Nothing But The Truth

Discuss the relationship between truth and perception in the novel.

Nothing but the Truth belongs to a genre called the documentary novel. Research the characteristics of this genre. How are the novel and the experience of reading it different from what one encounters in a traditional novel? What challenges did you encounter as a reader of this novel?

Contemporary news and culture are frequently influenced by stories that go viral and that may not even represent events accurately because they are disseminated so rapidly. Consider the impact of the viral nature of the story of Philip’s suspension in the novel. Who is responsible for the distortions of the truth of what happened? Is the story published by the local and national stories (as well as Jake Barlow) an example of “fake news”?

This novel was published well before the advent of social media such as Facebook and alternate sources of news such as Twitter. How might Avi tell the story differently if he were writing it today? What might remain the same?

In contemporary culture, there has been much controversy about protests during public displays of patriotism. (The decision of athletes to kneel during the playing of the anthem at the start of games is one example.) Is protest during public displays of patriotism inherently unpatriotic? Use examples from the novel and contemporary events to support your response.

Discuss the role of speech, singing, humming, and silence as symbols/motifs in the novel.

At the end of the novel, it is revealed that Philip does not know the words to the national anthem. What is the significance of this fact?

Discuss the significance of the final vote tally on the school board and budget in Chapter 18. What does the outcome and the lack of participation of the voters tell us about the state of democracy as represented in the novel?