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For Lies Philinte Summary

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Part One
The major theme of this play is explored through the actions and thoughts of the characters. The play is based upon a single lie, told by Philinte, that spirals out of control and leads to a series of events that temporarily change the lives of majority of the characters. Therefore, the major subject of this play is the effects of lies. With this being said, Ives’ major idea or major theme is how lies can determine the outcome of an individuals life. The lies in this play drive the entire action which lead me to formulate the question how can lies create tension or conflict within a group of people? The characters are abusing each other’s lies to essentially win this game they have created for themselves.
The minor subject of this …show more content…

Eliante tells the group “Philinte’s the one who raised this hell. First telling Frank you loved him (L.O.L)” (88). By this point, the character’s realize that everything they thought about each other since Frank arrived was all a lie.
Major Dramatic Question- Will Philinte’s lies affect the characters within the “School For Lies”?
Galvanizing Event- Philinte decides to take revenge on Frank by spreading rumors that will directly affect him. In an aside, he explains “This fib about my bent for sky-blue drag…I’ll pay Frank back. Spread rumors of my own” (35). After Frank began telling people Philinte dresses in drag, he decides to spread a rumor about Frank that affects not only Frank, but majority of the characters in the play. This drives the action of the play because the audience is left to wonder if the characters will believe the lies that are told about one another.
Conflict- Man vs. Man: The rumors that Philinte and Frank spread about one another. These two men are pitted against each other from the start. They put on a front to show they like each other, but in reality, they are both after each

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