Liar, liar, pants on fire
When you were a kid, you were probably told that it was important to tell the truth. Calling someone a liar is a pretty big insult.
But lies have their value.
For instance, there are the little white lies that we all need for getting through life in a civilized manner. “Do you like my new haircut?” “Oh, yeah, you look great.”
If you think about it the right way, I lie for a living. After all, I write fiction–things that didn’t happen. And because I love fantasy so much, a whole lot of what I write couldn’t happen. Phoenixes? Wizards who can move oceans? Helpful imps? All lies, right? But where would any of us be without fiction?
Sometimes lies are motivational tools. Yeah, if I study really hard I totally won’t freak out over the exam.
Sometimes they help us survive the horrors of parenthood. When my older daughter was 5 and we were vacationing in Tahoe, she was sharing a room with her 2-year-old sister and would not settle down so the younger kid could sleep. We told her if she wasn’t quiet, she was going to have to sleep on the deck with the bears (she’d seen a piece of paper warning visitors about nearby bears). Hey, it worked. And we didn’t have an overtired toddler to contend with the next day.
Sometimes they help us survive the horrors of childhood. Um, my parents still don’t know the complete truth of my teenage years. Which is fine. I made it through.
But of course lies can also be nasty and destructive. I think the most dangerous lies are the ones we tell ourselves, like I can’t.
In Rattlesnake, Jimmy lies a lot. Mostly it’s harmless, entertaining even. He’s a storyteller–that’s pretty much how he gets by in life. But he’s been lying to himself, too. And some of those lies are going to cause him trouble….
When do you think it’s okay to lie?
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Karen wrote: "If I answer this question, am I planning a lie, and does it make it worse that I would do it in advance? Which is why I refrain from answering!And Jimmy -- just finished reading [book:Rattlesnak..."
LOL! Don't worry--not grading you on your honesty!
I'm so glad you enjoyed the book! And that's a great point--was Jimmy lying to himself or delusional? I think deep in his heart he knew the truth. But sometimes that can be so hard to admit.
I think I like calling it delusional because my own background has made me generally consider lying BAD (really, you can give me an A for honesty!) and compulsive liars as bad people. But delusions usually aren't your fault, they are either honest to god mental illness, or the result of a genetic predisposition to being pessimistic that in some cases is reinforced by life experience. Which would certainly be Jimmy! I liked him so much -- really, I love your characters -- and so I never thought of him as a liar (AKA bad person in my mind), and his truth stretching wasn't a bad thing. It is a fine line, isn't it? And helping anyone to realize all the wonderful things inside themselves is one of the greatest gifts to give, and gives you so much back! I love reading stories with that as part of the theme. So whether you call it being truthful with himself, or seeing through the delusion, the end result was beautiful either way!
Karen wrote: "I think I like calling it delusional because my own background has made me generally consider lying BAD (really, you can give me an A for honesty!) and compulsive liars as bad people. But delusion..."Good points! And you're right--Jimmy may not always be truthful, but he's a good person nonetheless.
And Jimmy -- just finished reading Rattlesnake yesterday, and loved it! -- is it lying to yourself if you really believe it? Or is it just a pervasive delusion? Clearly being delusional about your own self worth is a terrible and painful thing. I never thought of him as a liar, he was just a man who told tall tales to entertain and encourage, not to manipulate or get ahead. So yeah, a storyteller, not a liar, just a good man with way too much self doubt.
So thanks for giving him a happy ending, and helping him break through the delusion...