“Plain Truth” by Jodi Picoult (post 3): In lie detector test, Katie denies ever being pregnant or killing her baby. Why does she pass, then fail, the test?

Katie is administered a lie detector test. She denies ever being pregnant, ever having a baby, and killing her baby. She easily passes the test, which means she honestly believes that none of these things ever happened.

Minutes later, as is routine, the test is redone, and Katie gives the same answers to the same questions, but this time the test strongly indicates that she does not believe those answers (1, p. 154).

Ellie, Katie’s lawyer, has been present during both tests. Immediately afterward:

“Bright-eyed and blissfully unaware, Katie looked up at me. ‘Are we finished?’ ‘Yes,’ I said softly. ‘We certainly are’ ” (1, p. 155).

Ellie’s thoughts about the puzzling discrepancy are not given at this point, and I won’t try to read Ellie’s mind.

But you can probably read my mind.

If you can’t, search “puzzling inconsistencies” and “puzzling inconsistency” in this blog.

1. Jodi Picoult. Plain Truth. New York, Washington Square Press, 2000.