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Record 21
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in We, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Individuality vs. Collectivism
Alienation
Fear of the Unknown
Repression of Desire
Summary
Analysis
D-503 writes about how the ciphers’ recent Table-scheduled walk was interrupted when a condemned young cipher being escorted by a quadrangle of guards tried to look for someone in D-503’s row. The guards begin to hit the young cipher with an electrical whip. Suddenly, a female cipher leaves D-503’s row and demands that the guards stop hurting the boy. As the guards accost her, D-503 is suddenly certain that the woman is I-330. Instinctually, he throws himself at the guards to protect her, only then realizing the woman is actually a stranger.
This is another instance that shows how rebellion is actually quite common in the One State, despite D-503’s earlier insistence that rebellion is rare. When D-503 lunges toward the woman he thinks is I-330, it’s an emotionally charged moment where he acts on his repressed desires and human instincts, going against the State to assist the woman he loves.
Themes
D-503 wants to defend his impulsive—and mistaken— leap by shouting “There she is! Get her!” but finds he can’t speak. He tries to rationalize his actions to the guards, but they carry him away to be arrested. Suddenly, S appears and tells the guards D-503 is sick and can’t be held accountable for his misguided actions. D-503 proclaims his allegiance to the Benefactor, and he resumes walking in step everyone else, though he feels internally alienated from them.
