Well... This will be probably the most reflection-y post to date. This post will be more about a concept rather than concrete facts and events and stuff. The concept that is big enough to be my last post is of course, the book's name. The way I see it, the term is a spoof on the national government. Sometimes, the national government is referred to as "big brother". I think this is meant to portray the government as something that cares for and is always looking out for its citizens. It is supposed to show that, like a big brother, the government is always watching over you. Using "little brother" is like a parody of this. In the same way that a little brother looks after an older brother, Marcus and the X-net look out for the government. A little brother will observe his brother and keep quiet about some of his wrongdoings, but will eventually tell if things get worse. He puts a check on his older brother, keeping him from getting too crazy. In the book, Marcus and the X-net have a similar relationship with the national government. It watches the government and does what it can to keep the government in line. By calling the book "Little Brother", the author successfully shows both contempt for the government (by spoofing it) and the fact that the national government won't be allowed to just sit and do whatever it wants. Rather, it has something looking after it so it had better behave because it would no longer be able to get away with everything. It's like issuing a warning to the government, "we are watching you".
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well developed in a way that we see their faults as well. The plot, though unlikely, is entirely possible. Although I didn't understand most of the techy stuff, it gave the book more credibility, as most of that stuff is possible. When reading the book, everything seems so far-fetched. But, when you really think about it, this could actually happen. If you look at recent history, in the last few years especially, after every supposed and attempted terrorist attacks, security measures have tightened. It's only a matter of time before we get to the same stage as in the beginning of Little Brother. Then, if there was another huge terrorist attack like that in the book, there's no telling what the government might do. They very well might kidnap and terrorize innocent people if they think that that'll keep the other citizens safe. Though it's a scary thought, this book may prove to be prophetic in at least some ways. It shows a country self-destructing due to paranoia of terrorism. In other words, it shows a country on which terrorism is successful. Then, it shows a "war" through technology, which I think will be the new arena for fighting. This rebellion is led by teenagers. I think it is likely that teenagers would lead the rebellion as they would be the ones most adverse to having their privacy and freedom taken away. Also, they would know more about the new technology than other generations. Of course, they end up winning in the book. I'm not sure about what would happen in real like though. It seems like too much of a fairy tale ending to actually happen. However, anything is possible (supposedly...)
-Lina >.<
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Little Brother - Antagonists
Well... The main antagonists in the book are actually connected to the United States government. The overarching "bad guy" is the Department of Homeland Security. Underneath that, the lady with the severe haircut especially antagonizes Marcus. The whole plot of the book is Marcus trying to get back at the DHS and save Darryl. The first thing that they do directly is the most obvious. While trying to get help for Darryl after the terrorist attack, Marcus and the foursome are kidnapped. At first, Marcus follows the logical train of thought and thinks that his kidnappers are the terrorists. If I had been in his position, I would have thought the exact same thing. These people treated them roughly, it was in the immediate vicinity of the attack, and it was immediately after the attack. All signs pointed to them being terrorists. However, it turns out to be the DHS. The lady with the severe haircut treats Marcus not-very-nicely. She interrogates him and demands information from him. When Marcus doesn't comply, she basically tortures him. When they finally release him, she threatens him with death if he ever told about what happened to him. Based off the information given, this woman seems like she could be an average, everyday woman. At the end, we find out that her name is Carrie Johnstone. A common name for a common-looking woman; she could easily blend in. However, when you look at the way she treats Marcus, she is not average. Most people would at least feel a little bad about torturing Marcus. Most people would show some sympathy or empathy. Most people would care a little bit. She doesn't. Never once does a book make it seem like the woman has any sort of conscience. She may only actively be in the book for part of the book, but she is Marcus' main opponent.
At the end of the book, right around when it seems like the DHL won't do anything to Marcus, they kidnap him again. This time, they take him from the tent he was sharing with Zeb. He actually knows where they take him this time. Gitmo-of-the-Bay, or Treasure island, is where the DHS keeps their prisoners, like Darryl and Zeb. Marcus (and us) first learn about Gitmo-of-the-Bay from the letter from Zeb. When Marcus is taken back to Gitmo-of-the-bay, they torture him even more. I think what they do is called water boarding, pouring water up this nose to make it feel like he was drowning. In the very end though, Barbara and her news crew come in and save the day. The way that they handle their prison and prisoners makes me think about the Stanford Prison Experiment. These people are all Americans, fighting against terrorism; just like how all the prison experimentees were average college students. The way that the DHS treats Marcus, and Darryl, and everyone else is truly like how the experiment went ugly. At least in my head...
Though it is a part of our government, in this book, the Department of Homeland Security goes way out of line. They may have been instructed to find and detain the terrorists, but they way in which they do it is rather unacceptable, to me. They literally kidnapped people off the streets and then interrogated without giving them the basic legal rights that citizens have. They also just assumed that these people were guilty, Instead of asking the logical questions (did you do it?), they asked questions like how something was done. This shows that there is no doubt in their minds that Marcus is guilty. The lady with the severe haircut is especially malicious. As the one who directly interacts with Marcus, she obviously is portrayed as more of an antagonist (because we are seeing this through Marcus's eyes). What's worse than her methods are the ways in which she carries them out; without any regret or remorse at all.
Though he never does anything serious to them, Charles is another antagonist in the book. It seems to me like while the DHS challenges the adult part of Marcus, Charles challenges the child part of Marcus. While the DHS do some pretty serious things to Marcus, Charles only does things that are annoying and bothersome, but not that bad. Marcus and Charles have always been enemies. Back when they were LARPers, Charles didn't play fair and Marcus and Darryl got in trouble for getting back at him. Since then, they have hated each other. In the beginning of the book, Charles is introduced as being a bully who sucks up to teachers. He almost busts them when they are sneaking out, but Marcus is able to use is techy skills to get them out of it. in class, he always counters everything that Marcus says. The most major thing that he does is to stop Masha and Marcus from escaping the vampire event. He had recorded Marcus leading the event and threatens to turn both of them in. He is clearly not very smart, as Masha is able to trick him into thinking that she works for the DHS and then steal his phone. Though Charles never really does anything to Marcus, at least not in the same way as the DHS, he is still a nuisance.
What I think is very interesting about this book is the fact that it's Marcus vs. the DHS. I mean, he took on a part of the government for gosh sake! Who would've actually thought that he would win? With the help of all his friends, he, the protagonist, is able to take down the DHS, the antagonist, and that gives this book a happy ending. Marcus finds Darryl again, they are all friends again, the DHS has been taken down, severe haircut lady is sent to Iraq, the world knows the truth, security measures are loosened, and Marcus has a girlfriend to boot. If that isn't a happy ending, then I don't know what is!
-Lina >.<
At the end of the book, right around when it seems like the DHL won't do anything to Marcus, they kidnap him again. This time, they take him from the tent he was sharing with Zeb. He actually knows where they take him this time. Gitmo-of-the-Bay, or Treasure island, is where the DHS keeps their prisoners, like Darryl and Zeb. Marcus (and us) first learn about Gitmo-of-the-Bay from the letter from Zeb. When Marcus is taken back to Gitmo-of-the-bay, they torture him even more. I think what they do is called water boarding, pouring water up this nose to make it feel like he was drowning. In the very end though, Barbara and her news crew come in and save the day. The way that they handle their prison and prisoners makes me think about the Stanford Prison Experiment. These people are all Americans, fighting against terrorism; just like how all the prison experimentees were average college students. The way that the DHS treats Marcus, and Darryl, and everyone else is truly like how the experiment went ugly. At least in my head...
Though it is a part of our government, in this book, the Department of Homeland Security goes way out of line. They may have been instructed to find and detain the terrorists, but they way in which they do it is rather unacceptable, to me. They literally kidnapped people off the streets and then interrogated without giving them the basic legal rights that citizens have. They also just assumed that these people were guilty, Instead of asking the logical questions (did you do it?), they asked questions like how something was done. This shows that there is no doubt in their minds that Marcus is guilty. The lady with the severe haircut is especially malicious. As the one who directly interacts with Marcus, she obviously is portrayed as more of an antagonist (because we are seeing this through Marcus's eyes). What's worse than her methods are the ways in which she carries them out; without any regret or remorse at all.
Though he never does anything serious to them, Charles is another antagonist in the book. It seems to me like while the DHS challenges the adult part of Marcus, Charles challenges the child part of Marcus. While the DHS do some pretty serious things to Marcus, Charles only does things that are annoying and bothersome, but not that bad. Marcus and Charles have always been enemies. Back when they were LARPers, Charles didn't play fair and Marcus and Darryl got in trouble for getting back at him. Since then, they have hated each other. In the beginning of the book, Charles is introduced as being a bully who sucks up to teachers. He almost busts them when they are sneaking out, but Marcus is able to use is techy skills to get them out of it. in class, he always counters everything that Marcus says. The most major thing that he does is to stop Masha and Marcus from escaping the vampire event. He had recorded Marcus leading the event and threatens to turn both of them in. He is clearly not very smart, as Masha is able to trick him into thinking that she works for the DHS and then steal his phone. Though Charles never really does anything to Marcus, at least not in the same way as the DHS, he is still a nuisance.
What I think is very interesting about this book is the fact that it's Marcus vs. the DHS. I mean, he took on a part of the government for gosh sake! Who would've actually thought that he would win? With the help of all his friends, he, the protagonist, is able to take down the DHS, the antagonist, and that gives this book a happy ending. Marcus finds Darryl again, they are all friends again, the DHS has been taken down, severe haircut lady is sent to Iraq, the world knows the truth, security measures are loosened, and Marcus has a girlfriend to boot. If that isn't a happy ending, then I don't know what is!
-Lina >.<
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Little Brother - Security
Well... Security, much like terrorism, is a driving force in the book. Security is supposed to make us feel safe. It's supposed to prevent bad things from happening. Or catch the bad guys if something bad happens. Or keep you safe in case something bad happens. In general, security is there for our safety.
In the book, security is much stricter than it is now. Marcus' school provides a good example of this. Nowadays, many schools have surveillance cameras. These are an accepted fort of security. In the book, the school has gait-recognition cameras. These look at the way people walk and identify them based on that. Though not completely accurate, this gives the school a way to basically track all the students at all times within the building. Even worse are the face recognition cameras that were used before the gait recognition. These were taken down as they were deemed illegal. Even though they basically do the same thing, track students, the gait recognition just do it in a way that's less obvious. Another way that the school keeps track of the students is through library books. Since they are not allowed to put tracking mechanisms directly on students, they put them in the library books. By keeping track of where the book is and which student has it, the school can effectively track students. I think that these security measures are a bit extreme. Though they are technically allowed, I think that they encroach into people's privacy. Safety is important, but how much of our freedom should we give up for it?
After the terrorist attack, security only gets worse. The government tracks all sorts of things to identify terrorist suspects. Among these are the use of credit, debit cards, the cards used for the BART, etc. From this information, they can basically see where you go and when. When they see a little change in your usual pattern, they immediately react and question you. This happens to Marcus. I think this is a major invasion of privacy. The government should not be able to know exactly where you are at specific times. Also, the fact that this information is perfectly viable as proof in a case made against you makes it even worse. People could no longer go anywhere or do anything without the government knowing. When the government can then go and accuse people who run slightly differently than others of being terrorists, then the government most definitely either has too much power or is abusing the power it has. Or both.
Back at school, security is also upped with new cameras in the classrooms. Just like with the terrorism, the debate between Marcus and Charles holds many interesting points. Yes, the point of security is in fact to make us safer. For the most part, people do feel safer with more security around. However, security does incite a little fear as it tends to make people nervous and they almost anticipate something bad to happen. Most of all however, is that surveillance and all their security would do nothing to actively help them. If a terrorist had walked in and started shooting everyone, all those cameras and everything would not be able to do anything to help. They would not stop the shooter from shooting or hurting anyone. Maybe afterward, they could identify the shooter and understand what happened, but not matter how many cameras and such surveillance is used, nothing would have stopped that shooter. Therefore, it brings on the question of why do we need security then? Marcus also brings up the fact that the government was effectively ignoring parts of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. They are taking away Freedom of Speech and many other basic rights. Security is necessary, but I think it's more for people to think that they are safe than to actually make people safe.
Marcus along with his mother and his father have very different views about security. Marcus and his mom think that the government had taken surveillance to a level much, much too high. They think that the government has no right in accusing Marcus to be a terrorist just because his travel patterns were a little different than before. Marcus' father on the other had, supports the government. He believes that as long as the purpose of making people safer, then almost anything is acceptable. Marcus and his father have a few fights over this topic. The first happens after Marcus gets questioned by the cops for having "suspicious" BART patterns. Marcus mother usually takes his side, but she doesn't get very involved.
Like with terrorism, there is a fine line between a good amount of security and to much. I've already used this example, but I'm going to use it again. This debate is embodied in the controversy over the full body scanning machines that are being introduced into airports. These were started to be used because of an attempted terrorist attack. Some people say that these are necessary precautionary measures while others think that these are too intrusive. Even though the picture is computer generated and vague, someone is still seeing a naked picture of you. Especially with children, how can this be considered perfectly alright? As security goes up, our rights go down. I personally am not sure about these new machines. I have been through them myself once or twice and they did make me feel uncomfortable. The idea that someone was looking at a picture of me, that was really weird and creepy. But, I do recognize that it is just for security purposes. Where do we draw the line between security that is acceptable and security that is unacceptable? In other words, how many of our rights can they take away before people rebel like Marcus?
I think that security can be both a good and a bad thing. If in the right amounts, then security can help us. It can make up feel safer. Also, presuming that criminals also know about this security, they would be discouraged to do anything and the world would be a safer place. But, too much of a good thing is bad. If like in the book, our security gets ramped up, I would not like it. I feel like all the tracking methods (cameras, credit cards, etc.) are a huge invasion of privacy. The government should not be able to know what you are doing and when. It should also not be allowed to us this information to accuse and question people just because they do not fit with the average. Even though all this security is said to protect you, it would actually not do anything for protection. So, what really is the point of having security? I believe that security is necessary and an inevitable part of life. However, when taken too far it can be used incorrectly in many ways and no good can come of it.
-Lina >.<
In the book, security is much stricter than it is now. Marcus' school provides a good example of this. Nowadays, many schools have surveillance cameras. These are an accepted fort of security. In the book, the school has gait-recognition cameras. These look at the way people walk and identify them based on that. Though not completely accurate, this gives the school a way to basically track all the students at all times within the building. Even worse are the face recognition cameras that were used before the gait recognition. These were taken down as they were deemed illegal. Even though they basically do the same thing, track students, the gait recognition just do it in a way that's less obvious. Another way that the school keeps track of the students is through library books. Since they are not allowed to put tracking mechanisms directly on students, they put them in the library books. By keeping track of where the book is and which student has it, the school can effectively track students. I think that these security measures are a bit extreme. Though they are technically allowed, I think that they encroach into people's privacy. Safety is important, but how much of our freedom should we give up for it?
After the terrorist attack, security only gets worse. The government tracks all sorts of things to identify terrorist suspects. Among these are the use of credit, debit cards, the cards used for the BART, etc. From this information, they can basically see where you go and when. When they see a little change in your usual pattern, they immediately react and question you. This happens to Marcus. I think this is a major invasion of privacy. The government should not be able to know exactly where you are at specific times. Also, the fact that this information is perfectly viable as proof in a case made against you makes it even worse. People could no longer go anywhere or do anything without the government knowing. When the government can then go and accuse people who run slightly differently than others of being terrorists, then the government most definitely either has too much power or is abusing the power it has. Or both.
Back at school, security is also upped with new cameras in the classrooms. Just like with the terrorism, the debate between Marcus and Charles holds many interesting points. Yes, the point of security is in fact to make us safer. For the most part, people do feel safer with more security around. However, security does incite a little fear as it tends to make people nervous and they almost anticipate something bad to happen. Most of all however, is that surveillance and all their security would do nothing to actively help them. If a terrorist had walked in and started shooting everyone, all those cameras and everything would not be able to do anything to help. They would not stop the shooter from shooting or hurting anyone. Maybe afterward, they could identify the shooter and understand what happened, but not matter how many cameras and such surveillance is used, nothing would have stopped that shooter. Therefore, it brings on the question of why do we need security then? Marcus also brings up the fact that the government was effectively ignoring parts of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. They are taking away Freedom of Speech and many other basic rights. Security is necessary, but I think it's more for people to think that they are safe than to actually make people safe.
Marcus along with his mother and his father have very different views about security. Marcus and his mom think that the government had taken surveillance to a level much, much too high. They think that the government has no right in accusing Marcus to be a terrorist just because his travel patterns were a little different than before. Marcus' father on the other had, supports the government. He believes that as long as the purpose of making people safer, then almost anything is acceptable. Marcus and his father have a few fights over this topic. The first happens after Marcus gets questioned by the cops for having "suspicious" BART patterns. Marcus mother usually takes his side, but she doesn't get very involved.
Like with terrorism, there is a fine line between a good amount of security and to much. I've already used this example, but I'm going to use it again. This debate is embodied in the controversy over the full body scanning machines that are being introduced into airports. These were started to be used because of an attempted terrorist attack. Some people say that these are necessary precautionary measures while others think that these are too intrusive. Even though the picture is computer generated and vague, someone is still seeing a naked picture of you. Especially with children, how can this be considered perfectly alright? As security goes up, our rights go down. I personally am not sure about these new machines. I have been through them myself once or twice and they did make me feel uncomfortable. The idea that someone was looking at a picture of me, that was really weird and creepy. But, I do recognize that it is just for security purposes. Where do we draw the line between security that is acceptable and security that is unacceptable? In other words, how many of our rights can they take away before people rebel like Marcus?
I think that security can be both a good and a bad thing. If in the right amounts, then security can help us. It can make up feel safer. Also, presuming that criminals also know about this security, they would be discouraged to do anything and the world would be a safer place. But, too much of a good thing is bad. If like in the book, our security gets ramped up, I would not like it. I feel like all the tracking methods (cameras, credit cards, etc.) are a huge invasion of privacy. The government should not be able to know what you are doing and when. It should also not be allowed to us this information to accuse and question people just because they do not fit with the average. Even though all this security is said to protect you, it would actually not do anything for protection. So, what really is the point of having security? I believe that security is necessary and an inevitable part of life. However, when taken too far it can be used incorrectly in many ways and no good can come of it.
-Lina >.<
Monday, April 4, 2011
Little Brother - Terrorism
Well... Tonight I'm going to try and tackle a big one. Terrorism is a major theme in the book. It is what makes the story keep on going, like a motor. The only reason that Marcus does all that he does is because the government thinks that he might be a terrorist. This all started on the day the bridge was bombed. Marcus and his friends happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and the DHS picks them up, turning them into terrorist suspects. After this they are never truly free again until they rescue Darryl and confront the DHS.
Terrorism
-noun
The use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/terrorism)
To me, Terrorism is a political maneuver, evoking fear in others to get what you want. Nowadays, terrorism is most often associated with the Middle East. Though this is stereotypical and prejudiced, the typical image conjured when thinking of a terrorist is a Middle Eastern man. In Little Brother, most of the suspects seem to be young teenagers. I believe that all of them are like Marcus and his friends, simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Though they could all potentially be the terrorists, I don't think any of them actually are.
When they are first captured, Marcus thinks that his captors are the terrorists. In his head, Marcus retells how he had never really thought about terrorists as they had never directly affected him. I believe that after this whole experience, Marcus will be more aware of terrorism and its causes and effects. In confinement, he remarks that these people did not fit the stereotypical image of a terrorist. Instead, they look like normal everyday Americans. They also act pretty much normal when they aren't interacting with prisoners. Even with all this information, Marcus continues to believe they are terrorists up until he sees the unquestionable proof, a U.S. Military uniform.
This is where the line of terrorism becomes blurry. Where should we draw the line between terrorism and "just doing what's necessary"? Marcus makes a great point in class about all their security measures actually helping the terrorists. Their main goal is to create fear, so it doesn't sense to make the people even more scared by having all these cameras and surveillance around. Marcus argues that they are helping the terrorists by showing that they succeeded in created fear. Charles argues that they are being protected from terrorists by all the cameras and such. Marcus counters by saying that if a terrorist were to walk into the school and do something, like blow themselves up, the cameras and all their fancy security could do absolutely nothing to stop it. Charles never has a chance to counter that and the discussion is cut short. I think they both actually have good points. The point of the the heightened security is to protect the students. It would also make many feel safer, which is good. But, Marcus does have a point as it shows the extent of their fear (pretty far). This is exactly what the terrorists want. Also, the cameras really would do nothing to prevent a spontaneous terrorist attack. So, what's the point of the extra security?
After they are released, Marcus, Van, and Jolu spend some time analyzing the terrorist attack. Being treated as a terrorist for a few days gives Marcus enough insight to think more like them. So, he is able to further understand what their motives are and what their reactions would be. I think that this could have set the stage for Marcus to have become a true terrorist himself. Even though what he is doing could be considered terrorism by some, he could have become one of the full-out bombing and shooting terrorists because he now understands them. I think it's scary to think that anti-terrorism measures could actually bring rise to more terrorism. Even though all these things are meant to prevent future terrorist attacks, they could ultimately be promoting it. Now that's a scary thought.
-Lina >.<
Terrorism
-noun
The use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/terrorism)
To me, Terrorism is a political maneuver, evoking fear in others to get what you want. Nowadays, terrorism is most often associated with the Middle East. Though this is stereotypical and prejudiced, the typical image conjured when thinking of a terrorist is a Middle Eastern man. In Little Brother, most of the suspects seem to be young teenagers. I believe that all of them are like Marcus and his friends, simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Though they could all potentially be the terrorists, I don't think any of them actually are.
When they are first captured, Marcus thinks that his captors are the terrorists. In his head, Marcus retells how he had never really thought about terrorists as they had never directly affected him. I believe that after this whole experience, Marcus will be more aware of terrorism and its causes and effects. In confinement, he remarks that these people did not fit the stereotypical image of a terrorist. Instead, they look like normal everyday Americans. They also act pretty much normal when they aren't interacting with prisoners. Even with all this information, Marcus continues to believe they are terrorists up until he sees the unquestionable proof, a U.S. Military uniform.
This is where the line of terrorism becomes blurry. Where should we draw the line between terrorism and "just doing what's necessary"? Marcus makes a great point in class about all their security measures actually helping the terrorists. Their main goal is to create fear, so it doesn't sense to make the people even more scared by having all these cameras and surveillance around. Marcus argues that they are helping the terrorists by showing that they succeeded in created fear. Charles argues that they are being protected from terrorists by all the cameras and such. Marcus counters by saying that if a terrorist were to walk into the school and do something, like blow themselves up, the cameras and all their fancy security could do absolutely nothing to stop it. Charles never has a chance to counter that and the discussion is cut short. I think they both actually have good points. The point of the the heightened security is to protect the students. It would also make many feel safer, which is good. But, Marcus does have a point as it shows the extent of their fear (pretty far). This is exactly what the terrorists want. Also, the cameras really would do nothing to prevent a spontaneous terrorist attack. So, what's the point of the extra security?
After they are released, Marcus, Van, and Jolu spend some time analyzing the terrorist attack. Being treated as a terrorist for a few days gives Marcus enough insight to think more like them. So, he is able to further understand what their motives are and what their reactions would be. I think that this could have set the stage for Marcus to have become a true terrorist himself. Even though what he is doing could be considered terrorism by some, he could have become one of the full-out bombing and shooting terrorists because he now understands them. I think it's scary to think that anti-terrorism measures could actually bring rise to more terrorism. Even though all these things are meant to prevent future terrorist attacks, they could ultimately be promoting it. Now that's a scary thought.
-Lina >.<
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Little Brother - Technology
Well... Technology is used quite often in the book, both for good and bad reasons. Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, but it can also cause more problems. In the book, Marcus encounters a variety of different types of technology. At first, his use of technology is just to bypass the security measures at their school. As the book goes on, I feel like the ways in which he uses the technology get more and more insidious.
In the beginning, Marcus uses his knowledge of technology and computers to fool around at school. He uses secret IM programs to chat privately with Darryl and and secret internet browsers so the school can't track him. We are actually introduced to Marcus as he is about to get into trouble as w1n5t0n. I think this is foreshadowing the fact that technology is very important to the story and so is Marcus getting in trouble for his uses of it. Due to his extensive knowledge on how the school's security system works, he and Darryl are able to sneak out. When Darryl realizes that he has a library book on him, Marcus uses technology to his full advantage. They microwave the book to kill the arphid inside and bomb Charles' phone using botnets.
Later, technology is what gets Marcus in the most trouble with the DHS. As he will not unlock his phone or give them his passwords, they think that he has something to hide. The truth is, Marcus probably does have something to hide. Years of hacking and illegal programs would have gotten him in a lot of trouble had they been seen. Even so, Marcus is not a terrorist. The DHS believes that he is because he will not give them access to his technology. In the end, Marcus relents and gives them everything. Even so, the DHS stil has heightened suspicion of Marcus. So, they bug his computer.
After the attack, Marcus' internet name changes to M1LK3Y, signaling a change in him. Technology is really the arena for this rebellion. After returning home, Marcus creates hundreds of copies of the program, ParanoidLinux, to distribute and create a secret network. This allows him to communicate with other people who are unhappy with the government, like he is. This works out for a while but soon things start to fall apart as information starts to get leaked out. To combat this, Marcus creates another secret network. This time only including trustworthy people and using encryption to communicate.
Even though technology is such a big part of the book, the things that have the most influence are actually not technological. One such object is Zeb's note. Zeb slips this note to Marcus one day after school. It explains about how he was a prisoner of the DHS along with Darryl and that they were being held on Treasure Island, dubbed Gitmo-of-the-Bay. It is because of this note, and all it's effects on Marcus that he decides to come out with his story. The note reminds Marcus of his original goal, to save Darryl. It makes him see how far off course he had gotten. And so, he tells his story and gets it published. The article has a profound effect on society and gets Marcus re-captured by the DHS and brought to Gitmo-of-the-Bay. Though technology may seem to be the focal point and all, in the end, it't the old school things like a handwritten note that prevail.
Technology, it's supposed to simplify our lives, but it often seems to complicate them. Throughout the book, technology causes paranoia. The night after Marcus gets home, he is completely freaked out because of technology. After finding a bug in his laptop, he can't sleep in fear that he is bugged in other ways. Even after thoroughly checking his room or tiny cameras, he still can't relax. Later on, Xnet is turned against him when the presence of a spy becomes evident. Marcus gets paranoid once again and makes the even secret-er secret network. Technology is a major cause of problems for Marcus.
When it comes to technology, I think that whether or not it is used for "good" purposes is all based on perspective. The ways that Marcus uses technology can be seen as either good or bad. Because Marcus is the protagonist, we are drawn to seeing his actions as good and right. It is justified by saying that rebelling is right, as the government is being unreasonable. But, when you really look at it, Marcus is breaking the law. Many laws, in fact. He is going against the government with a secret network and lots of illegal hacking. Though what Marcus does might seem right, at the end of the day, "right" and "wrong" all depend on perspective.
In the beginning, Marcus uses his knowledge of technology and computers to fool around at school. He uses secret IM programs to chat privately with Darryl and and secret internet browsers so the school can't track him. We are actually introduced to Marcus as he is about to get into trouble as w1n5t0n. I think this is foreshadowing the fact that technology is very important to the story and so is Marcus getting in trouble for his uses of it. Due to his extensive knowledge on how the school's security system works, he and Darryl are able to sneak out. When Darryl realizes that he has a library book on him, Marcus uses technology to his full advantage. They microwave the book to kill the arphid inside and bomb Charles' phone using botnets.
Later, technology is what gets Marcus in the most trouble with the DHS. As he will not unlock his phone or give them his passwords, they think that he has something to hide. The truth is, Marcus probably does have something to hide. Years of hacking and illegal programs would have gotten him in a lot of trouble had they been seen. Even so, Marcus is not a terrorist. The DHS believes that he is because he will not give them access to his technology. In the end, Marcus relents and gives them everything. Even so, the DHS stil has heightened suspicion of Marcus. So, they bug his computer.
After the attack, Marcus' internet name changes to M1LK3Y, signaling a change in him. Technology is really the arena for this rebellion. After returning home, Marcus creates hundreds of copies of the program, ParanoidLinux, to distribute and create a secret network. This allows him to communicate with other people who are unhappy with the government, like he is. This works out for a while but soon things start to fall apart as information starts to get leaked out. To combat this, Marcus creates another secret network. This time only including trustworthy people and using encryption to communicate.
Even though technology is such a big part of the book, the things that have the most influence are actually not technological. One such object is Zeb's note. Zeb slips this note to Marcus one day after school. It explains about how he was a prisoner of the DHS along with Darryl and that they were being held on Treasure Island, dubbed Gitmo-of-the-Bay. It is because of this note, and all it's effects on Marcus that he decides to come out with his story. The note reminds Marcus of his original goal, to save Darryl. It makes him see how far off course he had gotten. And so, he tells his story and gets it published. The article has a profound effect on society and gets Marcus re-captured by the DHS and brought to Gitmo-of-the-Bay. Though technology may seem to be the focal point and all, in the end, it't the old school things like a handwritten note that prevail.
Technology, it's supposed to simplify our lives, but it often seems to complicate them. Throughout the book, technology causes paranoia. The night after Marcus gets home, he is completely freaked out because of technology. After finding a bug in his laptop, he can't sleep in fear that he is bugged in other ways. Even after thoroughly checking his room or tiny cameras, he still can't relax. Later on, Xnet is turned against him when the presence of a spy becomes evident. Marcus gets paranoid once again and makes the even secret-er secret network. Technology is a major cause of problems for Marcus.
When it comes to technology, I think that whether or not it is used for "good" purposes is all based on perspective. The ways that Marcus uses technology can be seen as either good or bad. Because Marcus is the protagonist, we are drawn to seeing his actions as good and right. It is justified by saying that rebelling is right, as the government is being unreasonable. But, when you really look at it, Marcus is breaking the law. Many laws, in fact. He is going against the government with a secret network and lots of illegal hacking. Though what Marcus does might seem right, at the end of the day, "right" and "wrong" all depend on perspective.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Little Brother - Masha
Well... Masha certainly is an interesting character! She is introduced (by name) at the end of the book. At first, she works against Marcus and basically blackmails him into cooperating with her. She claims that she knows who he is. She also claims that she too was there the day that the bridge was blown up. Like Marcus, she was taken hostage by the DHS. Instead of being released, she was kept and made to infiltrate the system and act as a spy on the Xnet. Marcus actually figured out that there was a spy quite some time earlier. It was because of this that he made the even secret-er secret network. Masha's motives for contacting Marcus are that she signed up to help bring down terrorists, but instead is being forced to bring down dissenters that she agrees with. For this reason she makes a plan to escape. Along with threatening Marcus, she offers him passage to safety along with her provided that he help her by creating a distraction. For the distraction, Marcus goes back to his LARPing roots and creates an event at which Xnetters dress up as vampires and "bite" each other. It is at this event that Masha and Marcus finally meet.
As it turns out, Masha is the girl from the very beginning of the book with pink hair. She was the leader of the other team playing Harajuku Fun Madness. Just like at the end, she blackmailed Marcus and his friends then by taking their picture and threatening to turn them into the truancy agency if they didn't relinquish the clue. Later, she uses this picture to entice Marcus into leaving with her and leaving Ange behind.
Though they are technically on the same side of this "battle", Marcus and Masha have very different ideas of how to go about getting what they want. Masha wants to leave and hide until the time seems right to act. Also, she would always act secretly and anonymously. She tells Marcus that it's better to be a fighter than a martyr. I think this shows that she thinks about herself above others. Marcus, on the other hand, believes in standing your ground and fighting for what you care about. This is clearly shown in the book as Masha runs away while Marcus stays and publicly opposes the DHS. I think this shows that Marcus puts the well-being of others and justice above self preservation. Though they are fighting for the same thing, their fighting methods are radically different.
I think that Masha has a knack for knowing people's weaknesses. She is able to find out what their motivations and fears are and use them to her advantage. In the beginning of the story she used Marcus' fear of getting busted and was about to succeed when the bombs went off and chaos ensued. Later, she uses his fear of being identified as M1K3Y to blackmail him. Though subtle, she also threatens Ange as well. She succeeds with this and Marcus does help her, though things do not go as they plan. After they escape the crowd, she uses Marcus' desperation for rescuing Darryl to her advantage, forcing him to go with her.
After Marcus steals her phone and escapes, Masha is not longer actively in the book. As they are both "underground", Marcus sets Masha up with Zeb. Even though she is not actively in the book for long, she is what gets the ball rolling for the final showdown between Marcus and the DHS. Masha is responsible for the vampire "party", which leads to Marcus being on the run, which leads to his re-capture by the DHS. Although the ultimate antagonist of the story is the DHS, Masha acts as a more tangible sub-antagonist that Marcus would seem to actually have a chance at overcoming. In the end though, she is just another ally of Marcus' who happens to have different ideas on how to achieve their goals.
-Lina >.<
As it turns out, Masha is the girl from the very beginning of the book with pink hair. She was the leader of the other team playing Harajuku Fun Madness. Just like at the end, she blackmailed Marcus and his friends then by taking their picture and threatening to turn them into the truancy agency if they didn't relinquish the clue. Later, she uses this picture to entice Marcus into leaving with her and leaving Ange behind.
Though they are technically on the same side of this "battle", Marcus and Masha have very different ideas of how to go about getting what they want. Masha wants to leave and hide until the time seems right to act. Also, she would always act secretly and anonymously. She tells Marcus that it's better to be a fighter than a martyr. I think this shows that she thinks about herself above others. Marcus, on the other hand, believes in standing your ground and fighting for what you care about. This is clearly shown in the book as Masha runs away while Marcus stays and publicly opposes the DHS. I think this shows that Marcus puts the well-being of others and justice above self preservation. Though they are fighting for the same thing, their fighting methods are radically different.
I think that Masha has a knack for knowing people's weaknesses. She is able to find out what their motivations and fears are and use them to her advantage. In the beginning of the story she used Marcus' fear of getting busted and was about to succeed when the bombs went off and chaos ensued. Later, she uses his fear of being identified as M1K3Y to blackmail him. Though subtle, she also threatens Ange as well. She succeeds with this and Marcus does help her, though things do not go as they plan. After they escape the crowd, she uses Marcus' desperation for rescuing Darryl to her advantage, forcing him to go with her.
After Marcus steals her phone and escapes, Masha is not longer actively in the book. As they are both "underground", Marcus sets Masha up with Zeb. Even though she is not actively in the book for long, she is what gets the ball rolling for the final showdown between Marcus and the DHS. Masha is responsible for the vampire "party", which leads to Marcus being on the run, which leads to his re-capture by the DHS. Although the ultimate antagonist of the story is the DHS, Masha acts as a more tangible sub-antagonist that Marcus would seem to actually have a chance at overcoming. In the end though, she is just another ally of Marcus' who happens to have different ideas on how to achieve their goals.
-Lina >.<
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