---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was confusing pretending to be…"
description: "\"“It was confusing pretending to be completely different people, particularly because it had been so long since the Baudelaires were able to be the peop..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/lemony-snicket-663_different-people_it-was-confusing-pretending-to-be-comple_1117114.jpg"
---

#  It was confusing pretending to be completely different…

![“It was confusing pretending to be completely different people, particularly because it had been so long since the Baudelaires were able to be the people they really were.” quote by Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/lemony-snicket-663_different-people_it-was-confusing-pretending-to-be-comple_1117114.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/lemony-snicket-663_different-people_it-was-confusing-pretending-to-be-comple_1117114.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/lemony-snicket-663_different-people_it-was-confusing-pretending-to-be-comple_1117114.jpg)

> ““It was confusing pretending to be completely different people, particularly because it had been so long since the Baudelaires were able to be the people they really were.””

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

## About This Quote

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

Pretending to be different becomes confusing after prolonged deception, especially when true identity is suppressed.

**In simple terms:** Long deception confuses identity.

Key Takeaway

Encourage authenticity over prolonged pretense.

Themes

identity deception confusion growth freedom

Mood

reflective melancholic

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- adolescent development
- family dynamics
- creative writing
- mental health counseling

Key Concepts

psychological strain self‑discovery social pressure

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do people hide their true selves?
- How does prolonged deception affect mental health?

A Different Perspective

May not address reasons for adopting false personas.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Baudelaires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baudelaires-1212572/) [Completely Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/completely-different/) [Confusing Pretending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusing-pretending-3005214/) [Different people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-people/) [Long Baudelaires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-baudelaires-3005215/)

## Related quotes

> [“I am sorry to say that Mr. Poe had not done a very good job so far, and that the Baudelaires had learned that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/i-am-sorry-to-say-that-mr-poe-had-not-done-a-very-good-job-so-far-and/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“You’re noble enough, Baudelaires. That’s all we can ask for in this world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/you-re-noble-enough-baudelaires-that-s-all-we-can-ask-for-in-this/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“The Baudelaires looked at one another with bitter smiles. Sunny was right. It wasn't fair that their parents had been taken away from them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/the-baudelaires-looked-at-one-another-with-bitter-smiles-sunny-was/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“Baudelaires had visited the office of Vice Principal Nero and learned about all of the academy’s strict and unfair rules. When they worked”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/baudelaires-had-visited-the-office-of-vice-principal-nero-and-learned/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“The two Baudelaires, of course, had no idea what the hospital’s policy was concerning surgical paperwork, but they were beginning to see that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/the-two-baudelaires-of-course-had-no-idea-what-the-hospital-s-policy/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“story of the Baudelaires takes place in a very real world, where some people are laughed at just because they have something wrong with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/story-of-the-baudelaires-takes-place-in-a-very-real-world-where-some/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [The story of the Baudelaires takes place in a very real world, where some people are laughed at just because they have something wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-story-of-the-baudelaires-takes-place-in-a-very-real-world-where/)

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

> [This story is about the Baudelaires. And they are the sort of people who know that there’s always something. Something to invent, something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-story-is-about-the-baudelaires-and-they-are-the-sort-of-people/)

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

> [Today's Baudelaires are hip-hop artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/today-s-baudelaires-are-hip-hop-artists/)

[Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/)

> [We are completely different people - I'm not the new Ribery, I'm me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/we-are-completely-different-people-i-m-not-the-new-ribery-i-m-me/)

[Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/)

> [It went from 'I was a nobody on the street, just another person.' It turned into something completely different. People were coming up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carmouche/it-went-from-i-was-a-nobody-on-the-street-just-another-person-it/)

[Liz Carmouche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carmouche/)

> [The world changes. The world is completely different now from when I was growing up. Back then, you didn't say things like they say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/the-world-changes-the-world-is-completely-different-now-from-when-i/)

[Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/)

> [When I see myself on screen, I don't even feel like it's me - it's like it's a completely different person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-riley/when-i-see-myself-on-screen-i-don-t-even-feel-like-it-s-me-it-s-like/)

[Rachel Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-riley/)

> [I think my soul is intact, but my methods of reaching people are completely different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/i-think-my-soul-is-intact-but-my-methods-of-reaching-people-are/)

[Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/)

> [People are always saying, English, English, English rose, and I just feel so completely different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-scott-thomas/people-are-always-saying-english-english-english-rose-and-i-just-feel/)

[Kristin Scott Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-scott-thomas/)

## More by Lemony Snicket

> [“Nevermore Tree was gargantuan, a word which here means 'having attained an inordinate amount of botanical volume.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/nevermore-tree-was-gargantuan-a-word-which-here-means-having-attained/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“But even if they could go home it would be difficult for me to tell you what the moral of the story is. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/but-even-if-they-could-go-home-it-would-be-difficult-for-me-to-tell/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“Their adventure would be exciting and memorable like being chased by a werewolf through a field of thorny bushes at midnight with nobody around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/their-adventure-would-be-exciting-and-memorable-like-being-chased-by/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“I am very, very sorry to leave you hanging like that, but as I was writing the tale of the Baudelaire orphans, I happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/i-am-very-very-sorry-to-leave-you-hanging-like-that-but-as-i-was/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“being skeptical is a good thing for a journalist, because it means you don't completely trust anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/being-skeptical-is-a-good-thing-for-a-journalist-because-it-means-you/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“Baudelaire children had a slightly different”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/baudelaire-children-had-a-slightly-different/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“To those who hadn't been around Violet long, nothing would have seemed unusual, but those who knew her well knew that when she tied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/to-those-who-hadn-t-been-around-violet-long-nothing-would-have-seemed/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“Pietrisycamollaviadelrechiotemexity," Sunny said, which you will probably recall means something along the lines of "I must admit I don’t have the faintest idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/pietrisycamollaviadelrechiotemexity-sunny-said-which-you-will/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“Behind these two booths was an enormous roller coaster, a phrase which here means “a series of small carts where people can sit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/behind-these-two-booths-was-an-enormous-roller-coaster-a-phrase-which/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“All these things are miracles. It is a miracle if you can find true friends, and it is a miracle if you have enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/all-these-things-are-miracles-it-is-a-miracle-if-you-can-find-true/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“Uncle Monty tell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/uncle-monty-tell/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“As you and I listen to Uncle Monty tell the three Baudelaire orphans that no harm will ever come to them in the Reptile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/as-you-and-i-listen-to-uncle-monty-tell-the-three-baudelaire-orphans/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“They tried picturing leaving Uncle Monty and living by themselves, trying to find jobs and take care of each other. It was a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/they-tried-picturing-leaving-uncle-monty-and-living-by-themselves/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“To Beatrice- darling, dearest, dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/to-beatrice-darling-dearest-dead/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

> [“The French expression 'cul-de-sac' describes what the Baudelaire orphans found when they reached the end of the dark hallway, and like all French expressions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/the-french-expression-cul-de-sac-describes-what-the-baudelaire/)

[Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

[Explore all 384 Lemony Snicket quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/)

## More Different people quotes

> [You know, it brings in a lot of different people; you take people off the street, and kids, and people from all different walks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-lamy/you-know-it-brings-in-a-lot-of-different-people-you-take-people-off/)

[Michele Lamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-lamy/)

> [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/)

[Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/)

> [I don't know what successful journaling really looks like... I think it really does look so different for everyone who does it, I'm always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-abrams/i-don-t-know-what-successful-journaling-really-looks-like-i-think-it/)

[Gracie Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-abrams/)

> [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/)

[Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/)

> [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/)

[Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/)

> [“Liturgy gathers the holy community as it reads the Holy Scriptures into the sweeping tidal rhythms of the church year in which the story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/liturgy-gathers-the-holy-community-as-it-reads-the-holy-scriptures/)

[Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/)

> [I think I like attention, but because of the way we are - because we don't have a lead singer and all the videos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-chatto/i-think-i-like-attention-but-because-of-the-way-we-are-because-we-don/)

[Grace Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-chatto/)

> [I am three different people. The person you want me to be, the person I wish I could be, and who I really am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-lynne/i-am-three-different-people-the-person-you-want-me-to-be-the-person-i/)

[Victoria Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-lynne/)

> [“The emphasis was on “soft.” No matter what else happened, the wranglers were to stay soft while riding the horses. Soft hands, soft seat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rashid/the-emphasis-was-on-soft-no-matter-what-else-happened-the-wranglers/)

[Mark Rashid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rashid/)

> [I've always enjoyed traveling and having experience with different cultures and different people. But it's also a wonderful thing to be able to benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-clark/i-ve-always-enjoyed-traveling-and-having-experience-with-different/)

[Laurel Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-clark/)

> [I feel stronger and I feel like I've gained so much knowledge and new perspectives because I've met so many different people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anya-chalotra/i-feel-stronger-and-i-feel-like-i-ve-gained-so-much-knowledge-and-new/)

[Anya Chalotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anya-chalotra/)

> [With acting, it's like you form chemistry with different people in different ways, so it's really added even more fun to work, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-blackburn/with-acting-it-s-like-you-form-chemistry-with-different-people-in/)

[Tyler Blackburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-blackburn/)

> [I was a theater kid in high school, but I also went to parties. Usually in movies, there's the jock and the theater person.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-gordon/i-was-a-theater-kid-in-high-school-but-i-also-went-to-parties-usually/)

[Molly Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-gordon/)

> [We tour, we do the distance from friends and family, not really knowing how to connect with people on the same level. I've understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gourley/we-tour-we-do-the-distance-from-friends-and-family-not-really-knowing/)

[John Gourley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gourley/)

> [Various different people have inspired me throughout my career. From Francis Bacon to Vassareli, Coco Chanel to Christian Dior, Cecil Beaton, musicians, architects... the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dries-van-noten/various-different-people-have-inspired-me-throughout-my-career-from/)

[Dries van Noten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dries-van-noten/)

[Browse all 1,310 Different people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-people/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“It was confusing pretending to be completely different people, particularly because it had been so long since the Baudelaires were able to be the people they really were.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Lemony Snicket"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/it-was-confusing-pretending-to-be-completely-different-people/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Different people"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/it-was-confusing-pretending-to-be-completely-different-people/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/lemony-snicket-663_different-people_it-was-confusing-pretending-to-be-comple_1117114.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/lemony-snicket-663_different-people_it-was-confusing-pretending-to-be-comple_1117114.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/lemony-snicket-663_different-people_it-was-confusing-pretending-to-be-comple_1117114.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It was confusing pretending to be completely different people, particularly because it had been so long…” — Lemony Snicket",
                "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": "Lemony Snicket",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“It was confusing pretending to be...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/it-was-confusing-pretending-to-be-completely-different-people/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/it-was-confusing-pretending-to-be-completely-different-people/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
