--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Looking up, he peered over his shoulder…" description: "\"“Looking up, he peered over his shoulder, probably looking for the evil, not-a-prostitute waitress. Part of Gansey felt guilty for botching Adam’s chan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/maggie-stiefvater-76_spinal-cord_looking-up-he-peered-over-his-shoulder-p_2401545.png" --- # Looking up, he peered over his shoulder, probably looking… ![“Looking up, he peered over his shoulder, probably looking for the evil, not-a-prostitute waitress. Part of Gansey felt guilty for botching Adam’s chances with her. The other part felt he’d possibly saved Adam from having his spinal cord ripped out and devoured.” quote by Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/maggie-stiefvater-76_spinal-cord_looking-up-he-peered-over-his-shoulder-p_2401545.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/maggie-stiefvater-76_spinal-cord_looking-up-he-peered-over-his-shoulder-p_2401545.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/maggie-stiefvater-76_spinal-cord_looking-up-he-peered-over-his-shoulder-p_2401545.png) > ““Looking up, he peered over his shoulder, probably looking for the evil, not-a-prostitute waitress. Part of Gansey felt guilty for botching Adam’s chances with her. The other part felt he’d possibly saved Adam from having his spinal cord ripped out and devoured.”” [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gansey’s conflicted feelings reflect guilt and relief, weighing moral concerns against the potential saving of a friend from a gruesome fate. **In simple terms:** Guilt and relief clash over a risky rescue. Key Takeaway Consider moral complexity in urgent decisions. Themes guilt relief morality friendship danger Mood tense emotional Type dramatic contemplative When to use this quote - emergency rescue - moral dilemmas - friend protection - dangerous situations Key Concepts ethics psychology fiction Questions to Reflect On - What would you prioritize: guilt or potential rescue? - How do you reconcile conflicting emotions? A Different Perspective Moral choices may have unforeseen consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Botching Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/botching-adam-6015801/) [Gansey Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gansey-felt-4440079/) [Looking Peered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-peered-6015800/) [Saved Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saved-adam-6015799/) [Spinal cord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spinal-cord/) [Waitress Gansey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waitress-gansey-6015798/) ## Related quotes > [“Sometimes, Gansey felt like his life was made up of a dozen hours that he could never forget. 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But he \[Chrestopher Reese\] was tough as nails. And he kept a great, kind… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/when-your-spinal-cord-freezes-up-you-re-vulnerable-to-everything-but/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [“There have been cases of people with stable neck fractures that only compress the spinal cord after the person starts moving again.  This rare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvatore-iaquinta/there-have-been-cases-of-people-with-stable-neck-fractures-that-only/) [Salvatore Iaquinta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvatore-iaquinta/) > [The moral truth here is obvious: anyone who feels that the interests of a blastocyst just might supersede the interests of a child with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-moral-truth-here-is-obvious-anyone-who-feels-that-the-interests/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS: the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves). It is not contagious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-j-holland/multiple-sclerosis-is-a-chronic-disease-affecting-the-central-nervous/) [Nancy J. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-j-holland/) ## More by Maggie Stiefvater > [Sam reached his hand toward mine and I automatically put my fingers in his. With a guilty little smile he pulled my hand toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/sam-reached-his-hand-toward-mine-and-i-automatically-put-my-fingers/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Once upon a time, there lived a boy, and he had to risk everything to keep what he loved. But really the story was:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/once-upon-a-time-there-lived-a-boy-and-he-had-to-risk-everything-to/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I think-I need to ask an embarrassing question. Do you think I could borrow a pair of scrubs? I-uh-my pants-" "Oh!" Cried the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-think-i-need-to-ask-an-embarrassing-question-do-you-think-i-could/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [We dance, we dance. You hold the thread of my soul. You spin, you spin. And you unravel the part from the whole. 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It's practically yesterday.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/why-d-she-leave-so-early-it-s-practically-yesterday/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [How long it takes us, each day, to know each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/how-long-it-takes-us-each-day-to-know-each-other/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“At least when he was at Aglionby he could turn over his papers to see the grades, concrete proof of his success at something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/at-least-when-he-was-at-aglionby-he-could-turn-over-his-papers-to-see/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I'll cook the water...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-ll-cook-the-water/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“That's the one." In Puck Connolly's custody. That might be the last I see of that jacket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/that-s-the-one-in-puck-connolly-s-custody-that-might-be-the-last-i/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I asked,”Are you going to pick up next time I call you?” ”I did this time didn’t I?” “Say yes.” “Yes. Conditionally yes.”…... …”What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-asked-are-you-going-to-pick-up-next-time-i-call-you-i-did-this-time/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Tell me what it's like. The race." "What it's like is a battle. A mess of horses and men and blood. The fastest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/tell-me-what-it-s-like-the-race-what-it-s-like-is-a-battle-a-mess-of/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I felt a tickle on my skin; it took me a moment to realize that Cole was driving his die-cast Mustang up my arm.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-felt-a-tickle-on-my-skin-it-took-me-a-moment-to-realize-that-cole/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Happiness isn't something this island yields easily; the ground is too rocky and the sun too sparse for it to flourish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/happiness-isn-t-something-this-island-yields-easily-the-ground-is-too/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) [Explore all 1,564 Maggie Stiefvater quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## More Spinal cord quotes > [“Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS: the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves). It is not contagious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-j-holland/multiple-sclerosis-is-a-chronic-disease-affecting-the-central-nervous/) [Nancy J. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-j-holland/) > [The moral truth here is obvious: anyone who feels that the interests of a blastocyst just might supersede the interests of a child with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-moral-truth-here-is-obvious-anyone-who-feels-that-the-interests/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“There have been cases of people with stable neck fractures that only compress the spinal cord after the person starts moving again.  This rare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvatore-iaquinta/there-have-been-cases-of-people-with-stable-neck-fractures-that-only/) [Salvatore Iaquinta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvatore-iaquinta/) > [ When your spinal cord freezes up, you're vulnerable to everything. But he \[Chrestopher Reese\] was tough as nails. And he kept a great, kind… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/when-your-spinal-cord-freezes-up-you-re-vulnerable-to-everything-but/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [“The term “myalgic encephalomyelitis” (muscle pain, “myalgic”, with “encephalomyelitis” inflammation of the brain and spinal cord) was first included by the World Health Organization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-hooper/the-term-myalgic-encephalomyelitis-muscle-pain-myalgic-with/) [Malcolm Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-hooper/) > [The deep secret of the brain is that not only the spinal cord but the entire central nervous system works this way: internally generated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/the-deep-secret-of-the-brain-is-that-not-only-the-spinal-cord-but-the/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [Once I had kids, my whole attitude changed. I was like, "You make a spinal cord from scratch and we'll talk."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-benatar/once-i-had-kids-my-whole-attitude-changed-i-was-like-you-make-a/) [Pat Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-benatar/) > [“Some expect persons to care for themselves. Sometimes therapists go too far in expecting an individual to perform self-care; some individuals prefer to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-gillen/some-expect-persons-to-care-for-themselves-sometimes-therapists-go/) [Glen Gillen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-gillen/) > [He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/he-who-joyfully-marches-to-music-in-rank-and-file-has-already-earned/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I don't understand people who go to amusement parks. I spend most of my time trying NOT to be nauseous. 'Excuse me, could you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dom-irrera/i-don-t-understand-people-who-go-to-amusement-parks-i-spend-most-of/) [Dom Irrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dom-irrera/) > [Even the clearest localization of pain in one area may, in fact, be originating from a distant area … The reference of pain implies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-david-wall/even-the-clearest-localization-of-pain-in-one-area-may-in-fact-be/) [Patrick David Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-david-wall/) > [He who joyfully marches to music rank and file, has already earned my contempt. 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Since 1979, Gosnell ran an abortion clinic called the Women’s Medical Society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/actually-we-do-have-our-mengele-and-his-name-is-kermit-gosnell-since/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) [Browse all 70 Spinal cord quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spinal-cord/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Looking up, he peered over his shoulder, probably looking for the evil, not-a-prostitute waitress. Part of Gansey felt guilty for botching Adam’s chances with her. 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