“The Circle” Annotation

Author: Dave Eggers

Orignal Publication Date: October 8, 2013

Brief Overview: Within this excerpt from The Circle, Eggers describes a scenario from the perspective of a character named Mae, in which she commits a crime and must endure the consequences that follow.

Important Vocabulary: Phosphorescence, meaning light emitted by a substance without combustion or perceptible heat. Permutation, meaning a way, especially one of several possible variations, in which a set or number of things can be ordered or arranged. Denunciation, meaning public condemnation of someone or something.

Initial Reactions: This except from The Circle raises an interesting question about human privacy and the nature of secrets. At worst, secrets involve lies and deception, and at best involve careful omission. It would be difficult to make the claim that deception and omission are positive in most scenarios (although situations like experimental research and planning a surprise may require it); however, the inability for (at least) perceived privacy becomes eerily reminiscent of Big Brother. The final three statements, “Secrets are Lies,” “Sharing is Caring” and “Privacy is Theft” only apply in a world in which the acquisition of knowledge knows no bounds, and the individual is stripped of their personhood. Although lies can be destructive, I shudder at the alternative: monitoring one’s behavior quickly becomes controlling their actions. Needless to say, I am extremely interested in reading the book in its entirety.