We Journal 3

Topic C: Zamyatin creates a fairly believable view of the future world. He is commenting on the communist society in Russia, and how everyone is being controlled by the totalitarian government. The society in the book is not really that far off from the society in Russia. Most of the people in both societies worship their leader mindlessly, and both groups are closed off from the rest of society. In the book We, the author does not give much hope. near the end of the book, everyone is subjected to The Great Operation, which gets rid of people's imagination, making them basically lifeless slaves. But he also wrote that the green wall was destroyed, which could show some hope for the future, where everyone could live in the woods with freedom. The author does a good job showing the hazards of a totalitarian society. He shows the people being treated like animals, doing everything at the same time, giving without receiving, like in a communist society.

We Journal 2

Topic B: The character D-503 is involved in a struggle with the society. He questions the accepted ideas of the society, and creates a general feeling of confusion, and he becomes very alone. During the novel D-503 slowly starts to become unsure of himself. He describes it using the math term root negative one. The more he mentions the irrational number the more he starts to question the ways of society, creating in him a sort of internal conflict. Part of him wants to believe what he was told, while the other part tries to reason with everything he was told. The conflict creates a rift between D-503 and the rest of the people. He becomes very removed from society, getting up before he was supposed to, taking sick days and skipping work, and staying up after hours. His descriptions of his feelings are very confusing, because he doesn't really understand what is happening to him. All his descriptions often have phrases such as I don't know anything anymore, showing his internal conflict. He describes his mathematical world as an island floating out alone, while before was chained to a spot, always there, always right. But his soul that he has makes him question, which undermines the hold the propoganda has on him.

We Journal 1

Topic A: "But our Table of Hours! Why, it transforms each one of us into a figure of steel, a six-wheeled hero of a mighty epic poem. Every morning, with six-wheeled precision, at the same hour and the same moment, we-millions of us- get up as one. At the same hour, in million-headed unison, we start work; and in million-headed unison we end it. And, fused into a single million-handed body, at the same second, designated by the Table, we lift our spoons to our mouths. At the same second, we come out for our walk, go to the auditorium, go to the hall for Taylor excercises, fall asleep..." (Zamyatin, 12).

This passage shows that the people of the society in We have a very structured society. Everyone has to do the same thing every minute of every day. The character's description of the table of hours makes it sound like the best thing the world has ever known, which shows a certain level of conditioning. The theory behind this society is all of human nature must be controlled in order to destroy personal wants and feelings. If people were like computers, they would just do what they were told without question, which is what D-503 is doing. Not only does he follow the table of hours, but he praises it, saying it's for the good of One State, which is all he thinks about. The passage also gives an idea about some of the day to day things that are done in the society, such as work and walks. This shows that everyone has a job that they have to do for free, they're required to get excercise and sleep to be physically fit, and do Taylor excercises, which are named after the one who started the idea for the society. The book has not said exactly what they are, but they must be some sort of propoganda used to brainwash the people into trusting the ways of society. Although nothing is really happening while the character is writing this passage, it shows good insight on the ways of society and the people's views on it.

Stranger thesis

Camus uses the motif of blindness to show Meursault's blindness to his emotions.

Camus uses the concept of being blinded to show Muersault's inability to identify his emotions.

Camus uses the concept of being blinded to emphasize Meursault's journey from being lost to finding himself, which shows that one must be lost before they can be found.

Stranger 6

At the end of the text Meursault comes to the conclusion that his and everyone else's lives are meaningless. People will keep on living and dying. He emphasizes the fact that death is inevitable, and his execution doesn't really matter, because he was going to die anyway.
Camus doesn't necessarily want the reader to come to the same conclusion as Meursault. He keeps mentioning the fact that everyone has a choice, and it's up to them to decide what they want to believe. Meursault just states his opinion and lets the reader interpret it as he/she sees fit.

Stranger 5

Camus creates two different parts to emphasize the turning point in the book, and to show Meursault's chage in the story. One of the ideas that is apparent in both parts of the story is Meursault's way of thinking. In the first part he never really talks about his opinions and feelings for other people. He only mentions them if he notices them. Camus makes Meursault very isolated and inconsiderate in the first part. In the second part Meursault starts to think about his life while he's in prison, where he really is isolated. He starts mentioning things that he remembers from earlier, when before he wouldn't have mentioned it. Meursault realizes that he isn't inconsiderate, but he only talks when he has something important to say. Prison life actually makes Meursault a better person. He gives up smoking, and really starts to understand himself. By comparing Muersault's different views in the first and second part, Camus creates growth and change in Meursault's character.

Stranger 4

Quotes to show how Meursault changed between the first and second parts

1. "There are some things I never like to talk about"(Camus, 72). This passage shows that He is starting to admit his feelings. Up until this point in the book he never even mentions the things he doesn't like to bring up.

2. " As I imagined the sound of the first waves under my feet, my body entering the water and the sense of relief it would give me, all of a sudden I would feel just how closed in I was by the walls if my cell" (Camus, 76). Meursault chooses to use more imagery than before, showing he's changing. It could also show that he had been taking everything for granted before.

3. "I would have waited for birds to fly by or clouds to mingle, just as here I waited to see my lawyer's ties[...]" (Camus, 77). Again with the more complex literary devices. He uses a simile to compare life in prision as living in a hollow stump.

Stranger 3

Wine and pain

"I'd drunk close to a liter of wine and my temples were burning"(Camus, 31).

The Heat

"All around me there was still the same glowing countryside flooded with sunlight" (Camus, 16).

Meursault's passiveness

"[...] she took my arm with a smile and said she wanted to marry me. I said we could do it whenever she wanted to" (Camus, 42).

Stranger 2

Idunnoism

1. God created the universe, and is is watching over the earth.

2. Life is not meant to seek pleasure, but to spread the word about God.

He created us, and we can show thanks by telling others.

3. Nothing is predetermined, in a sense, but God knows what everyone will choose to do.

4. Do what you know is right, even if everyone else thinks your wrong.

If you don't stand up for yourself, you will be mistreated.

5. Make good impressions. If you look bad, everyone will assume everyone who believes what you do is the same. It's hard to spread the word if it's associated with bad people.

6. You are only as great as you say you are.

If you tell yourself that you can't succeed, you probably will not. Getting in the right mind set is key.

7. God can be reached by anyone through prayer.

Stranger 1

Summary: Meursault appears to be very uncaring and lifeless, as if he's just going through the motions of his life instead of living them. He doesn't seem to care when his mother dies, and he doesn't seem to love the girl he's with in chapter 2.

Personal Reaction: I can relate to Meursault a little. He doesn't really show his emotions at all, like me. I thought it was strange how he kept saying what he liked and what he didn't. He seemed a little childish.

Analysis: Camus could've used Meursault to symbolize something or an idea. He has a pattern and a way of thinking that doesn't change. He always says if he likes or dislikes something, and he doesn't go into detail about his personal experiences.

Research: When the book took place France had already been taken over by the Germans in World War 2., and Algiers was in Vichy France, a government set up by the germans. In november, 1942, the the Americans launched an attack on Northern Africa, where Algiers is located.