Eric Heinz ENG 319

Frankfurt vs. Miller

Eric Heinz

ENG 319

Dr. Allen

Dec. 3, 2008

Frankfurt vs. Miller

            The two pieces between Frankfurt and Miller encompass the virtues of what it means to be truthful, or as quoted in Miller’s piece “truthiness.” The main distinction between the two is the Frankfurt tends to examine interpersonal relationships and the importance of truth, whereas Miller looks at it from a social standpoint and contesting that perhaps truth can sometimes only take one so far.

            Miller describes the instance of the author of A Million Little Pieces being found guilty of embellishing on many of the facts in his book. The interesting point that Miller brings up is if Oprah liked the book and it helped people with their own addictions, then how could this piece be a bad one? When writing a memoir, as we discussed in class, there is little validity toward what a writer can say about themselves in the first place. Sometimes the occurrences that we remember so vividly never actually took place exactly the same way.

            Frankfurt, however, chastises lying in almost every instance. His philosophies include clearing the air between people and understanding the ramifications of telling the truth, or the possibility of those ramifications growing if the lie is ever found out. Frankfurt understands that there are these consequences, but he speaks of how in the best way to free yourself is to be completely honest – except in the case of lying to a significant other. Only when two people who love and understand each other can the lie be seen through and disregarded as it is only a white lie.

            Both pieces examine the merits of being honest thoroughly with thought provoking controversies. Following truth to its limit from Frankfurt’s standards seems only fit for a saint, however I do think it’s interesting that the man who wrote the memoir that angered Oprah didn’t just say that his book had pieces of fiction in it. The answer was always in the title – A Million Little Pieces—he may as well have titled it Written by Everyone. Regardless, I think it would be interesting to see what Frankfurt would have to say on the issue of this man’s memoir.