There's no question who the masters of deceit are in The Tale of Despereaux: the rats. They lie to everyone. They're expert con men. Botticelli and Roscuro both delight in getting prisoners to trust and confess their sins to them, and then totally messing with them. That's what Roscuro does to Mig's father after he confesses how much he regrets selling his daughter into slavery. He also lies to poor Mig and says that he'll make her a princess, though he has no intention of following through with this.
What's in it for the rats? Why do they live to deceive? Shmoop guesses that it's because they have nothing else to live for. They're stuck in the dark dungeons, loathed by everyone; it's a wretched existence. Maybe the only thing that makes them happy is making life miserable for people and mice who've seen the light upstairs.
Hey, we're trying to be empathetic here. (See our "Compassion" theme.) Still, we've got to admit that these rats are lying liars.
Questions About Lies and Deceit
- Do you think that the rats truly find meaning in life from tricking and lying to people?
- Why does Mig believe Roscuro's lies?
- Why does Princess Pea lie about not knowing Roscuro when he kidnaps her?
Chew on This
According to this book, lying gets you nowhere in the long run.
Mig's story show us that desperation can lead you to believe someone even if you know they're lying.