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The Traitors is overseen by Claudia Winkleman<\/p>\nThe Traitors has got people questioning whether they\u2019re a good judge of character<\/p>\n
From Macbeth to manipulation, the clues to surviving The Traitors may be hiding in plain sight \u2014 and in the pages of classic literature.<\/p>\n
According to an English language expert, critical thinking skills, rather than alliances and popularity, could be the real secret to success on the hit BBC show.<\/p>\n
Douglas O\u2019Neil, an English teacher at Kelvinside Academy, believes the drama unfolding around The Traitors\u2019 Round Table mirrors themes found in school-set texts such as Macbeth and Lord of the Flies, where charismatic leaders exploit fear, loyalty and group pressure to gain power.<\/p>\n
The Traitors is overseen by Claudia Winkleman<\/p>\n
Charisma, Cliques and Control<\/p>\n
O\u2019Neil explains that many of the show\u2019s most successful players rely on social influence rather than strategy alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cBooks like Macbeth and Lord of the Flies show how dominant, charismatic figures take control over quieter individuals,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey build cliques around themselves and use those groups to influence others. The cleverest traitors are the ones who hide behind this support system. Having people on your side is the key ingredient to winning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Much like in classic literature, those who fail to question popular figures often become vulnerable to manipulation.<\/p>\n
Why Independent Thinking Matters<\/p>\n
One of the biggest mistakes players make, according to O\u2019Neil, is falling into herd mentality.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need to think for yourself, and most people don\u2019t naturally do that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs an English teacher, I see it as one of our most important jobs to teach students how to be critical and independent thinkers.\u201d<\/p>\n
He believes contestants who blindly follow dominant voices are easily misled.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo win, the Faithful have to question everything. People can lead you through charisma, but also through rhetoric \u2014 persuasive language designed to influence your thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n
Understanding how language is used to shape opinions, he adds, is similar to learning \u201ca defence against the dark arts\u201d in real life.<\/p>\n
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Beware Emotional Manipulation<\/p>\n
Another major warning sign is the use of emotive language \u2014 words designed to trigger feelings rather than logical thinking.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat good Traitors do is appeal to emotions instead of reason,\u201d O\u2019Neil explained. \u201cThat\u2019s the easiest way to persuade people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Viewers will often hear players say things like, \u201cI just feel he\u2019s a traitor\u201d without any solid evidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat feeling might be based on something tiny \u2014 a smile, a friendly tone, or a positive word you associate with someone \u2014 rather than facts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese emotional reactions aren\u2019t rational, but they\u2019re powerful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lessons from the Classroom to the Castle<\/p>\n
O\u2019Neil argues that the skills taught in English lessons \u2014 analysing language, questioning motives, and challenging assumptions \u2014 are directly transferable to the game.<\/p>\n
Recognising persuasive tactics, resisting peer pressure and focusing on evidence could help Faithful players avoid being misled by confident liars.<\/p>\n
\u201cCritical thinking isn\u2019t just useful in exams,\u201d he added. \u201cIt could be the ultimate weapon in The Traitors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Think Like a Detective, Not a Follower<\/p>\n
For anyone dreaming of applying to the show, O\u2019Neil\u2019s advice is clear: don\u2019t be dazzled by charm, don\u2019t follow the crowd, and don\u2019t trust your instincts alone.<\/p>\n
Instead, analyse what people say, why they say it, and who benefits.<\/p>\n
Because in The Traitors, as in great literature, the most dangerous villains are often hiding in plain sight.<\/p>\n
Catch up with episodes on the iPlayer including The Traitors Ireland<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Traitors has got people questioning whether they\u2019re a good judge of character From Macbeth to manipulation, the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":457105,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[64,63,1576,17825,134,54532,427],"class_list":["post-457104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-bbc","tag-bbc-one","tag-entertainment","tag-the-traitors","tag-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/457104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=457104"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/457104\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/457105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=457104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=457104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=457104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}