We Were Liars

WE WERE LIARS
BY E. LOCKHART
STUDY GUIDE
ANSWER KEY
1|P D L M – W E W E R E L I A R S - S T U D Y G U I D E - M 4
MAIN TOPICS in this study guide
- Introduction and the author
- Reading program and plan
- Questions per reading section
- Context and History
- Characters
- Themes
- Symbols
- Intertextuality
- Projects
- Main vocabulary (please make sure you know it)
READING PROGRAMME AND PLAN
Read consistently according to this plan
• Thursday, February 13th – INTRODUCTION p. 4
• Thursday, February 20th - READ UP TO CHAPTER 12 (PART 1) p. 6
• Thursday, March 5th - READ UP TO CHAPTER 24 p. 8
• Thursday, April 2nd - READ UP TO END OF CHAPTER 79 p. 18
• Thursday, April 23rd - READ TILL THE END p. 19
• Thursday, April 30th - TEST
• TRAILER OF THE BOOK – April 27th – common grade
POP QUIZZES MIGHT BE EXPECTED!
INTRODUCTION
BEFORE READING
For starters, let’s watch the following video and answer the questions below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6We48s2mXdA
1. Where is the book set? – NORTH EAST USA - MASSACHUSETS – NEXT TO MARTHA’S
VINEYARD
2. How did the author find inspiration for the book? FROM HER CHILDHOOD, HOLIDAYS
ON MARTHA’S VINEYARD
3. What does it mean, for the main character, to be the heiress of the Sinclairs? TO HAVE
THE WEIGHT OF LIVING UP TO THE FAMILY STANDARDS
4. What’s amnesia? WHEN YOU FORGET YOUR PAST OR PART OF IT DUE TO A SHOCK.
Adirondack chairs
We are Sinclairs. Beautiful. Privileged. Damaged. Liars.
INTRODUCTION TO THE NOVEL
Cadence is the eldest granddaughter of the beautiful and privileged Sinclair family who spend every
summer together on their private island. The Liars of the title are Cadence’s cousins Johnny and Mirren,
and Gat, the outsider who she falls achingly in love with. The four spend idyllic summers together
swimming, playing tennis, talking about the world and their futures.
At the end of summer fifteen, Cadence suffers an accident on the island that leaves her traumatised,
suffering from terrible migraines and unable to remember what happened. All she knows is that she was
found on the beach, half drowned, dressed only in her underwear. Raised in a family who hide their
emotions behind strong chins and perfect smiles, who don’t discuss death, divorce or family tragedy,
Cadence struggles to piece together what happened that summer.
We Were Liars is a searing and gut-punching novel with a brutal secret at its heart which will have readers
turning straight back to the first page to read it all over again
e. lockhart
Now: check
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._Lockhart
or go to:
http://www.emilylockhart.com/
and write down a couple of interesting facts about the author of the book:
YOUNG READERS WRITER, BORN IN 1967 – CAMBRIDGE MASSACHUSETTS – E. STANDS FOR EMILY – SHE
WROTE TONS OF BOOKS
E. stands for Emily. My dad calls me E. and I always liked it.
THE MAP
HAVE A look at the beginning of the book. In groups write down who is who and who lives where:
Example:
CLAIRMONT – the Sinclairs
Tipper (Taft – grandma), Harris (grandad) and dogs Prince Philip and Fatima
RED GATE AND NEW YORK CITY: Carrie who was married to William Dennis with sons Johnny and Will. Then
there will be Ed, Carrie’s new boyfriend (Indian) with his nephew Gat (who is to become one of the Liars and first
love of Cadence) – also of Indian origins.
CUDDLEDOWN AND CAMBRIDGE: Bess and ex-husband Brody Sheffield with daughter Mirren, twins Liberty and
Bonny and finally Taft
WINDEMERE AND BURLINGTON (VERMONT): Penny and future ex-husband Sam Easton with daughter and
narrator Cadence
CHAPTERS 1-12 –
COMPREHENSION
QUESTIONS
A. In pairs, after having read the required chapters, answer the following questions:
1. What is Cady’s reaction to her dad leaving? What is her mother’s? What does each reaction tell us
about these characters?
2. Have a look at chapter 2, red seems to be a predominant colour.
Why?
3. What do we learn about Granddad and Tipper in chapter 3?
4. What does Granny Tipper’s reaction to Ed’s appearance imply?
5. How does Gat criticize Beechwood in this section?
6. How does Gat’s method of dealing with Tipper’s death and Cady’s
dad’s departure differ from the Sinclairs?
7. What is this bleeding that Cady is talking about (chapter 11), in your
opinion?
8. What does “snark” in chapter 4 mean? “Johnny, he is bounce, effort
and snark.”
9. How is Mirren described in chapter 4?
10. What is wrong with Cady in chapter 13?
1. She feels her heart is broken and bleeding: she doesn’t feel loved, she is devastated. Her mother’s
reaction is colder, efficient: she sells everything which reminded her of her husband, starts drinking.
Mom and daughter are very different: one needs to talk desperately the other wants to shut
everything down: no tears, no comments.
2. Peonies and blood are often mentioned in the chapter – heart, bleeding – symbols of Cady’s pain.
3. They are basically racists: they do not like coloured people.
4. She is surprised not because of his arrival but because of his colour and origins.
5. The whole thing for Gat is just super-privileged, rich: who on earth owns an island??? Plus: secluded,
exclusive club.
6. Gat openly talks about it and wants to remember Tipper and who she used to be. The Sinclairs prefer
not to talk about this tragic event: no tears, no words, just go on.
7. Three possibilities: she is self- harming or whenever her heart is in pain, she defines that with the
bleeding or: definitely both options mentioned above.
8. This is a word invented by author Lewis Carroll which means: elusive animal. Something which cannot
be grasped or caught or fully understood or owned.
9. Mirren is sugar, curiosity and rain. It probably means she is sweet, intelligent and witty and she may
also have deeper sides or darker (rain).
10. She’s got a Post Traumatic kind of syndrome: she suffers from terrible migraines and has lost part of
her memory.
B. Now, go to HISTORICAL CONTEXT p. 21 and read the extracts and watch the short video
C. Here are some of the words that appear in the first 12 chapters: study them and then, solve the
crossword.
weak, addict, fool, suffer, gaunt, peonies, trout, craggy, beechwood, bounce, to swarm, pantry, to shiver, to
wing it, gabled (or gable roof), taxidermy, fabrics, thoroughly, a fling
CHAPTERS 13 -24 – COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
A. This time you will have to work on characters:

using SUPPORTING DETAILS from the text of We Were
Liars, provide a few pieces of information that identify
WHO each character is and WHY he or she is
important/significant. Highlight major characters as
opposed to those who don’t play a major role.
ANSWERS:
❖ MAJOR CHARACTERS
Cadence “Cady” Eastman – The narrator and protagonist of
We Were Liars, Cady Eastman is the oldest grandchild of the
wealthy and ostensibly perfect Sinclair family. She lives in
Burlington, Vermont, with her mother, Penny. Cady’s father,
a college professor, left them to live with another woman
when Cady was fifteen. She spends her summers on the
private island that her family owns, known as Beechwood. It
was there that Cady met Gat and slowly fell in love with him,
much to the chagrin of Harris, who views Gat as beneath
Cady. The nephew of her aunt Carrie’s boyfriend Ed, Gat
arrived on the eighth summer and bonded so deeply with
Cady, Johnny, and Mirren that the family began to think of
them as a unit—and dubbed them the Liars. Gat was invited to return every summer after that. During her fifteenth
summer at Beechwood, Cady suffers a mysterious accident that leaves her with a serious head injury and no memory of
the events leading up to it. She spends the next two years recovering from the accident and trying to solve the mystery
of what really happened to her that night—she asks her family for details, but they inform her that she must recover
those memories on her own. She is happy to finally be reunited with the Liars, but they seem to be keeping secrets from
her as well. With the help of the Liars, Cady explores the darker secrets bubbling under the surface and threatening to
destroy the façade of perfection that has been so important to the Sinclairs. She begins to recall that greed and
materialism were tearing apart the Sinclair family, which prompted the Liars to set fire to Clairmont, the main house on
the island. Finally, Cady is faced with the devastating realization that Johnny, Mirren, and Gat died in the fire, and that
her unexpressed grief and guilt were causing her to act strangely—including giving away nearly all of her personal
belongings. Once she is faced with the reality of the accident, Cady understands that she has spent the summer
communicating with the ghosts of her closest friends—and knows that to heal, she must let them go and move on with
her life.
Gatwick “Gat” Patil – Ed’s nephew and Cady’s love interest. Although he is not related to the Sinclairs by blood, Gat
begins spending his summers at Beechwood when he is eleven. His uncle Ed is in a relationship with Carrie, one of the
Sinclair daughters, and when Gat joins the Sinclair family on the island, he becomes inseparable with Cady, Johnny, and
Mirren, and the four become known to the family as the Liars. Cady and Gat fall in love over the course of the next few
summers, and during the summer of their fifteenth year, they begin a romantic relationship. Both Gat and Ed occupy a
strange place in the family: while Harris Sinclair is ostensibly welcoming to them, he is uncomfortable with the idea that
the two of them—as men of South Asian descent—could marry into his family and therefore sully the racial and ethnic
purity of the Sinclair bloodline. Harris’s bigotry is subtle enough to go unnoticed by most of the family, but Gat is well
aware of his place as an outsider. In contrast to the wealth that Johnny, Mirren, and Cady take for granted, Gat comes
from a working-class background and is suspicious of the materialism and elitism he observes around him on Beechwood.
His connection to the Sinclair family becomes even more tenuous when his uncle Ed proposes to Carrie and she rejects
him. Carrie knows that if she marries Ed, she will lose her share of the inheritance from her father and that she, Ed, and
Gat will be cut off from the family. Worried about losing their special bond, the Liars decide to burn down Clairmont, the
main house on the island, which contains all of the financial documents and many of the prized family possessions.
Without his financial control over his daughters, they reason, Harris will not be able to separate Ed and Gat from the
family, and they will all be able to be together. Unfortunately, their plan goes awry, and Gat, Johnny, and Mirren die in
the fire, leaving Cady without the young man she was attempting to hold on to in the first place.
Harris Sinclair – The patriarch of the Sinclair family, Harris and his late wife, Tipper, have amassed a considerable fortune.
They use their wealth to buy a private island that they call Beechwood, where they build separate houses there for their
three daughters—Penny, Carrie, and Bess—and their children. This allows them all to spend each summer together on
the island, and as a result, the family is close-knit and closed off to outsiders. This becomes clear one summer when
Carrie arrives on the island with her new boyfriend, Ed, and his nephew, Gat, both of whom are of South Asian descent.
While Harris is superficially welcoming to the men, he subtly attempts to ensure that they do not really become part of
the family. In addition, Harris has promised each of his daughters a large inheritance and has allowed them to become
dependent on his money—none of them is financially self-sufficient. When Tipper dies, the family begins to unravel as
the sisters openly fight over her possessions and try to curry Harris’s favor in the hopes of receiving a larger share of the
inheritance. In the midst of this family unrest, his three oldest grandchildren and their friend decide to burn down the
main house on the island, killing Johnny, Mirren, and Gat in the process. While their act of rebellion was designed to strip
Harris of his power over the rest of the family, it is questionable as to whether it worked at all. He has New Clairmont
built on the ashes of the old house, and the new building is bereft of the memories and home comforts of the original. In
addition, Harris begins to lose his hold over much of the family, anyway, due to the onset of dementia.
Penny Sinclair Eastman – Cady’s mother, Penny, is the oldest of the Sinclair sisters. She lives in Burlington, Vermont, with
Cady and spends her summers with the rest of the Sinclair family on their private island near Martha’s Vineyard. She was
married to Cady’s father, a professor of military history, but he abandoned his wife and child for another woman, telling
Penny that he could not handle the pressure of being part of the powerful Sinclair family anymore. Penny is concerned
with outward appearances and takes great care to teach Cady not to express her feelings publicly and to hide any
emotional troubles from outsiders. When her husband leaves her and Cady, Penny reminds her daughter not to show
signs of sadness, because silence “is a protective coating over pain.”
Johnny – The second-oldest Sinclair grandchild and one of the Liars. His mother, Carrie, is divorced and began dating
Gat’s uncle Ed when the boys were eleven years old. Because of this, Johnny and Gat have lived almost like brothers for
the entirety of their adolescence. Johnny is good-natured and generally carefree, and his easy-going disposition contrasts
with Gat’s seriousness within the group. When they discuss wealth and possessions, for example, Gat is deeply concerned
about the excessive consumerism he observes in American culture, while Johnny asks if the Liars “I dunno, want to own
stuff?” Along with Mirren and Gat, Johnny dies in the fire that the Liars set during their fifteenth summer on the island.
Mirren – One of the older Sinclair grandchildren, Mirren is Cady’s closest female cousin and her good friend. Cady
describes Mirren as irritable and bossy. Mirren, in turn, is deeply jealous of Gat and Cady’s relationship, going so far as
to invent a fake relationship to impress Cady. She is often the naysayer among the Liars, worrying about the
consequences of their more outrageous adventures. Surprisingly, however, it is Mirren who first broaches the idea of
setting fire to Clairmont, the main house on the island, noting that the house was “the symbol of everything that was
wrong” with the Sinclair family. Mirren dies in the fire, along with Gat and Johnny.
AND ALSO
Ed – Carrie’s long-term boyfriend and Gat’s uncle. Ed is of South Asian descent, which is secretly an issue for Harris
Sinclair, the family patriarch. Harris has threatened to take away Carrie’s share of the inheritance if she marries Ed,
despite the fact that he is relatively polite and welcoming to Ed.
Tipper Sinclair – Harris Sinclair’s wife, and mother of Carrie, Bess, and Penny. Tipper is the glue holding the family
together; after her death, the sisters argue bitterly over her possessions and their shares of the inheritance. Cady notes
that Tipper was involved in philanthropic activities, and that unfortunately, her
daughters had inherited none of her generous spirit.
Mr. Eastman / Cady’s Father – Penny’s ex-husband, Cady’s father, and a professor of military history. He abandons his
wife and child for another woman, which Cady considers a major betrayal of her family. She spends one summer with
her father, in Europe, the year after her accident—but the two are not close, and Cady has a terrible time and regrets
going in the first place.
CHARACTER WHO WHY

IMPORTANT/SIGNIFICANT
• CLAIRMONT AND BOSTON (MA) (HOUSE ON BEECHWOOD ISLAND AND TOWN)
Harry Sinclair
Tipper Sinclair
• RED GATE AND NEW YORK CITY (NYS)(HOUSE ON BEECHWOOD ISLAND AND TOWN)
Carrie Dennis
William Dennis
Ed
Johnny Dennis
Will Dennis
Gat (Gatwick Matthew Patil)
• CUDDLEDOWN AND CAMBRIDGE (MA)
Bess Sheffield
Brody Sheffield
Mirren Sheffield
Liberty Sheffield -twin
Taft Sheffield - boy
Bonnie Sheffield - twin
• WINDEMERE AND BURLINGTON (VERMONT)
Penny Eastman
Sam Eastman
Cadence Eastman
Then there is Raquel – Gat’s girlfriend in New York City. Gat is torn between his feelings for Cady and his
desire to be faithful to his girlfriend back home. Despite Raquel’s existence, however, Gat and Cady continue
their summer romance in their fifteenth summer at Beechwood.
Plus, almost everybody has got dogs:
Harris and Tipper: Prince Philip and Fatima
Cady and her mom: Bosh, Grendel and Poppy
B. Now, in pairs, briefly answer the following questions:
1. How does Cady spend summer 16?
2. What sort of things does Cadence start to give away and why?
3. What is the meaning of the Fairy Tales in chapters 16 and 20?
4. How has Grandad changed since the accident?
5. Try to draw New Clairmont (Summer Seventeen)
10 | P D L M – W E W E R E L I A R S - S T U D Y G U I D E - M 4
1. She travels around Europe with her daddy: she is miserable and still suffers from migraines from the
accident.
2. Blankets, pillows, books, she does that in order to erase herself and to start from a clean slate. She wants
to remove herself from the past. She does not want to be like her mother who is very material.
3. The Fairy Tales represent Cadence’s interpretation of her reality: she tries to explain her situation and the
one of her family through these tales.
4. He does not remember things correctly, he’s getting old, he repeats himself, he does not recognize people,
he is losing his mind (and memory)
5.
C. Here are some words that appear in the chapters you had to read. Match them with their definitions
on the right.
D. WORDS DEFINITIONS
1 oozing A To have some things to do: grocery shopping, post office…
2 A waffler B Coarse woollen fabrics/cloth
3 Duffel C Stout, with a large body
4 Bonkers D A bit drunk
5 No big whup/whoop E To move slowly without noise
6 jolt F Of unmixed breeding
7 To run errands G Synonym for crazy
8 Portly H Person who moves frequently or doesn’t focus on what she
is saying
9 purebred I Abrupt movement of surprise or shock
10 litters J Something which is not important or impressive
11 tipsy K The state of being negligent
12 slackness L Here: a group of baby animals BUT also drop rubbish here
and there
1E 2H 3B 4G 5J 6E 7A 8C 9F 10 L 11 D 12 K
CHAPTERS 25 -38 – COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
A. Working in groups, make a diagram, a chart or drawing of the major themes of the book, then
explain how the book represents them. An example is given to you just below.
B. Then, in groups of 4, briefly answer the following questions, use between 60 to 80 words:
1. What does Cuddledown represent for the Liars?
2. What is the Liars’ point of view on the new house on Beechwood?
3. Explain how Cadence is dealing with the remembering process. What does she attempt?
4. What is wrong with Aunt Carrie? Why does she deny having seen Cadence during the previous night?
(ch. 29 and ch. 33)
5. In Chapter 28, Cadence talks about a witch…who is that witch in your opinion? What does she
represent?
1. Cuddledown is the place where the Liars live, a space for themselves, they avoid all contact with New
Clairmont
2. They simply don’t like it – sober – sharp – cold – no life. Grandad erased his previous life with New
Clairmont.
3. From an old notepad she takes paper after paper and writes down everything she can remember. She
tacks the pages above her bed and adds notes with questions – she tries to solve the mystery of her life
as if it were a jigsaw puzzle.
4. Aunt Carrie wonders at night, she says she can’t sleep without Johnny: she is skinny, she acts like a
ghost but during the day, she cannot admit that in front of Grandad and in front of her sisters.
5. The witch is her pain or the drugs she takes (medicine). It represents the headaches and whatever is
painful for Cadence.
C. Now, in your groups, write a definition or a sentence to

explain the following words:
To intertwine, to moon around, shearling boots, to trudge, slobs,
mushball, suboptimal, nutter
To intertwine: connect by twisting together

To moon around: to move slowly because of unhappiness
Shearling boots: the ones used in Australia…with sheep wool inside
To trudge: to go forward but with difficulty- walk with heavy steps
Slob(s): a negligent person
Mushball: a very romantic person
Suboptimal: not done in the best possible way
Nutter: mad, eccentric person
romantic love and family
love
self-
greed and money
acceptance/forgiveness
friendship
bigotry, exclusion,
lies and invention
racism
death, loss and memory
CHAPTERS 39 - 51– COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
➢ SYMBOLS
Read the section on symbols, then, with your groups as team, let’s do the quiz on
https://b.socrative.com/teacher/#launch
PAOLA ROMM 6220
BEECHWOOD ISLAND
Beechwood, the private island that Harris Sinclair owns near Martha’s Vineyard, and where he and his family
spend their summers, symbolizes the family’s insularity, which Harris is largely responsible for. Literally
separated from the rest of the world by water, the island is a world unto itself and represents a refuge for the
Sinclair family. In addition, spending each summer on the island allows the family to further isolate themselves
from the outside world, keeping strangers at a distance and ensuring that Harris has some degree of control
over who comes into the inner circle of
the Sinclair family.
The island is also a clear symbol of the
Sinclair family’s immense wealth: one
summer, Gat wonders out loud how it is
possible that one person can actually
own an island. Cady, Johnny, and Mirren
have hardly given any thought to this
question, as if this option were available
to just about anyone. After the accident,
Harris declines to have the police come
to the island to investigate and is very
careful about what details of the
tragedy are released to the press—once
more, he uses Beechwood Island as a
means to maintain the private, insular
nature of the Sinclair family.
CLAIRMONT
The largest and most important house on Beechwood Island, Clairmont represents—to the Liars, at least—
the root of all the Sinclair family’s problems. After Tipper Sinclair dies, the Sinclair sisters spend most of their
time on the island in Clairmont, arguing over their mother’s possessions as well as the wealth they will inherit
when Harris dies. As the Liars—Gat, Cady, Mirren, and
Johnny—rebel against the family’s growing obsession with
wealth, they decide that the destruction of Clairmont could
resolve all their problems. As it houses many of the family’s
prized possessions and financial documents, they believe that
they can reunite their damaged and splintered family by
burning the house to the ground. The fire they start ends in
tragedy. However, in some strange way, the Clairmont fire did
eventually bring the Sinclair family together. In the year
following the fire, Harris builds New Clairmont, an austere
building that represents a sharp turn away from the traditional
and ostentatious home that had once been the family’s
gathering space.
FAIRY TALES
In We Were Liars, the almost mythical wealth and beauty of the
Sinclair family is represented through fairy tales. Cady Eastman
often employs the structure and tropes (= symbols) of fairy tales in
her narration, casting the Sinclairs as a royal family that works to
shield itself from the threat of outsiders. In many ways, Cady sees
her life as a fairy tale, in which she is wealthy and privileged like
royalty, but also trapped and lonely within the confines of the
castle. She portrays Gat, the love of her life, as a mouse who has
been expelled from the castle because he is different and—
according to Harris, the king—inferior to the royal family. The fairy
tales evolve along with the narrative itself. Toward the end of the
novel, Cady has decided that the only way for the young girl in her
story to find happiness is to escape the castle and reunite with the
mouse, therefore relinquishing her wealth and privilege forever.
This, of course, parallels the decision to burn down Clairmont and extinguish the family fortune.
OTHER SYMBOLS:
Beach Roses: These symbolize Gat and Cadence’s love for one another.
Olive Green Hunting Jacket: This is something that Gat gives Cadence to wear one night when they talk
about God. It becomes something to be cherished.
Ivory Goose: This is used to describe what causes Cadence’s headache. It is also something that her
grandfather bought even though it was illegal.
Words in this section (to remember):
Crone, underhand, cummerbund, butterscotch, to wield
→ About remembering and forgetting…check this out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D2rBCAt3rw&pbjreload=10
→ Read here about Martha’s Vineyard island and write in the box why it is called that way.
The island is named after the daughter of the explorer Bartholomew Gosnold. Her name was Martha. On
the island there were a lot of vines (vineyard).
Martha’s Vineyard, island of glacial origin off the

southeastern coast of Massachusetts, U.S., 4 miles
(6 km) across Vineyard Sound from the mainland
(Cape Cod). It accounts for most of the territory and
population of Dukes county, Massachusetts. he
island is some 20 miles (32 km) long and 2–10 miles
(3–16 km) wide and rises 311 feet (95 metres) above
sea level at its highest point. Its coastline is
characterized by numerous inlets and ponds sealed by sand spits from the sea.
It was probably sighted by many early navigators but was

first recorded in 1602 by Bartholomew Gosnold and Gabriel
Archer; the two explorers named it for its many vines and for
Martha, Gosnold’s daughter. Purchased by Thomas Mayhew
in 1641 and settled the following year, it was considered part
of New York but was ceded in 1692 to Massachusetts.
….Early attempts at farming, brickmaking, and fish smoking gave way in the 18th and 19th centuries
to the development of whaling and fishing enterprises based at Edgartown (incorporated 1671), which
once boasted the world’s largest sperm-oil candle factory. The economy now depends on summer
yachting and tourism.
…..Martha’s Vineyard is divided among the resort towns (townships) of Tisbury (with Vineyard
Haven), Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah.
…..Descendants of Wampanoag Indians that inhabited the

island in the 17th century now live in Aquinnah, which
features a historic lighthouse (1799; rebuilt in the 1850s).
After having answered the following questions individually, you are going to work on INTERTEXTUALITY.
So, let’s start by answering these questions. For starters, work individually.
Finally, Gat tells Cady about his weird behaviour. What is his explanation?
HE FEELS GUITLY BECAUSE HE HAD NOT TOLD CADY ABOUT HIS GIRLFRIEND BACK IN NEW YORK. GAT LOVES
CADY BUT HE DID NOT WANT TO DISAPPOINT RAQUEL.
In chapter 52, Aunt Carrie is wondering through the night again. TRUE OR FALSE?
Why does Cady want to jump off the cliff, in your opinion? Express your idea using 50 to 60 words.
AGAIN: TO ERASE HERSELF, TO TEST HER LIMITS, TO DIE?
Cady finds an envelope from Johnny in the new tire swing. TRUE OR FALSE? GAT GAVE HER ROSE PETALS
We get to know what happened during summer 15. Summarize what happened, use between 100 and 120
words.
THE AUNTS WERE ARGUING OVER THE INHERITANCE, THEY USED THEIR KIDS TO WIN GRANDPA’S TRUST
AND LOVE. THEY WERE ALSO DRINKING A LOT. GAT WAS THEN EXCLUDED FORM DINNERS AT CLAIRMONT.
THE LIARS DRANK THE WINE LEFT BY THE AUNTS AND DECIDED TO BURN DOWN CLAIRMONT. EVERYBODY
BUT CADY DIED IN THE FIRE.
The Sinclair family was clearly addicted to wealth and power but also the aunties were addicted to
ALCOHOL.
Ok, now, turn to your partner and discuss together:
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE LIARS BIG GESTURE? GIVE YOUR OPINION IN THREE MAIN POINTS.
YOUNG AND DRUNK
SILLY AND DISORGANISED
SHARED RESPONSABILITY
INTERTEXUALITY
What is it?
Definition of Intertextuality
Intertextuality is a literary device making use of a textual reference within some body of text, which reflects again the
text used as a reference. Instead of employing phrases from different literary works, intertextuality draws upon the
concept, rhetoric, or ideology from other writings to be merged in the new text. It may be the retelling of an old story,
or the rewriting of popular stories in modern context for instance, James Joyce retells The Odyssey in his very famous
novel Ulysses.
https://literarydevices.net/intertextuality/
AND…SEE HOW
FAMOUS AND
THESE WORKS
ARE? THERE IS
EVEN A BEAUTIFUL
SONG BY KATE
BUSH CALLED
WUTHERING
HEIGHTS (by the
way…what does
the title mean?) –
Listen to the song
while reading the
references:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=0
s4AfAdaKVs&pbjrel
oad=10
And what about

TEXT COMPLEXITY Ralph Fiennes
before becoming
V….V…Voldemort?
? or the one we
cannot name?
Have a look…
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=S
GKjvuVwuME&pbjr
eload=10
• TO KNOW MORE ABOUT KING LEAR, watch the following video and answer the question: what are
the main similarities to We Were Liars?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAHA1GAYOtw&pbjreload=10
3 DAUGHTERS TRY TO WIN THE LOVE OF THEIR FATHER – THE KING. TWO ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN HIS
WEALTH AND POWER, CORDELIA IS BANNED FROM BRITAIN AND MARRIES THE KING OF FRANCE.
GONERIL (THE FIRST SISTER) THEN POISONS HER SISTER REGAN AND FINALLY COMMITS SUICIDE.
CORDELIA, WHO IS NOW RECONCILED WITH HER FATHER IS EXECUTED BY ANOTHER GUY (EDMUND). SO
EVENTUALLY, THE KING LOSES HIS POWER AND HIS THREE DAUGHTERS.
• And now, discover the true story behind Wuthering Heights: Now you see why Gat is compared to
Heathcliff?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mt3sIWwUSw&pbjreload=10
• Work in groups of 4. Look for these (underlined) words in the puzzle. You have 4 minutes. Ready,
steady, GO!
• Then, make sure you understand the words and translate them into French:
WORDS/EXPRESSIONS FRENCH TRANSLATION

overhang surplomb
to rummage through FOUILLER
to paddle RAMER, MAIS AUSSI PATOGER
sweaty EN SUEUR, TOUT TRANSPIRANT
to moan SE PLAINDRE, RONCHONNER, GEMIR
goose (pl. geese), OIE
to chug along(of a boat, train or vehicle) avancer tant bien que mal
to beg PRIER QUELQU’UN
to feel numb INDIFFERENT, ENGOURDI, PARALISE
striped afghan Couverture à rayures
embroidery BRODERIE
to stomach SUPPORTER QUELQU’UN – QUELQUE CHOSE -
AFFRONTER
I P K V C Y S W E Y O G Y H X
I R J W X T T U P R I N D B F
B C Y K O E L A K U T A X R J
K F K M S M C Z E M H H U R K
T B A O N H D C Y W R G N H X
B C O C E L D D A P S F U Z O
H G O O H P X M B W G A M G W
M O A N V U G U V M N R B V E
L A L M G E G J I F C U B X T
A Y L T K B R S O M Q M Q X I
Q J X Y B N G H Q A U M P T P
M H L J V K W X A A W A Q M V
W J J K S N A D B N Q G T S C
E M B R O I D E R Y G E Z D H
L X V J G S G Y O L D T B F I
AFGHAN
BEG
CHUG
EMBROIDERY
GOOSE
MOAN
NUMB
OVERHANG
PADDLE
RUMMAGE
STOMACH
SWEATY
INDIVIDUAL WORK - Write a summary of the passage in the book using between 200 and 250 words. In your
summary use at least 4 of the following words:
Pantry, entwined, mudroom, run-down, a slap, to slam (the door), to rile up, to quiver, patriarchy,
purification, restless, relentless, arson, clutter
SUMMARY:
Plus, check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd1h3mta1D0

PROJECT: the book is finally turning into a movie. Universal studios hired you to prepare a trailer of the
book/future movie. Work in groups of 3 or 4 and start working on your trailer. Think about:
- Characters
- Setting
- What to say
- Main points of the story
- Music
This project will be part of your mark with the small test. It will give you points as follows:
UNSATISFACTORY AVERAGE GOOD VERY GOOD TOTAL
0 1 2 3
RECORDING AND STORY
use of English: does the text
contain mistakes? Do they have
a good vocabulary range?
Consistency: do I understand
the meaning of the story? Is it
well organized? Do I understand
their intent?
Quality of production
General appreciation + 1 extra point if you really liked the trailer
TOTAL OF POINTS ____/10
DUE DATE: Thursday, April 30th 2020
CHAPTERS 80 - end– COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
• Why is chapter 80 different from the other chapters in the book?
→ For the last section of the book, let’s focus on questions that we may have asked ourselves… We will
try to have a class discussion but before that, take 5 minutes to work in pairs and jot down your
opinions on the possible answers to these questions.
…SO MANY QUESTIONS!!! IS CADENCE A RELIABLE NARRATOR? What language does she use? I’m
bleeding on him? I melted on my grandmother’s sewing machine? Welcome to my skull? And my
heart rolled out of my rib cage and down into a flower bed? My heart spasmed among the peonies
like a trout?
 Is Cadence mentally ill? Is she a drug addict? When Taft calls Cadence (the night before she gets to
Beechwood for summer 17), did he really see the liars’ ghosts or was he just hearing the wind as
Cadence told him?
 Why is Mirren always sick?
 Why did Gat and Johnny stop growing?
 Why do the adults stop going to Cuddledown? What is going on in that house?
 What do you make of their act? Or their age? Of the family?
• Also, now, individually, find your quote in the book. It may be your favourite, one you can’t stand,
one which touched and spoke to you, one that simplifies the vision of an entire country…
Ex.: “This is the United States of America,” he said. “You don’t seem to understand that, Penny, so let me
explain. In America, here is how we operate: We work for what we want, and we get ahead. We never take
no for an answer, and we deserve the rewards of our perseverance.”
There are several I like but this one illustrates the view of the American dream; it is said by Granddad Harris.
Of course, he says it not perceiving how privileged he actually was. This is really easy to say in a way…
Then discuss the quote you have found in groups of 4. Explain why you chose it.
→ To wrap it all up, release your artistic streak and try to draw what Cady drew as described in chapter
86:
“On impulse, I take a pad of sketch paper and a ballpoint from Taft’s room and begin to draw. They are
barely more than stick figures, but you can tell they are my Liars. – Gat, with his dramatic nose, sits cross-
legged, reading a book. Mirren wears a bikini and dances. Johnny sports a snorkelling mask and holds a crab
in one hand. “
Remember what Mirren used to say:
BE A LITTLE KINDER THAN YOU HAVE TO
❖ HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The novel is set in modern-day New England, as the members of the Sinclair family are sprinkled around
the area, and they all converge on an island off the coast of Massachusetts. There are references to old
New England families and their wealth, as well as the fact that Harris Sinclair, like many wealthy
Democrats, voted for Barack Obama in both presidential elections. The Sinclair family saga reflects certain
socioeconomic trends in American culture, including the sense that the old New England aristocracy is in
decline, and that people of color are penetrating in the American upper class.
• Watch this now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ze0cpwQlKc
A. Who are they?

Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. At first, it was just Spain, France and Portugal that were
interested in these new lands. The northern part of the American continent was not colonized. England
became interested in these lands. The first British colony on American soil was Jamestown, created in May
1607 in Virginia.
Pilgrim Fathers:
The pilgrim fathers were puritans who left England aboard the Mayflower. Puritans in Europe were
persecuted. Puritanism is a form of Protestantism that wants to return to a purer religion, just based on the
texts of the Bible. In order to escape these persecutions several people decided to reach the New World.
These colonists are considered the first true Americans. The pilgrim fathers are a founding myth of the United
States
Plymouth:
Plymouth is the colony that was formed by the pilgrim fathers who arrived with the Mayflower in
Massachusetts. It is the second oldest city in the USA.
Thanksgiving:
At first, the life of the pilgrims was hard. Almost half of them died from not eating well and various illnesses.
These settlers could only survive thanks to the help of Amerindians who came to give them food and taught
them how to cultivate the land. Thanksgiving is the day when we thank God for saving the pilgrim fathers.
Thirteen colonies:
After the Plymouth colony, England sent many other settlers all along the east coast. They formed the 13
colonies. These 13 colonies (which then became 5 States on the Eastern coast of the US) are the British
colonies that formed New England. These colonies were dependent from England (administration, taxes,
political system…) and the most important city was Boston.
B. How did they become rich?
Economic system of New England

Their economic system was more self-sufficient than the other colonies because they were, from the very
beginning, planning of building a place to live. They became a trading hub between Europe and the rest of the
States because of the ship building industry and the big harbors like the ones in Boston or New-York. They
provided the other colonies with lumber or furs or fish and started to build ships. Educational system
The colonies have a very good education system because the pilgrims wanted their kids to be able to read the
Bible by themselves. They even went to Catholic monks, who had access to culture and books, in order to
offer their children a good education. Religion played an important role in education. It is no coincidence then
that Ivy League Schools (such as Yale, Harvard, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, …) are in this
area.
Money and education lead them to two things:
o The Revolution: they have a central role in the revolution because they wanted more independence
from England: in fact, most of their income was paid in taxes to the mother country. This led to the
Independence war of 1775-1783, which was won by the new colonies supported by the French army
(they were constantly fighting against England).
o Industrial revolution: With the beginning of the XIX century, the industrial revolution helped this area
to become even more productive and hence richer. People created a lot of mills for example. A lot of
people started to emigrate there from Europe: jobs were found in the mines, in the railway building
or other activities.
After World War 2:
There is a disappearance of the factory industry after the war. Only the high-tech industry remains. The
working class leaves to find work in the West and only the upper class remains. This explains the situation
now. New England is now famous for it's high level education (Ivy League and MIT), medicine and medical
researches, high-tech, finance and tourism. Agriculture and factories are not very present there anymore.
This is the world of the Sinclairs who claimed to have ancestors on the Mayflower.
➢ VOCABULARY LIST (BY SECTION READ)

SNARK, WEAK, ADDICT, FOOL, SUFFER, GAUNT, PEONIES, TROUT, CRAGGY, BEECHWOOD, BOUNCE, TO SWARM, PANTRY, TO SHIVER,
TO WING IT, GABLED (OR GABLE ROOF), TAXIDERMY, FABRICS, THOROUGHLY, A FLING
OOZING A WAFFLER DUFFEL BONKERS NO BIG WHUP/WHOOP JOLT TO RUN ERRANDS PORTLY PUREBRED LITTERS TIPSY SLACKNESS
TO INTERTWINE, TO MOON AROUND, SHEARLING BOOTS, TO TRUDGE, SLOBS, MUSHBALL, SUBOPTIMAL, NUTTER
CRONE, UNDERHAND, CUMMERBUND, BUTTERSCOTCH, TO WIELD
OVERHANG, TO RUMMAGE THROUGH, TO PADDLE, SWEATY, TO MOAN, GOOSE (PL. GEESE), TO CHUG ALONG (OF A BOAT, TRAIN OR
VEHICLE), TO BEG, TO FEEL NUMB, STRIPED AFGHAN, EMBROIDERY, TO STOMACH
PANTRY, ENTWINED, MUDROOM, RUN-DOWN, A SLAP, TO SLAM (THE DOOR), TO RILE UP, TO QUIVER, PATRIARCHY, PURIFICATION,
RESTLESS, RELENTLESS, ARSON, CLUTTER
TO FALL APART, TO MOURN, CRIPPLING, GRIEF, TO HEAL, DISQUIETING, TO RID – TO GET RID OF, PENANCE, KINDLING, GIDDY, TO
DOUSE, TO SHOULDER, A WENCH
❖ Sources:
• We were liars by e. Lockhart, HotKeyBooks, 2013
• http://www.bookrags.com/lessonplan/we-were-liars/objects.html#gsc.tab=0
• www.LitCharts.com
• https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/we-were-liars/themes#versions-of-reality-theme

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Read consistently according to this plan

• Thursday, February 13th – INTRODUCTION p. 4

• Thursday, February 20th - READ UP TO CHAPTER 12 (PART 1) p. 6

• Thursday, March 5th - READ UP TO CHAPTER 24 p. 8

• Thursday, March 12th - READ UP TO CHAPTER 38 p. 10

• Thursday, March 19th - READ UP TO CHAPTER 51 p. 12

• Thursday, March 26th - READ UP TO CHAPTER 65 p. 15

• Thursday, April 2nd - READ UP TO END OF CHAPTER 79 p. 18

• Thursday, April 23rd - READ TILL THE END p. 19

• Thursday, April 30th - TEST

• TRAILER OF THE BOOK – April 27th – common grade

POP QUIZZES MIGHT BE EXPECTED!

We are Sinclairs. Beautiful. Privileged. Damaged. Liars.

INTRODUCTION TO THE NOVEL

E. stands for Emily. My dad calls me E. and I always liked it.

CLAIRMONT – the Sinclairs

A. This time you will have to work on characters:

CHARACTER WHO WHY

CHAPTERS 25 -38 – COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

C. Now, in your groups, write a definition or a sentence to

To intertwine: connect by twisting together

death, loss and memory

PAOLA ROMM 6220

Words in this section (to remember):

→ About remembering and forgetting…check this out!

Martha’s Vineyard, island of glacial origin off the

It was probably sighted by many early navigators but was

…..Descendants of Wampanoag Indians that inhabited the

CHAPTERS 52 - 65– COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

And what about

WORDS/EXPRESSIONS FRENCH TRANSLATION

Plus, check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd1h3mta1D0

DUE DATE: Thursday, April 30th 2020

CHAPTERS 80 - end– COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

• Why is chapter 80 different from the other chapters in the book?

Remember what Mirren used to say:

BE A LITTLE KINDER THAN YOU HAVE TO

• Watch this now:

A. Who are they?

Economic system of New England

➢ VOCABULARY LIST (BY SECTION READ)

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