CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
This is the youngest sibling in the Fountain family who is only two years old.
Who is Tris
This tragic event at the beginning of the novel sets the entire plot in motion.
What is the death of the Fountain children’s mother (Laura Fountain fell down the stairs while Smithy was holding Tris)?
The novel is written in this point of view.
What is third-person limited (shifting among multiple characters)?
This theme is central to the novel and involves the siblings’ commitment to protecting Tris.
What is family loyalty / protecting family / family bonds?
In the context of the novel, this word means a person who sees an event happen.
What is a witness?
This character is a television producer who wants to create a sensational story about the Fountain family tragedy.
Who is Angus Nicolson?
Identify the main external conflict in the novel
What is the conflict between the Fountain siblings and Angus Nicolson/the media, who want to create a sensational story claiming Smithy killed his mother?
Name the three main characters whose perspectives the author uses to tell the story.
Who are Jack, Madison, and Smithy Fountain?
Identify one way the media’s treatment of the Fountain family contributes to a theme about truth vs. sensationalism.
The media (Angus Nicolson) prioritizes ratings and drama over facts, showing how sensationalism can destroy lives. They’re willing to traumatize a child (Tris) and ruin Smithy’s reputation for entertainment. This develops the theme that truth can be weaponized or distorted for profit.
The novel frequently uses the word “sensational” to describe Angus Nicolson’s television approach. Explain the connotation of “sensational” in this context and why it’s negative.
“Sensational” means designed to shock, excite, or provoke strong reactions rather than inform truthfully. In this context, it has a negative connotation because it implies manipulation, exaggeration, and exploitation of tragedy for entertainment. It suggests Angus prioritizes drama over accuracy and doesn’t care about harming the Fountain family.
Describe how Jack’s character changes from the beginning of the novel to the end, particularly in his willingness to protect his family.
At the beginning, Jack is self-absorbed and focused on his own life/college plans. By the end, he takes responsibility for his siblings, stands up to Angus Nicolson, and actively works to protect Tris and preserve his family’s integrity. He transforms from passive/avoidant to protective and courageous.
Explain how the setting of the television studio increases the tension and pacing in the novel’s climax.
The TV studio setting creates urgency because it’s a public, high-stakes environment where the truth could be distorted permanently. The live broadcast element adds time pressure—the siblings must act quickly before false information reaches millions. The studio’s artificiality contrasts with the family’s genuine emotions, heightening the conflict between truth and manipulation.
Explain why the author chose NOT to include Tris’s point of view in the novel.
Tris is only two years old and cannot understand or articulate the complex events happening around him. Excluding his perspective maintains the novel’s focus on how the older siblings struggle to protect him while dealing with their own grief, doubt, and fear. It also emphasizes that Tris is innocent and vulnerable—the object everyone is fighting over, not an active participant.
Explain how the title If the Witness Lied relates to the novel’s themes about truth, memory, and perspective.
The title raises the question of whether Smithy (the only witness to his mother’s death besides baby Tris) is telling the truth or lying/misremembering. It highlights themes of unreliable memory, the burden of being the sole witness, and how easily truth can be questioned. The conditional “if” suggests doubt and multiple possibilities, reflecting the novel’s exploration of how truth is constructed and contested, especially when trauma and self-interest are involved.
Distinguish between the connotations of these words that appear in discussions of Smithy’s situation: “accused,” “suspected,” and “blamed.” How do these word choices affect the mood?
“Accused” = formal, legal, serious; suggests official charges and courtroom drama. “Suspected” = uncertain, investigative; suggests doubt without proof. “Blamed” = emotional, personal, guilt-focused; suggests moral judgment. These word choices create a mood of injustice and vulnerability—Smithy faces all three (legal threat, public suspicion, and personal guilt) despite being innocent. The escalating connotations show how the situation spirals from questions to condemn.
Analyze how the relationship between Smithy and Madison influences the theme of family loyalty. Provide specific examples from the text.
Smithy and Madison’s relationship demonstrates that family loyalty can be tested by external pressures (media, public opinion). Madison initially struggles with doubt about what really happened, but her love for Tris and Smithy drives her to seek truth rather than accept the convenient narrative. Their sibling bond strengthens as they unite to protect Tris, showing that loyalty requires active choice and sacrifice. Example: Madison risks her reputation to challenge the media’s story.
Analyze how Cooney uses the multiple points of view (switching between Jack, Madison, and Smithy) to control plot pacing and build suspense throughout the novel.
Cooney’s rotating perspectives create suspense by revealing different pieces of information at different times—readers see each sibling’s fears, plans, and realizations separately, creating dramatic irony and anticipation. The shifting viewpoints also slow down or speed up pacing: internal reflection chapters slow pace for emotional depth, while action-driven chapters (like the TV studio confrontation) accelerate pace. This structure keeps readers engaged by preventing any single perspective from revealing too much too soon.
Analyze how Madison’s perspective reveals different aspects of the family tragedy than Jack’s or Smithy’s perspectives do. What unique insights does she provide?
Madison’s perspective provides emotional insight and addresses the family’s grief more directly than her brothers’. As the sister/middle child, she bridges Jack’s detachment and Smithy’s trauma. She questions what really happened more openly, showing internal conflict between loyalty and doubt. Madison also reveals the impact on female family members (connecting with her mother’s memory, noticing Aunt Cheryl’s manipulations) and demonstrates how guilt affects her differently—she feels responsible for not being there, while Smithy feels responsible for what he did/didn’t do.
Describe how the interactions between the siblings and Aunt Cheryl shape the theme of what it means to be a true family. Use specific examples from the text.
Aunt Cheryl is biologically family but acts selfishly—she sees Tris as a meal ticket and opportunity for fame, not as a nephew to love. In contrast, the siblings sacrifice their own comfort, college plans, and peace of mind to protect Tris. This contrast develops the theme that family is defined by actions and love, not biology. Example: Cheryl wants custody for money; Jack gives up his independence to become a guardian. Example: Madison confronts Cheryl about her exploitation. The novel argues that chosen commitment creates family, not shared DNA.
The novel uses the phrase "trial by media" to describe what happens to Smithy. Analyze the figurative meaning of this phrase and explain how it connects to the themes of justice and truth in the story.
"Trial by media" is a metaphor comparing media coverage to a legal trial. It means Smithy is being publicly judged, condemned, and "sentenced" by reporters and public opinion before any official investigation or court proceeding. The phrase suggests the media has taken over the role of judge and jury—deciding guilt without evidence or due process. This connects to the novel's themes because it shows how sensational journalism can destroy truth and justice: Smithy never gets a fair chance to defend himself because Angus Nicolson has already convinced the public he's guilty. The "trial" is one-sided, biased, and driven by ratings, not facts.
Compare and contrast Aunt Cheryl’s characterization with the three Fountain siblings. How does Cooney use these contrasts to develop the novel’s themes about family and responsibility?
Aunt Cheryl is portrayed as self-serving, irresponsible, and willing to exploit Tris for financial gain and attention. In contrast, Jack, Madison, and Smithy grow into protective, selfless guardians who prioritize Tris’s wellbeing over personal comfort. This contrast highlights themes of true family vs. biological relation, and genuine love vs. exploitation. Cooney uses Cheryl as a foil to show what the siblings could become if they abandon their values, strengthening their resolve to do what’s right.
Evaluate whether the resolution of the novel’s central conflict (protecting Tris and revealing the truth) is realistic given the characterization and events established earlier. Support your position with specific textual evidence.
The resolution is realistic because Cooney establishes throughout the novel that the siblings are intelligent, resourceful, and increasingly united. Jack’s legal knowledge (from his father), Madison’s courage, and Smithy’s determination are all demonstrated before the climax. The resolution doesn’t rely on coincidence but on the siblings’ active choices and growth. However, some might argue that Angus Nicolson’s defeat happens too quickly given his power and resources—though this could reflect the theme that truth, when courageously spoken, has inherent power. Evidence: Jack’s careful planning, Madison’s confrontation with Cheryl, Smithy’s willingness to speak publicly all foreshadow their successful defense of Tris.
Evaluate how the author’s choice to use multiple limited perspectives (rather than omniscient narration) affects the reader’s understanding of truth and memory in the novel. How does this narrative technique support the novel’s themes?
Using multiple limited perspectives reinforces the novel’s themes about subjective truth and the difficulty of knowing what really happened. Each sibling has incomplete information and their own biases, mirroring how real families process trauma differently. Readers must piece together truth from fragments, just as the characters do—this creates empathy and engagement. The technique also shows that memory is unreliable (especially Smithy’s blocked memories), and that truth emerges through collective testimony rather than single authority. This structure critiques media narratives that claim objective truth while actually presenting only one sensationalized perspective (Angus’s version). The fragmented narration makes readers active interpreters rather than passive consumers of a single “official” story.
Analyze how Caroline B. Cooney develops the theme that grief and trauma affect people differently through the characterization and interactions of Jack, Madison, and Smithy. How does this theme connect to the novel’s resolution?
Cooney shows three distinct grief responses: Jack becomes emotionally distant and avoidant (intellectualizing the tragedy), Madison becomes emotionally raw and questioning (openly mourning), and Smithy becomes trapped in guilt and blocked memories (traumatized witness). Their different coping mechanisms create both conflict (misunderstanding each other) and strength (complementary perspectives). Jack’s logic, Madison’s emotion, and Smithy’s determination to remember all contribute to protecting Tris. The theme connects to the resolution because healing requires all three approaches—they must combine rational planning, emotional courage, and confronting painful truth. The novel suggests that families survive trauma not by grieving identically, but by respecting different processes and uniting around shared values. Only when they accept each other’s different grief responses can they function as a protective unit.
The author carefully chooses between the words "victim" and "survivor" when describing Anna Fountain at different points in the novel. Compare the connotations of these two words and explain why the distinction matters to the novel's message about identity and agency.
"Victim" emphasizes helplessness, suffering, and being acted upon—it defines a person by what was done to them. "Survivor" emphasizes resilience, strength, and agency—it defines a person by how they responded and persevered. The distinction matters because the novel critiques how the media (especially Angus) keeps Anna trapped in the "victim" identity to keep the story sensational and emotional. By contrast, characters who respect Anna (like Smithy) see her as a "survivor" with dignity and a future beyond her trauma. This word choice reflects the novel's message that people are more than their worst moments, and that language shapes how we see—and treat—each other. The shift from "victim" to "survivor" represents reclaiming power and rejecting exploitation.