"It is very good to pretend to be someone who is not," I told Zoya later in the lobby, when we expected to congratulate him, without knowing very well whether or not those words were flattering. I don't know how it does. "I did," she said, surprising me.
I shared with Zoya that pretending to be someone you're not can sometimes be beneficial, even if it’s not clear whether such imitation is truly flattering. We anticipated congratulating a person, and I reflected on the complexity of identity and deception in that moment.
Zoya was surprised by my admission and responded affirmatively, revealing that she had indeed engaged in such pretense herself. This exchange highlights themes of impersonation and understanding hidden truths behind facades in the story “The House of Special Purpose” by John Boyne.
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
