--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Among these contemptuous women, poor…" description: "\"“Among these contemptuous women, poor Germaine had the disadvantage of being young--and almost pretty, in a shy, mousy way. She possessed the nonspecif..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31d/john-irving-337_contemptuous_among-these-contemptuous-women-poor-germ_278179.png" --- # Among these contemptuous women, poor Germaine had the… ![“Among these contemptuous women, poor Germaine had the disadvantage of being young--and almost pretty, in a shy, mousy way. She possessed the nonspecific clumsiness of someone who makes such a constant effort to be inconspicuous that she is creatively awkward--without meaning to, Germaine hoarded…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31d/john-irving-337_contemptuous_among-these-contemptuous-women-poor-germ_278179.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31d/john-irving-337_contemptuous_among-these-contemptuous-women-poor-germ_278179.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31d/john-irving-337_contemptuous_among-these-contemptuous-women-poor-germ_278179.png) > ““Among these contemptuous women, poor Germaine had the disadvantage of being young--and almost pretty, in a shy, mousy way. She possessed the nonspecific clumsiness of someone who makes such a constant effort to be inconspicuous that she is creatively awkward--without meaning to, Germaine hoarded attention to herself; her almost electric nervousness disturbed the atmosphere surrounding her.”” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Germaine tries to avoid attention, but her over‑effort makes her stand out, creating awkwardness and tension. **In simple terms:** Trying not to be noticed can backfire and draw more focus. Key Takeaway Be authentic, not overly self‑conscious. Themes identity social anxiety authenticity attention Mood anxious reflective Type observational literary When to use this quote - first day at a new job - meeting new people - public speaking - dating - team collaboration Key Concepts self‑consciousness social dynamics awkwardness Questions to Reflect On - Do you over‑manage your behavior to fit in? - How does nervous energy affect your interactions? A Different Perspective If she relaxed, she might blend in more naturally, but risk being ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [So in 1924, Eleanor Roosevelt really gets a sense of what the limits of the battle and the contours of the battle are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanche-wiesen-cook/so-in-1924-eleanor-roosevelt-really-gets-a-sense-of-what-the-limits/) [Blanche Wiesen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blanche-wiesen-cook/) > [But if we come back, if German men come back, if British men come back, and Japs, and French, and all the other men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/but-if-we-come-back-if-german-men-come-back-if-british-men-come-back/) [J. D. 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Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) Browse all 79 Contemptuous quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Among these contemptuous women, poor Germaine had the disadvantage of being young--and almost pretty, in a shy, mousy way. 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