Back-talk Quote by Lisa Kleypas
““But why shouldn't I thank someone for doing me a service?" he heard Lillian ask with genuine perplexity. "It's polite to say thank you, isn't it?" "You should no more thank a servant than you would think a horse for allowing you to ride it, or a table for bearing the dishes you place upon it." "Well, we're not discussing animals or inanimate objects, are we? A footman is a person." "No," the countess said coldly. "A footman is a servant." "And a servant is a person," Lillian said stubbornly. The elderly woman sighed in exasperation. "Whatever your view of a footman is, you must not thank him at dinner. Servants neither expect nor desire such condescension, and if you insist on putting them in the awkward position of having to respond to your remarks, they will think badly of you... as will everyone else. Do not insult me with that vapid stare, Miss Bowman! You come from a family of means- surely you employed servants at your New York residence!" "Yes," Lillian acknowledged pertly, "but we talked to ours.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: “The Countess and the Footman,” 2015 (fictional dialogue)
Thanking a servant as if they were an object reduces their humanity; respect requires acknowledging their personhood without patronizing gestures.
In simple terms: Treat servants as people, not objects.
Key Takeaway
Show respect through genuine appreciation, not condescension.
Themes
respect
class
humanity
etiquette
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
social
ethical
When to use this quote
- dinner parties
- employment relationships
- social gatherings
Key Concepts
social hierarchy
power dynamics
language
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance politeness with dignity?
- When is gratitude appropriate?
A Different Perspective
May ignore cultural norms where gratitude is expected.
