The novel We was definitely not one of my favorites, but there were some interesting discoveries I made throughout. One of the more prominent aspects of the story was the usage of the colors yellow and blue. Statements involving these colors are used many times within the story. The first time they are used, or at least the first time that seems important to me, is when D-503 says, "It's spring. From beyond the Green Wall, from the wild plains out of sight in the distance, the wind is carrying the honeyed yellow pollen of som
e flower...And then what a sky! Blue, unsullied by a single cloud..." First of all, the season is spring. This implies that there will be some kind of new beginning. I see the yellow as a symbol for knowledge. This knowledge is just being planted in D-503, hence the pollen. The knowledge is coming from beyond the Green Wall, which is outside of D-503's world. The blue skies represent what D-503 is seeing as perfection. The entire city is made to be perfect. It is "unsullied by a single cloud," without any flaws. The Numbers' yunies are described as sky-blue. "'I'd like so much to come to your place today and let the blinds down. Today--right this minute,' said O, and shyly looked up at me with her round crystal blue eyes." O is the one who D knows is perfect for him. He should want to be with her, and be satisfied with the perfection in the pair of them. At first the color blue is used to show aspects of society that are held in high regard, that D is convinced are perfection. In addition, the color yellow, the knowledge, is seen as a wandering thought, not rooted yet in anything. Later on, I-330 changes into a yellow dress. This shocks D-503 as it is very different from the blue yunies he is used to seeing. Not only is the dress yellow, but it is BRIGHT yellow, and it is low cut. I-330 is seducing D-503 with her knowledge. This knowledge attracts D-503, and he realizes from the beginning that there is something special about I-330. He falls in love with her because of the knowledge she has over everyone else in the society. In the next record, D-503 dreams of the yellow dress, and juices pouring out of it. This shows what is becoming of his new found knowledge. Yes, he believes he is sick, but in reality he is just realizing more and more about his surroundings. Another time I-330 changed into a yellow dress, it was not as bright as the first dress, but D-503 still saw the "evil" in it. This is because he was beginning to develop thoughts for himself, without as much help from I-330's seduction. And then the question arises. On page 91, D-503 explains how he makes eye contact with a yellow-eyed beast outside of the Green Wall. "And then a little thought wormed its way into my head: 'And what if yellow-eyes, in his stupid, dirty pile of leaves, in his uncalculated life, is happier than us?'" This is a turning point at which D-503 is realizing that life with knowledge is in reality better than living a life where all flaws are hidden in ignorance. All of this progression of D-503's knowledge rises at a steady rate until the end of the novel where his imagination is removed. At this point he says that the sky is clear that day, meaning it is blue again, "unsullied by a single cloud." He has returned to his initial mind, without any worldly knowledge.
e flower...And then what a sky! Blue, unsullied by a single cloud..." First of all, the season is spring. This implies that there will be some kind of new beginning. I see the yellow as a symbol for knowledge. This knowledge is just being planted in D-503, hence the pollen. The knowledge is coming from beyond the Green Wall, which is outside of D-503's world. The blue skies represent what D-503 is seeing as perfection. The entire city is made to be perfect. It is "unsullied by a single cloud," without any flaws. The Numbers' yunies are described as sky-blue. "'I'd like so much to come to your place today and let the blinds down. Today--right this minute,' said O, and shyly looked up at me with her round crystal blue eyes." O is the one who D knows is perfect for him. He should want to be with her, and be satisfied with the perfection in the pair of them. At first the color blue is used to show aspects of society that are held in high regard, that D is convinced are perfection. In addition, the color yellow, the knowledge, is seen as a wandering thought, not rooted yet in anything. Later on, I-330 changes into a yellow dress. This shocks D-503 as it is very different from the blue yunies he is used to seeing. Not only is the dress yellow, but it is BRIGHT yellow, and it is low cut. I-330 is seducing D-503 with her knowledge. This knowledge attracts D-503, and he realizes from the beginning that there is something special about I-330. He falls in love with her because of the knowledge she has over everyone else in the society. In the next record, D-503 dreams of the yellow dress, and juices pouring out of it. This shows what is becoming of his new found knowledge. Yes, he believes he is sick, but in reality he is just realizing more and more about his surroundings. Another time I-330 changed into a yellow dress, it was not as bright as the first dress, but D-503 still saw the "evil" in it. This is because he was beginning to develop thoughts for himself, without as much help from I-330's seduction. And then the question arises. On page 91, D-503 explains how he makes eye contact with a yellow-eyed beast outside of the Green Wall. "And then a little thought wormed its way into my head: 'And what if yellow-eyes, in his stupid, dirty pile of leaves, in his uncalculated life, is happier than us?'" This is a turning point at which D-503 is realizing that life with knowledge is in reality better than living a life where all flaws are hidden in ignorance. All of this progression of D-503's knowledge rises at a steady rate until the end of the novel where his imagination is removed. At this point he says that the sky is clear that day, meaning it is blue again, "unsullied by a single cloud." He has returned to his initial mind, without any worldly knowledge. My favorite quote from We is the one above, about the beast with yellow eyes. It was such a major point in the novel, and it really struck me. The question is so blunt and conclusive that it is surprising to hear it coming from D-503 who had, up to this point, taken a large amount of time to collect his thoughts on any topic.
This book, while mildly compelling, was not one of my favorites. I think this is because of the shape of the society that Zamyatin created. I couldn't picture very well the society and how it was set up. Although the lack of detailed imagery provides for an open interpretation of the novel, I would have liked to be able to picture the setting more clearly.
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