Journal #1

One motif I noticed was glass and the idea of clearness. Almost everything in the society is made of glass. The walls and furniture are made of glass, and even the city is enclosed in a glass dome. The society is set up this way so that the government and the police can monitor and supervise the civilians. They can look into homes and easily watch the actions of the people. This motif of glass and clearness puts a strong emphasis on the amount of control exerted by the government. It shows just how much the government is able to control the civilians and their actions. Knowing that they are being watched, the civilians are forced to act in favor of the government. However, the people are so accustomed to this glass that they like it and are not bothered by it. In fact, they seem to almost need it. In record seven, D-503 writes that "the glass of the walls was sparkling, the glass chair and table, too. All this was calming; my heart ceased to pound" (30). The glass is calming and this clearness appeals to D-503. It was also explained that the civilians "live in full view, [...] in among our transparent walls, [...] We have nothing to hide from one another" (19). This shows that the society has been conditioned far enough that its members would have nothing to hide and be afraid of. This makes the job of the secret police and Bureau of Guardians much easier.

The setting takes place in the future in a society called the One State. Many times, D-503 mentions the past and refers to it as ancient. Whenever D-503 mentions the past, a criticism of it usually follows. This portrays the idea that their society thinks that their time is better than the past. As the reader, I see that their society is actually quite horrible, which shows that the people are blinded and forced to think they live in a perfect society. I find it interesting that D-503 is aware that he is writing to the past. This doesn't quite logically make sense to me, but maybe it makes sense to D-503, adding on to the idea of their superiority over our time. The setting also takes place during the building of the Integral. The Integral is a spaceship that will go around to other societies to conquer them. The One State believes they have the right to do this because they see themselves as superior. The government is forcing people to create works of art, such as poetry, to show how great the One State is. These works will board the Integral when it takes off. This shows that the One State believes they are the most superior, and the civilians are forced to think that way as well.

The language has many mathematical expressions. I think this is done to show that the society likes clear, exact concepts. Math, in contrast to a subject like English, has little to no breathing room in its answers. This creates an absolute answer to the problems. This type of language would show that the society is ruled by single answers and beliefs. There is no room for them to think their own thoughts and have their own opinions. All that matters is what the One State wants you to believe. For example, D-503 describe the life in the One State as "the mathematically perfect life of the One State" (4). The life is perfect because it is mathematical, meaning it is definite, clear, and absolute. This kind of lifestyle appeals to the people greatly. In contrast, when something like the piano, an instrument of the past, is shown, it is described as "wild, disorgranized, crazy multicolor of tones and shapes" (25). It is not ordered and even, which means it is unacceptable. Through the mathematical language used, it shows the One State likes definite, clear control and concepts.