We #1

Motifs:
Glass is a recurring item which represents technology, new age ideas. Also, it is seen by D-503 in a positive light. Many things that would be made of cement, steel or bricks are replaced by glass. "The glittering glass of the pavements" represent strength (Zamyatin 4). I feel like the glass in We is stronger than glass in our time.  This influences my understanding of the book because it makes me more aware of the dystopia. In this particular dystopia, they focus on the good aspects of the things that they are being oppressed by, not the negatives. D-503 does not seem to be bothered by having his life be apparent and able to be watched at almost all times. Furthermore, the sun is replaced by something made of glass, a "bluish, crystal," that glows "even through glass bricks" (Zamyatin 17). Their sun is artificial and is probably very efficient at making light, but there is so much more associated with with the sun that just light. Zamyatin refers to the present sun as "a wild, rushing, scorching sun" that had capabilities to "tear everything to shreds" (18). One today would have positive connotations about the sun and the warmth and life it provides. Using such negativity when referring to the past sun gives me the impression that the society is content with being devoid warmth, happiness and life in general.

Setting:
The setting of We is sometime in the future, although it has not stated a specific year. The civilization as a whole is called The One State, where everything is ordered. The group lives near a building called the Green Wall, which is made of "impregnable, eternal glass" (Zamyatin 3). This barrier separates them from 'savages.'  These attributes of the setting improve my understanding of the population. At the point in the book that I am, there is no indication that they keep any record of the months or years. This makes me believe that they have no desire to think about the past, only the present and the future. The civilization is ordered in many aspects, and D-503, and presumably the rest of the population is content with that. They do not feel like it is a bad thing that many aspects of their life is controlled. The Green Wall shows that the society feels like they are far superior to the other forms of life of their time, and of the life before their time. As a whole, the setting increases my understanding of the society by showing that they are obviously being controlled, but they are unaware of the negative consequences that come from being controlled.


Language:
There are two main parts of the language that I found intriguing: the complicated and intricate vocabulary, and the journal-style writing. Firstly, the elaborate words used by D-503 show how advanced the civilization is at the time. This makes me believe that they are indeed in the future, and have experienced somewhat of an intelectual growth as a whole. As in a totalitarian rule such as in Russia, there was some good that came out of the oppression. Russia became a world power due to the type of rule, and maybe the One State has gained some technological and social prowess through a similar ruling. I connected Russia with We at the beginning of the book when Zamyatin tells that "the first Integral will soar into cosmic space" (1). I initially made the connection because of the totalitarian rule of Russia, and the space race that pitted the United States and Russia against each other. The journal entries that D-503 makes show his thought pattern. It shows how he is unsure at times about his part in the society. If one person is shaky, then maybe others are too, and a breakdown in the society as a whole is imminent. The language shows a facade that everything is well, advanced and stable. However, after a little digging, one could find that it is actually fragile.