Tell Me Lies

“When I decide I like someone, my first step is to gather as much information as possible about every aspect of her life in order to more closely resemble her ideal partner.”

The quote shows how Stephen uses manipulation early in his relationships in a calculated manner. He molds himself into what the woman he is with wants and uses it to get sexual pleasure and advance his goals, emphasizing the theme of manipulation and control in relationships. This is what he uses to appeal to Diana, Lucy, Alice, and every other woman in whom he takes interest.

“My feelings for him swallowed me whole.”

This quote establishes 14-year-old Lucy’s infatuation with Gabe Petersen. It shows her tendency to become consumed in her desires and obsessed with the boys and men she likes. This also sets up why his brief relationship with CJ hurt her so much, as well as how her desire for Stephen becomes so all-consuming later in the novel, acting as a form of foreshadowing.

“Spaces were competitive, but I’d get into the program if it killed me.”

Lucy recalls learning about the Writers on the Riviera program and joining Baird specifically to go to France and study writers. The program is a symbol of Lucy’s ambition, passion, and autonomy. Later, she finds herself accepted into the program, but because the program conflicts with Stephen’s party, she drops out. This reflects the loss of autonomy, control, and drive that she experiences in her toxic relationship with Stephen.

“But one afternoon in September, the second Thursday of my freshman year of high school, Mom died forever. She became CJ.”

This quote highlights The Ongoing Influence of the Past by showing what led to Lucy calling her mother “CJ.” She feels that the mother whom she loved and trusted has died and been replaced with a selfish, bad person whom she can no longer rely on or respect. This leads to her bonding with Stephen.

“All I could see was my father’s face upon receipt of the trip, thrilled and grateful for his wife’s devotion.”

Lucy’s perception of CJ deceiving her father into believing that she is completely faithful shows how betrayed she feels by CJ’s infidelity. Lucy’s anger at the perception that her father is being manipulated ironically leaves her susceptible to Stephen’s manipulation.

“Manipulation is not a bad word. It’s not a cynical mind-set. It’s a proactive approach to exploiting opportunities.”

Stephen’s assertion shows his perception of manipulation and control in relationships as a natural tactic to further one’s goals. His defense of his actions in his narration shows that he is a sociopath and does not care if he hurts Lucy. It also foreshadows that this will not be the only or last time that Stephen manipulates and betrays Lucy.

“I don’t know, Luce. I don’t trust him.”

Jackie’s statement to Lucy establishes her early in the novel as a voice of reason who sees the red flags that Stephen shows and knows what Wrigley said is true even after he denies it. Jackie is trying to prevent her friend from being manipulated. This foreshadows the repeated betrayals that Lucy suffers in her relationship with Stephen.

“He pretended to listen to a conversation but spoke to no one, his mouth a tight line, his eyes vacant and lost. I breathed relief. For some reason, the sight of him made me feel a little bit better.”

Stephen’s statement shows his sociopathy by establishing that he takes satisfaction from causing his father pain. It also distracts his mind from the memory of Macy’s death and the fear that someone will find out and his life will be ruined. The passage also shows the dysfunction in his family by describing the level of depression that his father suffers following his divorce from his wife.

“I looked good. I looked better than Diana. He would have to notice.”

The quote shows the extent of Lucy’s eating disorder and her belief that she needs to look a certain way to gain Stephen’s love. It also emphasizes Lucy’s increasing dependence on Stephen, to the point where she compares herself to Diana and sees herself as competing with her. She hopes that becoming thinner will make Stephen love her, though deep down, she knows that she is only hurting herself and that Stephen does not and will never love her.

“Lust and love erase ethical parameters, and that’s just the way it is.”

The quote shows The Tension Between Desire and Moral Clarity, as Lucy lets go of her own moral standards by having sex with Stephen while he is dating Diana. She believes that love is something that transcends morality and must be followed to its conclusion, blaming CJ’s infidelity with Gabe for making her become desperate enough for Stephen’s love to ignore her values.

“Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies.”

The quote uses the line from the chorus of Fleetwood Mac’s song “Little Lies”—a motif throughout the novel—to show how Lucy is aware of Stephen’s dishonesty and manipulation but does not want to deal with that fact. She knows, deep down, that Stephen does not love her, but she is so deep into her desire for him that she cannot stop herself from loving and desiring him.

“I think—I’ve always thought—that I could love you, Lucy.”

This quote from Stephen highlights how far he is willing to play his psychological games with Lucy and how much he is willing to play the role of her lover to get sexual pleasure from her. He does not say that he loves her, but rather that he could love her—holding out the promise of his love as a reward that she must continually struggle to earn. This highlights the theme of manipulation and control in relationships.

“Diana and I would end for good, Lucy would go back to school in a week, and I would find a new girlfriend, a New York girlfriend. Something new.”

This quote contrasts the promises of love and companionship that Stephen makes to Lucy by showing that he only sees girlfriends as assets, items that help him in his personal and professional life. With Lucy and Diana out of the picture, he is more than ready to move on to another woman, showing that Lucy and Diana are not special to him. It also shows that the cycle will continue, this time with him manipulating Alice. This conveys the theme of manipulation and control in relationships.

“I’m always here, you know. If you ever need me. I’m right here.”

CJ supports and loves Lucy, even when Lucy becomes angry and cold toward her. The quote also shows that even though CJ made a bad decision by cheating on Ben with Gabe, she is not necessarily a bad person. She still provides support for Lucy even when she believes that she is not making good decisions and, like Jackie, immediately knows that Stephen is not trustworthy.

“You were dying to go on that trip. I don’t understand, Lucy. What’s happened to you? You’re like a shred of yourself. I don’t know who you are anymore.”

The quote from Jackie shows how Lucy’s ambition and personality have been swallowed up by Stephen and his psychological abuse. The Writers on the Riviera program is a symbol of Lucy’s passion for writing, her drive, and her autonomy. In giving up on her dream just to satisfy and be with Stephen, even for one day, she has abandoned herself and lost her autonomy and passion amid her dependence on Stephen.

“Aside from missing Stephen, my hatred for CJ was the only thing I could truly feel.”

Lucy’s heartbreak over not having Stephen morphs into rage partly misdirected at CJ. This drives her to get rid of Marilyn’s jewelry collection, which CJ loves, knowing that it will bring her the pain that she is feeling at the moment. This choice shows the ongoing influence of the past: CJ’s infidelity has hurt Lucy so much that she still struggles to love her mother through it.

“People like Stephen, they don’t change. He will always come back for more. He won’t give it up until he has to.”

This quote from Dr. Wattenbarger establishes Stephen as a narcissistic sociopath whose obsession with control drives his pursuit of Lucy. It also highlights Lucy’s vulnerability every time Stephen comes back to try to get her in his life again. Though she falls back into a relationship with him the first time he comes back, when he tries again at the wedding reception, Stephen’s last betrayal makes Lucy realize that he will never change.

“At some point he leaned down and I knew he was going to kiss me, and when he did I felt safe, like a ship coming into its harbor.”

The quote shows Lucy growing as a person after her separation from Stephen. She starts a relationship with Billy, which contrasts with her relationship with Stephen by giving her emotional stability and a sense of security. She does not have to worry about Billy lying to and betraying her, and he serves as a counterexample highlighting the theme of manipulation and control in relationships.

“Do you follow your head or your heart? Which do you do? Your heart, always. Right?”

The quote shows Lucy excusing her return to Stephen by saying that she has no choice but to follow her heart. She uses this to justify hurting Billy and having sex with another woman’s boyfriend, which she knows is wrong deep down. This shows the tension between desire and moral clarity, with Lucy choosing desire in this case.

“After graduation I moved back to New York because I couldn’t not.”

The quote shows Lucy continuing to pursue Stephen’s love and validation even after graduation. Stephen continues to engage in manipulation and control in his relationships, making Lucy believe that things will be different now that she is in New York, even though he will put off breaking up with Alice until he wants to. Even after he breaks up with Alice, he will grow tired of Lucy and become fixated on her perceived flaws as well.

“How can you not see it? You think he’s going to make you happy, but he’s not. Players only love you when they’re playing. Stevie knows best, right?”

Jackie uses a Fleetwood Mac lyric to reason with Lucy and get her to understand that she is sacrificing her moral integrity and time for a man who can never give her the love and commitment she wants. Music operates as a motif supporting the theme of manipulation and control in relationships. However, Lucy is not ready to accept this advice and believes that Jackie simply does not understand the complexity of her and Stephen’s relationship.

“I didn’t have to dislike myself anymore for indulging in the parts of him that I found offensive, even cruel.”

The quote shows Lucy trying to cope with the knowledge that Stephen is not a good person by concluding that she is not a good person either because of everything she has done to her family, friends, and ex-boyfriends, Parker and Billy. She tries to embrace the negative aspects of her personality to bring herself closer to Stephen, emphasizing the tension between desire and moral clarity. This foreshadows her realizing that Stephen does not truly love her and that she cannot give up her goodness for him.

“He wanted to hurt me. He lied and lied and he didn’t feel guilt. He was sadistic at his core. I had always known it.”

Lucy finally accepts that Stephen is using her and enjoys bringing her emotional pain. While she tried to reject goodness in an attempt to keep Stephen, she cannot have love without goodness, resolving the tension between desire and moral clarity. This observation makes her realize that her relationship with Stephen is truly over and that she will never be with him again.