Deception: Hoodwinked During The Civil War

“Deception is nothing more than planting a seed and letting the suspect fill in the blanks. The most important part of using this

Deception is defined as a crafty procedure or practice meant to deceive or defraud. People tend to view this as a sinister action. No matter how sinister it can be, it can also be utilized to gain information and knowledge. How a person uses deception varies among different people. Generally, the more clever people tend to utilize deception very efficiently. Odysseus masters deception in the Odyssey by disguising himself. Odysseus isn't alone for Athena also uses disguises. With that being said, disguises allow Odysseus to succeed in killing the suitors.

In the essay The Ways We Lie, author Stephanie Ericsson writes in depth about the different types of lies used by most people everyday. While listing examples of them, Ericsson questions her own experiences with lying and whether or not it was appropriate. By using hypothetical situations, true accounts, and personal occurrences, she highlights the moral conflicts and consequences that are a result of harmless fibs or impactful deceptions. In an essay detailing the lies told to ourselves and others, Ericsson points out one bold truth; everyone lies. Through her writing, Ericsson causes the reader to look into how they’ve lied in the past and how to effects others and the general greater good of society.

As a society we are guided by false veneers and deceit. Artifice is unfortunately a prominent tactic used in hope of gaining the respect of the public. Politicians and celebrities who we look up to utilize artifice on a daily basis to gain our recognition and approval. Even teenagers are being taught how to use artifice to their advantage. Chris Hedges believes that the use of artifice is a necessary device to achieve success. In his book, The Empire of Illusion, he discusses the appeal of artifice and how individuals become “unreal” and “ignored” if they do not utilize it. His viewpoint is immensely untrue because this “strategy” causes a never-ending cycle of conflict. If we continue to feign our true appearances, we will become unable to fix societal issues we face to today.

Deception is the act of deceiving; it takes the shape of an underlying theme in each of the texts. It is a common occurrence in literature such as Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’, ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ and ‘On Chesil beach’ but in almost every incident, the degree of deception is different. Deception is performed by all characters to different extents and purposes, depending on the context of the situation. Othello displays deception between colleagues, whereby Iago uses deceit to cause carnage in the lives of his associates. Tennessee Williams illustrates deception within a family in his play A Streetcar Named Desire, as the main protagonist Blanche, lies to her own family about her sinful past. Finally, Deception is conveyed in Ian McEwan’s

Each woman faced their own set of problems depending on their race, social class and gender. These same issues also allowed for them to excel as spies during the Civil War. Lincoln’s legacy is preserving the nation that his predecessors had created and maintained. The Confederacy was fighting to preserve the Southern way of life which depended upon slavery. The system of slavery was all that most of them knew and change can be frightening. In the end, the lack of industry was a major factor that killed the South’s possibility of victory. The South also was more conservative with new strategies and weaponry. This caused the South to fall behind in a period of immense technological development. Lincoln was praised for his new integration of the

"Each trick crumples in the end as a result of the mental probability that the individuals who are superlatively sharp at beguiling others turn out to be similarly astute at misdirecting themselves. Disinformation eats the individuals who make it."

Although the horrors of the American Civil War and Reconstruction within Indian Territory were fresh. Yet, the presence of Indian Territory changed drastically between 1865 and 1889, because of the “Second Trail of Tears”, the unrest of the Southern Plains tribes of western Indian Territory, and the impact of U.S. Polices on Indian Territory.

The Bureau of Military Information (BMI), founded by General Hooker in 1863, was directed by George Sharpe. A vast collection of reports from the BMI were discovered at the National Archives in 1959 by Edwin Fishel. These reports disclosed that, in contrast to Pinkerton’s system, Sharpe’s unit used a host of sources in gathering intelligence, including cavalry, spies, balloonists, Signal Corps observers, scouts, and interrogations of prisoners and deserters. By merging the information gathered from all of his sources, Sharpe was able to provide Hooker with a comprehensive description of enemy standing. General Grant, who initially placed minimal importance upon intelligence gathering, came to view intelligence as a vital tool and depended upon Sharpe’s reports and the activity of the BMI to provide him with secret information. In fact, “the BMI became an integral part of Grant’s successful campaign to neutralize the Shenandoah Valley and to stretch Lee’s manpower to the brink of collapse.”

The Stages of Deception used as a way of Persuasion and the thought of Hope

There are trustworthy people and there’s also manipulative people who’ll lie and deceive you. There was plenty during the Civil War, people who chose to side with the enemy and the only way to do so was to be deceitful. Some people did it because they felt strongly about it, while others done it for selfishness. The Liar, Temptress, Solider, and Spy by Karen Abbott, depict all sides of people during the civil war. Specifically focused on four women named Belle Boyd, Rose O’Neal Greenhow, who both worked for the Confederacy, and Elizabeth Van Lew and Emma Edmondson, who sided with the Union.

The art of deception is an essential skill, especially in moments such as political debates and commercial promotions. In today's society, artifice is a widely utilized skill to persuade the public. The commercial market connects producers to consumers through propaganda which appeals to consumers through elements such as pathos, ethos, and logos. Utilizing these elements, the audience is immediately drawn into the viewpoint of the deceiver. Politicians tried to appear as ordinary and modest as possible to seem more appealing to their audience. But, it can be a deception. As Chris Hedges said in his Empire of Illusion, a story is the best form of artifice because the “consistency and emotional appeal of the story are paramount.” Often politicians tell stories to create a persona making themselves look more trustworthy.

In society, deception, cunningness, and other uses of trickery are quite common. Whether these themes are seen easily or are placed more discreetly, they are found in society often. Simply take a look at any political ad, certain sexual assault cases, or any form of social media, especially dating apps such as Tinder and Bumble. More often than not, political advertisements, sexual assault cases, and social media involve extraordinary amounts of deception, cunning words, and lies to call someone to a certain action. Political advertisements contain propaganda to push a political view. Sexual assault cases frequently begin with cunning, seductive words used to draw someone into an act they do not desire to commit. Social media is possibly the most common form of deception as countless amounts of people edit their photos to attain a desired body image or skin tone, essentially cat-fishing anyone who follows them. Furthermore, deception and cunningness are not only common in society, but is also present in literature in several ways. In Geoffrey Chaucer’s epic poem, “The Canterbury Tales,” Chaucer uses seduction, craftiness, and trickery as a form of persuasion, revenge, and to prove tricks do not come without consequences.

Deception Jehan Fostanes Nayga had once said, “Know that to understand other people, is one way of helping them to grow”. In “Immune to Reality”, Daniel Gilbert states, “ Research suggests that people are typically unaware of the reasons why they are doing what they are doing, but when asked for a reason, they readily supply one” (Gilbert 131). Gilbert’s essay is based off the foundation of happiness and its unpredictability. However, happiness is an intangible chimerical feeling that often times is obtained with understanding and knowledge.

There were several main themes of deception that were crucial to the events that occurred in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar: Marc Antony’s dirge, Decius’s persuasion to attend the senate meeting, and Cassius’s letters to Brutus. The theme of deception was a paramount tool that Shakespeare used in the movement of the plot. Had these crucial events not occurred, have written an entirely Through these acts of deception we were able to see that Ancient Rome struggled with people deceiving each other, and also that it was mainly used by power-hungry individuals to achieve their specific goal at hand. It is also important to note that deception has been around for a long time and is something that humanity has struggled with throughout the history of its existence. Deception has always been a tool used by people to satisfy one’s own desires, and unfortunately always will