CHEAT! BY ALLAN BAILLIE

LITERATURE FORM 2

SHORT STORY: CHEAT!
By Allan Baillie
Prepared by
Teacher Nor Yusrina binti Ahmad @ Saifuddin
SMK Sungai Isap Kuantan

THE AUTHOR : Allan Baillie

• Allan Baillie was born on 28 January
1943.

• He is an Australian writer.
• He was born in Scotland, but moved with

his family to Australia when he was seven.
• His first job was working as a Cadet

Journalist then he began to work as a
journalist.
• He studied journalism at Melbourne
University.
• He lives in Sydney, Australia with his wife
and two children

CHARACTERS : MAIN

Headmaster of MR. VELOS
Lynne’s and Geoff’s

school

LYNNE WEBBINGS GEOFF BOLDER

• A high school student. • Classmate of Lynne
• Classmate of Geoff. • Winner of the short story
• Second place winner for the
competition
short story competition • Writes about a circus
• Writes an exciting and moving
elephant running loose in
story of a sheepdog in a flood. Albert Park

CHARACTERS : MINOR

MARGE MR. MATHESON

• Lynne’s and Geoff’s • Form teacher of
classmate Lynne’s and Geoff’s
class.

• Holds discussion of
careers for the class.

SETTINGS

PLACE TIME SOCIAL

Generally : in Australia 20th Century Modern, educated
Specifically : society where people
are well-read and
appreciate talent in
writing.

PLACE SETTING
PLACE
School Hall EVENT

Home of Lynne The result of the story competition is announced here

Corridor in school She lets go of her feelings of disappointment when she does not
School library get first placing in the competition and keeps her completed
work.
Classroom
Corridor outside Lynne learns to accept Geoff’s winning the competition
classroom
Headmaster Velos's Lynne comes across William Bradburie's book of short stories and
office - one of the stories is about an elephant which escaped in the park

class discussion on future careers

- Lynne blurts out the writer's name Bradburie - Geoff is taken
aback

Geoff confesses he might have taken the idea for his short story
from Bradburie's book. Mr Velos does not disqualify him but
awards the best story winner to Lynne

SYNOPSIS

• Cheat! Is a simple but interesting story about two schoolchildren and their attitude to peer
achievements and relationships. The short story competition is won by Geoff and he wins the
Holmes-Watkins Medal. Lynne’s story is placed second and she feels disappointed.

• However, she learns to accept her failure and decides to let go. Then, she comes across a short
story of writer William Bradburie. Geoff’s story of a circus elephant’s escapade in the park is
similar to Bradburie’s story. Immediately, Lynne assumes that Geoff has cheated and did not write
his own story. She is in dilemma as to whether and how she should expose Geoff. The
consequences may be too drastic for Geoff.

• During the class discussion on careers, Lynne holds back exposing Geoff but later she
inadvertently mentions the name Bradburie and notices Geoff’s reaction.

• A few minutes later, she is called intoHeadmaster Velos’s office and Geoff is there too with the
Holmes-Watkins Medal. Mr. Velos explains that Geoff feels he might have taken his story from
Bradburie’s collection. So, he decides to reverse the results and Lynne wins the prize.

• But, Lynne is unhappy with the way the situation has turned out. She begins to have doubts about
her own story.

PLOT • After a class discussion on careers, Lynne mentions the name , Bradburie in a

sudden burst of anger.
• Lynne notices that Geoff looks disturbed and feels that sooner or later the truth

will be out.

• Lynne’s comes across William CLIMAX • Lynne’s is called into the headmaster’s

Bradburie’s story about an elephant office. Geoff is there too and the Holmes-

which escaped in a park. Watson medal is on a Bradburie book on
• She assumes that Geoff had cheated
the table.
by copying the story. • Mr. Velos tells her that Geoff wants to be
• She debates on whether to tell
disqualified for cheating although his
Headmaster Velos and how to do it.
story is original.
She decides not to do or say • Mr. Velos reverses the positions and

anything about it. Lynne wins the medal.

EXPOSITION RESOLUTION

• Lynne’s waits impatiently for Headmaster Velos to • Despite the decision, Lynne is bitter
announce the results of the short story competition. and unhappy.

• He announces Geoff as the winner of the short story • She mentally asks herself if she, too,
competition with Lynne in second place. had stolen the idea of a sheepdog in a
flood from another source.
• Lynne is disappointed but hides her feelings as she
congratulates Geoff

THEMES Task:
• Look for the evidence in the

story to support the themes.

COMPETITIVENESS

KEEPING FAITH HONESTY
WITH FRIENDS

THEMES

PRESUMPTUOUS CREATIVITY
AND SELF
AND TAKING CONFIDENCE
SITUATIONS FOR

GRANTED

KEEPING
ANGER IN
ONESELF

MORAL VALUES

1 • We should have the spirit of competitiveness in order to further our good character traits.

2 • We should ne honest in whatever we do.

3 • Creativity is a positive attitude and can increase our self-confidence and skill.

4 • We should learn to let go and talk out our anger whether it is with friends or enemies.

5 • We should not be overly presumptuous and take situations or people for granted.

• Friends are an important part of our daily life and so we should have faith and not judge

6 them too harshly.



THE END