Name:___________________
The Lie- Kurt Vonnegut
Words to Know: Find the definitions for the following words. 10 points
Unrepentant:
Deter:
Bureaucrat:
Incredulity:
Subdued:
Comprehension, Analysis, Synthesis: Answer the following questions. 20 points
1. Who do you think deserves the blame for the lie? Explain your answer.
2. Which characters feel pressure in this story? What kinds of pressure do they feel? Give
reasons to support your answer.
3. What do you think of Dr. and Mrs. Remenzel?
4. Do you sympathize with any of the characters in the story? Why or why not?
5. Compare and contrast the way teenagers facing today’s pressures react to them with the way
Eli reacts? Do you consider his reaction normal?
6. Why do you think Kurt Vonnegut chose to tell “The Lie” from the third-person point of
view? How would the story be different if Eli narrated it?
Name:___________________
Long Answer: 10 points
7. Write a paragraph about a time when you disappointed someone or when someone else
disappointed you. Try to judge whether anyone’s expectations were too high.
Research Kurt Vonnegut: 10 points
1. Kurt Vonnegut is known for writing satire and black comedy. Define what both of these
terms are. What type of writing is “The Lie”?
2. What happened to Vonnegut during WWII? How did this influence his writing?
3. Describe Vonnegut’s family life. How many children did he have?
4. How did Vonnegut die?
5. What were some of Vonnegut’s political views? How did he feel about the Iraq war?
6. Describe Vonnegut’s unconventional religious views.