Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Quotes
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Source: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: J. K. Rowling
If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.
Context
Wise words, no? You'd be forgiven if you thought Dumbledore, Resident Wise Man of the Potterverse, said this little ditty.
But nope—it was Sirius Black, in the fourth installment of the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Sirius pulls this one out to agree with Hermione about Barty Crouch and how he fired his house elf, Winky. While Ron is tired of hearing Hermione's thoughts on the mistreatment of house elves, Sirius thinks she has a "much better read" on Crouch than Ron does. Sirius understands that what really matters is how you act toward people you aren't obligated to treat well.
That must be why, in the fifth book, he treats Kreacher (his family's former house elf) so nicely…oh, never mind.
Where you've heard it
Potter Nation, unite! Fans everywhere dig this quote and post it all over their Tumblrs and Facebooks and whathaveyous.
Why? Because classism and social status are important motifs in many of the books in the series—in reference to house elves, yes, but also involving centaurs, hippogriffs, and redheads.
Pretentious Factor
If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.
It's a simple but humbling sentiment that kind of teaches a moral standard. Works for Shmoop.