The Others are into mind games like whoa. First they disguise themselves as humans, which allows them to secretly infiltrate (and eventually take over) important military bases. Then they train child soldiers to kill their fellow humans through another series of deceptions. That's a pretty neat party trick, don't you think?
Evan is an alien, so it's not exactly a surprise that he's into deception. (His seems to be for a good cause, though—he just wants to keep Cassie safe.) It's also worth noting that the other two main characters, Cassie and Zombie (who are both humans), each pose as someone they're not at least once in the book. Cassie acts like a young child so she can infiltrate the military base and save her brother, and Zombie dresses up like a doctor in his own attempt to save Sammy.
Questions About Manipulation
- Why do you think the aliens go to such great lengths to manipulate humans instead of just murdering them all outright?
- At what point, exactly, does Cassie realize that Evan is a Silencer?
- Which character do you think is the best manipulator: Evan, Cassie, or Zombie? Explain your answer.
Chew on This
Cassie sees through Evan's deception almost right away. She didn't buy his act, but she couldn't face it until he stated it in no uncertain terms.
Cassie truly believes that Evan is human up until the point that he admits he's an alien. She had doubts, but he lied so well that she was able to put them aside.