With a title like What I Saw and How I Lied, you can pretty much be sure that there's going to be a fair amount of deceit from the characters in the book. Everyone seems to be lying about something: Joe is lying about where he got the money to start his business, Evie's mom is lying about where she is when they're at the resort in Florida, Peter is lying about who he is, the Graysons are lying about their Jewish heritage, and Evie is lying about her relationship with Peter. Whew… Is anyone honest in this book?
Questions About Lies and Deceit
- Why does Evie decide to lie in order to cover for her parents at the end?
- Are there clues in the book that Evie's mom is lying about her relationship with Peter? What are they?
- What do you think of the Graysons' lies about their Jewish heritage? Do you think they were right to do so?
Chew on This
Evie has a moral compass that leads her to make the right choice most of the time. However, after Peter's death, she has to go against her moral fiber and lie in order to save her parents—and her family.
The Graysons may have lied like everyone else in the book, but their lie is not founded on any malice or selfishness. All they want to do is to be treated like every other citizen.