We

Theme: Communism

Totalitarianism is an obvious theme, but a deep theme nonetheless that there is much to write of. The way the society of OneState is set up reeks of total government. All members of the society abide by the rules of the Benefactor. There are a number of spies that enforce these laws and report all who disobey. The most evident form of total government is communism, which is not surprising considering that the novel was written by Soviet author Yevgeny Zamyatin. One of the most fascinating traits of OneState is that the buildings are all almost totally glass. The people of OneState, those who remain after the nuclear destruction of the Two Hundred Years War, are referred to as Numbers, and every element of their lives is controlled by a table. Numbers take to bed and rise at the exact same times, and this is made all the less private due to the glass buildings. Every number pledges allegiance to the Benefactor and OneState, and private thought is considered an illness. There is no sense of attachment to one partner, although sex with any Number is available by submitting a pink paper. But while these animal desires still rage among the Numbers, love is an abnormality. The lone fact that the Numbers are referred to as "numbers" shows that individuality is nothing in OneState. There are no names, just digits used to control the masses. The "Great Operation" is a requirement for all members of OneState, and main character D-503 defies the society he once pledged total loyalty to by resisting the surgery. D-503 as a character is a symbol of the unfailing realization of individuality, and his actions and relationship with I-330 show the impossibility of controlling every member of a society.

Quote: Page 73, 3rd Paragraph.

"It was ripe. Helplessly, like iron and magnet, sweetly yielding to the immutable precise law, I emptied myself into her. There was no pink ticket, no accounting, no OneState, there was no me. There were only the dear, sharp, clenched teeth, there were the golden eyes opened wide on me, and through them I slowly penetrated inside, deeper and deeper. And there was silence. Only in the corner, thousands of miles away, drops were dropping into the basin and I was the universe, and between one drop and another were eras, epochs..."

This quote is perhaps the most significant and transitional in the entire novel. It is more than a mere sex scene. It shows an important event in the life of D-503 that changes his entire outlook on life itself, as chiché as it may be. Before this scene, he is an engineer who declares total loyalty to OneState and the design of its projects, including the INTEGRAL. But he declares that there is no OneState, and with this statement proves the fact that he does not need the society to function. With a pink ticket, any number can have free sex with any other number they choose. It just needs to be authorized. Yet, D does not think and plan as most numbers do. He just follows his instinct, something he fails to come to realize he has until this moment. He does not need to report to anyone or tell anyone what he will do. He does things of his own free will. This is the number who scorns freedom earlier in the story. Free will and self-thought are always of as mental sickness in OneState, but D states, "How full I am! If only you knew how full I am!" He realizes that choice and free will can be wonderful, and from this point on in the novel, the character is totally changed and realizes the flaws of this dystopian society.

My Thoughts.

We is among the foremost of the dystopian works. Originally published in 1924, it and it's author Yevgeny Zamyatin proved to be the inspiration for many similar renowned works such as Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. The Benefactor is similar to Big Brother and the Controller, and the novel does an ingenious job of drawing social parallels, especially on the Soviet Union happenings prevalent at the time of the writing. The story and language can be confusing at times, but close attention can increase appreciation. For example, there are many pauses and sentences that are not definitive, therefore indicating uncertainty. Small things such as this enrich the novel greatly. Because of the complications of the language and plot, We can be difficult to follow, but once followed, it is an enriching novel sure to provoke thought and provide an enjoyable experience.