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The Ways We Lie By Stephanie Ericsson

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Recommended: The concept of honesty

In her essay, "The Ways We Lie", Stephanie Ericsson discusses the various forms of lying present in society, ranging from white lies to more serious deceptions. She contends that lying has become an integral part of everyday life and that individuals often resort to it as a means of self-preservation or to protect others from harm. This deception often results in negative consequences for relationships and society as a whole. Towards the beginning of her essay, Ericsson highlights that 'when someone lies, someone loses', serving as a powerful reminder of the impact of lying on both the liar and the person being lied to and underscoring the significance of honesty. This theme is commonly portrayed in many literary works; however, it is notably …show more content…

This apprehension frequently leads to the absence of a few crucial details within the story that have the ability to drastically alter the narrative. This form of deception is defined by Ericsson as omission. Hanna Schmitz, the main character in The Reader, omits crucial information during her trial out of fear of punishment and humiliation: “Ask her if she chose the weak and delicate girls, because they could never have stood up to the work on the building site anyway, because they would have been sent on the next transport to Auschwitz in any case, because she wanted to make that final month bearable... But the lawyer did not ask Hanna, and she did not speak of her own accord.” (Schlink 117). The withholding of crucial information during this trial adversely impacts Hanna's testimony, causing her to appear more guilty than she is in reality. As opposed to confronting the truth regarding her time as a guard at a concentration camp in Auschwitz, Schmitz makes an effort to preserve her dignity by lying by omission. Antithetical to Hanna's desired result, her omission of crucial details results in the unfavourable outcomes of an extended prison sentence and the destruction of significant relationships in her life. Further omissions are made as the trial progresses, and the source of Hanna Schmitz's fear is revealed: “Hanna could neither read nor write... That was why she admitted to writing the report in order to escape a confrontation with an expert... Because she couldn’t read the daughter’s book or the indictments, couldn’t see the openings that would allow her to build a defence, and thus could not prepare herself accordingly?” (Schlink 132–133). Due to her concern that her secret will be discovered, Hanna frequently withholds information that would greatly aid her during her trial. Her internalised shame regarding her illiteracy drives her to

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