--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like France, where everybody thinks…" description: "\"I like France, where everybody thinks he's Napoleon--down here everybody thinks he's Christ.\" — F. Scott Fitzgerald" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_christ_i-like-france-where-everybody-thinks-he_2035073.jpg" --- # I like France, where everybody thinks he's Napoleon--down… ![“I like France, where everybody thinks he's Napoleon--down here everybody thinks he's Christ.” quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_christ_i-like-france-where-everybody-thinks-he_2035073.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_christ_i-like-france-where-everybody-thinks-he_2035073.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_christ_i-like-france-where-everybody-thinks-he_2035073.jpg) > “I like France, where everybody thinks he's Napoleon--down here everybody thinks he's Christ.” [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A satirical contrast between French self‑importance and American self‑deification. **In simple terms:** People overestimate themselves in different cultures. Key Takeaway Recognize humility across cultures. Themes pride culture identity humor social critique Mood wry ironic critical Type literary satirical When to use this quote - political commentary - personal reflection - media criticism - cross‑cultural studies Key Concepts Satire comparative cultural analysis Questions to Reflect On - How does cultural pride shape self‑perception? - What are the risks of stereotyping nations? A Different Perspective The comparison may oversimplify complex national identities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/france/) [Napoleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/napoleon/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [In France, everybody realized that God exists, and that he is back in the French international team. God is back, there is little left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zinedine-zidane/in-france-everybody-realized-that-god-exists-and-that-he-is-back-in/) [Zinedine Zidane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zinedine-zidane/) > [Howard Hughes was able to afford the luxury of madness, like a man who not only thinks he is Napoleon but hires an army…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-morgan/howard-hughes-was-able-to-afford-the-luxury-of-madness-like-a-man-who/) [Ted Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-morgan/) > [What can a mere French minister do when associated with Lloyd George, who thinks he is Napoleon, and Woodrow Wilson, who thinks he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-clemenceau/what-can-a-mere-french-minister-do-when-associated-with-lloyd-george/) [Georges Clemenceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-clemenceau/) > [Eh Bien you like this sacred pig of a country?" asked Marco. "Why not? I like it anywhere. It's all the same, in France…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dos-passos/eh-bien-you-like-this-sacred-pig-of-a-country-asked-marco-why-not-i/) [John Dos Passos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dos-passos/) > [It was the German schoolhouse which destroyed Napoleon III. France, since then, is making monster cannon and drilling soldiers still, but she is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/it-was-the-german-schoolhouse-which-destroyed-napoleon-iii-france/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“I tell you, Colonel, we got to win this war. What will happen, do you think, if we lose? Do you think the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shaara/i-tell-you-colonel-we-got-to-win-this-war-what-will-happen-do-you/) [Michael Shaara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shaara/) > [I like France quite a lot, and I like Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-wright/i-like-france-quite-a-lot-and-i-like-italy/) [Bonnie Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-wright/) > [“I tell them to bring him in. He comes in smiling in triumph. And he can't speak English. After his hours of waiting we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/i-tell-them-to-bring-him-in-he-comes-in-smiling-in-triumph-and-he-can/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [No go sections of the city and they work on law and the police don't go in there. That is not helping anything \[in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/no-go-sections-of-the-city-and-they-work-on-law-and-the-police-don-t/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [In North America, hip-hop and urban music are much more developed than it could be in Europe, except for a couple of markets like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-maro/in-north-america-hip-hop-and-urban-music-are-much-more-developed-than/) [K-Maro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-maro/) > [Cooking like everything else in France is logic and fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/cooking-like-everything-else-in-france-is-logic-and-fashion/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Golf without Jones would be like France without Paris: leaderless, lightless and lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-wind/golf-without-jones-would-be-like-france-without-paris-leaderless/) [Herbert Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-wind/) > [Among leaders in Europe there are those who have prejudices against Turkey, like France and Germany.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/recep-tayyip-erdogan/among-leaders-in-europe-there-are-those-who-have-prejudices-against/) [Recep Tayyip Erdogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/recep-tayyip-erdogan/) > [“On a trip to Paris one day, little Sophie Met a giant lady lighting up the night sky "What's your name, you magical monster?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-macron/on-a-trip-to-paris-one-day-little-sophie-met-a-giant-lady-lighting-up/) [Emmanuel Macron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-macron/) > [Whether you like it or not, France's history is unique in Europe. Not to put too fine a point on it, France is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-macron/whether-you-like-it-or-not-france-s-history-is-unique-in-europe-not/) [Emmanuel Macron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-macron/) ## More by F. Scott Fitzgerald > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“There was a ripe mystery about it, a hint of bedrooms upstairs more beautiful and cool than other bedrooms, of gay and radiant activities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/there-was-a-ripe-mystery-about-it-a-hint-of-bedrooms-upstairs-more/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I want you to take a red-hot bath as hot as you can bear it, and just relax your nerves. 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Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Life is a series of successful gestures...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/life-is-a-series-of-successful-gestures/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Another dawn flung itself across the river; a belated taxi hurried along the street, its lamps still shining like burning eyes in a face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/another-dawn-flung-itself-across-the-river-a-belated-taxi-hurried/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“She plucked a twig and broke it, but she found no spring in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/she-plucked-a-twig-and-broke-it-but-she-found-no-spring-in-it/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“I'm one of those people who go through the world giving other people thrills but getting few myself except those I read into men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-m-one-of-those-people-who-go-through-the-world-giving-other-people/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The Montana sunset lay between the mountains like a giant bruise from which darkened arteries spread across a poisoned sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-montana-sunset-lay-between-the-mountains-like-a-giant-bruise-from/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“You loved me too?" he repeated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/you-loved-me-too-he-repeated/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“He was good looking, "sort of distinguished when he wants to be", had a line, and was properly inconstant. In fact, he summed up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/he-was-good-looking-sort-of-distinguished-when-he-wants-to-be-had-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [What are you going to do? "Can't say - run for president, write -" "Greenwich Village?" "Good heavens, no - I said write -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-are-you-going-to-do-can-t-say-run-for-president-write-greenwich/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“The latter was considered a good fellow and a fine leader, until a year later, when he disappeared with a mess fund of eleven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-latter-was-considered-a-good-fellow-and-a-fine-leader-until-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-eluded-us-then-but-that-s-no-matter-tomorrow-we-will-run-faster/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Explore all 1,568 F. 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