How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter)
Quote #1
[Lorraine:] Also, you'll find out soon enough that John distorts—when he isn't out-and-out lying. For example, in Problems in American Democracy the other day, Mr. Weiner asked him what kind of homes early American settlers lived in, and John said tree huts. Now John knows early American settlers didn't live in tree huts, but he'll do just about anything to stir up some excitement. And he really did set off those bombs when he was a freshman, which, when you stop to consider sort of shows a pattern—an actual pattern. I think he used to distort things physically, and now he does it verbally more than any other way. (2)
Lorraine's thoughts about John's chronic lying show us John's sense of humor and need for an audience, and also demonstrate her psychological acuity, with the insight that John now distorts verbally instead of physically.
Quote #2
[Lorraine:] I looked at John's face and began to realize it was he who had started me telling all these prevarications.
John has made an art out of it. He prevaricates just for prevaricating's sake. It's what they call a compensation syndrome. His own life is so boring when measured against his daydreams that he can't stand it, so he makes up things to pretend it's exciting. Of course, when he gets caught in a lie, then he makes believe he was only telling the lie to make fun of whomever he was telling it to, but I think there's more to it than meets the eye. He can get so involved in a fib that you can tell he believes it enough to enjoy it. Maybe that's how all actors start. I don't know. (4)
John's lying seems to be contagious – Lorraine blames him for her skill at lying to strangers on the telephone. She also raises a disturbing question: does John always know when he's lying? Or does he convince even himself? Does he always know the difference between lying and truth?
Quote #3
[Lorraine:] One time last term Miss King asked him what happened to the book report he was supposed to hand in on Johnny Tremain, and he told her that he had spilled some coffee on it the night before, and when the coffee dried, there was still sugar on the paper and so cockroaches ate the book report. (4)
We never hear Miss King's reaction to this egregious lie. John couldn't have thought that she would believe it; it seems that this is an example of a lie he tells just for the joy of lying.
Quote #4
[Lorraine:] And John lies to his mother and father. He told them one time that he was hearing voices from outer space, and he thought creatures were going to come for him some night, so if they heard any strange noises coming from his room would they please call the police.
"Don't be silly," his mother told him and laughed it off with just the slightest bit of discomfort. His parents don't know quite what to make of him because neither of them has the imagination he has, and in a way they sort of respect it. Actually, I think they're a little frightened of it. (4)
This is another example of John's trying to disturb adults with his lying. Why does his mother laugh it off "with the slightest bit of discomfort"? Undoubtedly, she doesn't believe that creatures from outer space are coming for John, but could it be that she is afraid that he believes it? Or is she just upset that he lies to her all the time?
Quote #5
[Lorraine:] But [John's parents] are just as bad as he is when it comes to lying, and that may be the real reason they can't help John the way they should. From what I've seen of them, they don't seem to know what's true and what isn't true anymore. His father goes around bragging how he phonied up a car insurance claim to get a hundred dollars to replace a piece of aluminum on their new car, which he had really replaced himself. Mrs. Conlan goes to the store and tells the clerk he forgot to give her Green Stamps the last time she was in, and she knows very well she's lying. It's a kind of subconscious, schizophrenic fibbing, if you ask me, and if those parents don't have guilt complexes I don't know who has. I only hope I won't be that kind of adult. (4)
Throughout this novel, the adult world is portrayed as corrupt and dishonest. If adults tell these kinds of lies, how can their children be expected to tell the truth? Lorraine says that those parents must have guilt complexes, but is this observation borne out in the novel? Do John's parents and Lorraine's mother seem to feel guilty?
Quote #6
You have to know how demented Dennis and Norton are to understand that when I told them Angelo Pignati caught on Lorraine was a phony and hung up, they believed it. I could tell them I went alligator hunting in St. Patrick's Cathedral last night, and they'd believe it. I just didn't want them to know Mr. Pignati had invited us over to his house the next day to give us the ten bucks for the L & J Fund. Especially Norton. If he knew about it, he'd try to hustle in on the deal, and he's never stop at ten dollars. (5)
Even though John, before he meets Mr. Pignati, is planning to take advantage of the old man in a very blatant way, he also protects him from Norton. John's thoughts here also raise the question of degree: is John correct when he asserts that a deception involving ten dollars isn't as bad as a deception involving more money?
Quote #7
[Lorraine:] I can't tell you what she'd [her mother] do if I ever took anything, but she isn't even ashamed of what she does. She figures they don't pay her enough, so she'll even it up her own way. (6)
Like John's parents, Lorraine's mother has a double standard regarding stealing.
Quote #8
[Lorraine:] I could tell from the way she [Lorraine's mother] spoke that it was her way of thanking me for giving them [new stockings] to her. "Where did you get the money for them?"
"I told you."
"Tell me again."
"I walked to school a few days instead of taking the bus."
"You said you skipped lunch."
"And I skipped lunch a couple of times."
She mulled that over a few seconds, but she had to get to work on time and couldn't devote her full energies to interrogating. She always makes me tell the same story over a week or so later to see if I slip up on any details. (10)
Ironically, Lorraine's mother's suspicions that Lorraine lies to her are well-founded. Lorraine lies to her every time she goes to Mr. Pignati's, which is nearly every day.
Quote #9
[John:] "Mr. Pignati, there's something Lorraine and I think we should tell you."
Mr. Pignati looked very serious and worried. […]
"You see, Mr. Pignati, we're not charity workers."
He just stared at us.
"We're high-school kids," John added a little nervously. "We're sorry we lied to you." […]
"We just had to be honest with you because we like you more than anyone we know."
Finally we had to stop talking and wait for some response from him. He had turned his head away and seemed to be looking out the window. Perhaps John had been right when he said we should've forgotten the whole thing—never mentioned it. Maybe there are some lies you should never admit to. (10)
Mr. Pignati's kindness to Lorraine and John forces them to feel guilty for lying to him, and to confess to him. Lorraine's raises a good question: are there, in fact, some lies that should never be admitted?
Quote #10
[John:] I really did think Mr. Pignati would have wanted us to have a few friends over. Of course, he would have liked to be there so he wouldn't feel he was missing anything. I knew how much he'd enjoy hearing about a party when he came home. (13)
Does John really believe this? It's hard to tell.