The Water Dancer Lesson Plan

When Howell says that all of Virginia society is based on lies, what does he mean?

When Howell says this, he is revealing to Hiram that he understands the smoke and mirrors the Quality use in constructing their world. The livelihood of the Quality rests on one major lie: that they are not dependent on the Tasked. This big lie manifests in several different ways, including how the Quality tries to push the narrative that the Tasked need them. The fact that Virginia society is built on a lie makes it particularly weak and may be part of the reason for the state’s decline.

How has Hiram grown/changed from the time he went into the Goose with Maynard to the end of the...