'm taking or where the classroom are located. the worst one was showing up for exams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/showing-up-to-school-without-knowing-what-classes-i-m-taking-or-where/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [Cupid's not the only one with an arrow," I scowled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/cupid-s-not-the-only-one-with-an-arrow-i-scowled/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [Did I hear it's going to be someone's birthday?" a familiar male's voice said from behind me. I didnt even bother turning around and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/did-i-hear-it-s-going-to-be-someone-s-birthday-a-familiar-male-s/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [Trevor was as menacing as he was gorgeous. If he were a vampire, he'd be the dark kind, the kind that sneaks up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/trevor-was-as-menacing-as-he-was-gorgeous-if-he-were-a-vampire-he-d/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [“I had waited an eternity for this moment. My childhood fantasy was now coming true— I would be a dark angel of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/i-had-waited-an-eternity-for-this-moment-my-childhood-fantasy-was-now/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [Welcome to the Family." - Mrs.Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/welcome-to-the-family-mrs-sterling/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) [Explore all 69 Ellen Schreiber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. 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