Cowardice - Response

   What immediately caught my attention in Abdeslam Boulaich's "Cowardice" is how the introduction reads like the beginning of a joke. This story being significantly shorter than the others we have read also lent itself to this idea. However, by the end, you realize this story reads more like a proverb than a joke, and the "punchline" is more akin to an observation of humanity. I interpreted this story as a way of communicating the idea that regardless of creed, we all lie (either to ourselves or others) to ultimately serve our own goals. Even when the Christian sees himself as having good intentions at the end of the story, he is still disposed towards lying for his own sake. As humans, are we all predisposed to lying for our own self-interest?

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