"Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story."
Lies. What are lies?
Are they simply tall tales? Like in the song by Gaelic Storm in the video below?
Or are they just the attempts to get out of trouble? You know. Like when you were a little kid. Mom goes into the restroom and notices someone has used the last of the toilet paper and calls out, "Who used the last of the toilet paper?" Your heartbeat races as you remember pulling off the last few squares--just enough to do the job--but then you totally forgot to put on a new roll, so you call out, "Not me."
Or are they just the attempts to get out of trouble? You know. Like when you were a little kid. Mom goes into the restroom and notices someone has used the last of the toilet paper and calls out, "Who used the last of the toilet paper?" Your heartbeat races as you remember pulling off the last few squares--just enough to do the job--but then you totally forgot to put on a new roll, so you call out, "Not me."
Are they the little social "white" lies people tell each other all the time? Like when the quirky girl at the office decides to go really bizarre with her hairstyle and has all her purple hair cut off and her head bicked, so you say, "Wow, looks great." even though you think she looks absolutely ridiculous and can hardly stop yourself from laughing everytime you look at her. At least until you realize some guys think a girl with a bald head is sexy.
Are lies a social lubricant that smooth our interactions, or are they slowly tearing away at another social lubricant--trust? As a very little girl, I was an almost compulsive liar, and it took many years of being completely honest to gain my parents' trust. As a result, I'm ruthlessly honest now. Or silent if I can't think of a creative way to get around awkward social moments.
Do your characters lie? What do you think is a good reason for people to lie? Or do you think there never is a good reason to lie?
I have to admit I do tell the occasional 'white' lie. Mostly because it's just easier and kinder than the truth. I think there is no real standard good reason. Each case is dependent upon the person. I for one prefer being told the absolute truth no matter how harsh while others aren't that way so I think you really have to know your friends and family and know who can handle the truth and who can't.
ReplyDeleteDafeenah
A lie is anything you say with the intent to deceive. I'm probably one of the few who believes that lying is always, always wrong. Not that I'm innocent. But I do have a hard time lying because I value the truth so much. As a result, my 7 year old found out the truth when she asked if Santa was real. ;)
ReplyDeleteLies - it's all about the intent. I'm so glad I found your blog. I'm stopping by from the A to Z challenge and I look forward to reading morefrom you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting me; It is nice to meet you~
ReplyDeleteI try not to lie, but I do toss in a few white one, social ones. It is a difficult field to navigate at times. Great post! Love the song~
:) I think any reason is a great reason for a character to lie! No, srly. for unselfish reasons, to protect herself, to keep from getting in trouble... all the same reason we do!
ReplyDeleteEverybody lies, and anyone who says they don't is a liar. ;) We do it without thinking about it, even if we're deeply honest people. What a great post, something to consider when we're trying to craft deeper, more interesting characters. The question isn't "does my character lie" but "what does my character lie about?"
ReplyDeleteMy characters definitely stretch the truth. To some of them, it's an age-old matter of survival.
ReplyDeleteMe. I can't say that I've been know to lie, because I hardly ever get caught.
But I must say I prefer honesty. So much so that friends and family won't ask my opinion if they're not sure about the truth.
:-)
Oh my husband tells me those social ones all the time when I ask if my butt looks to big in some particular outfit. Hee Hee.
ReplyDeleteThe character in my current WIP tells a little lie right in the first few pages but she does it to protect someone. I never thought about it as her telling a lie (until your post) I always thought of it as a good deed. ;)
My characters don't actually lie; they just don't tell the whole truth sometimes.
ReplyDeleteThe girl with the purple hair and the bald-- I'm sure I would have found something nice to say. Not an outright lie, but something like, wow, your eyes really stand out now.
I'm from the South. We fib all the time like that.
MM the Queen of English