One of Us is Lying

Also known as “Pachelbel’s Canon,”“Variations on the Canon” was composed by 17th-century German composer Johann Pachelbel, who may have initially created it as a wedding gift. Its chord progressions have influenced popular music since the 1970s, from the Pet Shop Boys, Coolio, and Green Day to Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It was also a popular composition for weddings and funerals during the 1980s.

The first time Nate visits Bronwyn at her house, she plays this piece for him and her sister. Bronwyn notes that it’s a difficult piece to play well, in particular because it encompasses contradictory qualities. It can be both soft and harsh, sweet and angry, and she struggles with a section that is especially discordant. In this sense, the piece represents Bronwyn’s struggle to embrace a complex view of herself. She cheated in chemistry because she could not bear the thought of doing poorly in a class and jeopardizing her desire to attend Yale, as both her parents went there. Her view of herself as a take-charge high achiever did not allow room for failure. When she plays the piece for Nate, Bronwyn feels the music for the first time and is able to play with feeling. This symbolizes the critical role Nate plays in her growth: he helps her confront her true motives for cheating and brings out her empathetic side.