1. In Dr. Palleni's office, Philip said some things that were not the whole truth. List at least three of
these statements. What does this tell you about Phillip? Should it still be considered lying if
someone does not tell the whole truth? Explain.
2. Margaret Narwin wished for respect from three groups of people. Who are they, list them and
explain why you think she chose these three groups?
Miss Narwin wished for respect from the three groups these are administration, students, and
community. She chose administration and the community because she didn’t get the grant.
The music teacher got the grant instead, that is why she feels disrespected. She felt
disrespected by students that joke and make noise. One example is when Philip answered an
essay question with, “this book should be about cats because dogs are dumb.”
3. Do you think this novel portrays realistic views of both students and teachers? Explain your
position by discussing specific examples of both real life and events that have happened in the
book.
I think this novel, Nothing But The Truth, is realistic because I can relate to being in school and
having trouble in English class. Teachers in real life can apply for grants and be denied funding
just like Miss Narwin in the book. In real life, students can be kicked off sports teams because of
bad grades. In the book, Phillip was not allowed to try out for the track team due to his low
grades. These are the reasons why I think this book portrays both realistic views of both
students and teachers.
4. How does the author’s use of documents and personal accounts affect the reader and the
“truths” of this book?
The document and personal accounts such as diaries, memos, and conversations affects the
readers because the characters are explaining how they feel instead of saying it out loud. the
book, Miss Narwin writes to her sister about Phillip and how he acts in class. She says he has a
lot of potential but he is just too lazy. Another example of how the book shows personal
accounts is the phone conversation between Phillip and Allison. In the conversation, he was
trying to flirt, but Allison wasn’t getting the jokes. These are a few examples of how the author
shows different perspectives in documents and personal accounts.
5. Thinking of the quote “There are three truths to every story; yours, mine, and the real truth”
what does this mean and how does this apply to the title of the book “Nothing But the Truth”?
6. Discuss the pros and cons of the media’s (radio, television, newspapers) role in this book. Refer
to specific examples from the text to support your claims. Connect your discussion to the
positive and negative influences of media in today’s society.
7. Communication between parents and their children, between students themselves, and
certainly between Philip and his peers seems to be dysfunctional. Write an essay in which you
discuss the theme of communication (or miscommunication) in this book. Refer to specific
examples from the text to support your claims.
8. In the novel, there is mention that Philip’s First Amendment rights are being violated. Write a
multiple paragraph essay addressing whether or not Philip Malloy’s rights or anyone else’s rights
are being violated. Refer to specific examples from the text to support your claims.