When it comes to innovative stylistic and thematic techniques in We, Zamyatin does not disappoint. Every detail of this novel is intentional, from the colors of the objects to the characterization of the names. While a strong emphasis is often placed on the dystopian aspect of We, the same can be said about the symbolism behind it. Water, in particular, plays a subtle but crucial role in the evolution of the characters and the dystopia. Imagery and diction involving water are used by Zamyatin throughout We to symbolize the One State and the developing mental state of D-503. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Zamyatin establishes the relevance of water at the beginning of We to better represent his emotional progression and establish the characteristics of the One State. When D-503 describes a room as “flooded with blue sunlight,” Zamyatin is familiarizing the reader with words that are somehow related to water (Zamyatin 4). The term “flooded” has cheerful connotations, having been used in relation to sunlight. This introduces the recurring theme of water as a positive force for D-503. Zamyatin continues with this pattern on the next page by referring to the four members of the One State as "but one of innumerable waves in this mighty stream" (5). This metaphor is meant to represent the way people marched every morning. Zamyatin's use of the word "waves" suggests that the march had the same fluidity and consistency that waves often have. Referring to the group of people as a "mighty stream" has powerful connotations and suggests that seeing these members of the One State evokes feelings of pride in D-503. The connotations of particular words and characterizations of One State members help establish water as a crucial theme in We.D-503 first associates water with the structured aspects of One State. This quickly becomes evident in a seemingly unimportant story told by a teacher. Although the message is not immediately clear, Zamyatin intentionally uses words involving water. When the teacher says: “every time the barometer indicated 'rain', it actually rained”, water is directly associated with the One State (16). Because of the repeated use of rain in this speech, a connection is established between the lecturer and water for both readers and D-503. This immediately makes water a symbol of the dystopian society in We. In addition to the story itself, the way D-503 describes words provides imagery associated with water as well. He refers to the speaker's voice as a “vitalizing stream” that “flowed” from the speakers (16). Zamyatin's choice to use the word “vitalizing” once again shows D-503's love for the One State and associates water with positivity and strength. “Flowed” also has powerful connotations, suggesting that the lecturer's words are very strong. This symbol is also used later in the novel when the One State begins to deteriorate. When D-503 says to "imagine yourself standing on the shore," Zamyatin uses the same wave metaphor as before to describe the members' daily walk (125). However, the repetition is quickly interrupted when D-503 says, "the waves rise rhythmically, then, having risen, they suddenly remain there, frozen, frozen" (125). Zamyatin shows that both water and the One State are approaching chaos. Words like “frozen” and “frozen” have negative connotations and are interpreted as disturbing compared to the diction used in previous chapters. "Frozen" and "frozen" are used to describe water at freezing temperatures, which gives the impression thatare figuratively frozen in place. This connection between water and the One State is intentional and helps better demonstrate the deterioration of D-503's society over the course of We. Unlike the One State, the water symbolism involving I-330 is meant to symbolically contrast his beliefs and personality, which are often associated with fire. This is especially evident when D-503 describes a night when he got drunk. Describing the drink as “fiery poison,” Zamyatin makes both the opposition of alcohol and the I-330 to the One State in the same way that fire is an opposition to water (56). His use of the word "flowed" has strong implications and suggests that I-330 is becoming just as powerful in D-503's life as the One State. Zamyatin goes on to say that he holds on to the arms of the chair "as if holding on to a straw." This comparison allows D-503 to make literal sense of his internal conflict between fire and water. Try as he might, D-503 is unable to put out the "fire" that is figuratively within him. The description also makes abundantly clear D-503's desperation to remain loyal to the One State. Towards the end of the novel, the physical representation of D-503's internal conflict is revisited with a cup of water. When he complains that his "mouth was dry as if it were covered in paper towels," the character finds himself unable to pour water (223). Zamyatin returns to this metaphor to show the evolution of D-503's relationship. Although D-503 feels conflicted, he ultimately chooses the One State over I-330. This is represented by the fact that he “eagerly swallows it” the next morning (223). Zamyatin's use of fire as opposed to water when referring to I-330 is a perfect representation of D-503's internal conflict throughout the novel. Water is also used to show both the internal turmoil of D-503 and the external turmoil of the One. You are in the last chapters of We. Zamyatin at one point describes the D-503 sinking into sleep as an “overturned and overloaded ship” (100). The use of words like “overturned” evokes feelings of desperation, which fits D-503's emotional state. D-503 then calls the metaphorically sinking ocean a “heavy, dense mass of green water” (100). The fact that this water is described as green, rather than blue, could be indicative of impurity and symbolize the guilt D-503 feels for breaking the regulations with I-330 in the previous chapter. While the use of ocean imagery provides insight into the inner turmoil, water is used in later chapters to show the disturbance in the One State as a whole. D-503 mentions that members of a building are shunning "as if a pipe had burst there" and "cold water was gushing out" (149). The burst pipe metaphor is less pleasant than those in previous chapters and could symbolize the downward trajectory of the One State. Zamyatin uses the word "gushing" to evoke a stronger response from readers and to foreshadow the importance of D-503's impending discovery of the Mephi. Depictions of turmoil through descriptions involving water allow Zamyatin to portray both internal and external conflicts in We. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The novel ends with the themes of water as the final closing form topic for D-503. In a scene leading up to the operation that delivers the members completely to the One State, D-503 says that it "must have been raining" because his "face was wet" (215). Zamyatin's use of rain once again associates rain.