The themes of identity, sexuality, and privacy are continually brought to light throughout the entirety of book I. These themes are what hold the story together and keep the reader interested in what is occurring within the novel.
When beginning at the Circle, Mae is more individualistic than most people working at the company. She is not lumped in with the masses, rather she has her own sense of self. She is a prideful person who works to have a sense of identity, but as the book continues her identity is stripped away from her. Technology has worn away her individuality and has made her just another Circler. Even Mercer, Mae's ex-boyfriend notices that the Circle has chipped away at her as a person; "Individually you don't know what you're doing collectively" (page 261). Since the Circle is based solely off of technology, it has caused her own sense of self to crumble.
The theme of sexuality is present during all of book I; Mae ends up having tension with multiple men throughout this short time in the Circle. Her relationship with Francis happens to be one of the most prevalent relationships for Mae throughout this portion of the story. She feels herself forming a true connection to him until he embarrasses her in front of the company by asking her to be his in such a public way. Eventually, after the fiasco, Mae and Francis rekindle the dying light. The two get together, but Mae realizes that Francis was recording their interaction. This, once again, breaks down the sense of lust the two had and causes her to become scared and angry from what this interaction could bring.
Privacy is the last thing that is upheld in the Circle; it's as if privacy had never been real to the workers in the company. Similarly to her identity, Mae's privacy is ripped away from her. When Mae begins at the company, she leads a private life where only her parents and friends have knowledge of her whereabouts and actions. At the Circle her privacy is taken and she is watched like a hawk, like every other worker there. When she finally goes to visit the doctor, like she was the first week of her being at the company, she is given a liquid without being told what was in it. When she finishes the drink the doctor tells her "you just ingested a sensor that will connect to your wrist monitor" (page 155) which means her every move can now be tracked.
Book I is truly held together by the fact that Mae's basic human rights have been stripped away from her. She struggles to find normality within her life in the Circle and seems to wish that she had the individuality and privacy she once had in her life.
Privacy is the last thing that is upheld in the Circle; it's as if privacy had never been real to the workers in the company. Similarly to her identity, Mae's privacy is ripped away from her. When Mae begins at the company, she leads a private life where only her parents and friends have knowledge of her whereabouts and actions. At the Circle her privacy is taken and she is watched like a hawk, like every other worker there. When she finally goes to visit the doctor, like she was the first week of her being at the company, she is given a liquid without being told what was in it. When she finishes the drink the doctor tells her "you just ingested a sensor that will connect to your wrist monitor" (page 155) which means her every move can now be tracked.
Book I is truly held together by the fact that Mae's basic human rights have been stripped away from her. She struggles to find normality within her life in the Circle and seems to wish that she had the individuality and privacy she once had in her life.
Great post! I agree with all your points. They were well written. However, I'd add more concrete evidence and quotes to tie these three themes into how exactly they hold together the plot of book 1. Also, I would add more of an introduction that hooks the reader as opposed to jumping right into Circle analysis cold.
ReplyDeleteI liked the post. Yet, I think that Mae's loss of privacy was voluntary.
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