Reflective Surfaces in “We”
In my previous blog post, I examined the prevalence of eye- and sight-related language in Alexander Kuprin’s “Liquid Sunshine.” While it is tempting to continue in that same vein and discuss the role of eyes in the context of Yevgeny Zamyatin’s We, I was even more drawn to the creative ways in which Zamyatin manipulates different forms of reflection—namely, mirrors and shadows—throughout the story. In a city made almost entirely of glass, many opportunities arise for individuals in the One State to observe each other’s behavior. Despite the preponderance of windows, however, characters rarely have access to mirrors and, consequently, access to reflective tools for introspection. The primary site containing mirrors is the Ancient House, the only location in the One State not entirely constructed out of transparent glass. When D-503 and I-330 first visit the Ancient House, they stop in front of a mirrored wardrobe door. Upon future visits to the Ancient House, they repeatedly make reference to the mirror, especially as it relates to I-330 and her eyes.
After D-503 and I-330 first begin their dalliance, D-503 begins to engage in reflective processes. During his first visit to the Ancient House, he sees himself reflected in I-330’s eyes and feels “unnatural and unlike [himself]” (Zamyatin, 27). He later describes how he “became glass. [He] saw—within [him]self” (56). Though D-503 views himself in a certain light, once he looks within himself, his self-perception fractures. He notes that there “were two of [him]. The former one, D-503, number D-503, and the other…” (56). The incompatibility of the rigid, rule-abiding pre-I-330 D-503 and the now-rebellious D-503 only becomes manifest after D-503 views himself as a makeshift mirror. This realization is soon followed up by another mirror-related event, wherein D-503 examines himself in a mirror and realizes, “for the first time in my life—yes, for the first time—I see myself clearly, sharply, consciously…and I know: he, with his straight eyebrows, is a stranger, alien to me, someone I am meeting for the first time in my life” (59-60). Again, only once D-503 glances in a mirror does the dissonance between his prior and present selves become evident. Mirrors, which are inherently reflective bodies, betray the disconnect between a person’s perceived and actual self. The act of engaging in both the literal and figurative reflective processes enables D-503 to comprehend the ways in which his insurrectionary transformation contravenes his past image as a devout member of the One State.
While the presence of mirrors in the novel empowers characters to understand more about incongruities in their worldviews and self-concepts, shadows obscure some of the malevolent forces invading the One State. Because shadows are a form of darkness contingent on reflection from light, they seem to have an inverse relationship to reflection than do mirrors. After D-503 begins to feel paranoid about his involvement with I-330, he envisions that S-4711 is his “gray-blue, two-dimensional shadow” (86), a ubiquitous and sinister force that accompanies him wherever he goes. In addition, D-503 refers to his dreaded √-1 and other irrational formulas as “fantastic, prickly shadows” (101) whose presence is not readily apparent but whose effects are easily felt. As the revolution draws closer, D-503 even tells I-330 that he is certain that “tomorrow there will be no shadows. No man, no object will cast a shadow….The sun will shine through everything” (183). Shadows, despite their relationship to reflection, appear far more menacing than their mirrored counterparts. However, a far more detailed analysis of the mentions of shadows throughout the novel could provide more insight into how they function throughout the story.
But back to mirrors. Though Zamyatin’s exploration of the potential of mirrors to absorb, to obtain three dimensions is certainly an interesting thought experiment. However, what I found more compelling about Zamyatin’s use of mirrors was the idea that mirrors could be use for self-policing. Forcing reflection is, in some ways, an inherently individualistic act – and individualism is entirely inconsistent with the conception of state and society in We. This is consistent with D-503’s dismay at his development of a soul, the presence of which makes him and marks him as an individual. At the same time though, introspection might be a useful tool for the One State. D-503 is aware of his transgressions – most importantly that they are transgressions and that transgressions are bad. I did draw a lot of parallels to 1984, which is only natural given that 1984 came out of the rich tradition Zamyatin started with We. I especially thought of the potential for the mirror device to have been used differently by Zamyatin as a tool of the state. It is possible that he was protecting the individual by not using the mirror and self reflection as another method of controlling citizens: by discouraging the creation of the individual across the board, the One State must rely on the Guardians to police its citizens. If a token amount of individuality were encouraged, then the mirror and introspection might be used as a method of slow psychological warfare on the population. However, without souls, the numbers of the One State have nothing to reflect on except their literal reflection, and the mirror remains two-dimensional.
whoops left out the first bit: I also wanted to write about mirrors and reflection, but first I wanted to emphasize a couple of points that you brought up. First, on the point of shadows, I wanted to reinforce that shadows are (as any good Song of Fire and Ice fan knows!) children of the light. One could think of “the One State” or The Guardians as casting a great amount of light, and those who get in its way are then plagued by shadows (you get to this point with the quote from page 183, which I too found quite telling). I disagree with shadows as the opposite of reflection – I prefer to think of them as a function of obstacles, as you seem to arrive at towards the end of your post.
Very interesting!
(And interesting to look back from the point of view of Invitation to a Beheading, where Cincinnatus is opaque while everyone else is transparent. D-503 becomes opaque, feeling himself containing and concealing things he doesn’t dare reveal – while Cincinnatus is somehow genetically opaque, with a peculiar and noble difference from the rest of the society he finds himself in.)