"The mind of a bigot is like the pupil of the eye. The more light you shine on it, the more it will contract"

This quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. is a metaphor for how bigotry works. The mind of a bigot is like the pupil of the eye, which agreements when exposed to light. Simply put, the more knowledge and understanding one has, the most likely they are to turn down bigotry. The quote implies that bigotry is a result of ignorance and a lack of understanding, which the more one is exposed to various concepts and viewpoints, the less likely they are to be a bigot. This quote is a pointer that education and understanding are essential to overcoming bigotry and bias. It likewise serves as a suggestion that bigotry is a discovered behavior, which it can be unlearned with the correct amount of knowledge and understanding.