We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

Description

“We” is a dystopian novel written by Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin. It was originally written in 1920 and first published in English in 1924. The novel is considered one of the earliest works of dystopian fiction and has had a significant influence on the genre.

“We” is set in a future society known as the One State, where individuality is suppressed, and citizens are assigned numbers instead of names. The story is narrated by D-503, a mathematician and engineer, who starts to experience emotions and desires that are forbidden by the state. The narrative unfolds through D-503’s journal entries and provides a chilling portrayal of a highly regimented and dehumanized society.

The novel explores themes such as the loss of individuality, the consequences of a surveillance state, and the conflict between personal freedom and the demands of a totalitarian government. “We” had a profound impact on later dystopian literature, including George Orwell’s “1984” and Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World.”

“We” faced censorship in the Soviet Union due to its perceived criticism of the Bolshevik regime. Despite this, the novel gained recognition outside the Soviet Union and has since become a classic of dystopian literature. It continues to be studied and discussed for its thought-provoking exploration of the human condition under extreme societal control.