Truth Will Out
The truth comes out in the end
by Helen Redfern (revised, originally published in 2009)
Suitable for Whole School (Sec)
Aims
To remind us that, however many lies we tell, the truth will become known eventually.
Preparation and materials
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Have available the song ‘This is me’ by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas, or some alternative reflective music, and the means to play it during the ‘Time for reflection’ part of the assembly.
‘This is me’ by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpBeGJjGMNs. It is 3 minutes long.
Assembly
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People all around us tell lies. Unfortunately, some politicians seem to lie about what they will do for the country if they are elected. Some film stars lie about their relationships. Some footballers lie about unfair tackles. Some business leaders lie about their tax statements.
And some people seem to get away with it.
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Over 400 years ago, in his play, The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare wrote, ‘. . . truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long; a man’s son may, but at the length truth will out’.
‘Truth will out.’ People still use that phrase today. Time and time again, we read in the media that lies are being exposed and people are being found out.
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In the film Camp Rock, Mitchie Torres discovers this truth the hard way. When she discovers that she can attend Camp Rock, a summer camp devoted to music, she is overjoyed. Her mum has been hired to do the catering and, as a result, Mitchie gets into the camp at a reduced rate, as long as she agrees to help in the kitchen.
Mitchie is overwhelmed by the famous parents and the amount of money that the other kids seem to have. She is ashamed of her parents and lies to fit in. She claims that her mum is the managing director of Hot Tunes TV China. And after the lie has been told, there’s no going back. Even when her mum comes to introduce herself to Mitchie’s friends, Mitchie doesn’t admit the truth, but dismisses her mum as someone who has cooked for all the stars.But ‘truth will out’. When Mitchie’s friend, Caitlin, discovers the truth, she describes Mitchie as drowning in her lies. Mitchie justifies herself by saying, ‘I just wanted to fit in, OK?’
Everything is not OK, though. When the camp diva, Tess Tyler, finds out what Mitchie has done, she publicly humiliates Mitchie and exposes her lies for what they are. Mitchie learns the hard way that it’s not all about image, but about allowing people to see who you really are.
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Just like Mitchie, we can get caught up in our lies and trapped by our deceit. But we don’t have to lie about who we are, or what our family is like, or what we have. Our real friends will accept us just as we are. And then, like Mitchie, we can find the freedom to be ourselves by telling the truth.
Time for reflection
Think of the last time you told a lie.
- Why did you do it?
- Were you too scared to tell the truth?
- Were you embarrassed about your family or by something else?
- Were you worried that you would upset someone?
- Were you trying to avoid the consequences?
- Were you afraid to be yourself?
As you listen to the words of Mitchie’s song, ‘This is me’, take time to reflect on the things that you have lied about. Is there anything that you can do to put things right? Sometimes, we need great courage to tell the truth.
Can you think of one situation in which you are going to tell the truth from now on?
Remember, truth will out.
Song/music
‘This is me’ by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpBeGJjGMNs
