Dystopia Journal 3: We

Topic C

Yevgeny Zamyatin uses We as a warning of what might happen in real life if communism continues spreading throughout the world, as he fears might truly happen. Although the book portrays a very technologically advanced society with certain aspects that may not be entirely plausible, the ideas contained within it are very much believable. The dystopian society in which D-503 lives in seems to model that of Soviet Russia during the era where Stalin was in power. In both Stalinist Russia and The One State, it is shown that peoples civil liberties are ignored for the common good, such as privacy and freedom of speech and thought. This historical similarity offers a very believable aspect to Zamyatin's book, as we can see that it can truly happen in real life to a certain extent as is shown in We. Zamyatin uses this warning of technological control over people's lives as well as The One State's control over its citizen's beliefs and freedom to show how out of control a totalitarianist regime can become. Even though Zamyatin paints a very grim picture of how the future may turn out, he also offers hope at the end of We. Near the end, the revolutionary group called The Mephi is able to successfully break through society's grasp on them by destroying The Green Wall, showing us that something can be done in order to escape this kind of oppressive regime.

Word Count: 237

Propaganda

From: http://www.teacheroz.com/images/homes.gif
This propaganda poster appeared during WWII and aims at making people in America aware of what is happening and what could happen to them in the near future if they do not act quick and fight off the Germans and Japanese. This propaganda is effective because it expresses fear of what might happen and is a warning for the future. Both Hitler and the Japanese both look evil and ready to kill, warning Americans that they should participate in the war effort or America may be attacked as well. It targets all people in America and works because it instills fear on the American public.

Literary Element - We

Imagery clouds thunder storm

During the book, Zamyatin uses the imagery of the weather to convey some of his ideas more effectively. Many times throughout the book, Zamyatin uses the imagery of clouds to show how "perfect" the society depicted in We is, and how they have completely pushed nature out of their lives. During the beginning of the book, whenever D-503 looked up into the sky, there were no clouds. "But the sky! Blue, unblemished by a single cloud [...] I love - I am certain I can safely say, we love - only such a sterile, immaculate sky" (Zamyatin 3). He believed that clouds were disorderly and absurd and did not belong in a perfect society. They were something the ancients saw as being beautiful and splendid, but D-503 did not understand why. This passage also tells us that the society D-503 lives in is very concerned of everything that seems to be unorderly; a reason to why they shut nature out of their world inside The Green Wall.
Another moment in the book where Zamyatin uses the imagery of weather is after The Green Wall has been destroyed. After it is blown up, a storm englufs The One State and the disorderly clouds start to rush in. This rush of nature coming into the society shows how people began to change and behave more like The Ancients had. They could finally experience freedom, something which the weather is able to portray in We.

Dystopia Journal 2: We

Topic B

Throughout the book We, Zamyatin offers us characters which rebel against The Benefactor and The One State. Along with D-503, I-330 plays a major role as a catalyst to D-503's attempts to escape The One State's control. I-330 questions the existing social and political systems many times throughout the book and is an active member of the resistance group called The Mephi. She does not believe the society is being run fairly and wants to rebel against the oppression she is facing under its influence. She does not like the Green Wall and organizes for The Mephi to destroy it. When it is destroyed, people begin to live freely because the oppression of The One State over their lives had now ended. She also helps D-503 recognize the negative aspects of The One State and convinces him to also join her in The Mephi and take part in their plan to overthrow The One State and blow up The Green Wall. Along with the destruction of the wall, The Mephi planned a vote against The Benefactor as well as disobeyed other rules set in place by society. I-330 plays a major role not only in the throwdown of The One State, but also with the changing of D-503 and other's preceptions on how their lives are being run by The Benefactor and The One State. In the end, her resistance to The One State results in her death after being betrayed by D-503 because of the affect The Operation has on him.

Word Count: 252

Dystopia Journal 1: We

Topic A

"Every morning, with six-wheeled precision, at the same hour and the same moment, we-millions of us-get up as one. At the same hour, in million-headed unison, we start work; and in million-headed unison we end it. And, fused into a single million-handed body, at the same second, designated by the Table, we lift our spoons to our mouths. At the same second, we come out for our walk, go to the auditorium, go to the hall for Taylor exercises, fall asleep..."(Zamyatin 12).

This passage, which D-503 writes in his journal during his third entry, shows how seemingly communistic and controlling the society which he lives in is. The Table of Hours talked about in his entry is one symbol which shows The One State's control over its inhabitants. It gives specific times which tasks need to be completed, which everyone follows exactly. Everyone in this society does the same task, at the same hour, and seem to follow the same trend every day for their lives. The words which Zamyatin use, such as "million-headed unison" and "million-handed body"show how the entire community which D-503 lives in is working together for the benefit and progress of the community as a whole. The One State's control over society is extraordinary; however, the inhabitants within its glass dome seem to enjoy what they do and how they carry out their lives from day to day. D-503 seems to love following the Table of Hours and obeying the rules set up in his society. He does not mind The Guardian's constant surveillance and seems to enjoy living in a society which lives by mathematical precision in everything which they do. Even without personal freedom, the characters introduced so far in We have only expressed joy and willingness to work within the society's needs wants.

Word Count: 218

Stranger Journal 9

At the end of the book, Meursault comes to the conclusion that life is meaningless and that all lives come to the same conclusion - death. I believe that once he realizes this, he becomes happy because he knows that his death by beheading will only speed up the inevitable and that if he had lived past his execution, he would have only died later without accomplishing anything new and of meaning. I think that Camus wants us to come to the same conclusion at the end of the book and to have us realize that life has no purpose and will only end with death.

Stranger Journal 8

Thesis to "The Stranger":

- Through Camus' use of dynamic characterization, the foil of the chaplain to Muersault , and the symbol of the crucifix, he shows that without believing in God or in a religion, life becomes a hopeless and meaningless task not worth undergoing.