Dave Eggers: The Circle - Book Report/Review Example

Dave Eggers’ The Circle The Circle, by Dave Eggers, is a fascinating work of fiction, which contains outpouring ideas central to The Circle. The author succinctly expounds on the ideas of social construction and the deconstruction of privacy (Eggers 35). Dave uses a straight, mainstream; third-person limited narration. There is also a review of the increasing corporate ownership of privacy. This aims at exposing the consequent effects such an ownership may pose to the Western democracy (Eggers and Dion 62). Dave Eggers’ The Circle, tries to drive the idea that the way people disseminate information is power. Such a concept comes as true since what is withheld comes out as compelling as what is disclosed. For instance, in the current world, no one can lie to the public and just get into the thick (Eggers 128). All this depends on the mercies of the gatekeepers, therefore, in the internet age the world is at; the code owners manipulate the keys to the monarchy/kingdom. The concerns of Eggers in The Circle are long standing, yet in this fiction, the writer highlights the instincts of the real world to which the author holds up the mirror of his explicit art in the attempt to portray upon individuals the perils that continue to entangle humanity in today’s world. The Circle claims its name from a fictional West Coast Social media corporation that seem to have included all the earlier iterations ranging from Google, Twitter, as well as Facebook. The unprecedented rise of its female protagonist, Maebellin, features a lot (Eggers 25). Conspicuously, the name of the protagonist resonates closely with that of a brand of mascara, which gives the insinuations of masks and acting. Egger seems to propose that names matter a lot, not only to the author but also to its characters. For instance, some even go to some extent of picking new names for themselves on the internet as seen in Gina, who proclaims to have made the name ‘Zing’ for Mae (Eggers and Dion 58). A co-worker quickly expands the name Mae, a common name used by her colleagues, in order to align her up to the speed on her Circle duties. The rationale behind this naming ‘Zing’ is an amalgamation of tweeting, pinging, and texting that Mae has to perform in her duties (Eggers 102). At this level, many would align themselves with Egger view that the society is in a green and pleasant land of satirical utopia. In such a context, as reflected a lot in this fiction, recycling and organic abounds. For instance, many would reiterate how much they like the other, as well as the talk of the brave new world of virtual sharing and caring breeds monsters. This is a little close to home with what exactly happens in the current corporate world. Dave spins on what social media could do to or for the world, which makes it both interesting and scary to read. For instance, Mae starts her career after college from the help of her friend, Annie, who seems occupied in going places at a Silicon Valley mega social media corporation (Eggers 75). At first, the Circle seems harmless to Mae, as great rewards accompany the great work, the presence of the state of the art works out facilities, fine dining, as well as parlor living quarters. Such allocations of luxury rhyme too well with Mae’s soliloquy earlier where she exclaims in God’s name that the whole experience was like heaven (Eggers and Dion 32). The Circle begins as Mae wakes up to the reality that in her company is a lot of activities including requirements to attend and post online to bump her ratings in the Circle Community. There is some attachment to one of the Mottoes of the company that ‘sharing is caring’. This aligns exactly with what the current e-trends in the world associate considerably (Eggers 142). It is something that Mae has to deal with as she notices that her rating in the company is slipping down due to her inability to share. According to her colleagues, Mae problem is perception and lack of interest in sharing every aspect of her life, daily, with the world. The Circle also includes a creation of new programs to track and pry into the every part of the world’s life. Just as it is happening with the current e-generation, the close family, and friends of Mae find her obsession with her job wanting, especially the mystery man, the best thing for her or get her fired (Eggers 85). Those about to enter the job market or even those who are fear social media, in general, thus would greatly enjoy the Circle. Dave Eggers’ The Circle, is a response to what seem to happen to each and everyone in the current generation. One might point out that Dave love hyperbole a lot, as the outrageous exaggeration of online culture dominates his concerns (Eggers 101). The author exposes the elemental transformation of the contemporary human society. All through, Egger narrows these changes to the consistent and perpetual electronic connectedness. It is something that everyone has is in danger if they fail to embrace. The electronic world emerging is a reality one needed to take it on, something that Dave took responsibility (Eggers and Dion 70). As a result, Dave creation of this fiction is to wrap up his frustration of the current phenomenon in the e-world through The Circle. Looking carefully, The Circle is a hidden version of Google, and through Mae, ‘the circler’, landing a dream job at a tender age of 20 years is the hippest thing that the current generation would hope (Eggers 180). In such a creation, Dave connects well with the intrigues surrounding the internet-drowned generation. The Circle is, therefore, a creepy sort of insulated company, whereby every possible desire of the ‘circler’, majority of whom are below the age of 30, comes to their life. Dave points out at the on-site parties headlined by notable performers, posh residences, as well as bracing shoulders with clothing stores filled with the latest products. Satirically, Dave opinionated that ‘circler’ would never want to leave campus life, and why would they want to (Eggers and Dion 91). There is the scent of the crazy trap that Dave, through her protagonist Mae, brings along. In such a dynamic world, one needs to make sure that they are always participating in the company’s social media all the time (Eggers 135). Adopting a self-niche would amount to one not being a team player or even worse be classified as an antisocial. In this sense, one thing that Dave brings into limelight is that the Circle could not abide was the lack of complete participation at all times. There is the feeling that all is not okay within the company or could it be the birth of perfect society? As Mae adapts well to the changing trends, there is the insinuation in the air that ‘sharing is caring’ as one of the Circler’s founders highlights (Eggers 60). However, the question many would ask is why one would love to share as much as possible with everyone? In a reverent conclusion, therefore, keeping information to oneself is an act of theft in the internet world humanity is living today. Dave leaves every explanation in a symbolic state for the reader to unearth and connect with the reality in today’s world, something that makes this work of fiction more entertaining. Decisively, Dave Eggers’ The Circle, is a dystopian novel. Like all the subsequent books of the same genres, Dave does his best into embracing imagery, by holding a dark mirror up to present circumstances and thus encouraging the reader to ponder on what they perceive (Eggers 66). Upon reading, one feels the ham-handedness of the some of its chapters hence there is that awareness that one is being beaten over the head with the message. As pointed earlier, the exaggeration of the e-world today is not that off the mark. The truth is these things happen in the society. For instance, as Mae would have it again, the world has transformed into techno-profits, vowing to erase the ills of the society through exaggeration of data is as if heaven has come down on earth (Eggers 55). It is as if Dave shouts at everyone in today’s world to step back a bit, take that much needed breathe and ponder as to what humanity has done to the world. Therefore, the social implication of this novel, in that, if the social media corporation were to achieve that complete monopoly of all public and private information, then humanity would be in danger of becoming a totalitarian society. In conclusion, Dave’s novel goals ride directly on the surface of the narrative. Reading through, every scene comes out as a mini-lesson on the deceptive utopianism of the huge dot-coms (Eggers 125). The same is depicted in the superficiality and false emotional appeal of online ‘sharing’ or the disturbing atmosphere of voluntary corporate surveillance (Eggers and Dion 45). Combatively, it is true that people, today, due to the hype of the e-world, are enthusiastically giving up their privacy for expediency, societal benefit, or a needy and self-centered craving for avowal. Work cited Eggers, Dave, and Dion Graham. The Circle. Westminster, Md.: Books on Tape, 2013. Sound recording. Eggers, Dave. A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius: A Memoir Based on a True Story. London: Simon and Schuster, 2013. Print. Eggers, Dave. Short Short Stories. London: Penguin, 2005. Print. Eggers, Dave. The Circle: A Novel. , 2013. Print. Read More