--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He looked at her for a moment, amazed…" description: "\"“He looked at her for a moment, amazed. \"How did you know that? How can a servant girl like you understand so much?\" Because self-absorbed man-children..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/y-s-lee-33522_time_he-looked-at-her-for-a-moment-amazed-how_1669539.jpg" --- # He looked at her for a moment, amazed. "How did you know… ![“He looked at her for a moment, amazed. "How did you know that? How can a servant girl like you understand so much?" Because self-absorbed man-children are common as weeds, thought Mary. But she said, "I don't know, sir. I only guessed.” quote by Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/y-s-lee-33522_time_he-looked-at-her-for-a-moment-amazed-how_1669539.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/y-s-lee-33522_time_he-looked-at-her-for-a-moment-amazed-how_1669539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/y-s-lee-33522_time_he-looked-at-her-for-a-moment-amazed-how_1669539.jpg) > ““He looked at her for a moment, amazed. "How did you know that? How can a servant girl like you understand so much?" Because self-absorbed man-children are common as weeds, thought Mary. But she said, "I don't know, sir. I only guessed.”” [Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A servant girl impresses a man with an unexpected, intuitive answer, highlighting that intuition can outshine pretentious knowledge. **In simple terms:** Intuition can surprise those who think they know everything. Key Takeaway Trust your gut when facts are lacking. Themes intuition class gender roles humility Mood thoughtful reflective Type narrative conversational When to use this quote - workplace interactions - personal relationships - conflict resolution - teaching moments Key Concepts social dynamics psychology intuition Questions to Reflect On - When have you relied on intuition over analysis? - How do you balance humility with confidence? A Different Perspective The story may romanticize intuition over critical thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Know Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-servant-843250/) [Self absorbed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-absorbed/) [Servant Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant-girl-774401/) [Thought Mary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-mary-843249/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Understand Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-self-675464/) ## Related quotes > [“As she prayed, she thought of Mary, holding her infant son in her lap, nurturing and sustaining him through his childhood, and then watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chadwick/as-she-prayed-she-thought-of-mary-holding-her-infant-son-in-her-lap/) [Elizabeth Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chadwick/) > [I really never saw an obstacle for me in taking leadership positions because, in a very ridiculous way, I thought, 'If Mary Robinson can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/i-really-never-saw-an-obstacle-for-me-in-taking-leadership-positions/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [“Ash stripped some of the papery purple bark off his yew stick. "And, you see, it's difficult because what I've always thought about humans-what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/ash-stripped-some-of-the-papery-purple-bark-off-his-yew-stick-and-you/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [He who doesn't know how to be a servant should never be allowed to be a master; the interests of public life are alien…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/he-who-doesn-t-know-how-to-be-a-servant-should-never-be-allowed-to-be/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [How do you know you have a servant's heart? Look at your reaction when you are treated like one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/how-do-you-know-you-have-a-servant-s-heart-look-at-your-reaction-when/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [How do you know if you are a servant? By how you react when someone treats you as one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawson-trotman/how-do-you-know-if-you-are-a-servant-by-how-you-react-when-someone/) [Dawson Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawson-trotman/) > [“I don’t know where being a servant came into disrepute. It is the refuge of a philosopher, the food of the lazy, and, properly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-don-t-know-where-being-a-servant-came-into-disrepute-it-is-the/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“My lady,' said the servant girl, 'are those who sit at the table great if they are enslaved to their own selfish needs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joann-davis/my-lady-said-the-servant-girl-are-those-who-sit-at-the-table-great-if/) [Joann Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joann-davis/) > [“Do you think that horrible servant girl will get my body pregnant?' she asked as we trotted down the steps. 'I've heard about you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/do-you-think-that-horrible-servant-girl-will-get-my-body-pregnant-she/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [We are beginning to wonder whether a servant girl hasn't the best of it after all. She knows how the salad tastes without the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djuna-barnes/we-are-beginning-to-wonder-whether-a-servant-girl-hasn-t-the-best-of/) [Djuna Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djuna-barnes/) > [I come from an immigrant culture. I'm only a couple of generations away from having been a servant girl myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-flanagan/i-come-from-an-immigrant-culture-i-m-only-a-couple-of-generations/) [Caitlin Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-flanagan/) > [Archer, is there a servant girl in my fortress you haven't taken to bed? I announce you're leaving and within minutes two of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/archer-is-there-a-servant-girl-in-my-fortress-you-haven-t-taken-to/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“YESTERDAY afternoon set in misty and cold. I had half a mind to spend it by my study fire, instead of wading through heath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/yesterday-afternoon-set-in-misty-and-cold-i-had-half-a-mind-to-spend/) [Emily Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [“On the other hand, you're a human--you should understand self-obsession.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/on-the-other-hand-you-re-a-human-you-should-understand-self-obsession/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I began to understand that self-esteem isn’t everything; it’s just that there’s nothing without it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-began-to-understand-that-self-esteem-isn-t-everything-it-s-just/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) ## More by Y.S. Lee > [“He smiled. "I suppose I thought we'd have a madly impractical, terrifyingly modern sort of marriage. One based on love. Not to mention dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-lee/he-smiled-i-suppose-i-thought-we-d-have-a-madly-impractical/) [Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) > [“For several moments, Mary couldn't hear anything over the violent pounding of her pulse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-lee/for-several-moments-mary-couldn-t-hear-anything-over-the-violent/) [Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) > [“My dearest Mary, Both my words and my conduct at our last meeting were ungentlemanly - born of haste and high emotion, rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-lee/my-dearest-mary-both-my-words-and-my-conduct-at-our-last-meeting-were/) [Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) > [“He laughed, then became serious once more. "Mary……" The expression in his eyes set her heart pounding. "Yes?" Twice he began to frame a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-lee/he-laughed-then-became-serious-once-more-mary-the-expression-in-his/) [y.s. lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) > [“Her Majesty Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-lee/her-majesty-victoria-by-the-grace-of-god-of-the-united-kingdom-of/) [Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) > [“Read as widely and as deeply as you can. You have to be a reader before you can be a writer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-lee/read-as-widely-and-as-deeply-as-you-can-you-have-to-be-a-reader/) [Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) > [“Calmly, slowly, she reached behind with her left hand and came up against — yes, fabric. Fine linen, to be precise. So far, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-lee/calmly-slowly-she-reached-behind-with-her-left-hand-and-came-up/) [Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) > [“She hesitated for a moment longer, then tentatively placed her fingers in his. Her hand was hot and dry and so fragile-seeming that James…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-lee/she-hesitated-for-a-moment-longer-then-tentatively-placed-her-fingers/) [Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) > [“It's terrifying, to be on the verge of finally getting what you want.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-lee/it-s-terrifying-to-be-on-the-verge-of-finally-getting-what-you-want/) [Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) > [“Stop shining your lantern in my face." "It's such a lovely face.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-lee/stop-shining-your-lantern-in-my-face-it-s-such-a-lovely-face/) [Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) > [“I’m so sorry. I don’t think the etiquette manuals cover this sort of situation.” He leaned in close, his lips all but grazing her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-lee/i-m-so-sorry-i-don-t-think-the-etiquette-manuals-cover-this-sort-of/) [Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) > [“I am madly, ridiculously, passionately in love with you. I don’t care about your past. Your race does nothing to change my feelings. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-lee/i-am-madly-ridiculously-passionately-in-love-with-you-i-don-t-care/) [Y.S. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) [Explore all 13 Y.S. Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) ## More Self absorbed quotes > [“You can be bit in the leg by a rattlesnake and seek help to heal your wound, or you can run after it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/you-can-be-bit-in-the-leg-by-a-rattlesnake-and-seek-help-to-heal-your/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [The media tries to destroy Republicans who make little faux pas and they start telling everybody how dumb and stupid or uncaring they are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-media-tries-to-destroy-republicans-who-make-little-faux-pas-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Jodi Melnick is hotly self-absorbed. 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I think we are finally synced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-iphone-suggests-gps-when-i-m-trying-to-write-god-i-think-we-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Before I had my babies, I would tend to be self-absorbed, and worry about little things, but now I am a changed person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farah-khan/before-i-had-my-babies-i-would-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-and-worry/) [Farah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farah-khan/) > [“The point is not that my life is one long golden summer which I am simply too self-absorbed to appreciate (although it might be,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/the-point-is-not-that-my-life-is-one-long-golden-summer-which-i-am/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [People think pageant girls are snotty, cutthroat, self-absorbed. Everybody that I meet in the industry is so kind, giving, and they are some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/people-think-pageant-girls-are-snotty-cutthroat-self-absorbed/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [I'm always made a little uncomfortable by studies that assert that Millennials are the most narcissistic generation in history. To me, being young has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-marantz-henig/i-m-always-made-a-little-uncomfortable-by-studies-that-assert-that/) [Robin Marantz Henig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-marantz-henig/) > [“Relax; the world's not watching that closely. It's too busy contemplating itself in the mirror.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/relax-the-world-s-not-watching-that-closely-it-s-too-busy/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Unlike the rest of you, I cheerfully admit to my own utter selfishness. I am self-made, self-absorbed, self-serving, self-referential, even self-deprecating, in a charming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lashner/unlike-the-rest-of-you-i-cheerfully-admit-to-my-own-utter-selfishness/) [William Lashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lashner/) > [“You’re just…too high-maintenance. Too self-absorbed. And you talk too much—usually about things that don’t matter—and it drives me absolutely nuts. What it comes down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-blake/you-re-just-too-high-maintenance-too-self-absorbed-and-you-talk-too/) [Toni Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-blake/) > [ “\[About the main character approaching death in old age, observed by her husband . . .\] He saw that she had already laid down… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-d-o-brien/about-the-main-character-approaching-death-in-old-age-observed-by-her/) [Michael D. O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-d-o-brien/) > [“Anyway, she thinks we're going to be all right. Like she says, a positive attitude is ninety-seven percent of the battle." This is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/anyway-she-thinks-we-re-going-to-be-all-right-like-she-says-a/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) [Browse all 166 Self absorbed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-absorbed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He looked at her for a moment, amazed. \"How did you know that? How can a servant girl like you understand so much?\" Because self-absorbed man-children are common as weeds, thought Mary. But she said, \"I don't know, sir. I only guessed.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Y.S. 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