How Does Zamyatin Display D-503's Transformation From Conformity?

HL Essay Inquiry Question: To what extent does Zamyatin’s use of literary techniques display D-503’s transformation from conformity in the collective to freedom as an individual? In the dystopian novel written by Yevgeny Zamyatin, the central character D-503’s perfectly ordered world falls apart as he confronts his individuality through uncertainty and doubt. Zamyatin uses literary techniques like metaphors, symbolism, and imagery to display internal conflict of D-503. Allowing him to doubt not only the One State, but his purpose as he began to express his uncertainty and individuality.

Zamyatin uses metaphors to show internal conflict, allowing D-503 to express uncertainty and individuality. An example of this use of metaphor is when D-503

Yes, particularly now: I feel some kind of foreign body in there, in my brain, like a fine eyelash in the eye-- the rest of you doesn't feel it, but the eye with the eyelash in it cant forget about it for a second.” (Zamyatin 30). The metaphor of the eyelash in the eye represents the discomfort of uncertainty. Just one eyelash irritates the eye, like how one doubt can cause discomfort in the mind that used to be logical, perfect, and orderly. This connects to his individuality because the “foreign body” in his brain is the personal emotions and doubts he begins to feel. Describing it this way shows how he dislikes this change because foreign bodies in the brain are dangerous and should be removed. This metaphor shows D-503’s struggle with the emotional and uncertain parts of his individuality. Another metaphor that highlights his uncertainty is when D-503 says, “You, of course, are right: I am imprudent, I am sick, I have a soul, I am a microbe. But what if blooming is a sickness? What if it is painful when a bud bursts?” (Zamyatin

An example of imagery is when D-503 says, “I saw it: he grabbed her roughly with his shaggy paw, tore up the fine silk and sunk his teeth into her” (Zamyatin 51). He writes in third person as if he was just an onlooker as some other part of him takes the wheel. This other person is selfish which goes against the logic of the One State (the many over the one). Feeling the discomfort of uncertainty, it is easier to blame others than confront these doubts. In this example, D-503 casts the blame on another selfish version of himself. Character development occurs when D-503 looks in the mirror and comes to the realization and acceptance that there is no other him. This allows him to acknowledge it is normal for humans to feel uncertain and that this other version of himself was him freely expressing his feelings and individuality. Another example of vivid imagery being used to display D-503’s internal conflict is when he says, “We, on the Earth, are constantly walking over a bubbling, crimson sea of fire, hidden there, in the belly of the Earth. But we never think about it. But what if suddenly the fine crust of earth under our feet became glass, and suddenly we could see. I became glass? I saw into myself, inside.”(Zamyatin 50) The bubbling, crimson sea of fire in the belly of the Earth represents the inner turmoil D-503 goes through. Just below the