WE: Record Two- Ballet. Quadratic Harmony. X.

WE  Yevgeny Zamyatin

In Record Two of the novel We, a dichotomy is produced. D-503 describes the spring almost poetically, 'the wind brings the yellow-honey dust from a flower of some kind. This sweet dust parches your lips'. However this poetic description conflicts with D-503's idea of 'logical reasoning'. This is also reinforced when he criticizes the poets who write about 'such stupid, sloppy, silly-lingering clumps of vapour', when he is using poetic features to describe the machine. For example, he personifies the machine: 'perforating machine curtsied, keeping time with some inaudible music'.
Also this machine D-503 so passionate about demonstrates the contrast between the unknown wild beyond the Green Wall and the One State city itself. The citizens of the One State view the world beyond the Green Wall as a 'wild' and 'invisible', whereas, to them, One State is full of 'marvellous expressions of mathematical equality', so 'absolute' and has 'perfect non-freedom'. The use of 'perfect non-freedom' is very ironic because from our (reader's) point-of-view, 'non-freedom' can never be 'perfect'; being restricted and controlled over everything we do is not our idea of a perfect world.

WE: Record One- A declaration. The wisest of Lines. An Epic.

WE Yevgeny Zamyatin

One State is a society where everything is logical and can be proved mathematically. The One State is 'mathematically infallible'.

It is a totalitarian state; everything is controlled by  and for the government, and the citizens of One State do not have the freedom of expression and speech.

In the first chapter of the novel 'We', there are some important aspects of this passage that we must note:'

• This passage is full of idiomatic language. Idiom is 'the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people' and that is defined greatly by the culture of the setting. 
• The method of narration: in first person. The narrator is main character in the novel. The readers and forced to see the world through the eyes of the narrator therefore readers' understanding is limited to the knowledge of the character and are trapped within the narrator's perspective. It is very personal and intimate
• The reportage in the State Gazette is almost like a propaganda (a form of communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position). It is manipulating the thoughts of the citizens of the One State.
• The One State forces conformity of from the citizens; 'If they won't understand that we bring them mathematically infallible happiness, it will be our duty to force them to be happy.
• The use of Irony. This is when the writer purposefully constructs concepts that clash against each other. e.g. 'Savage state of freedom', 'mathematically infallible happiness'. As readers our thoughts conflict greatly with the views of the citizens of the One State. 

English 2010 June Mid-year examination

Literature consists of victors and victims. Discuss how the idea of victors and victims has been presented in a text you have studied. 

My introduction:

In Henrik Ibsen's seminal work, 'A Doll's House', it is distinguishable who is presented as the victor, and the victim. Nora Helmer, our protagonist is seen to be the victim under the constant dominance of her husband Torvald at the beginning of the play. Their family relationship is the society's ideal man-woman, husband-wife relationship. However, Nora reaches a moment of realisation that Torvald 'never loved [her]' and transforms into a victor; an independent woman breaking free from her 'doll's house'. This idea of victors and victims is clearly presented through the dialogue and the actions of the characters.

Basically, my introduction was on how Nora is the victim in the beginning of the play but she undergoes a transformation that leads her into becoming the victor. Also, both Nora and Torvald can be seen as the victims of society's stereotypical ideals of conventional family relationship; they are conforming to the roles of the weak, child-like woman and the strong, dominant man. 

Topic sentence for Paragraph One:

Society's stereotypical image of conventional family relationships is that the husband is superior over his wife; women were to take the sacrificial role, surrendering their freedom and dignity to those in authority.

Topic sentence for Paragraph Two:

However, the climax of the play is a matter of resolving identity confusions. Nora undergoes a transformation that allows her to break free from Torvald's grasp.

Topic sentence for Paragraph Three:

Krogstad's blackmail opens Nora's eyes to what the reality of her relationship with Torvald is like; how Torvald 'didn't love [her]' and that '[he] only found it pleasant to be in love with [her]'.