Montaigne's Essay "On Liars"

In the essay that I have just finished reading, the author tells a story of what he thinks are formidable liars and what it takes to be a good liar. In the essay he feels people can not see contrast in intellect and memory. In his case he feels he is most worthy and should be known for his ability to lie because his great ability to speak about his memory. However, on the contrary a excellent sense of memory makes for poor or feeble judgments. He also states that in the sense of lying, people must not take forgetfulness, something everyone is prone to, as lying. By this I mean that if ones friend has requested or asked another friend to do something for them, if there is an unfortunate event that does take place preventing the request or promise to take place, one must see it as misfortune and not to make it seem that the person lied.

A good memory is better filled with things that you should need to know rather than that of what is made up. In a case with one of his friends the author states that if his memory had been better he would of showered his friends with chatter and that would of made him seem more persuasive. This will be something he regrets though, as he has learned in some cases with very close friends. Memory can also give you a first hand view of someone and with that you can smother a story in useless details if you wanted to lie. Some people lie in so much detail they don't know where to stop at. No one that isn't fully conscious of having a sound memory should become a liar.

Liars invent a story or disguise an actual fact. If referred to that story more than once it becomes harder and harder to disguise that lie because in it already embedded in to the mines of whom he may be lying to. Liars may make up a whole story, which infers they are not afraid of tripping up in their lies, or that this is little or no opposition to anything they'll say. However, even doing this may cause you to forget the whole story you made up unless you have an excellent sense of memory. Liars also prove to excel when their reputations are on the line.

Lies come with very dangerous, life threatening, or maybe even fatal consequences. Some consequences include wrongful death, lost of a good friend or family member due to finding out lies were being told, maybe about something important. Reputations may also be ruined, that of the liar or of someone else. Wars can also, and have been be waged because of a simple lie. Lies bring about confusion, constant questioning, anger, frustration, lose and much more.


What I feel the author is trying to express in the poem is that within telling the truth there is still some speculation that there is a lie to it. When people talk about things we need, personally I only feel we need it when its life threatening to take it away. Things like the sky and two exact trees in a certain spot, or blue pine as the author says, may be needed, but will it be a big difference without them? What does a blue sky do for us that we need everyday? I also feel the author is trying to state that certain things people predict may happen but in reality it will never happen in the time period people usually live such as, the rising of water over tall buildings. Now this may be true but isn't there some speculation that it could be a lie because they do things to prevent this and its never

In the quote stated by the author "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything", I feel that the author is clearly expressing the fact that if you don't lie, there is nothing or no one to feel guilty towards or for or maybe even because of. Lying obviously gives you something to think about and for long periods of time. Someone premeditating a lie has nothing on their mine but, what that lie will be and if it will work out for him or not. However, people that come right out and say the truth usually have the most issues just coming out and saying the truth, nevertheless they don't have much to think about regardless. When the truth is out, everything is said and done. Most people that can come right out with the truth have nothing to worry about afterward because there usually is no consequence for being honest. Also when you lie there is no reason to have to prove something happened. Most people that lie have to retrace steps and prove certain things which may make them have to get deeper into the lie. Without someone having lied there is nothing that has to retraced, no events that have to linger in your mine just in case you're questioned about that situation.