Journal #20 Topic A

Topic A: We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

“At exactly 11:45, I purposefully looked at my timepiece in order to catch hold of the digits-the digits, at least would rescue me. At 11:45, before going to the usual session of physical labor, in accordance with the Table of Hours, I ran over to my room.” (62)

In the One State society, every person abides by the “Table of Hours” or a universally synchronized schedule in which every person is doing the exact same thing, at the exact same time, at all times. Every member in the One State must also report a reason for why they are not at scheduled appointments such as physical labor sessions. This excessive obsession with where every member of society is at any time reveals the paranoia of the One State society. In order to prevent individual thought and rebelliousness the government of the One State uses this system to maintain their current state of “non-freedom”. The passage relates to this section, in which D-503 writes about his daily encounters as he tries to explain the One State to a lower alien race that the Integral is on it’s way to enlighten. He is eventually seduced and “poisoned” through alcohol and nicotine by I-330. D-503 was always the epitome of the One State’s ideals and is easily shaken by I-330 and her methods. Despite all of the rules and regulations imposed by the One State, D-503’s defection along with many others that I-330 has infected lead to the conflict that will shape the rest of the story.