So, does lying without consequences slowly cause us to be more dishonest? The study suggests that it can. But lies always catch up with us one way or another, and as Pinocchio found out, the best way to prevent his nose from growing was never to begin lying in the first place.​

duncan's speech on his arrival at inverness is heavy with dramatic irony: not only is the "seat" (the surroundings) of the castle "pleasant," but even the air is sweeter than that to which the king is accustomed. the presence of the martlet (a summer bird) serves to heighten the irony. as far as the king is concerned, the castle, from the outside at least, appears to be a paradise. contrast this picture of delight with the imagery of hell that forms the substance of the porter scene (act ii, scene iii).

the inciting incident of cinderella is when the invitation is sent out to all the eligible women in the land, but her stepmother refuses to let her go. keep in mind that an inciting incident must incite the character, causing an emotional response that will result in the character taking action. the actual action a character take is almost always some time after when the inciting incident occurs. this gives the character and the reader time to consider what action should be taken as a result of this emotional affront. in the case of cinderella, enough time passes for the stepsisters to head off to the ball. cinderella then chooses to take action. depending on which version we are referring to, this action varies. in some versions, she makes a wish. in some versions, this is where the fairy godmother comes into the picture. but in all cases, cinderella makes the decision to go to the ball against the wishes of her step-family as a result of the emotions she feels when the inciting incident occurs.