But Brinker came in. I think he made a point of visiting…
““But Brinker came in. I think he made a point of visiting all the rooms near him the first day. “Well, Gene,” his beaming face appeared around the door. Brinker looked the standard preparatory school article in his gray gabardine suit with square, hand-sewn-looking jacket pockets, a conservative necktie, and dark brown cordovan shoes. His face was all straight lines— eyebrows, mouth, nose, everything—and he carried his six feet of height straight as well. He looked but happened not to be athletic, being too busy with politics, arrangements, and offices. There was nothing idiosyncratic about Brinker unless you saw him from behind; I did as he turned to close the door after him. The flaps of his gabardine jacket parted slightly over his healthy rump, and it is that, without any sense of derision at all, that I recall as Brinker’s salient characteristic, those healthy, determined, not over-exaggerated but definite and substantial buttocks.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Separate Peace by John Knowles, 1959
Brinker's physical presence and modest demeanor mask his political preoccupations; his unassuming traits define him.
In simple terms: Brinker's modest traits reveal his character.
Key Takeaway
Notice subtle cues in others.
Themes
character
appearance
politics
Mood
observational
thoughtful
Type
psychological
descriptive
When to use this quote
- teamwork
- leadership assessment
- first impressions
Key Concepts
social perception
identity construction
Questions to Reflect On
- What hidden qualities do you overlook?
- How do appearances affect judgments?
A Different Perspective
Judging solely by appearance can be misleading.