As Tilly points out often in The River Between Us, Delphine is a master of deceit, though not exactly of lying. She never lies at all—well, except that one time about her nonexistent aunt in St. Louis—she just tells so much truth that we never notice all the things she's not saying. It's like a sleight of hand trick; Delphine keeps our eyes where she wants them so we don't suspect her of hiding a thing.
It's not Delphine's fault that she has to deceive the Pruitt family about the truth of who she and Calinda are (namely, free people of color). The girls are in a tight spot and need to find somewhere safe. After we find out the sisters' true identities as the children of Jules Duval and Clemence Duval, a free woman of color, we think we know it all. But, we don't. There's one more curtain to be pulled back, and it's the big reveal about which of the old ladies in the house is truly Howard's grandmother.
Questions About Lies and Deceit
- What's the biggest lie any character tells? Why do they tell it, and what makes this lie bigger than all the rest?
- How is deceit different from lying in The River Between Us? Be specific, and push yourself to go beyond just Delphine's character, if possible.
- Are lies and deception a force for harm or for good in this book? Give evidence from the text to back up your point.
Chew on This
Delphine's character is formed by her need to conceal the truth of her identity.
Pretty much everyone in the book eventually is drawn into Delphine's web of concealment.