We

The novel We, by Yevgeny Zamyatin, is set in a society centered around the seemingly infinitesimal power of mathematics. A major theme of this novel was that of whether or not a Utopian society is a possibility with humans as we know them. Can our thoughts and actions be controlled and kept steady by a governing body? Or are our minds uncontrollable, completely independent of the constraints of society? Zamyatin seemed to show that the human mind is its own entity, emotional and uncontrolled by anyone other than its possessor. This idea of ownership over one's thoughts is found throughout the novel, and is definitely one of the mor important themes.

My favorite passage from this novel is:

I am looking at myself, at him, and I am absolutely certain that he, with his ruler-straight eyebrows, is a stranger, somebody else, I just met him for the first time in my life. And I'm the real one. I AM NOT HIM. (Zamyatin)

This passage signifies D-503's realization that he is not the person he has convinced himself to be. He comes to see that he is more than what people see of him on the outside, that the real him is within. This process of self-actualization is both traumatic and enlightening for D-503, who cannot decide whether to be pleased or disgusted by his sudden break from his "original" self. I like this passage mainly because it is showing a struggle that most people experience at one point or another in their lives, where they do not know who exactly they are.

I found this novel to be very interesting, and I particularly liked the contrast between the old times and the current times of the story throughout the novel. I also really liked the point of view that a person is not able to be controlled by anyone else as long as their emotions are intact. With our imaginations, we are still capable to function as independent human beings, and we are free.