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After initially reading "On Such a Full Sea" by Chang-Rae Lee, I saw that B-Mor holds many meanings. B-Mor is the beloved town the characters that we encounter so far live in. But it also holds another literal meaning--Be More. After talking with Peder over breakfast about this topic, we came to the conclusion that Be More is a fitting theme for this settlement in the abandoned city of Baltimore (page 20). They strive to Be More together through the work that they put in. They talk about time being the thing you could rely on the most (page 2). The narrator addresses the common misconception that other people outside of this settlement think they are drones and robots, but they will never be (page 3). They learn to go past their own individuality and instead focusing on themselves as a whole-- to Be More. There is an inexplicable sense that this society is working to provide for the Charters in the outside counties, but somehow they have made it so that it has become much more meaningful than that. They are not slaves. They are prideful workers. They yearn to make everything better not just for themselves but for each other. In doing so, they can truly work to Be More.
Wow I never thought about B-Mor being read as Be More... I love how just this small change in interpretation helps clarify so much of the reading.
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting, and it makes total sense; thank you for totally enhancing my reading! You're right, they're all about being better, together; however they seem to lack an ultimate goal, like taking over the Charters or something. There seems to be no competition in their society, besides that of competing with yourself to be more for B-Mor. On the end of page 24, the narrator asks, "Have we not done the job of becoming our best selves?" and I think that speaks to a lot of what you're saying. Its not a personal best, but a collective societal best.
ReplyDeleteDarren,
ReplyDeleteThis idea you bring up is very intriguing to me. For what I have noticed is that there is no real mobility in B-Mor. An individual gets her job and specializes in that for life. And this cycle of being content with monotonous labor is accepted and promoted by the government. No one is really "being more". That is no one until now. Fan has accepted the challenge and I can't wait to see whether she becomes more.
Dylan