The white lie is a real lie

In The Reprehensibility of the White Lie, Jennifer Pier defines a white lie. She explains what a white lie is and with the use of diction and personification, the white lie is depicted. Pier states that “[the white lie] is hard to define but easy to recognize” (206). With this, Pier dives into her explanation of what makes up a white lie. Her explanation consists of three criterions; the white lie means something, the white lie is polite, and the white lie is destructive. By using examples that many people can relate to, Pier represents the white lie as what it really is, a lie.

Pier’s first criterion of what defines a white lie is that it means something. Even if the person who said the white lie didn’t mean harm by it, the listener can and will most likely come to a conclusion of what the white lie meant. Every white lie has a meaning to it. A lie is a lie, no matter how big or little of a lie it is. The severity of the lie has nothing to do with whether it is a lie or not; it’s a flat out lie. By personifying the white lie, Pier is able to give it characteristics such as “entici...