--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a species of middle pretty who…" description: "\"There was a species of middle pretty who smiled at everything: happy smile, disappointed smile, you're-in-trouble smile.\" — Scott Westerfeld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/scott-westerfeld-928_disappointed_there-was-a-species-of-middle-pretty-who_2009984.png" --- # There was a species of middle pretty who smiled at… ![“There was a species of middle pretty who smiled at everything: happy smile, disappointed smile, you're-in-trouble smile.” quote by Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/scott-westerfeld-928_disappointed_there-was-a-species-of-middle-pretty-who_2009984.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/scott-westerfeld-928_disappointed_there-was-a-species-of-middle-pretty-who_2009984.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/scott-westerfeld-928_disappointed_there-was-a-species-of-middle-pretty-who_2009984.png) > “There was a species of middle pretty who smiled at everything: happy smile, disappointed smile, you're-in-trouble smile.” [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how a single character uses varied smiles to convey different emotions, showing that facial expressions can be versatile and context‑dependent. **In simple terms:** Smiles can mean many things depending on the situation. Key Takeaway Notice how subtle cues change meaning. Themes emotion communication perception identity social cues Mood playful reflective observational Type literary character social commentary When to use this quote - reading body language - acting - writing dialogue - social interactions - conflict resolution Key Concepts nonverbal communication emotional intelligence characterization Questions to Reflect On - How do you interpret mixed signals? - When can a smile be deceptive? A Different Perspective Facial cues can be misread, leading to misunderstandings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disappointed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointed/) [Disappointed Smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointed-smile-3584385/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happy smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-smile/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Pretty Smiled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty-smiled-3584383/) [Smile Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile-trouble-2607375/) [Smiled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiled/) [Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Trouble Smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble-smile-3584384/) ## Related quotes > [When did a smile ever get anyone into trouble?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-kent/when-did-a-smile-ever-get-anyone-into-trouble/) [Hannah Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-kent/) > [I love those who can smile in trouble...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/i-love-those-who-can-smile-in-trouble/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Let's do it to your loved one because your smile will come with you when you see a happy smile from someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-s-do-it-to-your-loved-one-because-your-smile-will-come-with-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The less important you are in an office, the more they expect the happy smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-less-important-you-are-in-an-office-the-more-they-expect-the/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [I am aware of all the sacrifices mum had to make to get me to where I am and that is why I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-rudiger/i-am-aware-of-all-the-sacrifices-mum-had-to-make-to-get-me-to-where-i/) [Antonio Rudiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-rudiger/) > [And it's just a hunt?" Bea asked. "Just tracking the guy down, or are we going to have to do a little covering up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-monk/and-it-s-just-a-hunt-bea-asked-just-tracking-the-guy-down-or-are-we/) [Devon Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-monk/) > [I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/i-have-just-one-day-today-and-i-m-going-to-be-happy-in-it/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [If you see one person who smile, it is not all means that he/she is happy, smile can covered the loneliness, the real happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berlindo-bianes/if-you-see-one-person-who-smile-it-is-not-all-means-that-he-she-is/) [Berlindo Bianes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berlindo-bianes/) > [Being unconditionally happy is a practice: "Come what may, today I'm going to smile. Anyway, everything is going to die! Everything is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/being-unconditionally-happy-is-a-practice-come-what-may-today-i-m/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [I just want you to be happy with a smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suraj-ary/i-just-want-you-to-be-happy-with-a-smile/) [Suraj Ary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suraj-ary/) > [You look at me and think shes so happy but there is so much behind this smile that you will never know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-look-at-me-and-think-shes-so-happy-but-there-is-so-much-behind/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A smile doesn't exactly show how happy you are, but indeed a smile on your face shows how strong enough you are in fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manna-chisim-sangma/a-smile-doesn-t-exactly-show-how-happy-you-are-but-indeed-a-smile-on/) [Manna Chisim Sangma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manna-chisim-sangma/) > [You're in a relationship to be happy, to smile, to laugh & to make good memories. Not to constantly be upset, to feel hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-in-a-relationship-to-be-happy-to-smile-to-laugh-to-make-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you don't enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/if-you-don-t-enjoy-getting-up-and-working-and-finishing-your-work-and/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I'm happy. I'm always with a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-monfils/i-m-happy-i-m-always-with-a-smile/) [Gael Monfils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-monfils/) ## More by Scott Westerfeld > [“She thought of the orchids spreading across the plains below, choking the life out of the other plants, out of the soil itself, selfish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/she-thought-of-the-orchids-spreading-across-the-plains-below-choking/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [But it's always taking a risk, when you ... kiss someone new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/but-it-s-always-taking-a-risk-when-you-kiss-someone-new/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [The Rusty Ruins were the remains of an old city, a hulking reminder of back when there'd been way too many people, and everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/the-rusty-ruins-were-the-remains-of-an-old-city-a-hulking-reminder-of/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [High school wasn't a trial by fire or some ordeal that had to be survived. It was all a big joke. You just had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/high-school-wasn-t-a-trial-by-fire-or-some-ordeal-that-had-to-be/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [And you've actually watched it yourself?' I asked. 'Willingly?' Sure. I had to see it, you know? Besides we should be safe. Only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/and-you-ve-actually-watched-it-yourself-i-asked-willingly-sure-i-had/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [Sometimes, the hardest thing was doing nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/sometimes-the-hardest-thing-was-doing-nothing/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [“Sure, zombies can “be a metaphor.” They can represent the oppressed, as in Land of the Dead, or humanity’s feral nature, as in 28…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/sure-zombies-can-be-a-metaphor-they-can-represent-the-oppressed-as-in/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [“You don't look very happy." Tally tried to smile. David had shared his biggest secret with her; she should tell him hers. But she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/you-don-t-look-very-happy-tally-tried-to-smile-david-had-shared-his/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [Dude, I just watched you climb up a f\*cking building!-Lace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/dude-i-just-watched-you-climb-up-a-f-cking-building-lace/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [“Weird, even for one of us. Or maybe she's worse." "Worse how?" "Normal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/weird-even-for-one-of-us-or-maybe-she-s-worse-worse-how-normal/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [Tally smiled. At least she was causing trouble to the end. "I'm Tally Youngblood," she said. "make me pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/tally-smiled-at-least-she-was-causing-trouble-to-the-end-i-m-tally/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [Out here, you find out that the city fools you about how things really work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/out-here-you-find-out-that-the-city-fools-you-about-how-things-really/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [“Growing up like rewriting is simply admitting how clueless you were not so long ago.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/growing-up-like-rewriting-is-simply-admitting-how-clueless-you-were/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [“The beauty of the world…has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder. —Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/the-beauty-of-the-world-has-two-edges-one-of-laughter-one-of-anguish/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [Cure for writer's block: blow something up(in the story)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/cure-for-writer-s-block-blow-something-up-in-the-story/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) [Explore all 321 Scott Westerfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) ## More Disappointed quotes > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [If you expect the worst from a person you can never be disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/if-you-expect-the-worst-from-a-person-you-can-never-be-disappointed/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [I don't hate you, i m just disappointed you turned into everything you said you'd never be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-hate-you-i-m-just-disappointed-you-turned-into-everything-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every producer in Hollywood had set me down as a type. I was both amused and disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-lugosi/every-producer-in-hollywood-had-set-me-down-as-a-type-i-was-both/) [Bela Lugosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-lugosi/) > [I just hate meetings. Though it's true that once you've made a lot of money, people around you might be full of ideas about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-just-hate-meetings-though-it-s-true-that-once-you-ve-made-a-lot-of/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [You wanted to become a doctor to help people and feel better at the end of your job, I think, watching them, as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/you-wanted-to-become-a-doctor-to-help-people-and-feel-better-at-the/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [I've had to learn that not everybody does things my way. But I do expect the absolute best of everyone around me, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-johnson/i-ve-had-to-learn-that-not-everybody-does-things-my-way-but-i-do/) [Michael Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-johnson/) > [I am far from any intention to limit curiosity, or confine the labours of learning to arts of immediate and necessary use. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/i-am-far-from-any-intention-to-limit-curiosity-or-confine-the-labours/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I want violence. I want punching in the face. I'm disappointed in Trump supporters for not punching enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-mcinnes/i-want-violence-i-want-punching-in-the-face-i-m-disappointed-in-trump/) [Gavin McInnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-mcinnes/) > [It's core to my beliefs now: Sometimes in being given a challenge, you're actually being given a real opportunity, and a lot of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/it-s-core-to-my-beliefs-now-sometimes-in-being-given-a-challenge-you/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [Lamon, that speech won't scour. It is a flat failure and the people are disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/lamon-that-speech-won-t-scour-it-is-a-flat-failure-and-the-people-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Never aim to be proactive with your day. That way, if you end up getting stuff done, you’re never disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-blagden/never-aim-to-be-proactive-with-your-day-that-way-if-you-end-up/) [George Blagden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-blagden/) > [I am disappointed by this controversy surrounding A Million Little Pieces because I rely on the publishers to define the category that a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-am-disappointed-by-this-controversy-surrounding-a-million-little/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [It is always the time of hope, confidence and love. Everything passes; love remains. We will not be disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-maria-martini/it-is-always-the-time-of-hope-confidence-and-love-everything-passes/) [Carlo Maria Martini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-maria-martini/) [Browse all 1,145 Disappointed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There was a species of middle pretty who smiled at everything: happy smile, disappointed smile, you're-in-trouble smile.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scott Westerfeld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/there-was-a-species-of-middle-pretty-who-smiled-at-everything-happy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disappointed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/there-was-a-species-of-middle-pretty-who-smiled-at-everything-happy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/scott-westerfeld-928_disappointed_there-was-a-species-of-middle-pretty-who_2009984.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/scott-westerfeld-928_disappointed_there-was-a-species-of-middle-pretty-who_2009984.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/scott-westerfeld-928_disappointed_there-was-a-species-of-middle-pretty-who_2009984.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There was a species of middle pretty who smiled at everything: happy smile, disappointed smile…” — Scott Westerfeld", "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": "Scott Westerfeld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There was a species of middle...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/there-was-a-species-of-middle-pretty-who-smiled-at-everything-happy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/there-was-a-species-of-middle-pretty-who-smiled-at-everything-happy/#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 } } ] } ```