The Boy Who Cried Wolf: An Analysis

Children stories, like The Boy Who Cried Wolf, illustrated the message that honesty is the best policy. Children are taught growing up that they should never lie, else they would end up like Pinocchio. Ethically, it’s good to be honest. However, honesty is not always the best option; lying is just as important as telling the truth.
Over the winter break, my close friend, Lydia, invited me to a skiing trip at Pennsylvania. Lydia was extremely excited. She had planned the trip, checked the ticket prices, and booked hotel rooms. She had expected my immediate approval of the invitation. However, I was busy studying for a test right after break and I prioritized my schoolwork over my trips. Knowing Lydia would be disappointed in my real reason, I told her I was going on a family vacation to Canada.
No one forced me to be honest. It’s my own choice. There are times when it is best to keep my thoughts to myself, and I must judge whether or not candidness is proper. Sadly, the reason why I choose to be honest or not depends on my potential benefits.
I had thought that I was finally starting to be respected. Instead, I was being humiliated. My schoolmates thought of me as weak, since I was swayed by their orders. It was true. Whenever anyone wanted something from me, I completed the task. However, it came to a point that I was being exploited by my peers. Not only that, I was a victim of academic dishonesty. From eighth grade on, I learned to draw a line between too much and too little.
Though honesty and selflessness are both important virtues of a good character, they both have limits. Truthfulness can build trust, but improper use can break trust too. Kindness can create impressions of a well-mannered character, but can also create the impression of a easily influenced person. The ability to distinguish when it is appropriate to be truthful and when it is appropriate to lie is important, and the same applies for