We Were Liars, By E. Lockhart

457 Words2 Pages

In the book We Were Liars, by E.Lockhart, the narrator Cadence is not always reliable because she over exaggerates events, alters reality so she can handle it, and withholds the truth. Into the first few pages of the book, the readers are questioning whether the events that take place are actually happening, or if they are just in Cadence’s head. Cadence narrates, “Then [my father] pulled out a handgun and shot me in the chest. The bullet hole opened wide and my heart rolled out of my rib cage” (Lockhart 5). The way Cadence describes being shot in great detail makes the readers question if it is really happening. Although her father didn't really shot her, the way Cadence narrates it makes the readers question if events are really occurring, or if they are …show more content…

Cadence reflects about why she saw her cousins when they weren't really there, “ I guess that is why they've been here. I needed them” (Lockhart 214). Cadence is able to manipulate reality so she can understand it. That is why she saw her cousins when they were really dead. She could not handle the truth so she hallucinated her cousins being on the island like they used to. This demonstrates how the readers can't always trust her perspective. Half of the book Cadence thinks she is interacting with her cousins; when in reality they were just in her head. Throughout the book Cadence is trying to remember what happened in summer fifteen. Cadence googles traumatic brain injury, to try and have a better understanding of why she can't remember. Cadence then narrates, “ most websites tell me a selective amnesia is a consequence. She will be unable to piece together a coherent story of the trauma but I don't want people to know I'm like this” (page 46 ch.18 but not really). Cadence being unable to remember what happened in summer fifteen shows how she is unable to handle the truth, and unable to tell the whole story to the