---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Canadian is often a baffled man…"
description: "\"The Canadian is often a baffled man because he feels different from his British kindred and his American neighbours, sharply refused to be lumped toget..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/j-b-priestley-9291_baffled_the-canadian-is-often-a-baffled-man-beca_1938242.png"
---

#  The Canadian is often a baffled man because he feels…

![“The Canadian is often a baffled man because he feels different from his British kindred and his American neighbours, sharply refused to be lumped together with either of them, yet cannot make plain his difference.” quote by J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/j-b-priestley-9291_baffled_the-canadian-is-often-a-baffled-man-beca_1938242.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/j-b-priestley-9291_baffled_the-canadian-is-often-a-baffled-man-beca_1938242.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/j-b-priestley-9291_baffled_the-canadian-is-often-a-baffled-man-beca_1938242.png)

> “The Canadian is often a baffled man because he feels different from his British kindred and his American neighbours, sharply refused to be lumped together with either of them, yet cannot make plain his difference.”

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He feels caught between British and American identities, unable to define himself clearly.

**In simple terms:** Caught between cultures, he can't articulate his uniqueness.

Key Takeaway

Embrace and articulate your distinct identity.

Themes

identity culture belonging

Mood

conflicted reflective

Type

literary observational

When to use this quote

- immigration
- expatriate life
- cultural integration
- personal identity crises

Key Concepts

nationalism self‑definition

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you express what makes you distinct?
- What aspects of shared culture can you embrace?

A Different Perspective

He may be overemphasizing differences rather than commonalities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Baffled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baffled/) [Baffled Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baffled-man-3072721/) [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canada/) [Canadian Baffled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canadian-baffled-3072720/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-british-2831979/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Feels Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels-different/) [Kindred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindred/) [Man Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-feels/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Neighbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbour/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/)

## Related quotes

> [American manners are different than British manners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-seward/american-manners-are-different-than-british-manners/)

[Ingrid Seward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-seward/)

> [I really love the combination of Israel and England. They are completely different. The British are very private and keep things to themselves, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/i-really-love-the-combination-of-israel-and-england-they-are/)

[Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/)

> [The Foreign Office works hard to remind people of local laws and customs as often they can be very different to British law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/the-foreign-office-works-hard-to-remind-people-of-local-laws-and/)

[David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/)

> [When I was younger, I didn't have that type of person that I could look up to and be like, 'OK, this is someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halima-aden/when-i-was-younger-i-didn-t-have-that-type-of-person-that-i-could/)

[Halima Aden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halima-aden/)

> [The performance of black American identity feels very different from actually living in a black body. There's a dissonance between inside and outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/the-performance-of-black-american-identity-feels-very-different-from/)

[Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/)

> [Your life feels different on you, once you greet death and understand your heart's position. You wear your life like a garment from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-life-feels-different-on-you-once-you-greet-death-and-understand-2/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“When you are a citizen, the earth feels different.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/when-you-are-a-citizen-the-earth-feels-different/)

[James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/)

> [Im sick of being missed treated when I was the one who had your back but I guess the faces change but the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winter/im-sick-of-being-missed-treated-when-i-was-the-one-who-had-your-back/)

[Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winter/)

> [It feels so different being here, I was so used to being next to you, Life for me is not the same, There's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/it-feels-so-different-being-here-i-was-so-used-to-being-next-to-you/)

[Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/)

> [Juventus in Italy are like Real Madrid in Spain, when you enter the team it feels different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabio-cannavaro/juventus-in-italy-are-like-real-madrid-in-spain-when-you-enter-the/)

[Fabio Cannavaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabio-cannavaro/)

> [Your life feels different on you, once you greet death and understand your heart's position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/your-life-feels-different-on-you-once-you-greet-death-and-understand/)

[Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/)

> [Married life is really nice. It's different. It feels different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaria-baldwin/married-life-is-really-nice-it-s-different-it-feels-different/)

[Hilaria Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaria-baldwin/)

> [I lost my dad in 2009 and on my album 'Feels,' it's about all different feels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoh-aalegra/i-lost-my-dad-in-2009-and-on-my-album-feels-it-s-about-all-different/)

[Snoh Aalegra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoh-aalegra/)

> [“Our relationship feels different. Like someone has taken my favorite sweater and thrown it in the dryer and it doesn't fit right anymore. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/our-relationship-feels-different-like-someone-has-taken-my-favorite/)

[Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/)

> [“The things one feels are different about oneself are the things that are rare, that give each person their value - and these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/the-things-one-feels-are-different-about-oneself-are-the-things-that/)

[André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/)

## More by J. B. Priestley

> [In a world shaped and colored more and more by politicians, the nations meet politically, and hardly any other way to settle their differences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/in-a-world-shaped-and-colored-more-and-more-by-politicians-the/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [Many a man is praised for his reserve and so-called shyness when he is simply too proud to risk making a fool of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/many-a-man-is-praised-for-his-reserve-and-so-called-shyness-when-he/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [To make the most of Christmas, focus on Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/to-make-the-most-of-christmas-focus-on-christ/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [A novelist who writes nothing for 10 years finds his reputation rising. Because I keep on producing books they say there must be something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/a-novelist-who-writes-nothing-for-10-years-finds-his-reputation/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [To show a child what once delighted you, to find the child's delight added to your own - this is happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/to-show-a-child-what-once-delighted-you-to-find-the-child-s-delight/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/the-first-fall-of-snow-is-not-only-an-event-it-is-a-magical-event-you/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [I fancy that the Hell of Too Many People would occupy a respectable place in the hierarchy of infernal regions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/i-fancy-that-the-hell-of-too-many-people-would-occupy-a-respectable/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [It is good fiction, so largely ignored now, that brings us so much closer to the real facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/it-is-good-fiction-so-largely-ignored-now-that-brings-us-so-much/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/i-have-always-been-delighted-at-the-prospect-of-a-new-day-a-fresh-try/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [Perhaps it would be better not to be a writer, but if you must, then write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/perhaps-it-would-be-better-not-to-be-a-writer-but-if-you-must-then/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [What a grand, higgledy-piggledy, sensible old place Norwich is!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/what-a-grand-higgledy-piggledy-sensible-old-place-norwich-is/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [Man, the creature who knows he must die, who has dreams larger than his destiny, who is forever working a confidence trick on himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/man-the-creature-who-knows-he-must-die-who-has-dreams-larger-than-his/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [There are plenty of clever young writers. But there is too much genius, not enough talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/there-are-plenty-of-clever-young-writers-but-there-is-too-much-genius/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [If you are a genius, you'll make your own rules, but if not - and the odds are against it - go to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/if-you-are-a-genius-you-ll-make-your-own-rules-but-if-not-and-the/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

> [But some of us are beginning to pull well away, in our irritation, from...the exquisite tasters, the vintage snobs, the three-star Michelin gourmets. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/but-some-of-us-are-beginning-to-pull-well-away-in-our-irritation-from/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

[Explore all 73 J. B. Priestley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

## More Baffled quotes

> [If you're texting Magnus to say 'I think u r kewl,' I'm going to kill you." "Who's Magnus?" Max inquired. "He's a warlock," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/if-you-re-texting-magnus-to-say-i-think-u-r-kewl-i-m-going-to-kill/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“Identity confusion... is as if somebody lost their mental road map and has no appreciation of who they are or what is going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-chefetz/identity-confusion-is-as-if-somebody-lost-their-mental-road-map-and/)

[Richard A. Chefetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-chefetz/)

> [Books are in no hurry. An act of creation is in no hurry; it reads us, it privileges us infinitely. The notion that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steiner/books-are-in-no-hurry-an-act-of-creation-is-in-no-hurry-it-reads-us/)

[George Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steiner/)

> [It is sometimes of God's mercy that men in the eager pursuit of worldly aggrandizement are baffled; for they are very like a train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/it-is-sometimes-of-god-s-mercy-that-men-in-the-eager-pursuit-of/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [There is such a thing as the courage in remaining baffled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-antrim/there-is-such-a-thing-as-the-courage-in-remaining-baffled/)

[Donald Antrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-antrim/)

> [“The only side God chooses is one of commonsense. If it doesn’t make sense; it is not God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-only-side-god-chooses-is-one-of-commonsense-if-it-doesn-t-make/)

[Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/)

> [Unbelievable," I heard Christian mutter behind me. "She toops them both?" I head Drustan ask. "And they permit it?" Dageus sounded baffled. I looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/unbelievable-i-heard-christian-mutter-behind-me-she-toops-them-both-i/)

[Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/)

> [Gail had a baby named Ned who was four months old, and a new look of baffled hurt, a left-behind sadness, like she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-woodrell/gail-had-a-baby-named-ned-who-was-four-months-old-and-a-new-look-of/)

[Daniel Woodrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-woodrell/)

> [The fanatical Communist refuses to believe any unfavorable report or evidence about Russia, nor will he be disillusioned by seeing with his own eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-fanatical-communist-refuses-to-believe-any-unfavorable-report-or/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Books are in no hurry. An act of creation is in no hurry; it reads us, it privileges us infinitely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steiner/books-are-in-no-hurry-an-act-of-creation-is-in-no-hurry-it-reads-us-2/)

[George Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steiner/)

> [Talk not of genius baffled. Genius is master of man. Genius does what it must, and Talent does what it can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/talk-not-of-genius-baffled-genius-is-master-of-man-genius-does-what/)

[Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/)

> [“I know well enough what it is, provided that nobody asks me; but if I am asked what it is and try to explain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-that-nobody-asks-me-but-if-i/)

[St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/)

> [Nothing baffles the schemes of evil people so much as the calm composure of great souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honore-gabriel-riqueti-comte-de-mirabeau/nothing-baffles-the-schemes-of-evil-people-so-much-as-the-calm/)

[Honore Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honore-gabriel-riqueti-comte-de-mirabeau/)

> [God has sovereignly pulled back the curtain on His glory. He has disclosed Himself on the platform of both creation and redemption that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-storms/god-has-sovereignly-pulled-back-the-curtain-on-his-glory-he-has/)

[Sam Storms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-storms/)

> [One who never turned his back but marched breast forward, never doubted clouds would break, Never dreamed, though right were worsted, wrong would triumph,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/one-who-never-turned-his-back-but-marched-breast-forward-never-2/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

[Browse all 127 Baffled quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baffled/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The Canadian is often a baffled man because he feels different from his British kindred and his American neighbours, sharply refused to be lumped together with either of them, yet cannot make plain his difference.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "J. B. Priestley"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/the-canadian-is-often-a-baffled-man-because-he-feels-different-from/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Baffled"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/the-canadian-is-often-a-baffled-man-because-he-feels-different-from/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/j-b-priestley-9291_baffled_the-canadian-is-often-a-baffled-man-beca_1938242.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/j-b-priestley-9291_baffled_the-canadian-is-often-a-baffled-man-beca_1938242.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/j-b-priestley-9291_baffled_the-canadian-is-often-a-baffled-man-beca_1938242.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The Canadian is often a baffled man because he feels different from his British kindred and his American…” — J. B. Priestley",
                "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": "J. B. Priestley",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The Canadian is often a baffled...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/the-canadian-is-often-a-baffled-man-because-he-feels-different-from/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/the-canadian-is-often-a-baffled-man-because-he-feels-different-from/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
