1. Abby Monday
Hour 4
The Lie
Have you ever lied to someone to make yourself feel better? This is something we can all relate
to. In the story, “The Lie” by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. the main character suffers appalling situations.
Sometimes we have to face our biggest fear, lying to ourselves. In this story, the main character
is forced to lie to his parents when he fails. He is trying to get into a school, but cannot get in due to the
terrible test score he receives. Wouldn’t you feel terrible if this was you? Lying is something we all do;
sometimes we don’t even realize it. Becoming a liar is a major issue. If we realize we are lying, we have
to learn from our mistakes and tell the truth. Sometimes, lying can even be a fear. We need to conquer
that fear and tell the truth.
“The Lie” follows the comic mode line. At the beginning of the story, it is very normal, just like
the beginning of the comic mode line. Next the conflict occurs, when he fails and lies to his parents.
Another aspect that relates to the mode line is the end. He doesn’t get into the school, but that’s okay,
because everything is back to the way it used to be. Although the mode is important, it is really the
theme that makes the story.
In the story, “The Lie”, the theme is man vs. himself. He has to face the fear of telling his parents
that he failed. He does not face that fear right away, but he knows he is lying, which is a good thing. It is
very hard to face yourself when you don’t necessarily have to. But, we all can learn how to.
By reading “The Lie” you can really understand the emotions liars feel. It is a short, but very
good read! I would recommend it!