--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Really, Nan could be very odious when she…" description: "\"“Really, Nan could be very odious when she liked. Yet somehow she [Gay] didn't hate her as before. She felt very indifferent to her. She found herself ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/005/l-m-montgomery-567_life_really-nan-could-be-very-odious-when-she_776157.jpg" --- # Really, Nan could be very odious when she liked. Yet… ![“Really, Nan could be very odious when she liked. Yet somehow she [Gay] didn't hate her as before. She felt very indifferent to her. She found herself looking at her with cool, appraising eyes, seeing her as she had never seen her before. An empty, selfish little creature, who had always to be…” quote by L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/005/l-m-montgomery-567_life_really-nan-could-be-very-odious-when-she_776157.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/005/l-m-montgomery-567_life_really-nan-could-be-very-odious-when-she_776157.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/005/l-m-montgomery-567_life_really-nan-could-be-very-odious-when-she_776157.jpg) > ““Really, Nan could be very odious when she liked. Yet somehow she \[Gay\] didn't hate her as before. She felt very indifferent to her. She found herself looking at her with cool, appraising eyes, seeing her as she had never seen her before. An empty, selfish little creature, who had always to be amused like a child. ...A girl who posed as a sophisticate before her country cousins but who was really more provincial than they were, knowing nothing of real life or real love or real emotion of any kind. Gay wondered, as she looked, how she could ever have hated this girl—ever been jealous of her. She was not worth hating. Gay spoke at last. She stood up and looked levelly at Nan. There was contempt in her quiet voice. "I suppose you came here to hurt me, Nan. You haven't—you can never hurt me again. You've lost the power. I think I even feel a little sorry for you. You've always been a taker, Nan. All through your life you've taken whatever you wanted. But you've never been a giver—you couldn't be because you've nothing to give. Neither love nor truth nor understanding nor kindness nor loyalty. Just taking all the time and giving nothing—oh, it has made you very poor. So poor that nobody need envy you.”” [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing another’s flaws can lead to empathy and personal growth, freeing oneself from resentment. **In simple terms:** Seeing others clearly reduces hatred. Key Takeaway Practice compassionate observation. Themes empathy self‑reflection growth Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - family gatherings - workplace relationships - personal journaling Key Concepts psychology interpersonal dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What judgments do you hold about others? - How can you shift from contempt to curiosity? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis may create distance instead of connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) ## Related quotes > [“Dimly, with her burning heart more than her mind, she began to understand why she had always liked gay men. 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Yet somehow she [Gay] didn't hate her as before. She felt very indifferent to her. She found herself looking at her with cool, appraising eyes, seeing her as she had never seen her before. An empty, selfish little creature, who had always to be amused like a child. ...A girl who posed as a sophisticate before her country cousins but who was really more provincial than they were, knowing nothing of real life or real love or real emotion of any kind. Gay wondered, as she looked, how she could ever have hated this girl—ever been jealous of her. She was not worth hating. Gay spoke at last. She stood up and looked levelly at Nan. There was contempt in her quiet voice. \"I suppose you came here to hurt me, Nan. You haven't—you can never hurt me again. You've lost the power. I think I even feel a little sorry for you. You've always been a taker, Nan. All through your life you've taken whatever you wanted. But you've never been a giver—you couldn't be because you've nothing to give. 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