Antigone Journal #4

The first theme that I chose was the option of having fate or free will, will determine your downfall/outcome from the play Antigone. In Oedipus, Oedipus' fate is read right in front of him but he says it is not true so he goes with the idea that he has his own free will. But of course in the end it didn't matter if he accepted it or did not. What the blind man said happened no matter what Oedipus did. The only difference I see between the two plays' themes is that Antigone chose her own fate and did nothing to stop but provoked it. Oedipus might have known his fate but went into denial, instead of acceptance. Basically, Oedipus did not choose his own fate and denied it, while Antigone chose her own fate and supported it. These were the main similarities and differences of the two themes in Antigone and Oedipus.

Another theme I see in Antigone to compare with Oedipus is the theme of having a set evil and good in the world will prohibit chaos. In Jean Anouilh's version of Antigone, it shows that King Creon had to make an automatic good and evil person, because there has to be someone to blame in a deal of crisis. He believes that this needs to happen in order to prevent chaos. Creon has the power to make his kingdom burn but instead he uses it for good of his kingdom. But in Oedipus the theme of power will corrupt and make you blind. After Oedipus knows a little bit of his own fate, he tries to persecute anybody in an attempt to secure himself in a way. While Oedipus is being corrupted by this power, Creon takes it into his own advantage for his kingdom. That is the main difference in the subject theme of power and corruption.

Antigone Journal #3

I think Antigone and Creon will make decent characters to compare & contrast. To start off with, Antigone uses a lot of similes and metaphors when talking to Creon and sort of sarcastic tone. "The thing is catching! Who knows but that lots of people will catch the disease from me!" (44). Apart from this Antigone seems to be murmuring and thinking to herself a lot, because of the gestures. "[murmurs, lost in thought]. Happiness . . ." (41). Antigone is lost in thought thinking about what Creon is saying and taking into consideration what she thinks happiness is. Next Creon who is speaking in long turns is described as fierce, but still struggles to contain Antigone, "[grasps her by the arms]. Shut up! If you could see how ugly your are, shrieking those words." (43). Even though Creon is trying his hardest to control Antigone, in a physical and verbal manner, he still fails and ultimately has to send her to her death because it is her "fate". Another example of Creon failing at controlling Antigone, "Be quiet, I tell you!" (42). I think Anouilh sets up these two characters against each other just because there has to be conflict between the sympathetic character and the person who is trying to control everything and put it in order. This effects my understanding of the play because I now see that Antigone has power over Creon and Creon cannot do anything about it because either way he is complying to what she wants: to die. If Creon does not do this she goes back to making herself look like a fool in front of the whole kingdom and causing suspicion among the citizens. He cannot get satisfaction either way. I see this as Antigone's attempt to control Creon by intimidating him that she will not comply to his demands and neither will she agree with him. This sets up further characterization such as Antigone's stubborn-ness and how she sees her death inevitable that she won't change her mind.

Antigone Journal #1

In Anouilh's adaptation of Antigone the Chorus provides a back story and informs the reader of previous events that is important to the story line. But in Anouilh's version the Chorus has been reduced to just one person, basically speaking for the people of Thebes. The Chorus provides the information on how the reader knows that Antigone is going to die and sets her up as the Tragic Hero in the end. The Chorus also provides an "in-between" view on the whole subject but can change the readers view on characters. The Chorus effects the readers' interpretation of Antigone by making the reader feel sorry for Antigone (I guess pathos). The play has not even yet started and we already feel a (sort of) sorrow for Antigone and what she is going to have to go through. Here is an example: "Another thing she is thinking is this: she is going to die. Antigone is young. She would much rather live than die." (3). Plus we already get the feel that we already know all this much information based on the characters and they do not, and this will definitely hurt them in the long run. The Chorus also sets up Ismene's character which also have an effect on how we kind of interpret her from the beginning. "[...] Ismene - to the gay and beautiful Ismene [...] Now look at Ismene again. She is certainly more beautiful than Antigone." (4) We get this obvious interpretation how beautiful Ismene is, and how much MORE beautiful she is than Antigone. This sets up rivalry between the two sisters, beauty and personality wise. Because it says that Ismene is way more beautiful than her but who knows personality-wise. The last major character that I think the Chorus effects the readers' interpretation of the characters is Creon the King. Here is an example: "That gray-haired, powerfully built man sitting lost in thought [...] his face is lined, he is tired. He practices the difficult art of a leader of men [...] when Oedipus was king [...] he was different. He loved music, bought rare manuscripts, was a kind of art patron." (4). As soon as the Chorus starts describing him we see that he has aged a lot quicker, but still kept his stature of a leader when he became king. We also see that he used to love hobbies but can no longer enjoy them because of his position of power. This effects the view of the king as seeing Creon as just a regular guy who stopped doing what he loved because of being stuck with the position and we feel sympathy towards him. 

We Journal #3

While reading the last 1/3rd of the book, I came upon realizing that social connections are appearing more strongly, as well as the language/syntax which changed drastically, motifs, and setting. 

Cultural Connections
As I get to the part of the novel where D-503 meets the Benefactor (which I finally figure out is an actual person) and that this closely resembles Big Brother in George Orwell's 1984. I am pretty sure that this is not a cultural reference but I am sure that Zamyatin used this in order to hint readers that it is the same idea and concept. But something that Zamyatin does reference is personal events that he went through during his time under Communist Russia, D-503 states,"(the number of the auditorium is familiar for some reason: 112.)" (202). The number "112" relates to Zamyatin's cell number where he served his time imprisoned, twice. He uses this reference to relate the One State's government to his own in an attempt to say that this government will fail and is corrupt. A little earlier D-503 is talking to I-330 about the revolution, "This is pointless! [...] you are starting what is called -- a revolution!" (153). The "revolution" is a cultural connection to the Bolshevik Revolution during the author's time. Since the Bolshevik Revolution did not last long, he refers the revolution as "pointless" and will not last long either. 

Language
Especially after D-503 has his "operation" which was performed on his brain removing any kind of imagination or emotion, the language and/or syntax has changed. Before the operation, D-503 got lost in thoughts and emotions, expressing them with metaphors, so quickly which then led to him getting sidetracked. He instead starts writing with many colons and straight-forward writing. "No: it is me the trembling is inside me...," (185). The colon shows that instead of writing in a fluid "go with the flow manner" he starts writing in a more, if anything, strict manner. This has to do with the fact that he had his emotions and imagination taken out of part of his brain. D-503 also starts capitalizing "He" in a repetitive manner (186). The capitalization of "H" in the word may relate to a reference of God. Maybe in this dystopian society, they view the Benefactor as their "God". This, however, is still unclear.

Motifs
Having logic and being rational are still main motifs in We, I believe. This is a big part to why they wanted everybody to have the Operation. This would bring complete logical thoughts and no interruption from feelings and imagination. "Go quickly -- upstairs -- to the Great Operation!" (182). Through the "Great Operation, shows the motif of logical reasoning. Also D-503 plainly states the 'motto' in the very last sentence of the book, "More than that: I know we will win. Because reason should win," (203). 

Setting
Near the very end of the novel D-503 is alone in his room with U. Since D has already had his  operation this helps the tone of the setting feel uncomfortable and with no remorse. "you can kill anything with laughter -- even murder itself." (184). The setting helps to intensify D's lack of consideration and caring how I see it. He laughs at everything that is not really funny. It really shows how D really does not have the same emotions anymore, especially the fact that he was laughing about murder. 

We Journal #2

As I read through the next 2/3rds of the novel more things start to reveal themselves such as motifs, setting, language, and cultural connections. The following are examples of each and how I think Zamyatin uses these devices.

I found in We that there are a lot of references and cultural connections to Totalitarianism (a lot). An example I found describes the Integral's purpose, "the Integral is contemplating its great and terrifying future, it heavy cargo of inescapable happiness, which it will carry up there, up to you, the unknown [...]," (73). The Integral will force upon you its happiness which is inevitable, meaning that their rule will be everywhere. This also relates to the Bolsheviks in Russia trying to spread communism to their neighboring countries. I also found that Zamyatin also makes a reference to how Russia's Soviet Bloc nations. "Have you ever heard? They're saying that in the Day of the One Vote?" (108). The Day of the One Vote is held every year and this closely resembles how in the USSR there were similar election practices. Zamyatin wants to reveal and unmask these things for what they really are so that is why he makes this whole book, to compare how Soviet Russia could become this corrupt society and government.

Logic answers everything and is 100% correct, logic cannot be questioned (mathematically). D-503 believes in this throughout all of the novel (motif). This logical reasoning is very influential in the lives of the people under the One State's rule. and for them every problem can be solved by making functions (equations) based on how love and death work, "And hence, if "L" signifies love and "D" signifies death, then L=f(D) -- that is, love is a function of death," (119). D-503 pu)ts love, which is still not fully explained to us now and will probably never be explained (through science at least), all in an equation along with death. (BOOM! We can't even explain what love is but this guy who lives in a fictional world manages to solve it just by thinking and comparing it to an equation. Logic?) 

Language in this book derives from the fact that he is writing through thought process and first person. The fact that he is remembering what he did in throughout his day makes his thinking process choppy and unfinished. "And so what if something had been smashed to smithereens -- it doesn't matter! Just to carry her like this, carry her, carry her..." (127). His thought process completely cuts off because we are reading just some of the highlights of his day and what remains in his conscious mind. I also find that he leaves thoughts lingering and then proceeds with ellipses, "And then, once again; bees, lips, the sweet pain of blooming..." (116). Zamyatin uses the lingering thoughts to justify the fact that logic and total control of every aspect of a person's life will not answer every question that life has to offer. Nature's answers do not derive from a person's invention; we invented numbers right? Of course in their world of numbers, D-503's lingering thoughts cannot be solved by these means. There are no numbers within the world of the natural and its problems.

The setting of the book really helps with the fact of how they think and just their culture in general. "I walked along the X-axis (Fifty-ninth Avenue) to the origin of the coordinates[...] upside down buildings and people, my tortuously extraneous arms[...]" (82). The street he named the "X-Axis" compares to what the real name of it is. Another is, "I am almost alone in the building. I can see far into the distance of the sun-flooded walls: there are rooms hanging in the air[...]" (96). I am not really clear about the setting on this particular page but then just rambles on about there is something coming out of the darkness and shadows and he could hear the footsteps.