Symbols in we Flashcards
Hairy paws
D-503’s hairy hands symbolize his inner conflict between wanting to follow the strict logic required by the One State and dealing with his natural human emotions, which he’s supposed to suppress. These hands, which he finds ugly, represent the struggle he faces with his own actions that sometimes don’t make sense and aren’t predictable, even though he tries hard to stay logical and follow rules. Despite his efforts to deny these natural feelings and behaviors, illustrated by his “hairy paws,” it becomes clear that such emotions and illogical actions can’t just be pushed away or ignored. This shows that human feelings and instincts are always present, no matter how much someone tries to control or deny them.
Variable X
In “We,” D-503 often uses the mathematical symbol “X” to describe things that are unpredictable or that he can’t fully understand. His use of “X” highlights two main points:
D-503’s reliance on mathematics: This character strongly depends on math to make sense of the world, especially when he encounters something unfamiliar or frightening. By using “X,” he tries to apply a mathematical approach to explain what he cannot easily grasp or is afraid of. This shows his deep trust in math as a tool to understand and control his environment.
Struggle with the unknown: Whenever D-503 faces something that he cannot explain or is reluctant to explore deeper, he labels it as “X.” This indicates his discomfort with admitting that some aspects of the world, and human behavior, are beyond his comprehension or control. He is hesitant to acknowledge that not everything can be logically explained or predicted.
D-503’s association of “X” with I-330, a character he finds both fascinating and perplexing, underscores his struggle. I-330’s motives and thoughts remain unclear to him, much like an unsolvable problem in mathematics. He describes I-330 as having an “irritating X,” which frustrates him because, like irrational numbers, she represents a challenge without a clear resolution.
The symbol “X” shows the limitations of logic and rational thinking when faced with the complex, unpredictable nature of the world and human emotions. Despite D-503’s attempts to understand I-330 and other uncertainties through a mathematical lens, he learns that some things, especially human thoughts and feelings, remain fundamentally unknowable and cannot be quantified or predicted with precision.
Colours
Blue as Clarity and Transparency:
Blue symbolizes clarity, certainty, and comfort for D-503. He particularly notes the blue of the sky on clear days, suggesting that this color represents a kind of transparency that allows one to see deeply into things, revealing their true nature and the mathematical beauty he believes exists in all things. This association with blue reflects his desire for a world that is understandable and predictable, where everything can be quantified and explained through logic.
Yellow as Opacity and the Unknown:
Contrarily, yellow represents the opposite: opacity, mystery, and the unsettling unknown. Zamyatin uses yellow to depict moments when D-503 feels uncertain or when he is engaging in activities that deviate from the One State’s norms. The example of I-330 wearing a yellow dress, an act of individual expression forbidden in their society, underscores how yellow is linked to the dangerous allure of the forbidden and the fear of the unknown. D-503’s perception of days filled with yellow, likened to “desiccated, incandescent sand,” symbolizes his distress and confusion in the face of ambiguity and unpredictability.
Color as a Means of Expression:
Despite the One State’s condemnation of individual creativity and expression, D-503 uses colors as a subtle way to make personal, subjective observations about his world. This method allows him to navigate the restrictions placed on expressions of individuality by providing a somewhat objective lens—since colors can be seen by everyone—through which he can still convey his personal perceptions and emotions. This balancing act reveals D-503’s internal conflict between the imposed need for logical description and his suppressed individual creativity and emotional responses.
The symbolism of colors in “We” illustrates D-503’s complex relationship with his environment and his internal struggle. Through blue, he seeks clarity and the comfort of logic, while yellow brings him face to face with the fears and desires he tries to repress. By attributing colors to his experiences, D-503 inadvertently reveals his own capacity for individuality and emotion, challenging the One State’s efforts to suppress these inherently human traits.
