“Dull Villain”

The The New York Times review of The Circle contends that, in the end, “Mae, then, is not a victim but a dull villain.” The division between book one and book two in The Circle can be seen as this transition between Mae’s role as a victim to Circle indoctrination to a perpetrator of this ideology. Mae…

Diminished Individuality

Mae’s role as a perpetual ambassador for the Circle has diminished her individuality. Mae’s entire life is a carefully crafted for the camera. She has lost her ability to be her genuine self because she is hyper aware of her audience. In short, she is an actress in a show that never ends. A symbolic…

Blurred Lines between Reality and Fiction

Every few months a picture of people being on their phones while at a dinner or a party makes the rounds on social media. Although twitter and Facebook users are quick to denounce this anti-social behavior, the trend persists. In today’s social media culture people are so concerned with being up to date and curating…

Data and Privacy

The relationship between data collection and privacy is hotly contested issue in the modern arena. In the wake of startling revelations that the NSA listened to the calls of ordinary Americans, collected civilian text messages, and tapped into the servers of nine internet firms, many Americans began to fear the imminence of a big brother…

Comparing Campus Cultures from a Newbie Perspective

Penn State, much like the Circle, is a center for innovation, education, and social growth. As newbies, both Mae and I came into these environments with excitement and anxiety. We had to quickly pick up on the cultural norms of each institution. However, while my experience at Penn State is more centered around adopting tradition, Mae’s…