--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The man had to have some kind of…" description: "\"“The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/harper-lee-451_threatening_the-man-had-to-have-some-kind-of-comebac_2811868.jpg" --- # The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always… ![“The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that's something I'll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I'd rather it be me than that houseful of children out there.” quote by Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/harper-lee-451_threatening_the-man-had-to-have-some-kind-of-comebac_2811868.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/harper-lee-451_threatening_the-man-had-to-have-some-kind-of-comebac_2811868.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/harper-lee-451_threatening_the-man-had-to-have-some-kind-of-comebac_2811868.jpg) > ““The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that's something I'll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I'd rather it be me than that houseful of children out there.”” [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## 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 rationalizes violent revenge as a justified response to oppression. **In simple terms:** Violence seen as justified retaliation. Key Takeaway Question the morality of revenge. Themes justice revenge oppression morality Mood reflective critical dramatic Type literary dialogue When to use this quote - racial injustice - personal vengeance - legal system - moral dilemma Key Concepts ethics social critique Questions to Reflect On - Is retaliation ever truly just? - What alternatives exist to violent revenge? A Different Perspective Violence often escalates conflict rather than resolves it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Let's face it: 'Threatening' people are the only interesting people around. The unthreatening are, by and large, competent mediocrities who take lemming-like aim at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/let-s-face-it-threatening-people-are-the-only-interesting-people/) [Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/) > [Was he joking? Was he being sarcastic? Aggressive? Impertinent? Or just courteous? There was no telling from his impassive face. What a country, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/was-he-joking-was-he-being-sarcastic-aggressive-impertinent-or-just/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [The worst evil that you can do, psychologically, is to laugh at yourself. That means spitting in your own face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-worst-evil-that-you-can-do-psychologically-is-to-laugh-at/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [When everyone is spitting in your face and you can be nice back to society - that is the ultimate self empowerment and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/when-everyone-is-spitting-in-your-face-and-you-can-be-nice-back-to/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [“Stand up and wash away this shame from the face of Christ! They are spitting in His face.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabina-wurmbrand/stand-up-and-wash-away-this-shame-from-the-face-of-christ-they-are/) Sabina Wurmbrand > [My wife and I were present at this congress. Sabina told me, "Richard, stand up and wash away this shame from the face of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wurmbrand/my-wife-and-i-were-present-at-this-congress-sabina-told-me-richard/) [Richard Wurmbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wurmbrand/) > [I still have in me the same awareness when I was 12 and chubby and a girl was spitting in my face. I'm the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-still-have-in-me-the-same-awareness-when-i-was-12-and-chubby-and-a/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [Helen Crawfurd and the Women's Peace Crusade, made a march on the City Chambers, distributing an illegal leaflet in front of police and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-gallacher/helen-crawfurd-and-the-women-s-peace-crusade-made-a-march-on-the-city/) Willie Gallacher > [“Miss Masters was not content with threatening to hire away his staff, oh no. First, she had to perfume it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/miss-masters-was-not-content-with-threatening-to-hire-away-his-staff/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Let’s go home,” she said. He arched his brows. “Already? I thought you would want to stay for a while.” Dark eyes flashed. “No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/let-s-go-home-she-said-he-arched-his-brows-already-i-thought-you/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [The holiness of the church means that life, as well as truth, marks Christ’s church; the behavior of Christians in the world must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-clowney/the-holiness-of-the-church-means-that-life-as-well-as-truth-marks/) [Edmund Clowney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-clowney/) > [The Monkees was a straight sitcom, we used the same plots that were on the other situation comedies at the time. So the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tork/the-monkees-was-a-straight-sitcom-we-used-the-same-plots-that-were-on/) [Peter Tork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tork/) > [Stephen Colbert's recent comment is apropos: When the Republican legislature of North Carolina responded to a scientific study predicting a threatening rise in sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/stephen-colbert-s-recent-comment-is-apropos-when-the-republican/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The more people that learn about you, even if you're an underdog, then you can come under fire a lot and the more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/the-more-people-that-learn-about-you-even-if-you-re-an-underdog-then/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [Oppression is something that one group of people commits against another group specifically because of a threatening characteristic shared by the latter group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-morgan/oppression-is-something-that-one-group-of-people-commits-against/) [Robin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-morgan/) ## More by Harper Lee > [“No jury in this part of the world's going to say, "We think you're guilty, but not very," on a charge like that. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/no-jury-in-this-part-of-the-world-s-going-to-say-we-think-you-re/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [That proves something- that a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they're still human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/that-proves-something-that-a-gang-of-wild-animals-can-be-stopped/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“I wanted you to see something about her—I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wanted-you-to-see-something-about-her-i-wanted-you-to-see-what-real/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself...It's a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/any-writer-worth-his-salt-writes-to-please-himself-it-s-a-self/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“folks don’t like to have somebody around knowin’ more than they do. It aggravates ’em. You’re not gonna change any of them by talkin’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/folks-don-t-like-to-have-somebody-around-knowin-more-than-they-do-it/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [ “...\[Summer\] was a thousand colors in a parched landscape...” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/summer-was-a-thousand-colors-in-a-parched-landscape/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [It’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/it-s-never-an-insult-to-be-called-what-somebody-thinks-is-a-bad-name/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I wonder how much of the day I spend just callin' after you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wonder-how-much-of-the-day-i-spend-just-callin-after-you/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Writing is something you'll never learn in any university or at any school. It's something that is within you, and if it isn't there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/writing-is-something-you-ll-never-learn-in-any-university-or-at-any/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence that the crime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/to-begin-with-this-case-should-never-have-come-to-trial-the-state-has/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Naw, Jem. I think that there is just one kind of folks. Folks." Jen turned and punched his pillow. WHen he settle back his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/naw-jem-i-think-that-there-is-just-one-kind-of-folks-folks-jen-turned/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The course of English Literature would have been decidedly different had Mr. Wordsworth owned a power mower.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-course-of-english-literature-would-have-been-decidedly-different/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I would like to be the chronicler of something that I think is going down the drain very swiftly, and that is small-town, middle-class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-would-like-to-be-the-chronicler-of-something-that-i-think-is-going/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The gum looked fresh. I sniffed it and it smelled all right. I licked it and waited for a while. When I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-gum-looked-fresh-i-sniffed-it-and-it-smelled-all-right-i-licked/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I just thought you'd like to know I can read. You got anything needs readin' I can do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-just-thought-you-d-like-to-know-i-can-read-you-got-anything-needs/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) [Explore all 494 Harper Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## More Threatening quotes > [Oppression is something that one group of people commits against another group specifically because of a threatening characteristic shared by the latter group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-morgan/oppression-is-something-that-one-group-of-people-commits-against/) [Robin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-morgan/) > [The more people that learn about you, even if you're an underdog, then you can come under fire a lot and the more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/the-more-people-that-learn-about-you-even-if-you-re-an-underdog-then/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [Stephen Colbert's recent comment is apropos: When the Republican legislature of North Carolina responded to a scientific study predicting a threatening rise in sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/stephen-colbert-s-recent-comment-is-apropos-when-the-republican/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The Monkees was a straight sitcom, we used the same plots that were on the other situation comedies at the time. So the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tork/the-monkees-was-a-straight-sitcom-we-used-the-same-plots-that-were-on/) [Peter Tork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tork/) > [The holiness of the church means that life, as well as truth, marks Christ’s church; the behavior of Christians in the world must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-clowney/the-holiness-of-the-church-means-that-life-as-well-as-truth-marks/) [Edmund Clowney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-clowney/) > [“Let’s go home,” she said. He arched his brows. “Already? I thought you would want to stay for a while.” Dark eyes flashed. “No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/let-s-go-home-she-said-he-arched-his-brows-already-i-thought-you/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [“Miss Masters was not content with threatening to hire away his staff, oh no. First, she had to perfume it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/miss-masters-was-not-content-with-threatening-to-hire-away-his-staff/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [Helen Crawfurd and the Women's Peace Crusade, made a march on the City Chambers, distributing an illegal leaflet in front of police and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-gallacher/helen-crawfurd-and-the-women-s-peace-crusade-made-a-march-on-the-city/) Willie Gallacher > [Rock and roll is based on pretty boys who look like little girls. The girls love them because they're not threatening. As someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-panozzo/rock-and-roll-is-based-on-pretty-boys-who-look-like-little-girls-the/) [Chuck Panozzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-panozzo/) > [As the practical value of altering consciousness becomes recognized, procedures to effect these alterations will become increasingly ordinary and unremarkable. The whole concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/as-the-practical-value-of-altering-consciousness-becomes-recognized/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [North Korea is now threatening the United States with all-out war. You can see they're stepping it up. In fact, they released 10 more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/north-korea-is-now-threatening-the-united-states-with-all-out-war-you/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Refugees are threatening, not just to Americans, but also in many countries the world over. And it's partially because, unlike immigrants, refugees do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nguyen-viet-thang/refugees-are-threatening-not-just-to-americans-but-also-in-many/) [Nguyen Viet Thang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nguyen-viet-thang/) > [Our lives are full of supposes. Suppose this should happen, or suppose that should happen; what could we do; how could we bear it?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-whitall-smith/our-lives-are-full-of-supposes-suppose-this-should-happen-or-suppose/) [Hannah Whitall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-whitall-smith/) > [Remember this, and remember this well: when someone is telling the TRUTH and exposing information that is meant to be hidden from the masses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/remember-this-and-remember-this-well-when-someone-is-telling-the/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [They appear to have had a higher voter turnout in Iraq than we did in our recent federal elections, and we didn't have terrorists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-burns/they-appear-to-have-had-a-higher-voter-turnout-in-iraq-than-we-did-in/) [Conrad Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-burns/) Browse all 686 Threatening quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. 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