Nobody likes lies—except maybe when they're the one telling them, of course—and people in Westmark spit out a lot of falsehoods. Some might be in the name of good, while some aren't told for such lovely purposes—either way, though, it's up to the reader to determine what is true and what's not… just like it's up to Theo to figure out how he handles himself when he becomes a liar. The moral of the story is this: the line between truth and lies isn't always as clear cut as we'd like it to be… and that's the truth. Pinky promise.
Questions About Lies and Deceit
- When and why does Theo lie? Do you think he did the right thing in these situations?
- Does your opinion of Las Bombas evolve as he continues to lie throughout the book? Why or why not?
- How does Cabbarus use King Augustine's deepest desires and weaknesses to deceive him?
- How does deceit alternately help the people of Westmark or harm them?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Even honest people like Theo can tell lies for good reasons sometimes.
In this book, lying is never a good thing.