The Posting About Some Other Kid's Blog.

Let's see what some other literary analysts have to say about the subject of the spooky ooky government and how they monopolize the humans.

This is Hayley's blog, and she thinks that "There is never any bad in Oceania.", except for the wars and poverty and governmental control. Another mysterious contradiction that she places is that, "The government doesnt try to control everyone, they do." I can honestly say that that is completely and utterly wrong and extermely vague.

The governmental staple in 1984 focuses around a basis of totalitarianism, much like the sort found in Stalin's Russia or Hitler's Germany. The characteristics and mannerisms of the Thought Police are taken directly from such sources as the KGB and the SS. 1984 is not a cautionary tale; it's a reprehensive one! How can it be a cautionary tale if such monstrosities have already occured in the world?

However, as Haley's insights once again atround me, she states that "The fact that police can look in your windows and listen to what you are thinking is very disturbing," making 1984 exactly what George Orwell partially intended it to be- a cautionary tale for the furute, once again. It's a story caught in limbo. It warns the future generations to save the world from its torrid past, and I think that's exactly what Haley is trying to convey in these blog postings.

Very commendable.

o

Sheep Mentality

So you've asked "how do people not know?" Well, how do troops not know that the "friendly fire" they're firing is killing Iraqi children and grandmothers? They don't, until they examine the bullet-riddled corpses only to find that they have not killed "Osama". The government likes to portray things in a very positive way, so as to convey to the general population, 33% people who haven't gotten past their GED, that what they're doing is right, and okay, and nationalistic. It's only way, way after the fact that the people finally wake up from a dazed stupor and say, "Hey, wait, wait, wait a minute. They've got us by the balls. Omigod. We're screwed." And they think about doing something, but apathy is a staple of human nature, and like the famous case of Kitty Genovese, people always assume that someone else will fix all the problems.

In 1984, the people are kept captive in their own minds with realism- things are plainly stated that you will die if you're caught doing this, this, and this, and they keep enticement in place with the guise that, "there are no rules", and the average person thinks, "hey, that's okay," but doesn't really know that if there are no rules, anyone can decide what's right and what's wrong. In Fahrenheit, things are kept positively, with pro-government propaganda plastered unconsciously everywhere, and real events in history are "kept", but in a watered-down, slanted version. WE has a slightly in-between version, with all actions and methods kept time by The Table, and similar techniques to those illustrated in 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, with devices that are able to listen in, and government checkups and crowd control.

And yet, there is the seemingly benign guise that the author feeds reluctantly to its followers- a human. Not a human robot, but an actual human with feelings who seems to think, "something is not quite right," and actually sets about to do something about it. But when things boil down, the tale is that of a cautionary one- Cassandra is killed by the government, Montag is lauded like Jesus for being such a good little pawn, Winston ends up being a devoted follower to Big Brother, selling out his girlfriend, The Savage leaves the world forever, and D-503 gets his splinter removed. The tale is that of a modernized, twisted children's fable- Be careful what you wish for, for it just might come true.

o

PS- If I ruined the endings of these books for anyone, deal with it. :)

Whatever Update This Is...

Do I look like the type to remember pedantic things like numbers or dates? Silly people.

Haven't been posting too much on Zamyatin yet, because I've been doing a large-ish amount of post-it notes throughout various points in the book. Despite what some may say, or what I conclude people may say, [since I haven't actually spoken to a damn soul about these things, so I can only assume that this is what you'll say] it's extremely easy to compare 1894 , Brave New World , and WE, in such manner...but whatever.

I suppose that as time goes on, I'll add more and more substance to this blog, but for now, I have to go 'n' desecrate a few with my razor...keyboard. Doesn't have quite the same ring as "razor-tipped quill", but whatever.

o

WE, Part II

So lately we haven't been discussing my book, but I've been trying to deduce some of my own conclusions as I will, amidst all the human drama, homework, and harrowing teacher experiences...

On the brighter side, I know what my Senior Ex will be, but no idea how to go about writing it.

This book, so far, is getting very good, at least, that's what I've deduced from the first, oh, twelve pages. What can I say? I've had not much time to read, but I'll speak to you about the concept of the "splinter".

As of now, the splinter is obviously a representation of the human soul, and also a characteristic that not everyone in this story possesses. Yes. The character D-503 has already exhibited characteristics similar to Montag and Winston Smith, seemingly sparing no limits in showing that he is clearly not one of the "others" in this book.

The interesting thing that I have discovered was more about Zamyatin, the author, who had various run-ins with the Russian government, and I look forward to trying to find more information out on his connection and feelings on the government, perhaps expressed through this book.

So yeah. Update over.

o

DISCLAIMER

1. This is a school blog.
2. Currently, I am being blackmailed into writing this.
3. Nothing said here is veiled credo for "I want sex". Seriously. NOTHING.
4. Don't look here for details about my mundane existence. Look somewhere else.
5. This is the G-rated version of whatever life I may/may not have, and if you're lucky, I will give you my other link.
6. Whence commentatifying here, be nice to me, or my fragily psyche will implode like a swollen tick.

o

"We're blogging about the dangers of blogging on our blogs."

God, I want to scream.

o

Feh, l'inquite de rien, personne...

So far, I have not fulfilled many of my bloggish requirements, because this weekend I was grounded. Needless to say, I won't be giving details.

This weekend I managed to get through the first chapter of WE, by Yvegeny Zamyatin, only to learn thus far.

There is a planet.

Well, I guess you could call it a planet. It's more of a civilization, but it could still be on the planet Earth.

More later, I weary of this. And class is nearly over.