Considering the fact that The Body of Christopher Creed is a mystery, it only stands to reason that there are some lies and deceit up in the mix. After all, what good is a mystery if everyone just tells the truth? Here's the thing, though, instead of outright lies, this book is more often speckled with something Sartre calls "bad faith," which are—to botch Sartre a little bit—lies we tell ourselves. Arguably the biggest part of Torey's journey in this book, then, is learning to identify these bad faith lies, in both himself and those around him, in order to find an honest way forward.
Questions About Lies and Deceit
- What does Torey discover about why people lie?
- How does lying play into the plot of the story?
- Why does Mrs. Creed lie about Chris not having written the note?
- Why does Chris Creed lie in his diary?
- Why does Ali lie about Bo? Is this lie acceptable? Does it change how you feel about lying?
- Does Torey lie about anything? Why or why not? How does this help us understand the story? His character?
Chew on This
There is not a single character in this book who does not lie.
The most dangerous lies are the ones we tell ourselves because they are the hardest to see through.