--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: His brother maintained that what sent…" description: "\"His brother maintained that what sent people backing away was neither his size nor his mother's blood, but solely the expression on his face. To test S..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a2/patricia-briggs-571_backing-away_his-brother-maintained-that-what-sent-pe_1727820.png" --- # His brother maintained that what sent people backing away… ![“His brother maintained that what sent people backing away was neither his size nor his mother's blood, but solely the expression on his face. To test Samuel's theory, Charles had tried smiling - and then solemnly reported to Samuel that he had been mistaken. When Charles smiled, he told Samuel…” quote by Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a2/patricia-briggs-571_backing-away_his-brother-maintained-that-what-sent-pe_1727820.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a2/patricia-briggs-571_backing-away_his-brother-maintained-that-what-sent-pe_1727820.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a2/patricia-briggs-571_backing-away_his-brother-maintained-that-what-sent-pe_1727820.png) > “His brother maintained that what sent people backing away was neither his size nor his mother's blood, but solely the expression on his face. To test Samuel's theory, Charles had tried smiling - and then solemnly reported to Samuel that he had been mistaken. When Charles smiled, he told Samuel, people just ran faster.” [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage suggests that a person's facial expression can be more intimidating than physical traits or lineage, influencing others' reactions. **In simple terms:** Expression can outweigh size or heritage in affecting others. Key Takeaway Mindful facial cues can change how you are perceived. Themes psychology perception communication Mood reflective insightful Type observational analytical When to use this quote - interviews - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts nonverbal cues social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How much do we judge others by appearance? - Can changing facial expressions alter social outcomes? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backing away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backing-away/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) ## Related quotes > [“Charles had tried to open the pond and called up for wolf to defeat the black magic and hadn't been able to. Brother Wolf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/charles-had-tried-to-open-the-pond-and-called-up-for-wolf-to-defeat/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“Samuel looked at Chief WalksAlong, at all the Tribal Cops, at Lester. He shifted the ball from his left hip to his right. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/samuel-looked-at-chief-walksalong-at-all-the-tribal-cops-at-lester-he/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Charles arrived around eight a.m. with a squadron of Drabants and began riding along the bank at the water’s edge to inspect the men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-k-massie/charles-arrived-around-eight-a-m-with-a-squadron-of-drabants-and/) [Robert K. Massie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-k-massie/) > [MR.GOUDY: I believe you testified that you backed away from Aaron Wharton. MR.COGBURN: That is right. MR.GOUDY: You were backing away? MR.COGBURN: Yes sir.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/mr-goudy-i-believe-you-testified-that-you-backed-away-from-aaron/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [“I don’t think you’d hurt me.” He had been paying attention to the knife and not the conversation. “Baby, if you had any idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-zanetti/i-don-t-think-you-d-hurt-me-he-had-been-paying-attention-to-the-knife/) [Rebecca Zanetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-zanetti/) > [Around 1967 I began backing away from dogmatic Leninism, not so much because I thought it was false, I just decided there was nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-flynt/around-1967-i-began-backing-away-from-dogmatic-leninism-not-so-much/) [Henry Flynt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-flynt/) > [And stop doing that,” he said. “Backing away, giving me that look.” Like you’re scaring me? Maybe you are.” He stepped back so fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/and-stop-doing-that-he-said-backing-away-giving-me-that-look-like-you/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Violet heard the coughing and came running back. She sank down on the bench beside Rose, putting her arm around the older girl and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-day-george/violet-heard-the-coughing-and-came-running-back-she-sank-down-on-the/) [Jessica Day George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-day-george/) > [“She was backing away from him now. Don’t go, was his first panicked thought. Followed by: Hurry up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne-long/she-was-backing-away-from-him-now-don-t-go-was-his-first-panicked/) [Julie Anne Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne-long/) > [Sometimes you can only find Heaven by slowly backing away from Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/sometimes-you-can-only-find-heaven-by-slowly-backing-away-from-hell/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [“I heard someone say once that many of us only seem able to find heaven by backing away from hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/i-heard-someone-say-once-that-many-of-us-only-seem-able-to-find/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss. He who lays up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/he-who-lays-up-treasures-on-earth-spends-his-life-backing-away-from/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“I said no. You’re not backing away from this. From me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-said-no-you-re-not-backing-away-from-this-from-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If, when you talk to people, they keep backing away from you, it's because you're TOO CLOSE, alright? SO DON'T KEEP ADVANCING ON THEM…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-when-you-talk-to-people-they-keep-backing-away-from-you-it-s/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [I'm strong. I'm myself. I'm done saying sorry for things that aren't my fault. I'm done backing down and away when I didn't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-m-strong-i-m-myself-i-m-done-saying-sorry-for-things-that-aren-t-my/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) ## More by Patricia Briggs > [“His favorite saying was, 'Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum europe vincendarum." "'Sometimes I have the urge to conquer large parts of Europe'?" Boyd said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/his-favorite-saying-was-interdum-feror-cupidine-partium-magnarum/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [He was obviously dead. But since he was a vampire that wasn't as hopless a thing as it might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/he-was-obviously-dead-but-since-he-was-a-vampire-that-wasn-t-as/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Stefan: "Indian with a dot, not a feather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/stefan-indian-with-a-dot-not-a-feather/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“want to. Adam wasn’t angry. He wouldn’t hurt me. I let him pull the power of his pack over me like a warm”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/want-to-adam-wasn-t-angry-he-wouldn-t-hurt-me-i-let-him-pull-the/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“I promise I won't spank you," he told me, his voice rough and low as he added, "not unless you ask me to." I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-promise-i-won-t-spank-you-he-told-me-his-voice-rough-and-low-as-he/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Love is not necessary for sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/love-is-not-necessary-for-sex/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“I paused to pat the truck’s hood gently in apology when someone put his hand on my shoulder. I grabbed the hand and rotated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-paused-to-pat-the-truck-s-hood-gently-in-apology-when-someone-put/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [In this dream, I wasn’t a coyote shapeshifter trying to hold a werewolf, I was Coyote’s almost daughter, and I had all the strength…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/in-this-dream-i-wasn-t-a-coyote-shapeshifter-trying-to-hold-a/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“She hit us,” the woman shrieked. That was the gist of it anyway. There were a lot of unladylike words that began with “F,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/she-hit-us-the-woman-shrieked-that-was-the-gist-of-it-anyway-there/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Charles was most comfortable by himself or, if that wasn't possible, with his pack in the wild. Talking for hours in a crowded auditorium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/charles-was-most-comfortable-by-himself-or-if-that-wasn-t-possible/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Evil must always be fought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/evil-must-always-be-fought/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“Beauclaire, for his part, sank back in the soft material of the couch as if the thought that it would impede him should he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/beauclaire-for-his-part-sank-back-in-the-soft-material-of-the-couch/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [What do you mean?” Leslie’s voice was cool, as if she questioned witches who were flat on their backs being threatened by werewolves every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/what-do-you-mean-leslie-s-voice-was-cool-as-if-she-questioned-witches/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [I am not attempting to preserve culture, or record actual events or stories. Instead I bow my head in gratitude to those storytellers who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-am-not-attempting-to-preserve-culture-or-record-actual-events-or/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) [Explore all 467 Patricia Briggs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) ## More Backing away quotes > [I'm strong. I'm myself. I'm done saying sorry for things that aren't my fault. I'm done backing down and away when I didn't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-m-strong-i-m-myself-i-m-done-saying-sorry-for-things-that-aren-t-my/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [If, when you talk to people, they keep backing away from you, it's because you're TOO CLOSE, alright? SO DON'T KEEP ADVANCING ON THEM…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-when-you-talk-to-people-they-keep-backing-away-from-you-it-s/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“I said no. You’re not backing away from this. From me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-said-no-you-re-not-backing-away-from-this-from-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss. He who lays up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/he-who-lays-up-treasures-on-earth-spends-his-life-backing-away-from/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“I heard someone say once that many of us only seem able to find heaven by backing away from hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/i-heard-someone-say-once-that-many-of-us-only-seem-able-to-find/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [Sometimes you can only find Heaven by slowly backing away from Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/sometimes-you-can-only-find-heaven-by-slowly-backing-away-from-hell/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [“She was backing away from him now. Don’t go, was his first panicked thought. Followed by: Hurry up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne-long/she-was-backing-away-from-him-now-don-t-go-was-his-first-panicked/) [Julie Anne Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne-long/) > [Violet heard the coughing and came running back. She sank down on the bench beside Rose, putting her arm around the older girl and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-day-george/violet-heard-the-coughing-and-came-running-back-she-sank-down-on-the/) [Jessica Day George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-day-george/) > [And stop doing that,” he said. “Backing away, giving me that look.” Like you’re scaring me? Maybe you are.” He stepped back so fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/and-stop-doing-that-he-said-backing-away-giving-me-that-look-like-you/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Around 1967 I began backing away from dogmatic Leninism, not so much because I thought it was false, I just decided there was nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-flynt/around-1967-i-began-backing-away-from-dogmatic-leninism-not-so-much/) [Henry Flynt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-flynt/) > [“I don’t think you’d hurt me.” He had been paying attention to the knife and not the conversation. “Baby, if you had any idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-zanetti/i-don-t-think-you-d-hurt-me-he-had-been-paying-attention-to-the-knife/) [Rebecca Zanetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-zanetti/) > [MR.GOUDY: I believe you testified that you backed away from Aaron Wharton. MR.COGBURN: That is right. MR.GOUDY: You were backing away? MR.COGBURN: Yes sir.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/mr-goudy-i-believe-you-testified-that-you-backed-away-from-aaron/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [Democrats have a history of backing away, backing down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/democrats-have-a-history-of-backing-away-backing-down/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I get that that the violent illegal immigrants will be removed from the country. But what I am not hearing and I am wondering,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/i-get-that-that-the-violent-illegal-immigrants-will-be-removed-from/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/he-who-lays-up-treasures-in-heaven-looks-forward-to-eternity/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) [Browse all 21 Backing away quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backing-away/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "His brother maintained that what sent people backing away was neither his size nor his mother's blood, but solely the expression on his face. To test Samuel's theory, Charles had tried smiling - and then solemnly reported to Samuel that he had been mistaken. 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