--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Phew!” His small blue eyes shone with…" description: "\"“Phew!” His small blue eyes shone with repugnance, a look of such unreasoning contempt for my skin that it filled me with despair. It was a little thin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/john-howard-griffin-21519_little-things_phew-his-small-blue-eyes-shone-with-repu_1195527.jpg" --- # Phew!” His small blue eyes shone with repugnance, a look… ![“Phew!” His small blue eyes shone with repugnance, a look of such unreasoning contempt for my skin that it filled me with despair. It was a little thing, but piled on all the other little things it broke something in me. Suddenly I had had enough. Suddenly I could stomach no more of this…” quote by John Howard Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/john-howard-griffin-21519_little-things_phew-his-small-blue-eyes-shone-with-repu_1195527.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/john-howard-griffin-21519_little-things_phew-his-small-blue-eyes-shone-with-repu_1195527.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/john-howard-griffin-21519_little-things_phew-his-small-blue-eyes-shone-with-repu_1195527.jpg) > ““Phew!” His small blue eyes shone with repugnance, a look of such unreasoning contempt for my skin that it filled me with despair. It was a little thing, but piled on all the other little things it broke something in me. Suddenly I had had enough. Suddenly I could stomach no more of this degradation - not of myself but of all men who were black like me.”” [John Howard Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard-griffin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator feels deep despair from repeated microaggressions and systemic racism, culminating in a breaking point. **In simple terms:** Repeated racism leads to despair and a breaking point. Key Takeaway Recognize and confront systemic racism. Themes racism identity despair Mood determined empathetic Type activist reflective When to use this quote - civil rights activism - personal healing - community support Key Concepts systemic oppression microaggressions Questions to Reflect On - How can you support those experiencing racism? - What actions can challenge systemic bias? 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It's a common mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/oh-gods-his-eyes-shone-with-want-and-predatory-satisfaction-the-name/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“I suppose that's how it looks in prose. But it's very different if you look at it through poetry…and I think it's nicer…' Anne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-suppose-that-s-how-it-looks-in-prose-but-it-s-very-different-if-you/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) ## More by John Howard Griffin > [He who is less than just is less than man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard-griffin/he-who-is-less-than-just-is-less-than-man/) [John Howard Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard-griffin/) > [“We led strange, hidden lives. 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Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [There is no real elevation of mind in a contempt of little things; it is, on the contrary, from too narrow views that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/there-is-no-real-elevation-of-mind-in-a-contempt-of-little-things-it/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [Unless a man gives himself entirely to the Cross, in a spirit of humility and self-abasement; unless he casts himself down to be trampled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-the-evangelist/unless-a-man-gives-himself-entirely-to-the-cross-in-a-spirit-of/) [Mark the Evangelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-the-evangelist/) > [Much of the same sort of degraded and filthy talk can still be heard among the orc-minded; dreary and repetitive with hatred and contempt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/much-of-the-same-sort-of-degraded-and-filthy-talk-can-still-be-heard/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Contempt for an assailant is best shown by bravery in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/contempt-for-an-assailant-is-best-shown-by-bravery-in-action/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Statuettes of drunken sailors, velvet pictures of island maidens, plastic seashell lamps made in Taiwan. 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