The Circle Mae Holland Quotes

Mae Holland, the main character in Dave Eggers’ The Circle, becomes engulfed by a colossal wave of technology, innovation, and sociability which is transforming this futuristic dystopian society. At the forefront of this movement is a company known simply as The Circle, which has dominated the tech industry and managed to spread to every neighborhood in every corner of the globe. In the early stages of the novel, Mae lands her dream job at The Circle and proceeds to rise to a vital position with lightning speed as she impresses the company with her loyalty and resolve. From the beginning, Mae believes the company is an entity with values that supersede those of all other groups and can do no wrong. In her journey through the vast empire

Prior to joining the company, Mae was confident and independent, but with the constant scrutiny that she and all other Circlers are under at all times, she has become unsure, indecisive, and in need of continual direction. On one of her first days at the company her “score was a 96. She was sweating heavily...A message from Jared appeared on her second screen. Great so far! Let’s see if we can get that up to a 97 soon.” (Eggers, 53) Although it is not clear whether she requires this constant counsel, it is obvious that it is an integral part of the Circle. Without this perpetual management, Circlers would have too much freedom and individuality, which The Circle creatively stifles. Similar to a dog who is continually controlled by its owner, Mae’s independence is controlled by the company’s strict rules. And just like Mae, without a leader, a dog is lost and cannot take care of itself. Mae’s last truly exciting venture of emancipation occured when she kayaked into the San Francisco Bay late one night. However, her revitalizing adventure went awry when she was caught by the police for stealing the vessel. The next morning, Mae “received a second-screen message from Dan: Please come to my office asap.” (Eggers, 276) Mae’s final impression of her old free-spirited self came at a cost. The outcome of this event involved a method of control never seen before- complete transparency. Mae is convinced to voluntarily wear a camera around her neck at all times. Although The Circle puts a positive and innovative spin on this undertaking, the prevailing reasons for this development is to track Mae and limit if not eliminate her individuality and unpredictability that is fundamental to human