Little Brother
Chapters 11-20
The second part of Little Brother, Chapters 11-20, is dedicated to both the aftermath of the terrorist attack and to Marcus’ four-day imprisonment. What I found most important about these chapters of the novel is the focus on privacy and control. As the government’s control heightens, the amount of privacy dwindles, leaving people, especially Marcus, living in fear.
No Privacy Sign. Source: Media Bistro
An example of this can be found in Chapter 12, when Marcus and his girlfriend Ange go to an illegal rave in Dolores Park. The concert proved to be a clear example of the government’s extensive control, and sense of what is “illegal”. Seeing the concert as a harmful threat, hundreds of police officers ride in to end the concert. Marcus recalls the scene, sating, “I’ve never been in a war, but now I think I know what it must be like. What it must be like when scared kids charge across a field at an opposing force, knowing what’s coming, running away, screaming, hollering” (69). Marcus paints a very clear picture of a chaotic, unsettling environment. Deeming something “illegal” that involves kids dancing and listening to music seems somewhat absurd, especially when there is no harm being done. In fact, the government went as far as to define the concert as an act of “terrorism”.
Bill of Rights. Source: Google
The government’s intrusive control proves to weigh heavily on Marcus when he gets into an argument with his substitute teacher over the Bill of Rights. The conversation begins when the substitute asks the class, “Under what circumstances should the federal government be prepared to suspend the Bill of Rights?” Immediately rubbed the wrong way by the question, Marcus responds saying, “Never. Constitutional rights are absolute” (73). This sparks a heated debate between the substitute and Marcus, which later leads back to the concert in the park. Defending the concert-goers, Marcus declares that the purpose behind the concert wasn’t to endanger or overthrow the government, but to show their “rights were being taken away in the name of protecting them” and that “universal surveillance was more dangerous than terrorism” (73-4). Noticing the government’s extreme control and even the opinion from his substitute teacher that the Constitution can be easily revised by and for the people, Marcus also realizes how things around him are drastically changing.
Government Surveillance. Source: Truth Move
Marcus’ dad tries to keep things in perspective for Marcus, telling him “You have every right to speak your mind of course, but you have to be prepared for the consequences of doing so” (77). After reading Chapters 11-20, what do you think about the government’s control? Do you agree that Marcus should show caution about speaking his mind, or given what he has been through, does it matter? Is it completely invading any and every sense of privacy? Or should it be expected after something as horrible and serious as a terrorist attack?