‘We comes from God, I from the Devil’: The Dystopian Novel that Changed Literature Forever
When critics are asked about the most influential dystopian novel, most will point to and laud the classics that have permeated nearly every English class in western education. Some may suggest The Giver by Lois Lowry or perhaps an even older novel such as Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. And understandably, many of these books have left their mark on the literary world, whether it be for their political insights or simply the prose and writing style. Yet, few can say what inspired these very books in the first place. If we were to look beyond the mid-19th century or the Soviet Union, one of the first true establishments of communism on which many dystopias are based, we would find arguably the most influential novel of the 19th century: We by Yevgeny Zamyatin.
In short, We tells a story about a world of pure logic and unity. Humans are labelled as permutations of letters and numbers, and they are stripped of their emotions and souls. However, amidst this world is a woman, I-330, who hooks D-503, the protagonist of this tale, with love. For those having read dystopian novels, this archetype may seem all too familiar. Alas, he is unable to remove himself from this life he had been so entrenched in, and the Benefactor, the state, ultimately triumphs.
Written in 1921, We was translated and introduced to the world where Soviet rule was not but a baby, and not the formidable sphere of influence it grew to be in the Cold War. So, as one might assume, it would be strange, even frightening, to find such stark similarities in a book before its time. However, there are unsettling parallels with the totalitarianistic governments which followed We’s publication that would surprise even the most talented historians of his time.
The most significant similarity, perhaps, is between D-503’s ending and how people under authoritarian rule become so brainwashed that they are unwilling to escape, even when provided the opportunity to. For example, take a look at modern-day North Korean defectors. It is no secret that North Koreans live in some of the most oppressive and inhuman conditions. However, many of these defectors admit to wanting to go back just as D-503 did, which is something unimaginable to us but is something that Zamyatin predicted. Joo Il-Yong, a Korean defector who escaped at the age of 13, puts it well: “In North Korea, we didn’t have to plan our lives– the state did that for us. But in the South, we have to take responsibility for our own lives.” Similarly, D-503 had experienced a hint of love and freedom but overcome with the burden of choice, eventually devolved back to what he was born into.
The Green Wall is another example of We’s depth. In the world of the novel, the Green Wall acts as a barrier between One State and the outside world, presumably (what exactly is outside is never explicitly stated). Similarly, the Soviet Union, North Korea, and even China use similar tactics to keep their citizens in check. The country that they live in is all they know and will know.
Apart from the ideas and beliefs that were well beyond its time, what influence has We had on the realm of literature? For starters, one of the most common tropes is someone that gives the protagonist a taste of liberation from their society, which leads them to embark on a journey to fill their hunger for this new life. In 1984, it was Julia. In the Uglies, it was David. In The Giver, it was the Giver. And in We, it was I-330. Sounds familiar?
More specifically, it was 1984 that We had the greatest influence on. In the Tribune published on 4th January 1946, Orwell commends the book’s ideas, and even goes to the extent that We is greater than Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. He writes, “It is this intuitive grasp of the irrational side of totalitarianism—human sacrifice, cruelty as an end in itself, the worship of a Leader who is credited with divine attributes—that makes Zamyatin’s book superior to Huxley’s.”
In spite of all of this, I will never be able to give justice to a book like We with mere comments. Instead, I urge you to take a trip to the mostly neglected bookshelves of our library. Give it a read, and with its history in mind, you will find a gripping story that may help you understand the world a little better.