Charlus Quote by Marcel Proust
““M. de Charlus persisted in not replying. I thought I could see a smile flicker about his lips: the smile of the man who looks down from a great height on the characters and manners of lesser men.””
About This Quote
He observes a man who feels superior, amused by others' lower status.
In simple terms: He sees a man looking down on others.
Key Takeaway
Beware of superiority attitudes.
Themes
class
superiority
observation
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- literary analysis
- character study
- social critique
Key Concepts
social hierarchy
emotional distance
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives the desire to feel superior?
- How does this affect relationships?
A Different Perspective
Such judgments can be biased and dismissive.
![“For her [Françoise], wealth was like a necessary condition without which virtue would lack both merit and charm. She made so little distinction between the two that she came to see their qualities as interchangeable, expecting material comfort from virtue and moral edification from wealth.” quote by Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/573/marcel-proust-114_character_for-her-fran-oise-wealth-was-like-a-nece_2687.jpg)
