--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He had a moustache-and-beard combination…" description: "\"“He had a moustache-and-beard combination that looked like a skinny white caterpillar taking a lap around his mouth.”\" — Joe Haldeman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/joe-haldeman-12112_beard_he-had-a-moustache-and-beard-combination_547637.jpg" --- # He had a moustache-and-beard combination that looked like… ![“He had a moustache-and-beard combination that looked like a skinny white caterpillar taking a lap around his mouth.” quote by Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/joe-haldeman-12112_beard_he-had-a-moustache-and-beard-combination_547637.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/joe-haldeman-12112_beard_he-had-a-moustache-and-beard-combination_547637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/joe-haldeman-12112_beard_he-had-a-moustache-and-beard-combination_547637.jpg) > ““He had a moustache-and-beard combination that looked like a skinny white caterpillar taking a lap around his mouth.”” [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The description uses a vivid, grotesque metaphor to highlight the character’s odd facial hair, implying a creepy or unsettling appearance. **In simple terms:** His facial hair looks like a white caterpillar. Key Takeaway Notice how unusual descriptions affect perception. Themes appearance humor creepy metaphor characterization Mood playful odd critical Type literary descriptive When to use this quote - character design - creative writing - visual arts - storytelling Key Concepts literary description visual metaphor character analysis Questions to Reflect On - What effect does this metaphor have on your image of the character? - Does the humor enhance or distract from the narrative? A Different Perspective Such vivid imagery may alienate readers if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beard/) [Beard Combination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beard-combination-4565562/) [Moustache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moustache/) [Moustache Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moustache-beard-2221668/) [Suit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suit/) [White Caterpillar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-caterpillar-4565563/) ## Related quotes > [“The funny thing about having any kind of moustache or beard is it grows on you—in two ways. I mean, it grows on you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-boyer/the-funny-thing-about-having-any-kind-of-moustache-or-beard-is-it/) [John W. Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-boyer/) > [They say it's good but I didn't know what I was doing until I got into the suit and they put the moustache on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-korman/they-say-it-s-good-but-i-didn-t-know-what-i-was-doing-until-i-got/) [Harvey Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-korman/) > [Estate agents. You can't live with them, you can't live with them. The first sign of these nasty purulent sores appeared round about 1894.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/estate-agents-you-can-t-live-with-them-you-can-t-live-with-them-the/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [It's a game everybody plays. If you see a man with a beard and holler "Beaver!" it's five points. And if you see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-allen/it-s-a-game-everybody-plays-if-you-see-a-man-with-a-beard-and-holler/) [Gracie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-allen/) > [I don't think I'd rock a moustache. I don't mind growing a beard. I think it's just a guy thing. We like to nurture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-magnussen/i-don-t-think-i-d-rock-a-moustache-i-don-t-mind-growing-a-beard-i/) [James Magnussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-magnussen/) > [“With his hair tied back and about three days worth of beard Win looked more like a vagrant than a comm guru. Except for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcha-a-fox/with-his-hair-tied-back-and-about-three-days-worth-of-beard-win/) [Marcha A. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcha-a-fox/) > [His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-clarke-moore/his-droll-little-mouth-was-drawn-up-like-a-bow-and-the-beard-of-his/) [Clement Clarke Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-clarke-moore/) > [He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/he-gazed-up-at-the-enormous-face-forty-years-it-had-taken-him-to/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I had Halloween parties every year, as it was my birthday five days before. My parents would actually put prosthetic noses on, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/i-had-halloween-parties-every-year-as-it-was-my-birthday-five-days/) [Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/) > [Men always talk about the most important things to perfect strangers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/men-always-talk-about-the-most-important-things-to-perfect-strangers/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [The rest of my days I'm going to spend on the sea. And when I die, I'm going to die on the sea. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/the-rest-of-my-days-i-m-going-to-spend-on-the-sea-and-when-i-die-i-m/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [The curious thing about that moustache and goatee is that when you look at the Mona Lisa it becomes a man. It is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/the-curious-thing-about-that-moustache-and-goatee-is-that-when-you/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [They chose me for Lawrence of Arabia because I spoke English, had black hair, black eyes and a moustache. It was all luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-sharif/they-chose-me-for-lawrence-of-arabia-because-i-spoke-english-had/) [Omar Sharif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-sharif/) > [I have a permanent moustache so I can be a 'Movator:' I take random telephone numbers and ring people up and 'movate' them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-boorman/i-have-a-permanent-moustache-so-i-can-be-a-movator-i-take-random/) [Charley Boorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-boorman/) > [I think there is nothing sexier than a handlebar moustache.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isla-fisher/i-think-there-is-nothing-sexier-than-a-handlebar-moustache/) [Isla Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isla-fisher/) ## More by Joe Haldeman > [“-I die. Before I die my body turns hair-side-in. People come from everywhere to see the insides of themselves. But the sight makes them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/i-die-before-i-die-my-body-turns-hair-side-in-people-come-from/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“love was an unstable reaction with a half-life of about eight months. Bullshit, I said, and accused him of wearing cultural blinders; thirty centuries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/love-was-an-unstable-reaction-with-a-half-life-of-about-eight-months/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“It was the cat, who had the usual talent for hiding from people who like cats and cleaving unto those who have sinus trouble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/it-was-the-cat-who-had-the-usual-talent-for-hiding-from-people-who/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“I die. I breathe in and breahe in and cannot exhale. I explode all over my friends. They forget my name and pretend it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/i-die-i-breathe-in-and-breahe-in-and-cannot-exhale-i-explode-all-over/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [All experience is memory, and so everything you write about is from memory-unless you're writing about typing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/all-experience-is-memory-and-so-everything-you-write-about-is-from/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [Relativity propped it up, at least gave it the illusion of being there…the way all reality becomes illusory and observer-oriented when you study general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/relativity-propped-it-up-at-least-gave-it-the-illusion-of-being-there/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“I die. O my hair falls out and my flesh rots and my bones are cracked by the hungry ta!a'an. He drops me behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/i-die-o-my-hair-falls-out-and-my-flesh-rots-and-my-bones-are-cracked/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“He's asleep in the harbor, disguised as dog shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/he-s-asleep-in-the-harbor-disguised-as-dog-shit/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“all reality becomes illusory and observer-oriented when you study general relativity. Or Buddhism. Or get drafted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/all-reality-becomes-illusory-and-observer-oriented-when-you-study/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“We're headed for Aleph-7. Panty raid." New slang term for the type of operation whose main object was to gather Tauran artifacts, and prisoners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/we-re-headed-for-aleph-7-panty-raid-new-slang-term-for-the-type-of/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [Big money seeks out the company of its own, for purposes of reproduction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/big-money-seeks-out-the-company-of-its-own-for-purposes-of/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“On Earth, we’d just use glue, but here the only fluid was helium, which has lots of interesting properties, but is definitely not sticky.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/on-earth-we-d-just-use-glue-but-here-the-only-fluid-was-helium-which/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“... then unleashed Stargate's 18 sex-starved men on our women, compliant and promiscuous by military custom and law...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/then-unleashed-stargate-s-18-sex-starved-men-on-our-women-compliant/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“Politicians cover their mistakes with money; cooks cover their mistakes with mayonnaise; doctors cover theirs with dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/politicians-cover-their-mistakes-with-money-cooks-cover-their/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“I never found anybody else and I don’t want anybody else. I don’t care whether you’re ninety years old or thirty. If I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/i-never-found-anybody-else-and-i-don-t-want-anybody-else-i-don-t-care/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) [Explore all 56 Joe Haldeman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) ## More Beard quotes > [A beard is something that is almost like a mirror to the viewer. When someone sees you wearing a beard, they're seeing something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/a-beard-is-something-that-is-almost-like-a-mirror-to-the-viewer-when/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [“Nay! Faith, let me not play a woman! I have a beard coming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/nay-faith-let-me-not-play-a-woman-i-have-a-beard-coming/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The barman sidled toward them out of a back room. He was a grump-looking old man with a great deal of a long gray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-barman-sidled-toward-them-out-of-a-back-room-he-was-a-grump/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was born with a beard. We're quite hairy down in Latin America. We don't have to use sponges when we wash dishes. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devendra-banhart/i-was-born-with-a-beard-we-re-quite-hairy-down-in-latin-america-we/) [Devendra Banhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devendra-banhart/) > [“beard framing a face that had started to show his age, weathered and lined from years”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allibone/beard-framing-a-face-that-had-started-to-show-his-age-weathered-and/) [Richard Allibone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allibone/) > [If I can play, and change the mind of one person about being a Muslim player and having a beard, then I'll feel as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moeen-ali/if-i-can-play-and-change-the-mind-of-one-person-about-being-a-muslim/) [Moeen Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moeen-ali/) > [“Pride is like a beard. It is just keeps growing; the solution?- Shave it every day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ong/pride-is-like-a-beard-it-is-just-keeps-growing-the-solution-shave-it/) [George Ong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ong/) > [“I have no idea why this is. I’m sure somebody with a beard and too much time on their hands would say it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-spalding/i-have-no-idea-why-this-is-i-m-sure-somebody-with-a-beard-and-too/) [Nick Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-spalding/) > [They were bullyin' him, Hermione, 'cause he's so small!" said Hagrid. "Small?" said Hermione. "Small?" "Hermione, I couldn't leave him," said Hagrid, tears now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-were-bullyin-him-hermione-cause-he-s-so-small-said-hagrid-small/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Allow me," said the elf, proffering Gimlet's beard to Frito, who was now sneezing uncontrollably.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-harvard-lampoon/allow-me-said-the-elf-proffering-gimlet-s-beard-to-frito-who-was-now/) [The Harvard Lampoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-harvard-lampoon/) > [Never insult a mans beard, you either get thunder or lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/never-insult-a-mans-beard-you-either-get-thunder-or-lightning/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [If we didn't live venturously, plucking the wild goat by the beard, and trembling over precipices, we should never be depressed, I've no doubt;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/if-we-didn-t-live-venturously-plucking-the-wild-goat-by-the-beard-and/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [If I had to choose between the two ways of approaching the deity, I should prefer the existential relational way, to the abstract philosophical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/if-i-had-to-choose-between-the-two-ways-of-approaching-the-deity-i/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [“Shave that Moses beard and you might have better luck. Women don’t want to kiss carpet, you know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kody-keplinger/shave-that-moses-beard-and-you-might-have-better-luck-women-don-t/) [Kody Keplinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kody-keplinger/) > [If Elmore Leonard met Jim Thompson down a dark alley at midnight they might emerge a week later with thick beards, bloodshot eyes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/if-elmore-leonard-met-jim-thompson-down-a-dark-alley-at-midnight-they/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) [Browse all 588 Beard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beard/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He had a moustache-and-beard combination that looked like a skinny white caterpillar taking a lap around his mouth.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Haldeman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/he-had-a-moustache-and-beard-combination-that-looked-like-a-skinny/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beard" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/he-had-a-moustache-and-beard-combination-that-looked-like-a-skinny/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/joe-haldeman-12112_beard_he-had-a-moustache-and-beard-combination_547637.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/joe-haldeman-12112_beard_he-had-a-moustache-and-beard-combination_547637.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/joe-haldeman-12112_beard_he-had-a-moustache-and-beard-combination_547637.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He had a moustache-and-beard combination that looked like a skinny white caterpillar taking a lap around his…” — Joe Haldeman", "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": "Joe Haldeman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“He had a moustache-and-beard combination that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/he-had-a-moustache-and-beard-combination-that-looked-like-a-skinny/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/he-had-a-moustache-and-beard-combination-that-looked-like-a-skinny/#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 } } ] } ```