When authors refer to other great works, people, and events, it’s usually not accidental. Put on your super-sleuth hat and figure out why.
Literary and Philosophical References
There's no specific literary or historical references in the book, though there are quite a few Biblical references (cited as "ancient mythology" in the book).
R-13 makes references to Adam and Eve midway through, positing the expulsion from Paradise as a choice between freedom (which the State hates) and obedience (which the State loves). "There were two in paradise and the choice was offered to them: happiness without freedom or freedom without happiness. No other choice." (11.11)
Later, D-503 compares S-4711's threat against him to the Biblical story of Abraham: "all in a cold sweat; with the knife already raised over his son, over himself, and suddenly a voice from above: 'Never mind... I was only joking.'" (39.29). His ruefulness and the stabbing irony of the story is very apparent here. In that sense, Zamyatin uses the Biblical allusions to further demonstrate D-503's emotional state, as well as his relationship to both the ancient "chaotic" past and the larger theological implications of The State's existence.
Historical References
Brook Taylor
This Taylor was undoubtedly the greatest genius of the ancients. (7.3)
D-503 makes multiple reference to Taylor, whose philosophies formed the basis of life in the State. Brook Taylor was an English mathematician, whose famous theories posited a function as an infinite sum. We're kind of terrified of math on this end of Shmoop—we're literary nerds and numbers are baffling and a little scary to us. But we asked the math team about it, and they got really excited. So it's probably no surprise that D-503 would revere Taylor so highly, since math quite literally defines his world.
Immanuel Kant
How could they write whole libraries about some Kant and take only slight notice of Taylor, of this prophet who saw ten centuries ahead? (7.3)
Immanuel Kant was an 18th century German philosopher whose works helped influence modern philosophy. Here, D-503 uses him as a derisive example of how wrong-headed we "ancients" are. Kant focused on questions of ethics and individual perception, so it's no surprise that D-503 isn't keen on his work.
Alexander Scriabin
Here you have an amusing illustration of their achievements: the music of Scriabin, twentieth century. (4.6)
Alexander Scriabin was a Russian composer in the early 20th Century, before the Russian Revolution. Despite that, his works held a great deal of influence in Soviet Russia, and the name would have been well known to Zamyatin's original readers.
Galieo
Their mistake was the mistake of Galileo; he was right in that the earth revolves around the sun, but he did not know that our whole solar system revolves around some other center. (30.21)
Galileo Galilei was the famous 17th Century astronomer, who famously championed the belief that the sun revolved around the earth. He was eventually arrested by the Church for heresy and forced to recant his beliefs. Besides the obvious scientific allusion, We seems to be using Galileo to emphasize D-503's own status as a persecuted figure.
Pop Culture References
Yeah, this isn't exactly a pop culture-friendly book: written by a Soviet Russian, set in the far future, and marked by a society that views art and entertainment as unnecessary distractions from the state. Pithy nods to the likes of Batman and Harry Potter are thus a little thin on the ground.