SHORT STORY : CHEAT!

BY ALLAN BAILLIE.
GROUPS: 3
GROUP MEMBERS :NOR YUSMANTI
:NURUL AYU
:NUR AZALIN
:FATIN ANIZA

LANGUAGE & STYLE

Realistic,direct and fast-paced narrative

Use of interior monologue (a characters thoughts and emotions that are

not spoken aloud in any dialogue)

LITERARY DEVIES:METAPHOR, IMAGERY, Imargery, interior monologue

the authour: allan baillie

born in scotland, 1943; moved to victoria, australia, with his family

when he was

Began writing stories for fun while still at school

Studied journalism at at melbourne university then worked for several

aurtralia publication companies

Wrote many short stories and novels, and has won many awards,

including the nsw premiers literary patricia wrightson award in 2010

synopsis
Cheat! By allan baillie is a thought-prvoking tale of
lynne webbings, who has an interal conflict after
losing the holmes-watkins medal for short writing to
geoff bolder. Initially, she is tense and impatient while
waiting for mr velos to announce the result. Her
interior monologue betrays her secret thoughts and
the fact that she really wants to win. Geoff realises
that Lynne is very disappointed and jokes about how
the winner was chosen.Lynne temporarly feels
better,but then discovers that Geoff had stlolenthe
plot and main character of his short story from a tale
by William Bradburie,a famous auyhor.She considewrs
telling Mr Velos,the principal;s office.Mr Velos tells
her that Geoff wants to be disqualified even though
he technically did not cheat.Geoff even apologisees to
Lynne after their meeting with the principal.In the
end,Lynne gets the medal she wanted so much,but
she does not feel very good about it.

ELEMENTS OF SHORT STORTY

SETTING
Place: school (hall,
library,classroom,corridor,principals office). We
can gues that the story is set in australia from
the mention og kelpie (p.102) . A kelpie is an
australian DOG BREED WHICH IS USED
HERDING LIVESTOCK IN A HOT , DRY
COUNTRY .
TIME: 20TH CENTURY
SOCIAL: MODERN,EDUCATED WHERE
PEOPLE ARE WELL-READ AND APPRECIATE
TALENT IN WRITING .

EXPOSITION

PLOT

LYNNE IS UPSER ARTER HEARING THE RESULTS OF THE SHORT STORY

COMPETITION. GEOFF WINS THE MEDAL WHICH SHE COVETS . LYNNE
FEELS THAT SHE RIGHTLY DESERVES TO WIN BECAUSE OF THE EFFORT
AND PAIN SHE PUT CRAFTING A TOUCHING TALE OF A SHEPDOG IN A
FLOOD.

RISING ACTION
LYNNE THINKS THAT GEOFF HAD STOLEN THE IDEA FOR HIS STORY
FROM A SHORT STORY BY A FAMOUS AUTHOR, WILLIAM BRADBURIE. IN
HER MIND, GEOFF HAS CHEATED AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE
DISQUALIFIED AND STRIPPED OF THE HOLMES-WATKINS MEDAL. SHE
STRUGGLES TO DECIDE WHERTHER SHE SHOULD TELL MR VELOS.

CLIMAX
LYNNE S CLASSMATES GATHER AROUND GEOFF AFTER CLASS ONE DAY.
THEY ARE HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT A CAREER IN LAW. LYNNE
EXPLODES AND HINTS TO GEOFF THAT SHE KNOWS HE HAS CHEATED.

RESOLUTION

DESPITE THE DECISION, LYNNE IS BIYYER AND

UNHAPPY. SHE MENTALLY ASKS HERSELF IF SHE,
TOO, HAD STOLEN THE IDEA OF A SHEEPDOG
IN A FLOOD FROM ANOTHER SOURCE.

FALLING ACTION
LYNNE IS SUMMONED INTO THE PRINCIPALS
OFFICE. MR VELOS TELLS HER THAT GEOFF
WANTS TO BE DISQUALIFIED FOR CHEATING
ALTHOUGH HIS STORY IS ORIGINAL. MR VELOS
REVERSES THE POSITIONS AND LYNNE WINS
THE HOLMES-WATKINS MEDAL.

CHARACTERS

MAIN CHARACTERS
LYNNE WEBBINGS

A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ,CLASSMATE

OF GEOFF BOLDER .
TENSE, ANXIOUS, HIGH-STRUNG PERSON.
AMBITIOUS, VERY COMPETITIVE,
PERSEVERING,IMAGINATIVE,
CREATIVE,OBSERVANT, INTELLIGENT,
SENSITIVE, INSINCERE, SELF-RIGHTEOUS,
JUDGEMENTAL, JEALOUS, VENGEFUL.

CHARACTER TRAITS & TEXTUAL EVIDENCE

TENSE, ANXIOUS AND HIGH-STRUNG:

Restless before mr velos announces the winner of the

short story competition-Lynne felt her mouth moving, but

she was not smiling (p.102).
Has angry interior monologues (shown in italics) (pp.102104-,106-106).
Has regular outbursts wherther privately (p.102) or

publicly ( or bradburie. The words exploded from

Lynnes mouth in a sudden burds of anger (p.103).

Her body languege also betrays her chatic emotional

state-Lynne suddenly realised she was half-standingin

herdesk (p.105).

Ambitious and very competitive :

PERSEVERING:

Worked very hard at her short story

She could remember the hours

Oh, and the pain in pulling it all
together.(p.102).

Imaginative and creative :

Crafted an exciting and moving
drama of a sheedog in a flood.

CHARACTER TRAITS & TEXTUAL EVDENCE

Observant and intelligent:

o READS WIDELY AND IS QUICK TO IDENTIFY THAT GEOFFS STORY IS SIMILAR TO

THE STORY IS SIMILAR TO THE STORY WRITTEN BY WILLIAM BRADBURIE (P. 103).
o WHEN MR VELOS TELLS HER ABOUT GEOFF S CONFESSION AND HIS WISH TO BE

DISQUALIFIFIED FOR CHEATING, SHE IMMEDIATELY REALISES THAT HER

ASSUMPTION OF GEOFF IS WRONG (P.103).

Insincere:
AFTER MR VELOS ANNOUNCES THE WINNER, SHE IS DISAPPOINTED BUT

CONGRATULATES GEOFF LIKE THE REST. HOWEVER, PRIVATELY SHE IS BITTER AND
DISAPPOINTED.(P.103).

Jealous:
JEALOUS OF THE ATTENTION GIVEN BY CLASSMATES-THERE WERE TOO MANY KIDS

LOOKING AT HER AND SHE COULD NOT APPEAR TO BE JEALOUS OF GEOFF(P.105).

Sensitive:
VERY UPSET AT LOSING TO GEOFF-;EVERYTHING TASTED OF CARDBOARD THAT

NIGHT (P.103).

SELF-RIGHTEOUS AND
JUDGEMENTAL:

AS SOON AS SHE DISCOVERS THAT

GEOFFS STORY IDEA IS THE SAME AS

BRADBURIES, SHE IMMEDIATELY MAKES
A JUDGEMENT THAT GEOFF HAS
CHEATED.(P.103).

VENGEFUL:
START PLANNING HOW TO EXPOSE

GEOFFS CHEATING (P.104).

GEOFF BOLDER

CLASSMATE OF LYNNE WEBBINGS.

RELAXED, COOL, HAS GOOD OF HUMOUR,

OBSERVANT, PERCEPTVE,SENSITIVE. UNDERSTANDING ,

REALISTIC, PRACTICAL, HONEST, GENEROUS.
CHRACTER TRAITS & TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
RELAXED AND COOL:
1.

COOL AND COMPOSED BEFORE MR VELOS MAKES AN ANNOUNNCEMENT- GEOFF

WAS GRINNING AT HER. (P.102)

HAS A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOUR:

a)

MAKES UP FUNNY THEORY OF HOW MR VELOS CHOSE THE WINNER OF THE HOLMESWATKINS MEDAL- CLIMBS ON TOP OF HIS LOVELY SPEACIAL MAHOGANY DESK.HITS
THE FLOOR FIRST IS THE WINNER.(P.103).

O BSERVAN T,PERCEPTIVE,SEN SITIVE AN D

UN D ERSTAN D IN G :

AWARE OF LYNNES DISAPPOINTMENT; CHEERS LYNNE UP BY

TELLING A FUNNY THEORY OF HOW MR VELOS CHOSE THE

WINNER- LYNNE LAUGHED. REALY,NEXT TIME USE HEAVIER
PAPER. AND AFTER THAT LYNNE WAS BACK TO NORMAL.
(P.103).
LOOKS AT LYNNE WITH PAIN IN HIS EYES IN MR VELOS OFFICE.

(P.107).
KNOWS THAT LYNNE IS FELLING BAD FOR WINNING THE PRINZE

THAT WAY(P.104).

Them es
THE COST OG BEING JUDGEMENTAL

After the results of the short story competition are realesed,Lynne

read s a short story by William Bradburie about an elephant runni
loose in a park. She immediately assumes that Geoff had copied
Bradburies Story. However, she has not read Geoffs story. She h
an interior monologue and thinks of exposing him as a cheat.

She feels bitter, jealous and angry. These emotions are revealed
when Mr Matheson praises Geoffs writing skills. Outside class she
hints to Geoff that she knows he has cheated.

In Mr Velos 0ffice , Lynne that Geoff had only used idea of an

escaped circus elephant but created his own story . Geoff asks Mr
Velos to disqualify him because he feels he had cheated even
though he did not.

Altough she now receives the coveted medal, Lynne feels very ba
This incident maks her wonder if she herself had stolen the idea o
a sheepdog in a flood from somewhere .

Creative w riting is not

alw ays totally original

Writers get their inspiration and ideas from various sources

personal exorience , people around them , the environment
around them , worlds events .

Sometimes works by other writers inspire us . For

examples : Many of Shakespears works originated from

classical Greek and Roman myths legend .
Charles Dickens s novels were based on personal
experiences and observation during the Industrial Revolution .
Geoff got the idea of a circus elephant running loose for his

short story from William Bradbuiries . Later on , Lynne

realises that her own story may have been from another
source . Therefore , she may be as guilty as Geoff .

MR VELOS :

PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL LYNNE AND GEOFF ARE STUDYING IN.

REASONABLE, LOGICAL, PERCEPTIVE- COMPARES THE STORIES BY GEOFF AND BRADBURIE; CAN SEE
THAT THEIR STORIES ARE NOT THE SAME EVEN THOUGH THEY MENTION AN ELEPHANT ESCAPING IN A
PARK (P.107).

DIPLOMATIC AND CAUTIOUS- TALKS TO LYNNE CAREFULLY (,HE SEEMED TO BE PICKING THE WORDS AS
THEY WORDS AS THEY LAY ON HIS TONGUE (P.107); APOLOGISES TO BOTH GEOFF AND LYNNE.

DECISIVE- IMMEDIATELY DECIDES TO REVERSE THE POSITIONS OF GEOFF AND LYNNE IN THE SHORT
STORY COMPETITION.

MR MATHHESON:
FORM MASTER OF LYNNES CLASS (A TEACHER INCHARGE OF A FORM IN AN ENGLISH

SECONDARY SCHOOL).
OBSERVANT- KNOWS ABOUT GEOFF WINNING THE SHORT STORY COMPETITION EVEN

THOUGH HE HAS SO MANY STUDENTS UNDER HIS CARE (P.104).

ATTENTIVE- ASKS LYNNE WHAT SHE WANTS TO SAY BECAUSE HE QUICKLY NOTICES HER HALF-

STANDING(P.105).

MARGE:

CLASSMATE AND FRIEND OF GEOFF AND LYNNE.

OUTSPOKEN-MARGE WAS ABUSING GEOFF FOR BEING SO DEOCATED TO MONEY (P.105).

MESSAges
Do not be too hasty and condemn
others .
o we often judge and condemn others for

faults or perceived wrongdoing .

o When Lynne discovers that Geoff has
biorrowed the idea for his tale from
Bradburie,she judges and condemns
him for cheating without reading his
story first.
o Her n egative attitude makes me
angry , bitter and vengeful .
o Eventually , she realises that her self-

H O N ESTY W ILL SET YO U FREE

Lynne is dishonest . She hides her disappointment and anger as

a result of losing the coveted medal . In front of Geoff sand the

others she pretends to smile and be happy for him .
Thus , she is trapped in a bitter pool of deception and envy .
Geoff is ta more open and honest person . When he realises

that his story may not be fully original , he immsadietly

requests that the principsal disqualify him for cheating
Although he gives up his medal , he is free and at peace . He

does not carry any feelings of guilt . In contrast , Lynne ends up

winning the medal , but she does not feel good and stats to
doubt herself . She begins to wonder whether her story idea
was taken from some other story as well .

moralvalues
Honesty and courage

Geoff is a shining example truth and integrity .

He immadiately confesses to Mr Velos that he has

read Bradburies story which also had the idea of a

circus elephant running loose . Geoff fells that he
might have accidentally copied the idea and put that
into own short story .
Geoff is also to be commended for his courage in
asking Mr Velos to disqualify him . He bravely gives up
the coveted medal
Diligence and oerseverance
Lynne very diligently wrote and rewrote her short story
until it was good enough to earn second place in the
competition . Even though it as really difficult for her ,
she didi not give up .

 d to swallow the bitter taste from mouth (p. 107)

Meaning : the bad feeling is compared to a bitter taste

Imagery
Vivid descriptions to create a picture in the mind;
usually appeals to the five senses
Visual Image
fiddling with a pencil (p. 106 )
Meaning: The word shuffle means to walk slowly
while dragging the feet on the floor. People usually
shuffle when they are felling awkward or
embarrased .
Tactile image (touch)
Lynee opened her eyes is so tense that she holds
on tight to her seat.

Point of view
Third person limited
the narrator only knows the
thoughts and feelings of lyyne .

 Language & Style

The style is realistic, direct and fast-paced, which draws in

the reader
There is a lot of dialogue, which moves the actions forward
rapidly.
LITERARY DEVICE
Metaphor
A way of comparing two or more things without using the
words as or like
walked slowly away from her disappointment (p.103)
Meaning : Lynnes disappointment is like a physical thing
which she turns away from.
the tips of her ears prickled with anger. (p. 103)
Meaning : it is as if the anger within her is pricking her ears
with needles
tried to swallow the bitter taste from her mouth
(p.107)Meaning :the bad felling is compared to a bitter taste

Imagery
Vivid description to create a picture in the mind ;usually appeals to the five senses
Visual Image

fiddling with a pensil(p.106)

Meaning;playing with a pencil,an indication of discomfort,nevousness

she tried to shuffle away(p.105)

Meaning :the word shuffle means to walk slowly while dragging the feet on the
floor.people usually shuffle when they are felling awkward or embarrassed.
Tactile Image (touch)
Lynne opened her eyes and gripped her seat (p.102)

Meaning :lynne is so tense that she holds on tight to her seat.

Gustarory Image (taste)
..everything tasted of cardboard that night (p.103)

Meaning ;lynnes disappiontment is so great that it even affects her taste

buds;any food she eats is tasteless like cardboard
Interior monologue
A characters inner thought the characters is talking to himself or herself in the

story without saying the thoughts aloud

Interior monologue is sometimes presented in adisconnected way. In the story,

the interior monologue of lynne is presented in italics . For example : -shut

up,just stop it, shut up so we can all go home.Please!(p.102)