--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And mingled with her disbelief and…" description: "\"“And mingled with her disbelief and resentment was another feeling, a question. Why hadn’t she spoken that day? Why, in the face of Bellew’s ignorant h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/nella-larsen-16508_heart_and-mingled-with-her-disbelief-and-resen_153539.png" --- # And mingled with her disbelief and resentment was another… ![“And mingled with her disbelief and resentment was another feeling, a question. Why hadn’t she spoken that day? Why, in the face of Bellew’s ignorant hate and aversion, had she concealed her own origin? Why had she allowed him to make his assertions and express his misconceptions undisputed? Why…” quote by Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/nella-larsen-16508_heart_and-mingled-with-her-disbelief-and-resen_153539.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/nella-larsen-16508_heart_and-mingled-with-her-disbelief-and-resen_153539.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/nella-larsen-16508_heart_and-mingled-with-her-disbelief-and-resen_153539.png) > ““And mingled with her disbelief and resentment was another feeling, a question. Why hadn’t she spoken that day? Why, in the face of Bellew’s ignorant hate and aversion, had she concealed her own origin? Why had she allowed him to make his assertions and express his misconceptions undisputed? Why, simply because of Clare Kendry, who had exposed her to such torment, had she failed to take up the defense of the race to which she belonged?”” [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator questions why she stayed silent about her identity amid prejudice, highlighting internal conflict and societal pressure. **In simple terms:** She wonders why she didn’t speak up. Key Takeaway Speak truth despite fear. Themes identity racism silence Mood reflective serious Type social personal When to use this quote - civil rights activism - personal testimony - community meetings Key Concepts social justice self‑advocacy Questions to Reflect On - What stops people from defending their group? - How can courage be fostered? A Different Perspective Fear of backlash can mute voices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) ## Related quotes > [I hate the uneducated and the ignorant. I hate the pompous and the phoney. I hate the jealous and the resentful. I hate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/i-hate-the-uneducated-and-the-ignorant-i-hate-the-pompous-and-the/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [I hate being ignorant BUT I also hate when bitter people try to steal someones joy/moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-being-ignorant-but-i-also-hate-when-bitter-people-try-to-steal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I thought: I have come upon knowledge which other people do not have and the knowledge is obviously dangerous to have; others would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-o-brien/i-thought-i-have-come-upon-knowledge-which-other-people-do-not-have/) Barbara O'Brien > [“I wish I hadn’t spoken,” I finally said. I knew as soon as I’d said it that I’d broken the exiguous spell between us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-wish-i-hadn-t-spoken-i-finally-said-i-knew-as-soon-as-i-d-said-it/) [André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) > [“He hadn't spoken a word since they'd left the manor except to snap out directions, telling her which way to turn at a fork…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/he-hadn-t-spoken-a-word-since-they-d-left-the-manor-except-to-snap/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“My mother OD'd almost ten years ago and my father lost a prison fight the first year I started here at Palmetto State. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/my-mother-od-d-almost-ten-years-ago-and-my-father-lost-a-prison-fight/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“I had one friend with same-sex orientation, and Dana hadn't spoken to me since I asked her to describe her honeymoon in graphic detail—and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-alexander/i-had-one-friend-with-same-sex-orientation-and-dana-hadn-t-spoken-to/) [Dani Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-alexander/) > [“The voices didn’t join in this time, as she hadn’t spoken, but to her surprise, they all thought in chorus.” — LEWIS CARROLL, Through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-willis/the-voices-didn-t-join-in-this-time-as-she-hadn-t-spoken-but-to-her/) [Connie Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-willis/) > [“I like you,” he rumbled. His voice was low and husky, and it sounded as if he hadn’t spoken in awhile. Unable to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-t-dyllin/i-like-you-he-rumbled-his-voice-was-low-and-husky-and-it-sounded-as/) [D.T. Dyllin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-t-dyllin/) > [Alice thought to herself, 'Then there's no use in speaking.' The voices didn't join in this time, as she hadn't spoken, but to her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/alice-thought-to-herself-then-there-s-no-use-in-speaking-the-voices/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“I owed her for reasons I couldn’t untangle yet. I didn’t intend to throw her overboard just because she might be mentally unstable. Fuck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pepper-winters/i-owed-her-for-reasons-i-couldn-t-untangle-yet-i-didn-t-intend-to/) [Pepper Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pepper-winters/) > [“People had long conversations with him, only to realize later that he hadn't spoken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/people-had-long-conversations-with-him-only-to-realize-later-that-he/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“We hadn't spoken since the day he nearly shoved me off the roof, but we both understood the importance of maintaining the illusion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/we-hadn-t-spoken-since-the-day-he-nearly-shoved-me-off-the-roof-but/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) > [“– we’re criminals ,” Baasen went on as if the other man hadn’t even spoken. “Not looking to make anything about the galaxy better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/we-re-criminals-baasen-went-on-as-if-the-other-man-hadn-t-even-spoken/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“There were undoubtedly guests who agreed with me, but they hadn’t spoken up. To my mind, that was as good as condoning her behavior.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/there-were-undoubtedly-guests-who-agreed-with-me-but-they-hadn-t/) [Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/) ## More by Nella Larsen > [“Brian darling, I’m really not such an idiot that I don’t realize that if a man calls me a nigger it’s his fault the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/brian-darling-i-m-really-not-such-an-idiot-that-i-don-t-realize-that/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [“You knew what his opinion of you was, while he -- Well, 'twas ever thus. We know, always have. They don't. Not quite. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/you-knew-what-his-opinion-of-you-was-while-he-well-twas-ever-thus-we/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [“No, certainly he didn’t. Not actually. He couldn’t, not very well, since he didn’t know. But he would have. It amounts to the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/no-certainly-he-didn-t-not-actually-he-couldn-t-not-very-well-since/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [These people yapped loudly of race, of race consciousness, of race pride, and yet suppressed its most delightful manifestations, love of color, joy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/these-people-yapped-loudly-of-race-of-race-consciousness-of-race/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [“But there was, she knew, something else. Happiness, she supposed. Whatever that might be. What, exactly, she wondered, was happiness. Very positively she wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/but-there-was-she-knew-something-else-happiness-she-supposed-whatever/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [If sex isn't a joke, what is it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/if-sex-isn-t-a-joke-what-is-it/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [“she regarded with an astonishment that had in it a mild degree of amusement the violence of the feelings which it stirred in her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/she-regarded-with-an-astonishment-that-had-in-it-a-mild-degree-of/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [“This, Irene told her, was the year 1927 in the city of New York, and hundreds of white people of Hugh Wentworth’s type came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/this-irene-told-her-was-the-year-1927-in-the-city-of-new-york-and/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [that's what everybody wants, just a little more money, even the people who have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/that-s-what-everybody-wants-just-a-little-more-money-even-the-people/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [“Not so lonely that that old, queer, unhappy restlessness had begun again within him; that craving for some place strange and different, which at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/not-so-lonely-that-that-old-queer-unhappy-restlessness-had-begun/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [“After all these years to still blame her like this. Hadn’t his success proved that she’d been right in insisting that he stick to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/after-all-these-years-to-still-blame-her-like-this-hadn-t-his-success/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [Have you ever stopped to think how much unhappiness and downright cruelty are laid to the loving kindness of the Lord? And always by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/have-you-ever-stopped-to-think-how-much-unhappiness-and-downright/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [I feel like the oldest person in the world with the longest stretch of life before me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/i-feel-like-the-oldest-person-in-the-world-with-the-longest-stretch/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [I think being a mother is the cruelest thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/i-think-being-a-mother-is-the-cruelest-thing-in-the-world/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [Lies, injustice, and hypocrisy are a part of every ordinary community. Most people achieve a sort of protective immunity, a kind of callousness, toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/lies-injustice-and-hypocrisy-are-a-part-of-every-ordinary-community/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) [Explore all 39 Nella Larsen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) ## More Heart quotes > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“He held her like a new woman and what she felt felt almost as good as love had, and each of them called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dunn/he-held-her-like-a-new-woman-and-what-she-felt-felt-almost-as-good-as/) [Stephen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dunn/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [My heart jumps out of its cage to see what the fuss is about. Damn thing. Always so hopeful, but my voice hides it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wylie/my-heart-jumps-out-of-its-cage-to-see-what-the-fuss-is-about-damn/) [Sarah Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wylie/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) Rena Kornreich Gelissen > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Love will fan the flame, and that flame will warm the heart that's waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-w-smith/love-will-fan-the-flame-and-that-flame-will-warm-the-heart-that-s/) [Michael W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-w-smith/) > [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) [Browse all 45,172 Heart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And mingled with her disbelief and resentment was another feeling, a question. Why hadn’t she spoken that day? Why, in the face of Bellew’s ignorant hate and aversion, had she concealed her own origin? Why had she allowed him to make his assertions and express his misconceptions undisputed? Why, simply because of Clare Kendry, who had exposed her to such torment, had she failed to take up the defense of the race to which she belonged?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nella Larsen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/and-mingled-with-her-disbelief-and-resentment-was-another-feeling-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Heart" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/and-mingled-with-her-disbelief-and-resentment-was-another-feeling-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/nella-larsen-16508_heart_and-mingled-with-her-disbelief-and-resen_153539.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/nella-larsen-16508_heart_and-mingled-with-her-disbelief-and-resen_153539.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/nella-larsen-16508_heart_and-mingled-with-her-disbelief-and-resen_153539.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And mingled with her disbelief and resentment was another feeling, a question. Why hadn’t she spoken that…” — Nella Larsen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nella Larsen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And mingled with her disbelief and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/and-mingled-with-her-disbelief-and-resentment-was-another-feeling-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/and-mingled-with-her-disbelief-and-resentment-was-another-feeling-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```