You can't tell a story about a totalitarian regime without talking about power. The state in We controls every aspect of its citizens' lives. They're so obsessed with control that everyone actually lives in glass apartments and they can't even use the bathroom alone. The One State wants their citizens to act like living machines, devoid of individuality or anything that might get in the way of The Plan.
Naturally we see points later on in the book where that power starts to slip. Chaos rumbles in, the Green Wall starts to come down and all of that power and control suddenly looks like a paper tiger. And weirdly enough, that constitutes a sort of happy ending…. Even though D-503 clearly doesn't think so.
Questions About Power
- D-503 seems to be a very powerful and important figure, and yet he's often powerless before other characters in the book. What does that say about the nature of power?
- Why is the most powerful character in the book—the Well-Doer—seemingly composed entirely of metal?
- How does I-330 exercise power? How does O-90? How do those methods differ?
- At what points in the book does D-503 feel powerful? What does that say about the nature of power?
Chew on This
Power in this world stems solely through collective action. Even MEPHI must act together if it wishes to defy the State.
Power is ultimately in the hands of individuals, whose choices to act are like pebbles that start an avalanche.