--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With an exceedingly contemptuous…" description: "\"“With an exceedingly contemptuous expression, Idabel drew up to her full height. \"Son,\" she said, and spit between her fingers, \"what you've got in you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/truman-capote-376_quote_with-an-exceedingly-contemptuous-express_2224250.jpg" --- # With an exceedingly contemptuous expression, Idabel drew… ![“With an exceedingly contemptuous expression, Idabel drew up to her full height. "Son," she said, and spit between her fingers, "what you've got in your britches is no news to me, and no concern of mine: hell, I've fooled around with nobody but boys since first grade. I never think like I'm a girl…” quote by Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/truman-capote-376_quote_with-an-exceedingly-contemptuous-express_2224250.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/truman-capote-376_quote_with-an-exceedingly-contemptuous-express_2224250.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/truman-capote-376_quote_with-an-exceedingly-contemptuous-express_2224250.jpg) > ““With an exceedingly contemptuous expression, Idabel drew up to her full height. "Son," she said, and spit between her fingers, "what you've got in your britches is no news to me, and no concern of mine: hell, I've fooled around with nobody but boys since first grade. I never think like I'm a girl; you've got to remember that, or we can't never be friends." For all its bravado, she made this declaration with a special and compelling innocence; and when she knocked one fist against the other, as, frowning, she did now, and said: "I want so much to be a boy: I would be a sailor, I would..." the quality of her futility was touching.”” [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A young girl longs to be a boy, revealing gender identity struggles and societal expectations **In simple terms:** Girl wants to be a boy, feeling trapped by gender norms Key Takeaway Support authentic self‑expression despite pressure Themes identity gender self‑discovery Mood empathetic thoughtful Type literary psychological When to use this quote - family dynamics - personal identity - social conformity Key Concepts gender roles adolescent yearning Questions to Reflect On - How does gender expectation shape self‑image? - What can foster acceptance of diverse identities? A Different Perspective Societal norms can suppress true identity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [But if we come back, if German men come back, if British men come back, and Japs, and French, and all the other men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/but-if-we-come-back-if-german-men-come-back-if-british-men-come-back/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [So in 1924, Eleanor Roosevelt really gets a sense of what the limits of the battle and the contours of the battle are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanche-wiesen-cook/so-in-1924-eleanor-roosevelt-really-gets-a-sense-of-what-the-limits/) [Blanche Wiesen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blanche-wiesen-cook/) > [As Gove knows… 'Scientific education for the masses will do little good, and probably a lot of harm, if it simply boils down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/as-gove-knows-scientific-education-for-the-masses-will-do-little-good/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Many men are contemptuous of riches; few can give them away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/many-men-are-contemptuous-of-riches-few-can-give-them-away/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [I think we musicians are emissaries. Every time we go before the public, we're there to make converts. We can either be ugly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-scott/i-think-we-musicians-are-emissaries-every-time-we-go-before-the/) [Hazel Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-scott/) > [Why are those who are notoriously undisciplined and unmoral also most contemptuous of religion and morality? They are trying to solace their own unhappy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/why-are-those-who-are-notoriously-undisciplined-and-unmoral-also-most/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Contemptuous people are sure to be contemptible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/contemptuous-people-are-sure-to-be-contemptible/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [“Among these contemptuous women, poor Germaine had the disadvantage of being young--and almost pretty, in a shy, mousy way. She possessed the nonspecific clumsiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/among-these-contemptuous-women-poor-germaine-had-the-disadvantage-of/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [To describe religions as mind viruses is sometimes interpreted as contemptuous or even hostile. It is both. I am often asked why I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/to-describe-religions-as-mind-viruses-is-sometimes-interpreted-as/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [You achieve stature only by being good enough to deserve it, by forcing even the contemptuous and indifferent to pay attention, and to acknowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/you-achieve-stature-only-by-being-good-enough-to-deserve-it-by/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [An uprising would punish only the country, and that is out of the question. But there is yet another approach, the most effectiveform of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/an-uprising-would-punish-only-the-country-and-that-is-out-of-the/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [Rejoice in the prosperity of others. When you feel contemptuous, or even a twinge of jealousy, toward the accomplishments or life-styles of others, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/rejoice-in-the-prosperity-of-others-when-you-feel-contemptuous-or/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Patriotism is proud of a country's virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/patriotism-is-proud-of-a-country-s-virtues-and-eager-to-correct-its/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [“Listen, I wanted to say, I don't need your judgment, okay? I have enough to deal with without you contributing, so can we just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-verdi/listen-i-wanted-to-say-i-don-t-need-your-judgment-okay-i-have-enough/) [Jessica Verdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-verdi/) > [When the sands are all dry, he is gay as a lark, And will talk in contemptuous tones of the Shark: But, when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/when-the-sands-are-all-dry-he-is-gay-as-a-lark-and-will-talk-in/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) ## More by Truman Capote > [“You can beat your brains out for her, and she’ll hand you horseshit on a platter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/you-can-beat-your-brains-out-for-her-and-she-ll-hand-you-horseshit-on/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“The walls of the cell fell away, the sky came down, I saw the big yellow bird.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/the-walls-of-the-cell-fell-away-the-sky-came-down-i-saw-the-big/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Don't wanna ride on the devil's side...just wanna ride with you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/don-t-wanna-ride-on-the-devil-s-side-just-wanna-ride-with-you/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Wrinkles and bones, white hair and diamonds: I can't wait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/wrinkles-and-bones-white-hair-and-diamonds-i-can-t-wait/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [You can't blame a writer for what the characters say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/you-can-t-blame-a-writer-for-what-the-characters-say/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [There is really no practical help that one can offer; it is a matter of self-discovery, of one's own convictions, or working with one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/there-is-really-no-practical-help-that-one-can-offer-it-is-a-matter/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“...Narcissus was so egotist...he was merely another of us who, in our unshatterable isolation, recognized, on seeing his reflection, the beautiful comrade, the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/narcissus-was-so-egotist-he-was-merely-another-of-us-who-in-our/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Is it - I'm not certain - possible to love someone if your first interest is the use you can make of him? Doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/is-it-i-m-not-certain-possible-to-love-someone-if-your-first-interest/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [One of the most difficult things in writing a novel or anything at all is to choose the point of view from which it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-in-writing-a-novel-or-anything-at/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [I've never worked for a newspaper. I've had some very bad reviews in newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/i-ve-never-worked-for-a-newspaper-i-ve-had-some-very-bad-reviews-in/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [But, my dear, so few things are fulfilled: what are most lives but a series of incompleted episodes? 'We work in the dark, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/but-my-dear-so-few-things-are-fulfilled-what-are-most-lives-but-a/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“…she, glittery voyager of secure destination, steamed down the harbor with whistles whistling and confetti in the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/she-glittery-voyager-of-secure-destination-steamed-down-the-harbor/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Because it's indeed difficult to portray, in any meaningful depth, another being, his appearance, speech, mentality, without to some degree, and often for quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/because-it-s-indeed-difficult-to-portray-in-any-meaningful-depth/) [truman capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“It's a bore, but the answer is good things only happen to you if you're good. Good? Honest is more what I mean. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-a-bore-but-the-answer-is-good-things-only-happen-to-you-if-you/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“In the courtyard there was an angel of black stone, and its angel head rose above giant elephant leaves; the stark glass angel eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/in-the-courtyard-there-was-an-angel-of-black-stone-and-its-angel-head/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) [Explore all 585 Truman Capote quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) ## More Contemptuous quotes > [But if we come back, if German men come back, if British men come back, and Japs, and French, and all the other men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/but-if-we-come-back-if-german-men-come-back-if-british-men-come-back/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [“Listen, I wanted to say, I don't need your judgment, okay? I have enough to deal with without you contributing, so can we just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-verdi/listen-i-wanted-to-say-i-don-t-need-your-judgment-okay-i-have-enough/) [Jessica Verdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-verdi/) > [Patriotism is proud of a country's virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/patriotism-is-proud-of-a-country-s-virtues-and-eager-to-correct-its/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Rejoice in the prosperity of others. When you feel contemptuous, or even a twinge of jealousy, toward the accomplishments or life-styles of others, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/rejoice-in-the-prosperity-of-others-when-you-feel-contemptuous-or/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [An uprising would punish only the country, and that is out of the question. But there is yet another approach, the most effectiveform of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/an-uprising-would-punish-only-the-country-and-that-is-out-of-the/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [You achieve stature only by being good enough to deserve it, by forcing even the contemptuous and indifferent to pay attention, and to acknowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/you-achieve-stature-only-by-being-good-enough-to-deserve-it-by/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [To describe religions as mind viruses is sometimes interpreted as contemptuous or even hostile. It is both. I am often asked why I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/to-describe-religions-as-mind-viruses-is-sometimes-interpreted-as/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“Among these contemptuous women, poor Germaine had the disadvantage of being young--and almost pretty, in a shy, mousy way. She possessed the nonspecific clumsiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/among-these-contemptuous-women-poor-germaine-had-the-disadvantage-of/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Contemptuous people are sure to be contemptible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/contemptuous-people-are-sure-to-be-contemptible/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [Why are those who are notoriously undisciplined and unmoral also most contemptuous of religion and morality? They are trying to solace their own unhappy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/why-are-those-who-are-notoriously-undisciplined-and-unmoral-also-most/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I think we musicians are emissaries. Every time we go before the public, we're there to make converts. We can either be ugly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-scott/i-think-we-musicians-are-emissaries-every-time-we-go-before-the/) [Hazel Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-scott/) > [Many men are contemptuous of riches; few can give them away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/many-men-are-contemptuous-of-riches-few-can-give-them-away/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [As Gove knows… 'Scientific education for the masses will do little good, and probably a lot of harm, if it simply boils down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/as-gove-knows-scientific-education-for-the-masses-will-do-little-good/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [So in 1924, Eleanor Roosevelt really gets a sense of what the limits of the battle and the contours of the battle are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanche-wiesen-cook/so-in-1924-eleanor-roosevelt-really-gets-a-sense-of-what-the-limits/) [Blanche Wiesen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blanche-wiesen-cook/) > [When the sands are all dry, he is gay as a lark, And will talk in contemptuous tones of the Shark: But, when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/when-the-sands-are-all-dry-he-is-gay-as-a-lark-and-will-talk-in/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) Browse all 79 Contemptuous quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“With an exceedingly contemptuous expression, Idabel drew up to her full height. \"Son,\" she said, and spit between her fingers, \"what you've got in your britches is no news to me, and no concern of mine: hell, I've fooled around with nobody but boys since first grade. I never think like I'm a girl; you've got to remember that, or we can't never be friends.\" For all its bravado, she made this declaration with a special and compelling innocence; and when she knocked one fist against the other, as, frowning, she did now, and said: \"I want so much to be a boy: I would be a sailor, I would...\" the quality of her futility was touching.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Truman Capote" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/with-an-exceedingly-contemptuous-expression-idabel-drew-up-to-her/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contemptuous" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/with-an-exceedingly-contemptuous-expression-idabel-drew-up-to-her/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/truman-capote-376_quote_with-an-exceedingly-contemptuous-express_2224250.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/truman-capote-376_quote_with-an-exceedingly-contemptuous-express_2224250.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/truman-capote-376_quote_with-an-exceedingly-contemptuous-express_2224250.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“With an exceedingly contemptuous expression, Idabel drew up to her full height. \"Son,\" she said, and spit…” — Truman Capote", "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": "Truman Capote", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“With an exceedingly contemptuous expression, Idabel...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/with-an-exceedingly-contemptuous-expression-idabel-drew-up-to-her/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/with-an-exceedingly-contemptuous-expression-idabel-drew-up-to-her/#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 } } ] } ```