"We" Blog

“We”, by Yevgeny Zamyatin, is a futuristic novel set in a dystopian society in the twenty-sixth century. The premise of the novel is a dystopian society where everyone is equal; they can be partners with whomever they want, they never have to worry about money or going hungry, and all they have to do is go to work everyday to put in their fair share. The only catch is that they have no privacy and no freedom and must live under the laws of the all-powerful Benefactor.

There are many symbols in the novel. One of which is I-330, who symbolizes temptation. She was D-503’s “forbidden fruit.” Before meeting her, D-503 was a model citizen. He was the head engineer for the INTEGRAL, OneState’s major project, that when completed would allow them to take over the universe with their dystopian ideals. D-503 writes his “Records” so that people on the other planets the Integral travels to can see the glory of OneState, and why they should adopt its ideals. As the records unfold, however, and after meeting I-330, it becomes clear that D-503 is realizing the faults with his society and begins to rebel against its rules. He knows that when he sneaks over the Green Wall, lies about being sick to miss work, or sees I-330 without a pink ticket he is breaking the rules. It causes a constant struggle within him, but he cannot resist sneaking to see her. He even betrays the women he loves, O-90, to see her when he knows he should not. I-330 represents the temptation that drives people to rebel against their society’s rules. Just as money and power cause people in our society to break the law, D-503 broke the laws of his society because of I-330. 

My favorite quote from the novel is, “And mathematics and death never make a mistake” (Zamyatin 98). It occurs in the middle of D-503’s speech about irrational numbers and how he fears the unknown. The reason that I like this quote is because of how much it relates to my own thoughts on life. I always say that there is nothing more permanent than death and that the only thing I can stand about math is that there is only one right answer. By expressing that they never make a mistake, D-503 means that they are both final and permanent. In math there is only one right answer; it is final and always right no matter what. Death is also final and permanent, there is no coming back from it. The quote also represents D-503’s society where everything is definite and its inhabitants do not think about life or its meaning. In their society they also never make mistakes because they always follow the rules. This is until D-503 meets I-330 and learns of the world outside his society where there is freedom and rebellion against the Benefactor. This is where the irrational root comes in. It is the undefined and unexplainable thing in this society and in D-503’s life. It represents the rebellious world that lies underneath the society and seeks to start a revolution. 

As far as my opinion of “We,” it is not my favorite novel, however, I do not hate it. My opinion on the novel is indifferent. I enjoyed the tone of the novel and found the stream of consciousness style of writing to be entertaining. The plot of the novel, however, did not stand out in my mind. I feel as though it is another similar version of the same story that has been told over and over again. “Farenheit 451” and “Anthem” are just two examples we have read this year that have very similar ideas in them. It is not that I have a problem with the dystopian novels, I just would have enjoyed the novel more if it took a more unique approach to the dystopian topic as “The Handmaid’s Tale” did. 

My thoughts on "The Handmaid's Tale"

“The Handmaid’s Tale,” by Margaret Atwood, immerses the reader into a society where women are objectified into the simplest forms of the stereotypical roles of women and are trapped in a meaningless existence. Told from the point of view of handmaid, Offred, the novel offers a glimpse into what would happen if a society as a whole relinquished their rights and freedoms. 

The concept behind the novel is similar to the reality that many people around the world live in today. Right here in America, there are isolated societies that strongly resemble the novel. For this reason, I believe that Atwood wrote the novel as a warning of sorts to show that the harsh conditions that Offred and the other characters face could become a reality in our own society if we follow stereotypes and take our freedoms for granted. Especially because there are already societies all around us that have very similar ideals as the novel. For example, the Morman extremists in Utah who believe in polygamy have a society very similar to the one in the novel in which women, starting at young ages, are married to older men to procreate. The Amish society is also similar to the novel because it is an isolated society, like Gilead. Also, when the Japanese tourists visit the society, it is very similar to how people act in our society when they visit an Amish community. Atwood gives Gilead many similarities to societies within our country to show that when people allow their rights to be taken away it will lead to unhappiness for all, and that if societies right next to us can be so similar to the extremes of Gilead, then our community could be next. 

My favorite quote from the novel occurs when Offred and the Commander are at Jezebel’s and they go into the hotel- like room and Offred goes into the bathroom. “ I breathe in the soap smell, the disinfectant smell, and stand in the white bathroom, listening to the distant sounds of water running, toilets being flushed. In a strange way I feel comforted, at home. There is something reassuring about the toilets. Bodily functions at least remain democratic. Everybody shits, as Moira would say” (Atwood 251-252). I love the bluntness of this quote and the complete truth in it. Even in our society it can be applied; everyone is equal when it comes right down to it, because we are all humans with the same basic needs. Everyone has to eat, sleep, and use the bathroom. A world leader has to just as much as a homeless person. A dictator has the same needs as those he oppresses. The quote expresses how even in a society where all personal freedoms are restricted, there is still equality in the fundamental human needs. The fact that Offred can be comforted by a clean bathroom and reassured by a toilet is statement in itself. It demonstrates how much has been taken away from her and also how much we take for granted. Everyone expects certain things in life, and a relatively clean bathroom with a toilet to use is one of them. Offred feeling more at home in a white bathroom (bathrooms are cold and not for comfort) than she does in her bedroom at the Commander’s house where she is supposed to feel “at home” shows the lack of comfort in her life. She is more comforted by toilets than the Commander or anyone/anything else at his house. 

In general, I enjoyed this work. Atwood was not afraid to write about sensitive subject matter to portray her point about society. Many authors solely use symbolism and allusions to make a social or political point, however, Atwood’s use of graphic scenes allowed for a stronger social commentary about our society’s views on gender roles to be made. In some cases I do not think she went far enough. For example, the end of the novel was disappointing because it left too much to the imagination. The novel would have had a better lasting impact if the end had been more definite. For instance if Offred was killed at a salvaging after being discovered for her relationship with the Commander, I would have received a stronger feeling about how harsh and unjust this society is. By having her possible escape and leaving the ending so open, the end affects of the novel gave the impression that it is possible to escape from a authoritarian society, when in many real world cases it is not (look at how few people have made it out of North Korea alive). Other than the ending, I felt the novel was very well written. I do not think that it was too graphic or gave too many details, and it kept me wanting to turn the page rather than putting me to sleep like many books have in the past.