Completing the Circle

English 102 - Literary Analysis Project by Kenadi Weaver

[bkloverforever]

Communication at its Finest

According to the “Transactional Model,” communication functions in a circular motion with four main sections: the sender, the channel, the receiver, and the feedback. Feedback refers to signals and messages that the receiver feeds back to the sender. These messages aren’t always verbal, and could be portrayed on their countenance. The feedback can aid the sender in understanding how the message affected the receiver or trigger further explanation. That being said, when communicating through a channel that makes nonverbal feedback invisible, how might conversations and relationships be affected? Technology today has impaired society’s communication skills; this has led to defective relationships and misconstrued conversations. Dave Eggers shows the value of communication through Annie and Mae as they battle with the flaws of today’s technology and the power of knowledge in the following excerpt from The Circle:

When she got back to her desk, there were eleven messages from Annie.

She read the first: Hey Mae, realizing I shouldn’t have gone off on Dan and Alistair that way. Wasn’t very nice. Not Circly at all. Pretend I didn’t say it.

The second: You get my last msg?

The third: Starting to freak out a little. Why aren’t you answering me?

Fourth: Just texted you, called you. Are you dead? Shit. Forgot you forgot your phone. You suck.

Fifth: If you were offended by what I said about Dan don’t go all silent-treatment. I said sorry. Write back.

Sixth: Are you getting these messages? It’s v. important. Call me!

Seventh: If you’re telling Dan what I said you’re a bitch. Since when do we tattle on each other?

Eighth: Realizing you might just be in a meeting. True?

Ninth: It’s been 25 mins. What is UP?

Tenth: Just checked and see that you’re back at your desk. Call me this instant or we’re through. I thought we were friends.

Eleventh: Hello?

Mae called her. “What the hell, spaz?”

“Where were you?”

“I saw you twenty minutes ago. I finished in the sample room, used the bathroom, and now I’m here.”

(Eggers 114)

In this scene, it’s obvious that Annie is dependent on instantaneity; when Mae doesn’t respond to her almost immediately, she begins to question the situation. Eggers uses this scene to imitate how perturbed one may become when there is a time lapse in communication. Annie states how she feels about Mae’s boss and is now regretting her uproar; however, “communication is unrepeatable and irreversible” (Art of). Eggers accurately replicates the thoughts that run through a sender’s mind when they haven’t received feedback yet. Annie begins as apologetic and aims to clear the air, but when she doesn’t receive her approval, she begins to panic. She doesn’t know if Mae is relaying the message to Dan; Eggers is showing how a lack of knowledge eats at society. After a few minutes, the tables turn and Annie becomes the offended one. Though she acknowledges the fact that Mae had left her phone or could be in a meeting, she still seems uneasy with the situation. She becomes so disturbed that Annie proceeds to time and track Mae. Through this reaction, Eggers is displaying how quickly a relationship can be affected by a failure to respond.  

Technology is beginning to affect conversations and relationships through just its presence as well. A study was conducted by Andrew Przybylski and Netti Weinstien, wherein they tested how a face-to-face conversation would be affected by the presence of a cellphone (Przybylski). The first conversation that was tested was between two total strangers at a table with a phone and a book sitting on the table; the second conversation was held without the presence of technology (Przybylski). Each person was instructed to become familiar with the other, and it was concluded that the conversation without a technological presence flowed more smoothly than the other (Przybylski). Although the phone belonged to neither of the conversing people, the mere presence of it caused internal distractions. The two people didn’t become involved in the conversation; instead, they were pondering on what they could be doing on their own phones. This experiment relates closely to what Dave Eggers is claiming about the fate of society as technology evolves.

Eggers is concerned about the future of communication as seem in his novel, The Circle. His fears may be coming into reality as shown in the above experiment by Przybylski and Weinstein. Communication is key to forming and sustaining long-lasting relationships. It is imperative that we know how to effectively communicate with others regardless of the channel that we choose. It is also important to be attentive to how technology may be affecting your conversations and/or your own relationships. In order to avoid having an encounter like Annie and Mae, aim to have emotionally-involved conversations in person where you both can receive nonverbal feedback from each other and respond accordingly. This will prevent confusion, fill the knowledge gaps, and set the stage for longer relationships. We can’t allow technology to impair our ability to successfully communicate.

[bkloverforever]

Privacy and Ownership

We live in a day and age where life is short and every moment is to be captured. Technology has allowed us to do so; however, we must ask ourselves: How much is too much? Is everyone around me aware of my actions and are they comfortable with it? Many people assume ownership of moments in time that may be private and confidential to the others who shared the occasion. Dave Eggers provides a clear view of how it feels to be on both ends of the spectrum in The Circle.

He stood and retrieved his phone, which had been propped upright on the cabinet, facing them.

“What, were you filming us?” she joked.

“Maybe,” he said, his tone making clear that he had.

“Wait. Seriously?” Mae reached for the phone.

“Don’t,” he said. “It’s mine.” He shoved it into his pocket. “It’s yours? What we just did is yours?”

(Eggers 204-205)

At this point in The Circle, the sensations of a temporary fantasy are over, reality is setting in, and Mae has found herself entangled in a case of reputation-threatening privacy theft. Through this scene, Eggers is questioning the audience, “What is really yours?” A moment shared between Mae and Francis is rapidly ruined when ownership comes into play. The conflict strays from the fact that he was recording the “rare occasion,” and focuses more on his misconception of what was rightfully “his” (Eggers 205). Since he feels that the sexual exchange is more meaningful to him than to Mae, Francis brands the whole experience as his own. Eggers is prompting the audience to question themselves once again; if ownership were possible, under what terms could this exchange be unequally divided amongst the two? Eggers is using technology in a modern –day example to suggest the dangerous consequences that could come about in the trials of placing ownership on nontangible items. Who can technically take ownership of a moment shared so equally?

Many people share with Francis this misconception of ownership. The use of a recording device, such as the camera on a phone or a microphone, can be an effective way to “seize the moment;” however, it is important to have a clear understanding of which moments are up for “seizing”. In the legal system, a fallacy much like this one is considered an “intrusion of seclusion” (DMLP). This is defined as a case in which “someone intentionally intrudes, physically or otherwise, upon the solitude or seclusion of another” (DMLP). The private acts may not always be sexual or intimate in any way; in fact, in most cases, they are not. According to NYU Law Review, many companies have been resorting to the use of “dataveillance.”

 This new technology allows companies to “collect and analyze massive amounts of data about individuals” (Zhu). This could pose as a possible threat to an individual’s privacy, since it provides unauthorized access to intimate details of their lives. Is this beginning to sound familiar? The Circle, maybe?

The Circle uses software called “LuvLuv” to gather information on an individual, establish connections, and make conclusions based on the aforementioned. In the grand presentation of this new technology, the speaker asks for a volunteer and Francis jets to the stage. Though he is the volunteer, Mae becomes the resulting victim once Francis divulges her name for the search.

Mae thought she’d puke. What was happening? This isn’t real, she said to herself. Was he really going to talk about her onstage? No, she assured herself. He’s just helping a friend, and they’ll do their demonstration using fake names.

“Now Francis,” Gus continued, “am I to assume you have someone you’d like to date?”

“Yes, Gus, that is correct.”

Mae, dizzy and terrified, nonetheless couldn’t help noticing that onstage, Francis was transformed, just as Gus had been. He was playing along, showing his teeth, acting shy but doing so with great confidence.

“Is that person a real person?” Gus asked.

“Of course,” Francis said. “I no longer date imaginary people.”

The crowd laughed heartily, and Mae’s stomach dropped to her shoes. Oh shit, she thought. Oh shit. “And her name?”

“Her name is Mae Holland,” (Eggers 122)

Eggers allows this scene to demonstrate the effects that leaking intimate details have on an individual. Though the information was factual, Mae wasn’t able to confirm and explain herself; she was forced to allow software portray multiple images of her across an audience (and possibly the nation if SeeChange cameras were involved). In Mae’s case, she had provided most of that information; however, never was it as direct as it was in the exhibition. Francis never seems to understand how he invades Mae’s privacy. In going back to the sex recording scene, it is seen that he refuses to delete the video of them. Eggers has exposed Mae’s vulnerability and put her reputation at bay. He uses her to represent how it feels to be the victim of a privacy invasion, because most people don’t consider the sleepless nights, reputations, jobs, families, and general lives of the victim. Many don’t speak out on it out of fear of pure embarrassment; however, Eggers successfully makes his claim.

As a whole, everyone must be cautious and avoid being on either end of this type of case. It is important to be mindful of who and what is being recorded, especially if it will inevitably affect you. Although in The Circle privacy is unheard of, there are laws in place to protect humans in the real-world. Know your rights and never allow someone to infringe upon them. Eggers does a masterful job of demonstrating the negative and positive aspects of living in world without privacy laws, so it is up to you to determine if we’ll ever see those days.

[bkloverforever]

Which Side of the “Looking Glass” are we really on?

Surveillance; can it be the very thing that saves this world or would “destructive” be a more apt description? Dave Eggers answers this question in an interview with “The Telegraph,” wherein he states that it is “capable of both” (Wood). This modern technology has shown and proved its benefits and disadvantages through many events that have occurred in the past decade. Eggers demonstrates them, as well, in at least three different scenarios throughout his novel, “The Circle.”

During her early days of joining a prevailing internet company, the “Circle”, Mae Holland is presented with a new technology called SeeChange. As the product is being introduced, Mae is intrigued by its features and capabilities. Eggers uses the presentation of the new technology to portray how quickly people can be persuaded when presented with just the right amount of information. Bailey, the presenter, shows how using these surveillance cameras have benefitted him; he also displays the potential benefits for the audience and the subsequent vision of world through SeeChange. The innovators behind the concept believe that awareness of surveillance will be enough to promote an improvement in the moral conduct of the human race as a whole. Eggers is mocking society’s misconception of the solution to crime through this product. He satirizes the belief that everyone will behave appropriately when they are being watched: this implies that he does not agree with the hypothesis. None the less, the introduction of SeeChange results in a prodigious array of positive feedback.

The reaction that Eggers uses in The Circle is relatively similar to America’s reaction after the Boston Marathon bombing in April of 2013. Ubiquitous surveillance was praised for enabling law enforcement to capture the criminals in less than a week. Only days following the capturing, NY Times conducted a survey of 965 people by phone, web, and mail concerning how they felt about surveillance. According to the poll results, 78% of them felt that “Surveillance cameras were a good idea” (Landler). This shows that when events occur that cause feelings of insecurity, the majority of people are going to be in support of a solution. 

Most of the metropolitan cities had already put thorough surveillance systems in place; however, after the events in Boston, many smaller towns began considering and promoting the use of cameras. Although these cameras bring about benefits to society, The Circle illustrates a few of the flaws in the following excerpt:

As Marion made her way to the car, Mae caught her eye, and Marion, seeing Mae in the back of a squad car, her arms cuffed behind her, seemed to sober instantly.

“Oh Jesus Christ,” she said, rushing to Mae.

She turned to the officers. “This is Mae Holland. She rents here all the time. She has the run of the place. How the hell did this happen? What’s going on here?”

The officers explained that they’d gotten two separate messages about a probable theft. “We got one call from a citizen who doesn’t wish to be identified.”

And then they turned to Marion. “And the other warning came from one of your own cameras, Ms. Lefebvre.”

(Eggers 273-274)

In this scene, Eggers gives a prime example of how surveillance can aid in the prevention and solving of; he also shows a contradicting piece in the journey to a perfect world. Inescapably, Mae is forced to answer to multiple people about the “crime” that could have been committed and her awareness of the cameras. In the end, she learns that her job wouldn’t ever have been in jeopardy regardless of how that night ended. How does the Circle intend to improve the morale of the human race if there are no penalties for wrongdoing? What is the life lesson to be learned? The only reason Mae was worried about her arrest was because she didn’t want to lose her job; now that she knows that she is “here for good,” she could become more comfortable with bending the rules to her benefit (Eggers 283). Though it is a possibility, Eggers doesn’t allow that to happen in The Circle. Instead of long-term punishments being a fear, the “Circle” instills a fear of public exposure and embarrassment.

There is no doubt that protecting such a large mass of land and people is a difficult task to handle. Surveillance can conclusively be the world’s saving grace; nevertheless, ever hero has its flaw. One of the main disadvantages of surveillance, as seen in our own world and in The Circle, is that it is not capable of being a panacea; it can only be a step along the journey.