The Importance Of Being Earnest Lies Analysis

Chris Rehberger

Unit 2 In The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde I believe lies is what connects everything because every single character has a reason but the reason varies between characters and then for the lies to lies on top of other lies to protect their original lies. Every lie has a reason but the reason varies between characters. Algernon and Jack both create people that aren't real and use those people to their highest advantage, this is called bunburyism. Algernon is very good at lying, so good he lives a double life. He uses an imaginary friend, Bunbury, to get out of boring interaction with people and commitments. He also created Bunbury to give his life some more excitement. As he says, “Nothing will induce me to part with Bunbury… A man who marries without knowing Bunbury has a very tedious time of it.” Algernon’s doubt about getting married is shown here. The fact that he thinks Bunbury will be useful for lying and getting out of things for a husband or wife shows that he does not have any faith or commitment to a person or believe that anyone does

Algernon gets caught up in his lies and had to kill off Bunbury to not let himself seem like a crazy liar. “Oh! No! Bunbury doesn't live here. Bunbury is somewhere else at present. In fact, Bunbury is dead.” (III. 49) Algernon finally realized that the lies are not going to work if he wants to continue his relationship with Cecily. By killing Bunbury he kills his whole lie. Also, Algernon lies to stop himself from future lying. By killing off Bunbury, Algernon is sets himself up to be honest from here on out. He lies so he can have a better and more honest life with Cecily. In the end Algernon getting caught up with his lies and killing Bunbury was a good improvement on being a better