Book Discussion Prep: Week #3

Why does Violet want to be "normal" like Titus and his friends? What exactly is normal?

       Violet wants to be normal for the same reason anyone wants to be "normal" because she wants to fit in. She doesn't want to be on the outside looking in (HA! A Catcher in the Rye reference hahaha) she wants to be part of everything, she wants to be able to blend into the crowd to not have people see her as weird or different, she wants to be included into her society, and she just wants to be like everyone else. But what is normal? Well to Violet and Titus and the gang being normal is having lesions, wearing the latest fashion, and having the feed. But normal is really never a defined thing because what was normal years ago could be seen as weird now. The perfect example of this is fashion trends because one thing about being normal is looking normal. Think about it; in movies that take place in the past or future for example a movie to take place in the 70's has to have people wearing 70's fashion because that is what was normal to wear back then. If they wore today's clothes in that kind of movie it wouldn't make sense. So just like fashion is never the same neither is the idea of "normal" because it is really just about what is common at that moment in time.


Questions:

1:  World  :
What do you think is the significance of Violet purposefully waiting to open packages and other things she orders? What is the author trying to say about society?
       Its supposed to represent how we are a society of instant satisfaction and how we always want things and want them now. We become less and less patient and we expect instant results.
2:  Open  :
Even though Violet openly resists the feed why do you think she still has it? What is holding her back?
       I think its because she still feels a need to fit in with Titus and his friends. But there is the thought that maybe she can't get it removed. Maybe the feed once it's in it's there permanently. Can you even surgically have it removed or will it cause some sort of damage?
3:  Universal  :
What do you believe the feed is supposed to represent about human nature?
       It's supposed to represent our follow the leader mentality (I don't know if that's a real thing but I'm saying it is) and how we always just do what everyone else is. And the reason we don't stray from that is because we are afraid of anything different. We fear what others would think and mentally we are beaten into submission to do what others do. Kinda like monkey see, monkey do.