Nuthin but the Truth

Today, i will be writing about about a book i have read during the March holidays entitled: "Nothing but the Truth" I am sure that some of you have read it too and i personally find that it is a interesting and thought provoking book. 

The story is about a boy, Phillip Malloy, who is in the Track and Field "CCA" in his school, but finds that Literature is boring and that his teacher, Miss Narwin, is even more so. However, all that stands in his way from getting into the team is his literature grade, which is unsatisfactory for him to enter the track team. What makes things worse than it already is is that Phillip Malloy has been transferred into Mis Narwin's homeroom. Therefore, Phillip intends to peform his "Malloy Magic" to get out of her homeroom......

For those who have not read the book, please do not continue reading.

*Spoilers start here*

 Phillip Malloy, who hates Miss Narwin more than anything else now desires to switch out of Miss Narwin's homeroom. One day, for no apparent reason at all, he hums the national anthem during which the song is being played. However, In the note memo of his School , Harrison High School, It is stated that "Students are to stand in respectful silence" when the national anthem is played. This causes Phillip Malloy to be suspended for two days, after two concurrent repeats of this behaviour, causing what miss Narwin stated as "a disturbance". But the story doesn't end here....

When this story is published onto the media, it causes a nation-wide Hoo-Hah, questioning the teacher, Miss Narwin's rights to expel the student just because of what Phillip Malloy described as "an act of patriotism" Letters are sent in to the school, asking them to fire Miss Narwin. Under pressure, The school abandons their support for Miss Narwin and she is left to fend the letters off from herself. Meanwhile, Phillip is also under pressure, as his relationships with his friends begin to wear off, as they all believed that Miss Narwin was a good teacher. They all start to rebel against him....

Phillip Malloy ends up in Washington High, where he soon realises that there is no track team there. When asked to lead in their daily singing of the School song. He stats getting emotional and cries. When asked why, he just says:"I don't know the lyrics."

*Spoilers end here*

Personally, i find that this story is a very Ironical story. Firstly, if you read the book, you will find that all Phillip ever wanted was to get into the track team. However, his actions, which he thought would grant him access into the team, leads to the eventual transferring of him into Washington high, where there is no track team.

Secondly, Phillip Malloy used "patriotism" as a shield for his defiant act at school. However, is that true? Was he really acting on "Patriotism"? Notice that in the entire story, never once did he utter the word "Patriotism". It was his parents who did so all the time. The last sentence is the most crucial sentence, as it reveals all that has been done by Phillip really as an act of defiance, or for other reasons. For the entire time, the story kept uttering and jabbering on about "Patriotism". But is it really relevant? Phillips arguement has become from a mass media uproar to what my old social studies teacher used to say: "Fluff"

I like this story, as it is interesting in a way that the auther uses journals, letters and memos to convey most of the story; in the same way that "Flowers for algernon" was depicted in too.    

To everyone who has not read this book, i would strongly advise you to read this Newberry winning book. It will set your mind thinking.