Kevin Brown This Boys Life English 12H Modern Literature Block 1 Mr. Weiner

Pathological Lying in This Boys Life

What makes a terrible family is distrust and it is impossible to trust someone who constantly lies. This unfortunate situation is put in the light in the memoir This Boys Life by Tobias Wolff. In the memoir, Wolff, who changes his first name to Jack, becomes a pathological liar because of his dysfunctional family life. As a coping mechanism to escape domestic violence, alcohol abuse, a dysfunctional family, criminal activity, and emotional neglect in his life, Wolff chooses to be untruthful and continually lies, which is an obvious theme throughout the book. In fact, Jack is so overcome by his fantasies and lies that even he begins to believe them. For example, since Jack wanted more than anything to escape the abuse of his stepfather, Dwight, he convinced himself that he was part of the elite and he forged letters of recommendation and transcripts to get into prestigious private schools. Yet Jack did not possess any remorse for these lies and convinced himself that these fabrications were the truth. Constantly lying to improve ones image and believing ones own lies are a classic sign of the mental disorder Pseudologia fantastica or pathological lying (Dike,

Baranoski, and Griffith). Normal people feel remorse for lying because most of us are conditioned to believe lying is wrong, it creates stress (Wells). Jack continually lies to numerous people about everything, including his various great deeds, yet feels no remorse. Over all, Jack lies to escape domestic problems like his crazed stepfather and dysfunctional family. Tobias Wolff recounts his lies throughout his childhood to demonstrate that pathological liars use their lies to cope with family problems. At first Jack lies to the vice-principal, the school nurse, the principal, and his mother about an obscenity that he put on the bathroom wall. Jack wanted to escape the trouble he was going to get in but he also did not want to disappoint his mother who had come to defend him. Wolff writes, Id spent almost an hour with the vice principal and had become completely convinced of my own innocence (76). Lying has become a second nature to Jack and while it is common for children to lie to avoid punishment, it is not normal to be convinced because of your own lies. Being a person with the mental disorder Pseudologia fantastica, Jack lies to escape his mothers disappointment. Even though Jack lives in a dysfunctional family with many of his mothers boyfriends constantly coming and going, Jack is extremely close to his mother and she is the only person in his life who really cares about him. If his mother were to find out he was the culprit of this small crime, it would crush Jack because the mother and son are very close. So, Jack lies about his small crime. Wolff writes that he was completely convinced of (his) own innocence and does not acknowledge that he has lied to the vice principal. Jack does not want to disappoint his mother, so he lies about the obscenity on

the wall. However, Jack excludes the fact that he lied and skips directly to his own innocence in his account because he believes his lies are the truth, which makes him a pathological liar. Jack lies in his school applications so he can get away from his life in Chinook, Washington and his stepfather. He makes up an alternate life in order to be accepted to prestigious schools. Wolff describes his mindset as he forges his letter of recommendation, I believed in it more than I believed in the facts arrayed against it. I believed that in some sense not factually verifiable I was a straight-A student. In the same way, I believed I was an Eagle Scout (213). Wolff notes that he believed in (the lies) more than (he) believed in the facts arrayed against it. He also remarks that he believed that in some sense not factually verifiable (he) was a straight-A student. This evidence reveals that the author truly believes in his own lies no matter how erroneous they may seem. Wolff also repeats the word believed to emphasize the fact that even he cannot escape the power of his lies because in his mind the lies are the truth. Since the lies are truthful to Jack he feels no remorse for his lies. Tobias Wolff truly believed that his lies were the truth and he created these lies because he wanted to escape his current life. Later, as Tobias Wolff makes up these letters he admits that he made no claims that seemed false to me (213). This is yet another example of Jacks delusions about his obviously untrue statements. Jack uses these falsehoods to cope with his family

problems such as his stepfather Dwight who is crazy, his dysfunctional family, and less than ideal school life. He is a pathological liar because he doesnt have a problem with lying. Normal people know subconsciously that lying is wrong, so people normally try to avoid lying, yet Jack welcomes the lies and believes his lies all in an effort to cope with his familys numerous internal problems. Jack truly believes his lies and they continue to be the truth to him even when he has finally escaped his former dysfunctional family life. While Jack is on his journey away from Chinook, Washington to finally start his new life, he looks to his future. Wolff reflects, And when summer was over I would go East to a noble school where I would earn good marks, captain the swimming team, and be welcomed into the great world (286). Jack has convinced himself so thoroughly that he still believes he will do the things he said he has accomplished, while, on the contrary, Jack is a C-student who does not swim. In fact, his old high school does not even have a swim team. Even though Jack has escaped Dwight and the rest of his old dysfunctional life, he still leans on his lie to escape the shortcomings in the life he is leaving. Jack somehow completely convinces himself that his lies are true and does not have a problem telling lies and creating stories about himself. He lies to escape his own and his familys problems on countless occasions throughout the memoir. He always fulfills the role of his lie and convinces himself that the lie is the truth. Jack even lies directly to the only person he loves, his mother, yet feels no sorrow for his deception. A

person who is a pathological liar needs help because lying is no way to live your life. A man who lives an honest life will always be looked upon in a greater light than a man who leads a life of dishonesty.