Liar, Liar

Paulsen uses hyperbole in the narrative voice to add humor to the tone and contribute to Kevin’s characterization. Kevin describes Markie by saying: “His parents call him precocious; I looked it up, and it does not mean the personification of an ear-splitting, nerve-jangling, head-pounding, exasperating plague that makes you long for deportation from your own country” (82). The exaggerated language Paulsen uses in Kevin’s narration reveals him as someone with an active imagination and a charismatic personality. Occasionally, Paulsen also inserts elements of his own commentary into the narrative. For example, Kevin’s admiration of bands like Buket o’ Puke ’n Snot suggests a tonal choice by the author that facetiously pokes fun at youth culture: the perceived absurdity of younger generations’ musical taste.

Paulsen uses tonal clues to make it apparent to the reader that Kevin’s justifications for his lies are just that, justifications, emphasizing the novel’s thematic interest in The Selfish Motives and Rationalizations for Lying. After convincing JonPaul something is medically wrong with him, Kevin tells himself: “I was doing this for his own good. As well as the teams he played on. Looking at it from that perspective, I was helping to make JonPaul a happier, better-adjusted person” (59). Kevin’s actions clearly stem from a desire to avoid dealing with his friend’s frustrating qualities. In this context, Kevin’s lie benefits Kevin. He creates altruistic motivations in his mind to stave off feelings of guilt. After manipulating his dad, Kevin thinks, “I was tired of getting the short end of the stick in this family just because I was the youngest. The ends justified the means” (72). Again, he convinces himself that he only lies to help others, get what he rightly deserves, or provide balance in inherently unfair situations. However, the tone and structure of Paulsen’s narrative make clear that he’s just rationalizing his efforts to get what he wants.

The self-aggrandizing view of himself that Kevin espouses in the early stages of his character arc highlight his central flaws—the things he must overcome on his journey toward Personal Growth and the Development of Integrity. In this section, Paulsen continues to highlight Kevin’s flaws. Though he admits his other friends don’t give JonPaul a hard time for his fears and compulsions, he adds, “I can tell they’re not as understanding as I am” (52). Kevin’s own actions belie this flattering assessment of his tolerance soon after, when he gets so fed up with JonPaul that he lies to get rid of him, depicting Kevin as conceited and selfish. It isn’t until he babysits Markie in Chapter 9 that Kevin’s better qualities begin to emerge. The way he cares for Markie shows how nurturing and patient he can be. The fact that he always agrees to babysit, even though Markie is challenging, demonstrates a side of Kevin that is more focused on others’ needs than his own.

In addition to revealing Kevin’s positive traits, the scene with Markie triggers an epiphany for Kevin that provides a turning point in his character arc. Markie helps Kevin see the innate value in honesty. By telling Kevin how much he loves him because of his honesty, Markie tips the scale in favor of telling the truth. Kevin has to ask Markie why it’s a good thing that he told him the truth about divorce. In his innocence, Markie says, “’cause now I know” (87). This simple explanation reminds Kevin that lying to people hurts them by manipulating their knowledge of the world around them. It shows him that respecting people enough to tell them the truth demonstrates more care than painting them a rosy but false picture.

In these chapters, Kevin’s conflict between his own selfish desires and the needs of others becomes more complex as he starts to understand the inherent conflict more clearly. Until now, he’s always convinced himself that doing what’s best for him, however dishonestly, is also what’s best for others, but the events of the plot force him to confront The Consequences of Lying and the Importance of Honesty. His lie to JonPaul leads to his friend being so fearful that he takes Markie’s EpiPen, which Markie needs. If he doesn’t have his EpiPen, a bad allergic reaction could kill him, providing a high-stakes consequence for Kevin’s lie. Further, Kevin knowingly manipulates his dad into giving him permission to go to a concert, causing a conflict between his parents that exacerbates the existing tensions in their relationship. As the fight escalates, Kevin begins to see the harm his lies cause, realizing: “Maybe the truth, in small, preschool-sized doses, wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all” (87). He isn’t ready yet to completely change his behavior, but these subtle realizations are like sown seeds, priming him for transformation.