Gullible by Kacie

Gullible by Kacie - October 2025 Scholarship Essay

Narrators can deceive. Before reading Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart, I believed that the narrator of a story was always truthful, that because it was their story, they would never lie to me. However, this perspective changed after reading the book, which quickly became one of my favorites. Lockhart shows that just because a narrator is telling the story doesn't mean they are always honest. While not every narrator is unreliable, some can twist the truth, and Jule, the protagonist of Genuine Fraud, is a perfect example of this.
Jule is a complex character who is secretive in a way that draws you in and makes you trust her. The story itself is beautifully chaotic, with time jumps and flashbacks that can be difficult to follow, but Jule’s is present throughout it all. As the story unfolds, she reveals more and more details about her life, many of which are suspicious. By the end, the truth about who Jule really is comes to light.
It is revealed that Jule has been lying to the reader, to me, throughout the entire story. From her perspective, she portrays herself as a loyal friend and a person who has overcome a difficult past. In reality, however, she is the antagonist, she "killed" her best friend, Imogen, and took over her life.
When I reached that event, I was shocked and felt betrayed. I had expected Imogen to be the villain of the story, but it turned out to be Jule all along. That moment showed me, not everyone tells the truth, and sometimes the people we trust the most can deceive us. Though Genuine Fraud is just a novel, Jule’s manipulation made me realize how easy it is to be misled by someone close to us. This book taught me not to accept everything just because a trustworthy person told me and reminded me that not everyone will be completely honest, no matter how close we are. So now I will no longer be gullible, no matter the person.