History Literature / NothingButTheTruth

* ItsAllAboutMe: Philip's first and foremost priority is himself.

* KarmaHoudini: {{Subverted|Trope}}. [[spoiler:Philip appears to face no real punishment for his actions, becoming an admired patriotic hero to the nation. However, at school he becomes a social pariah and his crush rejects him; the pressures of his celebrity overwhelm him so much that he has to transfer schools, and he later has to admit he doesn't know the words to the National Anthem.]]

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Philip's crush gives him one [[spoiler:after getting Ms. Narwin fired, saying that it was utterly selfish and she thought he was a better person than that. He still doesn't get it, instead blowing up at and shunning her for not taking his side.]]

* BrilliantButLazy: If he applies himself or is working on a subject he's interested, Philip's very smart and diligent. Not only is he a stellar prospective track athlete, he also earns generally good grades in the classes he likes such as math and science. When it comes to classes he ''doesn't'' like such as English and history, he doesn't bother nor care to put in any effort. One of his other teachers even catches him trying to finish a past day's homework on the day it's due, which he weakly tries passing off as studying for an exam. Ms. Narwin even comments how he shows keen intelligence yet no desire to learn or strive for better. The "lazy" part comes back to bite him in the rear.

* BrilliantButLazy: If he applies himself or is working on a subject he's interested, Philip's very smart and diligent. Not only is he stellar on the school's track team, he also earns generally good grades in the classes he likes such as math and science. When it comes to classes he ''doesn't'' like such as English and history, he doesn't bother nor care to put in any effort. One of his other teachers even catches him trying to finish a past day's homework on the day it's due, which he weakly attempts to pass off as studying for an exam. The "lazy" part comes back to bite him in the rear many times later.
* CoolTeacher: Ms. Narwin is considered this by most of the student body besides Philip. They rally behind her when the media subjects her to a smear campaign, and [[spoiler:a group of students start a petition to make Philip recant his statements.]]

* FreudianExcuse: A good deal of Philip's behavior is shaped by his father pushing his own love for track and its importance at the expense of everything else onto his son, which motivates him to take drastic actions to regain his spot on the team.

* IgnoredEpiphany: Near the end, Philip finally decides to just ask Ms. Narwin if he can do some extra credit work so his academic standing is good enough for track. [[spoiler:Upon finding out he's been moved to a different English class (unbeknownst to him, at the request of the principal, who wants to avoid more bad publicity), he immediately spins it as her not "letting" him have the chance to make it up.]]

* KentBrockmanNews: A recurring bit throughout the book is The Jake Barlow Show, a radio program whose host quickly latches onto Philip's story as a means to promote his own patriotic slant and invites guests to either praise Philip or vilify Ms. Narwin. When one guest notes the perspective's clearly biased in Philip's favor and how nobody has bothered to get Ms. Narwin's side of the story, Jake quickly condemns him as anti-American and rudely hangs up on him before he can clarify his viewpoint further.

* AmbiguousEnding: Considering the story was stretched that Philip was singing the National Anthem in the morning and not humming along with it, it's unclear if Philip [[spoiler:gets busted in his new school when he has to admit he doesn't really know the words.]]
* BitchInSheepsClothing: Philip is seen as a patriotic hero, but he's really a petty delinquent with a bad case of NeverMyFault.
* BrilliantButLazy: If he applies himself or is working on a subject he's interested, Philip's very smart and diligent. Not only is he stellar on the school's track team, he also earns generally good grades in the classes he likes such as math and science. When it comes to classes he ''doesn't'' like such as English and history, he doesn't bother nor care to put in any effort. One of his other teachers even catches him trying to finish a past day's homework on the day it's due, which Philip weakly tries passing off as studying for an exam. The "lazy" part comes back to bite him in the rear many times later.

* {{Irony}}: Philip initiates his scheme against Ms. Narwin out of anger that his poor grades in her class make him unable to compete on the track team, and hopes that telling "the truth" about her will make her feel bad enough to give him some leniency so he can run. [[spoiler:After alienating everybody at his school, he ultimately transfers to one that ''doesn't'' have a track team.]]

* AdultsAreUseless: {{Zigzagged|Trope}} in general, but definitely present with Philip's parents, who seem to have no idea what kind of person their son really is.

* AmbiguousEnding: Considering the story was stretched that Philip was singing the National Amendment in the morning and not humming along with it, it's unclear if Philip [[spoiler:gets busted in his new school when he has to admit he doesn't actually know the words.]]

* BrilliantButLazy: If he applies himself or is working on a subject he's interested, Philip's very smart and diligent. Not only is he stellar on the school's track team, he also earns generally good grades in the classes he likes such as math and science. When it comes to classes he ''doesn't'' like such as English and history, he doesn't bother nor care to put in the effort. The "lazy" part comes back to bite him in the rear many times later.

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Ms. Narwin resigns from her job and leaves town, while Harrison High fails to get a much-needed budget extension due to the scandal. Philip is also forced to transfer schools after becoming a social pariah and is later humiliated in his new class because they expect him to sing the anthem, thus forcing him to admit he doesn't know the words.]]

* VillainousBreakdown: Philip undergoes one of these after [[spoiler:becoming a social pariah in his school]], whining about [[{{Irony}} how nobody believes he's right and Ms. Narwin's wrong]]. It continues further [[spoiler:at his new school in the end, when he breaks down in tears after admitting he doesn't know the words to the anthem.]]

* AdultsAreUseless: Zigzagged in general, but definitely present with Philip's parents, who seem to have no idea what their son is really like.

* KarmaHoudini: {{Subverted|Trope}}. [[spoiler:Philip appears to face no real punishment for his actions, becoming an admired patriotic hero to the nation. However, at school he becomes a social pariah and his crush rejects him, the pressures of his celebrity overwhelm him so much that he has to transfer schools, and he later has to admit he doesn't know the words to the National Anthem.]]

* PoliticallyMotivatedTeacher: Actually inverted; Ms. Narwin is one of the few characters who ''doesn't'' have any sort of an agenda.
* PyrrhicVictory: [[spoiler:Philip successfully destroys Ms. Narwin's career and becomes a national hero, but has to switch schools because his own school hates him and he isn't even happy with his newfound celebrity status.]]

* WhatTheHellHero: Philip's crush tells him off [[spoiler:for getting Ms. Narwin fired, saying that it was utterly selfish and she thought he was a better person than that. He still doesn't get it, instead blowing up at and shunning her for not taking his side.]]

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: [[spoiler:Philip becomes a social pariah after his actions get Ms. Narwin fired and deny the school some much-needed money. His crush gives him a WhatTheHellHero for what he did.]]

* CoolTeacher: Ms. Narwin is considered this by most of the student body besides Philip. They rally behind her when the media subjects her to a smear campaign, and [[spoiler:a group of students (including a girl Philip had a crush on) start a petition to make Philip recant his statements.]]

* EvilIsPetty: Philip annoys Ms. Narwin, helps destroy her reputation, and indirectly [[spoiler:cause her to lose her job]] because his bad grades in her class made him ineligible ''to compete on the school's track team''.

* PyrrhicVictory: [[spoiler: Philip successfully destroys Ms. Narwin's career and becomes a national hero, but has to switch schools because his own school hates him and he isn't even happy with his newfound celebrity status.]]
* SadistTeacher: This is how Philip (and, eventually, everyone else who hears about the incident) sees Ms. Narwin. She’s actually well-liked by the other students.

* PyrrhicVictory: [[spoiler: Philip successfully destroys Ms. Narwin's career and becomes a national hero, but has to switch schools because his own school hates him and isn't even happy with his newfound celebrity status.]]

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Ms. Narwin resigns from her job and leaves town, while Harrison High fails to get a much-needed budget extension due to the incident. Philip is also forced to transfer schools after becoming a social pariah, and he's later humiliated in his new class because they expect him to sing the anthem, forcing him to admit he doesn't know the words.]]

* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Outside of becoming an outcast, his own crush rejecting him, as well as having to admit he doesn't know the words to the National Anthem, Philip faces no real punishment for his actions.]]

* PoliticallyMotivatedTeacher: Actually inverted; Ms. Narwin is one of the few characters who ''doesn't'' have an agenda.
* PyrrhicVictory: [[spoiler: Philip successfully destroys Ms. Narwin's career and becomes a national hero, but he has to switch schools because his own school hates him, and is not even happy with his newfound celebrity status.]]

* ShamedByAMob: Philip doesn't realize he made a big mistake by spearheading a campaign against Ms. Narwin, [[spoiler:but after she's fired, everyone in the school hates him for his selfishness.]]

* {{Jerkass}}: Philip is initially considered just an obnoxious ClassClown, but his one-sided vendetta against Ms. Narwin reveals he's a ''really'' vindictive, nasty piece of work.

* PyrrhicVictory: [[spoiler: Philip successfully destroys Ms. Narwin's career and becomes a national hero, but he has to switch schools because his own school hates him, and he's not even happy with his newfound celebrity status.]]
* SadistTeacher: How Philip (and, eventually, everyone else who hears about the incident) sees Ms. Narwin. She’s actually well-liked by the other students.

* TheSociopath: Philip is a disturbingly clear-cut example of a sociopath despite his age, fulfilling all of the medical criteria that defines one. He shows [[LackofEmpathy no remorse]] for how his actions are ruining his teacher's life; [[ConsummateLiar seamlessly lies]] to his parents and the press while [[ManipulativeBastard twisting the truth so he could look better]]; has no interest in any activities beyond [[TheHedonist what he enjoys]] (i.e. track); [[AllTakeAndNoGive barely expresses any fondness for his family and peers while expecting them to give their utmost affection to him]]; exhibits shallow charm that sways many of the adults he vents to about his issues with Ms. Narwin; and is so assured of his own greatness that he cannot understand why anyone would disagree with or dislike him, like his classmates, nor does he reflect on what he's done to alienate them.

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Philip is seen as the hero of the incident by the media; in reality, he's a petty delinquent.

* NeverMyFault: Philip blames his poor grades solely on Ms. Narwin, driving the events of the plot. He fails to learn his lesson, blaming everybody except himself for [[spoiler:his status as a social pariah.]]

* VillainousBreakdown: Philip undergoes one of these after becoming a social pariah in his school, whining about how nobody believes he's right and Ms. Narwin's wrong. It continues further [[spoiler:at his new school in the end, when he breaks down in tears after admitting he doesn't know the words to the anthem.]]

* EvilIsPetty: Philip annoys Ms. Narwin, helps destroy her reputation, and indirectly [[spoiler:cause her to lose her job]] because his bad grades in her class make him ineligible ''to compete on the school's track team''.

* {{Jerkass}}: Philip is initially considered just an obnoxious ClassClown, but his one-sided vendetta with Ms. Narwin reveals he's in fact a vindictive, ''really'' nasty piece of work.

* ShamedByAMob: Philip doesn't realize he made a big mistake by spearheading a campaign against Ms. Narwin, but [[spoiler:after she's fired, everyone in the school hates him for his selfishness.]]
* TheSociopath: Philip is a disturbingly clear-cut example of a sociopath despite his age, fulfilling all of the medical criteria that defines one. He shows [[LackofEmpathy no remorse]] for how his actions are ruining his teacher's life; [[ConsummateLiar seamlessly lies]] to his parents and the press while [[ManipulativeBastard twisting the truth so he could look better]]; has no interest in any activities beyond [[TheHedonist what he enjoys]] (i.e. track); [[AllTakeAndNoGive barely expresses any fondness for his family and peers while expecting them to give their utmost affection to him]]; and is so assured of his own greatness that he cannot understand why anyone would disagree with or dislike him, like his classmates, nor does he reflect on what he's done to alienate them.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: In a sense; Philip is seen as a patriotic hero, but he's really a petty delinquent with a bad case of NeverMyFault.
* CoolTeacher: Ms. Narwin is considered this by most of the student body besides Philip. [[spoiler: They rally behind her when the media subjects her to a smear campaign, and a group of students (including a girl Philip had a crush on) start a petition to get Philip to recant his statements.]]

* {{Jerkass}}: Philip is initially considered just an obnoxious ClassClown, but his one-sided vendetta with Ms. Narwin reveals he's a vindictive, ''really'' nasty piece of work.
* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Outside of becoming an outcast and his own crush rejecting him, as well as having to admit he doesn't know the words to the National Anthem, Philip faces no real punishment for his actions, and it's implied that his version of the story will be the one that's believed for a long time.]]
* MaliciousSlander: Ms. Stewart's heavily slanted article on the incident leads to everyone praising Philip as a patriotic hero and condemning Ms. Narwin (and the school as a whole) for trying to "stymie" him.
* NeverMyFault: Philip blames his poor grades solely on Ms. Narwin, driving the events of the plot. He fails to learn his lesson, blaming everyone except himself for [[spoiler:his status as a social pariah.]]

* TheSociopath: Philip is a disturbingly clear-cut example of a sociopath despite his age, fulfilling all of the medical criteria that defines one. He shows [[LackofEmpathy no remorse]] for how his actions are ruining his teacher's life; [[ConsummateLiar seamlessly lies]] to his parents and the press while [[ManipulativeBastard twisting the truth so he can look better]]; has no interest in any activities beyond [[TheHedonist what he enjoys]] (i.e. track); [[AllTakeAndNoGive barely expresses any fondness for his family and peers while expecting them to give their utmost affection to him]]; and is so assured of his own greatness that he cannot understand why anyone would disagree with or dislike him, like his classmates, nor does he reflect on what he's done to alienate them.

* WhatTheHellHero: Philip's crush tells him off [[spoiler:for getting Ms. Narwin fired and the school budget cut. She says that it was utterly selfish and she thought he was a better person than that. He still doesn't get it.]]

* EvilIsPetty: Philip annoys Ms. Narwin, helps destroy her reputation, and [[spoiler:forces her to resign from her job]] because his bad grades in her class make him ineligible ''to compete on the school's track team''.
* HeroWithBadPublicity: Ms. Narwin is just trying to reign in a particularly troublesome student, but the media paints her as an anti-patriotic SadistTeacher.

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: [[spoiler:Philip becomes a social pariah after his actions get Ms. Narwin fired and deny the school some much-needed money. His crush gives him a WhatTheHellHero for what he did]].
* AmbiguousEnding: Considering the story was stretched that Philip was singing the National Amendment in the morning and not humming along with it, it's unclear if Philip [[spoiler:gets busted in his new school when he has to admit he doesn't actually know the words]].

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Ms. Narwin resigns from her job and leaves town, Harrison High fails to get a much-needed budget extension due to the incident, Philip is forced to transfer schools after becoming a social pariah, and it’s implied that the truth will never come out. He's also humiliated in his new class because they expect him to sing the anthem, and he's forced to admit he doesn't know the words]].

* NeverMyFault: Philip blames his poor grades solely on Ms. Narwin, driving the events of the plot. He fails to learn his lesson, blaming everyone except himself for [[spoiler:his status as a social pariah]].

* SavingTheOrphanage: In a sense; a side plot focuses on attempts to make sure that Harrison High's budget doesn't get cut further than it already has, as that could be disastrous. [[spoiler:Thanks to Philip, this ends up doomed to failure.]]
* ShamedByAMob: Philip doesn't realize he made a big mistake by spearheading a campaign against Ms. Narwin, but [[spoiler:after she's fired, everyone in the school hates him for his selfishness]].

* WhatTheHellHero: Philip's crush tells him off [[spoiler:for getting Ms. Narwin fired and the school budget cut. She says that it was utterly selfish and she thought he was a better person than that. He still doesn't get it]].

* DisproportionateRetribution: Ms. Narwin has a reasonable response to Philip humming during the National Anthem; asking him to stop because it's distracting the other students. When he refuses, she sends him to the principal's office the second time. Philip responds by protesting his First Amendment rights,

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: [[spoiler:Philip becomes a social pariah after his actions get Ms. Narwin fired and deny the school some much-needed money.]]

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Ms. Narwin resigns from her job and leaves town, Harrison High fails to get a much-needed budget extension due to the incident, Philip is forced to transfer schools after becoming a social pariah, and it’s implied that the truth will never come out.]]

* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Outside of becoming an outcast, Philip faces no real punishment for his actions, and it's implied that his version of the story will be the one that's believed for a long time.]]

* PyrrhicVictory: [[spoiler: Philip successfully destroys Ms. Narwin's career and becomes a national hero, but he has to switch schools because his own school hates him, and he's not even happy with his newfound celebrity]]

Philip Malloy is a track-obsessed 9th grader at Harrison High School in New Hampshire. After receiving a poor grade on an English test, thus preventing him from trying out for track, he retaliates by humming along to the Star-Spangled banner when it plays every morning. What started as a simple way to get back at his teacher snowballs into an international sensation, not helped by the fact that almost everyone involved seems to have an agenda of some kind.