# How does School Stories develop the theme of Trickery and Cunning?

> School Stories by P. G. Wodehouse

## Answer

School Stories by P. G. Wodehouse develops Trickery and Cunning across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.

Characters frequently engage in elaborate schemes, pranks, and deceptions—such as faking impositions or manipulating situations—often celebrated for their cleverness rather than condemned, reflecting a playful rebellion against authority.

Bradshaw's entire scheme—from feigning ignorance to fabricating an elaborate lie about seeing the exam paper—exemplifies his delight in deception for its own sake.

Pillingshot seizes the opportunity to volunteer as scorer to escape the exam, a clever maneuver that avoids direct confrontation.

Harrison uses deceptive tactics—first a string-and-tin prank, then biased umpiring—to settle scores, but his cunning backfires when he is caught wearing Graham's mackintosh.

## Evidence

- [bradshaw-s-little-story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/school_stories_se/chapters/bradshaw-s-little-story.md): Bradshaw's entire scheme—from feigning ignorance to fabricating an elaborate lie about seeing the exam paper—exemplifies his delight in deception for its own sake.
- [how-pillingshot-scored](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/school_stories_se/chapters/how-pillingshot-scored.md): Pillingshot seizes the opportunity to volunteer as scorer to escape the exam, a clever maneuver that avoids direct confrontation.
- [the-odd-trick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/school_stories_se/chapters/the-odd-trick.md): Harrison uses deceptive tactics—first a string-and-tin prank, then biased umpiring—to settle scores, but his cunning backfires when he is caught wearing Graham's mackintosh.
- [harrison-s-slight-error](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/school_stories_se/chapters/harrison-s-slight-error.md): Harrison's elaborate plan to trick the new boy into dismantling Venables' study.
- [a-shocking-affair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/school_stories_se/chapters/a-shocking-affair.md): Bradshaw's elaborate plan to avoid the Thucydides exam by locking himself in the Museum demonstrates clever deception.
- [the-babe-and-the-dragon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/school_stories_se/chapters/the-babe-and-the-dragon.md): Charteris's journalistic scheming and the Babe's strategic choice of house to avoid Dacre's company show subtle cunning.
- [the-manoeuvres-of-charteris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/school_stories_se/chapters/the-manoeuvres-of-charteris.md): Charteris's maneuvers and Bradshaw's schemes exemplify the use of cleverness to navigate school life.
- [iv](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/school_stories_se/chapters/iv.md): Charteris uses cleverness to evade detection, such as hiding his running gear and bluffing the Bargees' secretary about having permission.

## Links

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