"We" by Yevgeny Zamyatin

In this novel, a distopian society is controlled by the Benefactor and the set rules of One State.  The theme of this novel is total control and isolation.  This select society is set apart from the rest of the world.  They are constricted to specific Table of Hours, charting out what they do and when for every hour of the day.  Each minute of every day is the same.  The main character D-503, has met a woman named I-330, who is considered to be a rebel.  She is part of an underground rebellion against One State and hte Benefeactor.  To the contrary, D-503 is the builder of the INTEGRAL, a great structure in One State.  One State as a whole envies three things, the praise of One State, the Benefactor, and Mathematics.  of one were to stray from any path set for them the would have the Operation, eliminating any remnance of defiance against either three, leaving them to walk the right path set by One State.  D-503 is left with the predicament, following the thoughts inside of his mind which contradict each other.  Should he continue to join the group with I-330 who continues to seduce him, or follow the path that has been set by One State.  He strives to have some variety in his life, yet he depends on the set path to keep him on track.  He is left with this dilema until he recieves the Operation and watched I-330 be executed without feeling.  His emotions and memory of his relationship with I-330 has been erased, leaving him only to follow the path layed out for him. 

From this novel my personal favorite quote is "You Uranites, stern and black as early Spaniards, you who were wise enough to do some burning at the stake, you are silent; I think you're with me.  But you rosy Venusians... among you I hear something about torture, executions, a return to the age of barbarism.  I'm sorry for you, old dears.  You aren't up to the philosophical-mathematical thinking."  this society called One State views themselves as scholarly individuals, which earlier civilization did not have.  D-503  feels bad for the previous societies for not being up to the mathematical and philosophical level as they are.  One State, similar to other communitites had public executions.  Although, D-503 contradicts himself by saying that the other societies were barbaric.  One State had a public execution when I-330 was executed.  So, both previous civilizations and One State have executions and were both acting in a barbaric manner. 

In my personal opinion, i enjoyed reading this book.  The author portrays a different type of society, however being similar to todays.  This distopian society, completely controlled by one figure and one set of rules.  This draws parallels to the one head figure being our President, and hte one set of rukes, the Constitution.  Inevitably parallels can be drawn to compare societies, however, the community portrayed in the book is an extremist view.  Personally, the reading of this book created insight into the restriction a society can face.  I would recommend people to read this book.