The Way We Lie Analysis

Telling a lie is just as common as telling a truth. According to Webster’s dictionary, a lie is characterized as a statement created with the intent to deceive or to give a false impression. It is a straightforward definition, but it does not mention the extent a lie serves a person 's self interest nor the consequence the lie can have on other people. In Stephanie Ericsson’s “The Way We Lie,” Ericsson attempts to categorize the various types of lies and their ramifications, whereas in Anton Chekhov’s The Lady with the Dog, the writing touches on the selfish lies that both Gurov and Sergeyevna tell to sustain their adulterous relationship. Although lies are told with the intent to deceive or give a false impression, I claim that the extent to which lying is selfish depends on the motives and circumstances for the lie, and whose interest it is benefitting.
While lies are told with the intent to deceive, it is the motive behind the lie that determines whether or …show more content…
Here, we see an example of where Gurov is continually feeding on his selfish lies, disparaging women as he gets better at lying, and thinking only of his own interests. According to Chekhov, Gurov has no remorse for the harm he is doing to his wife or the women he has affairs with, merely viewing them as expendable objects. This is a prime example of a selfish lie. I believe Gurov is fully aware of how morally wrong his actions are, but nevertheless, it is apparent he does not care. One reason I believe he continues to lie to his wife is because he feels that he is a “superior being” in comparison to women, and through this reasoning, it has allowed him to dismiss the feelings of attachment to his wife, and has made it easy for him to deny any accusations and hide any facts necessary to keep his lie. I hold that Ericsson would agree that such a selfish act is a “dismissal”