Hello CPC Campers!
Welcome to our Little Brother blog. Each group should post their responses to the group reading questions on this blog. Currently, you should choose ONE response to post for questions 1-6; however, your group is responsible for answering ALL of the questions. I will tell you how many you have to post and when the posts are due. Remember your answers should be between 200-500 words. Please indicate your word count in parentheses at the end of your blog.
Any questions? Feel free to ask.
Happy Reading!
Mrs. Wright
2. In what year or decade do you think Little Brother takes place? Cite passages from the novel to support your answer. Do you think the story could happen today? Why or why not?
ReplyDeleteI think Little Brother takes place in the late 2010s or the early 2020s. The general attitude of the government towards terrorism is very similar to that of post-9/11 America’s, so we can assume that it takes place after 2001. Based on the sophistication of technology in Marcus’ time, it is also likely that the story takes place in the relatively near future. Another example, from the text, is this line: “Every Xbox has been sold way below cost -- Microsoft makes most of its money charging games companies money for the right to put out Xbox games -- but the Universal was the first Xbox that Microsoft decided to give away entirely for free.” The usage of the word “every” implies that there have been multiple previous incarnations of the Xbox franchise. Another example from the text is this quotation from Marcus: “The headline was set in the biggest type I'd seen since 9/11:”. This statement makes it obvious that Little Brother takes place after the 9/11 attacks. One final quotation from the text “... the SchoolBook ran Windows Vista4Schools, an antique operating system designed to give school administrators the illusion that they controlled the programs their students could run.” Since Windows Vista was released in 2007, and Vista4Schools is described as “antique”, the book must take place significantly later than 2007.
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Justin S, Anthony S, and Kyle L
The statement about the book taking place in 2010 or early 2020 seems extremely accurate. The post 911 reaction to the terrorist attack in the beginning of the book makes the theory extremely believable. However, the book seems to be as though it takes place more in the future rather than in the early 2000’s. The quote of Xbox’s’ being sole way below market value in today’s society makes it seems as though their technology maybe be a little bit more advanced than ours today and is a mere prediction of where the world will for sure be within the fifty or so years. The statement made about the time period is extremely relevant to what the book has presented to the audience but is, at the same time, hard to pin point the time the book takes place because the technology is so similar almost the same as to what ours is today.
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DeleteI agree with Justin Anthony and Kyle that the book takes place in the late 2010’s and 2020’s. You guys are really good with technology. Some of the technology in the book seems more high tech than that of today so it is believable that this book would take place in the 2010’s. The quote of Xbox’s’ being sole way below market value in today’s society makes it seems as though their technology a bit more advanced than ours today. It is very hard to pin point the time the book takes place because the technology is so similar almost the same as to what ours is today.
word count: 111
Well the gas is $7 a gallon so it is probably at least 10 to 20 years from now.
DeleteIt is difficult to determine whether Marcus is a good kid or a bad kid. Depending on the perspective of the viewer, Marcus’ judgment between right and wrong could easily be debated. Marcus should be judged as a good kid amongst society. Although his actions go against the law of the government, he is doing what he feels right and that he is beating the system to create a better world. Although he makes some poor decisions, such as hacking computers and the school system, he truly is a good kid at heart. This is visible when he is imprisoned and cannot stop thinking about getting out and being at home with his family. The government views Marcus as a threat and keeps a close eye on him. They even went to the extent of bugging his personal computer at home without permission. Marcus was upset about this but creates his own form of communication through Xbox. The “dilemma” of reprogramming RFIDs deals with the potential consequences. The book could be lost from the library forever and students would be without it. On the other side, it would allow him to avoid getting caught leaving school. Marcus knows that many of the hacks and invasions he performs are wrong, but he uses them for what he feels is the right thing. The feeling of being followed disturbs him and is quite ironic since the government performs hacks and bugs to obtain information on Marcus. In conclusion, Marcus is a great kid with good intentions. Some of his decisions, however, are quite skeptical and require moral validation.
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Matt Schroll, Nick Peppler, Carson Shanks, Nick Hart
I liked your post because I agree that Marcus is really a good kid at heart. His actions may make him look like the bad guy, but his intentions are pure. I liked your statement about how Marcus’ actions are supposed to help make the world a better place even though it goes against the law of the government. Also, I agree with what you said about him wanting to be at home with his family while he was prisoner. This really does show he is a good kid. Your remark about Marcus feeling as though he is being followed yet he really is was quite ironic.
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ReplyDelete6. Describe Marcus’s capture and imprisonment. What happens to Darryl? What conclusions does Marcus reach about his government and his community as a result of his imprisonment?
ReplyDeleteMarcus was initially captured because he ran in front of a police car to save his friend Darryl. Darryl was stabbed by someone while pushing through the crowd. Marcus was questioned by severe haircut lady and refused to give the passwords to his phone and other gadgets. Because Marcus refused to give his password, they punished him by starving, isolation and threats. He was not able to shower or have time to exercise. The Department of Homeland Security tried to bribe him by giving him exercise time and able to see other people only if he gave them the passwords. After the torments of being alone and scared he gave the department of homeland security his passwords. After they analyzed all his illegal things they knew he wasn’t a terrorist but he was a criminal. “It’s not about doing something shameful. It’s about doing something private. It’s about your life belonging to you.” (Doctrow 57) Marcus was angry that his privacy was invaded. They said if he tried anything or exposed them for imprisoning him they would arrest him. Because of this discrimination, Marcus came to the conclusion the American Government and the Department of Homeland Security is the enemy.
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Justin S, Ethan C, Michael S, Max E, Johnathan James Baker
I agree with what Michael is saying and that everything that has happened to Marcus is a very troublesome event. Although Michael did not deserve what happened to him, he still tried to run. Him being in prison is just the start, he later becomes a very rebellious person by leading the Xnetters against the DHS. Marcus is such an intelligent young man that he is clever enough to come up with a very secretive way to go agsinst the DHS and do it successfully. Marcus is successful in the end, defeating the DHS and gaining back the freedom of the world.
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Jenna Rogers, Emily S, Cortney C
ReplyDelete6. Describe Marcus’s capture and imprisonment. What happens to Darryl? What conclusions does Marcus reach about his government and his community as a result of his imprisonment?
Marcus was captured by the DHS after a bombing occurred in San Francisco. Marcus and his friends were trying to find safety. During that time someone stabbed Darryl. Marcus was tired of waiting for help, so he decided to step out in front of a big vehicle. It turns out that this vehicle held members of the DHS. Marcus and his friends were taken from the real world and brought to a prison. On their way there they were not treated very nicely. Marcus had been hit in the head multiple times and had to keep a bag on his head like all of the others in the vehicle. When he arrived to the prison he was questioned. At first he did not want to answer and that got him into a lot of trouble. More trouble than he was already in. Eventually he cooperated and answered all of the questions. Each time he answered questions he gained privileges whether they were to shower or go outside. The one time he went outside he got into trouble for talking to Van and lost his privilege. When Marcus got out he reunited with Van and Jolu, but none of them knew where Darryl was. Darryl was held separately from the others for some reason. Marcus felt like all of his freedom was taken from him in a split second. After they let him go, he decided that the government was corrupt and thought that they should not be able to control people like that. Imprisonment made Marcus really appreciated what he had in freedom.
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Group Discussion Questions
ReplyDeleteTaylor Reinhart, Brigitte Luedke, & Shelby Ringdahl.
1. How does Marcus’s comment that he’s “one of the most surveilled people in the world” set the tone for the novel? Is the statement true? Compare the school Marcus describes in the opening chapters to your own in terms of surveillance, discipline, and student-administrator relationships.
Response: Marcus’s comment about him being one of the most surveilled people in the world set the tone for the novel by informing the reader that he would go through rigorous difficulty trying to keep his secrets safe. So far throughout the novel, this statement is true. When Marcus what accused of being a terrorist and causing the terroristic attacks, he would not let the military people unlock his phone due to the passwords and hacker techniques he wanted to keep secret. As high school students, we understand the level of pressure inflicted onto students due to technology and supervisors. The school Marcus describes in the opening chapters of the novel is different from our school because we do not have as much security compared to Chavez High School. At Chavez, they have cameras that memorize and record the way they walk which is a way of tracking them. They also have tracking devices on the library books that is normally used to track books if they do not return on time, but can also be used to track students if they are missing from class as well. Prior Lake High School is different because our staff has more trust in students and we do not have as much restriction because technology is newer we only have enough experience with it to have such high-tech cameras installed. (226)
I definitely agree that Marcus’s comment within the very first sentence of the novel about him being one of the most surveilled people in the world set the tone of the rest of the book simply because it informed the reader that he would go through rigorous difficulty trying to keep his secrets safe. Marcus obviously knows that after he was released from the DHS prison, he was someone the Department of Homeland Security would be keeping a keen eye on. Even despite this fact, Marcus continued trying to rebel against the people who so wrongfully took him and his friends of their own streets. His use of the Xnet, and the meetings and debate he triggered was definitely looked down upon by the DHS, yet Marcus was relentless in his quest to not only make a statement, but also not get caught.
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I agree with your first sentence that the statement will show Marcus trying to keep his secrets safe. I really loved that you made a comment on how high school students feeling pressure because of technology and supervisors. And thank god we do not have the same amount of surveillance that Marcus has at Cesar Chavez High! It is unbelievable that there are cameras to recognize and rack students by how they were walking. I agree with what you said about the teachers having more trust in the students and there is less restriction but more experience in Prior lake High School.
DeleteThe fact that Marcus went against the DHS and did not give them his passwords shows the lengths that Marcus will go to to defend his freedom and his country. He knows that what the DHS is doing is wrong and that he will do whatever it takes to take them down. His bravery proves vital in his attempt to take down the government. The DHS looked down upon Marcus and were even scared of him because of how rebellious he is and what he is capable of. Blah Blah Blah i hope you enjoyed my very detailed and amazing response.
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4. Why do Darryl and Marcus leave school in Chapter 2 and what are the consequences? Have your seemingly harmless actions ever gotten others in trouble? How did you feel? What actions did you take as a result?
ReplyDeleteMarcus is a very intelligent kid but also a typical boy. He is into a new kind of game called Harajuku Fun Madness which involves clues and real world experiences. Marcus, Darryl, Van, and Jolu are best friends who are also teammates for this game. In Chapter two Marcus and Darryl leave school because a clue came out that will lead them closer to winning the game. The two boys could not miss their opportunity to find it and lose to another team so they had to leave the first chance they got. Unfortunately their school is covered in surveillance which makes it a little challenging to escape the school. Marcus on the other is great at going by the security of the school but if he gets caught there will be consequences especially for Darryl since he has been busted before and if he gets busted again he would be expelled. In the end of chapter two an unexpected event occurs there is an “earthquake” the Bay Bridge has been blown to bits. In a way it is another consequence for leaving school and Marcus and his friends get stuck at the BART station eventually leading them to more trouble. Just like Marcus I have roped my brothers into doing something ( I cannot remember the event exactly) but it turned out that we got into trouble. For me I never enjoyed getting into trouble so I would blame them and end up never getting into trouble. At the time I did not feel bad because I thought they deserved it, it was payback for some of the things my brothers have done to me. In the end I did something in return to make up for the blame, for example give them candy or clean certain things for them.
Libby, Katie, Brooke, and Bre
ReplyDeleteQuestion #5: . What is Harajuku Fun Madness? Why does Marcus trust HFM organizers, and follow their clues to real-world encounters with “enemy teams,” while he is highly suspicious of government operatives attempting to similarly control him?
Harajuku Fun Madness is a game that Darryl, Jolu, Van, and Marcus all play in the beginning of Little Brother. This game is an Alternate Reality Game that allows teams of teenagers to decode messages and track clues which will lead them to more clues. Harajuku Fun Madness sounds like a computer game, but is one-hundred percent real-life. The website for the HFM sets up clues that each has a physical, online, and mental component. Marcus trusts the HFM organizers because the clues have never lead him into harm’s way. Marcus is a seventeen year old, senior in high school trying to find his niche. He turns to the game for friends, and a way to escape from the reality of the government. Also, he can relate with the other players because they have the interest of the game in common with each other. Marcus is suspicious of the government because the government does not give anyone real privacy. He fears that America will soon turn into a country where everyone is treated like a potential terrorists. Harajuku Fun Madness used to be a game where four students turned to escape reality, but the skills they learned throughout the game which could potentially save their lives.
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Sam, Blake, Cloe, Jamie
ReplyDelete6. Describe Marcus’s capture and imprisonment. What happens to Darryl? What conclusions does Marcus reach about his government and his community as a result of his imprisonment?
Marcus, and Darryl, his very best friend, otherwise known as his second in command, is his partner in crime. Both grew up together, therefore they are not only close friends, but they also know everything about each other. Marcus, being the master troublemaker, is the one who initially had the genius idea to sneak out of school to pursue a Harajuku Fun Madness clue. Unfortunately for them, they were caught up in the midst of a terrorist attack. After trying to escape underground, in the subway, massive crowds of chaotic people surrounded the boys and the rest of their group, and Darryl was stabbed. Thinking quick, Marcus instinctively shoved his way through the crowds up to the surface, trying to get help. Yet, although they were only trying to receive help for their very best friend, the Department of Homeland Security picked them up, mistakenly thinking they were terrorists. From this point on, Darryl is not seen, thought to be either missing, or even worse, dead. After being held against his will, Marcus’ experience with the DHS is nothing less than hell. They treat him like the dirt beneath their feet, and even though Marcus is stubborn, he eventually is broken down and deprived of his innocence when the DHS scares him into giving them all his passwords and codes for the different technologies that he had been carrying when they originally picked him up. He is mortified when he pees himself, and in time comes to realize that his supposedly granted privacy as a citizen means close to nothing in his new surroundings. Furthermore, although in the beginning he is quite naive, thinking the DHS is only trying to scare him, he learns after a few days of captivity that the governments control is relentless. Even after he is released, he is continually suspicious of everything around him and seeks to get back at the unyielding people who held him and took Darryl.
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I once again agree with this post because it’s true. When you said that Marcus was treated like the dirt under the government feet, it was right on point. They did not let him shower and he was not allowed to wear his own clothes; he was given prison clothes. When Marcus refused to give over his passwords he was punished. He could not use the restroom and was forced to pee himself, which is completely unnecessary and unsanitary. Jails are supposed to be used for holding prisoners and teaching them a lesson, but not to be confused with a torture camp.
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Cortney, Emily, Jenna
ReplyDelete21. Are government attempts to “protect” citizens through surveillance ridiculous to anyone with an understanding of security technology? Would America be safer if all of its citizens learned more about the computers upon which they rely? How else could/should America be made safe? By whom? From whom?
21. Little Brother is about the government trying to “protect” citizens through surveillance. Most of the citizens in the novel do not understand the use of technology like Marcus and his friends did. If citizens knew how to use technology in extent then they would be able to get into the system and the DHS would then be not as powerful. If citizens learned more about the computers, they technically would not be a lot safer. The government is there so that no one revolts or does something that would be bringing the government down. If someone were trying to revolt to try to keep other citizens safe, like how Marcus did, then the government would come for whoever revolts and causes harm to them. “You’d think that you’d know better than to mess with us. We’ve had an eye on you since the day you walked out.”(pg. 342) This explains how Marcus tried to get everyone to be safe, but in the long run he ends up hurting himself. To keep people more safe in a country, the country needs a lot of protection, but not protection that described in a book. Landmarks and important places in the country especially need to be protected, so then it is not as much as a target for terrorists. People that could protect the country are marines and the army, and citizens want protection so that terrorists from other countries do not destroy things that are important to them and so people do not lose innocent lives.
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Although the overall idea within Little Brother was to “protect” the citizens, I personally believe the government went too far. The majority of citizens lived in fear, thinking terrorists were the root of the city’s problem, which in part the attack was, but the majority of the fear came from the DHS. The measures they took trying to keep the city safe was ridiculous. Like Marcus’ dad kept saying, obviously the measures they took helped a little, simply to get crooks and drug dealers off the street, but in Marcus’ defense, the rest of the people who were getting pulled aside and questioned were your everyday, average, completely innocent citizen. I do agree, however, that the majority of the citizens in the novel did not fully understand the use of technology like Marcus and his friends did. It is clear that Marcus stands out from the rest, and because he is so knowledgeable when it comes to the internet and gaming, he is able to utilize what he knows to popularize the Xnet.
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I agree with all of you here. One thing I found very interesting was that Doctorow didn’t directly address how other citizens in the city felt about the strict regulations the government began to enforce. Marcus recalls seeing a long line of employees waiting to scan into work and others waiting at the BART. Were these people and the various others pulled over at random suspicious at all? Another curious example goes back to the concert in Dolores Park. 827 people were arrested and the news stories poured out about recruiting terrorists on the American home front. Marcus and Ange set up a press conference via Xnet, but the media misinterpreted their side of the story as well. Marcus used all the technology, which was foreign to others, to his advantage. If the rest of the population knew more about this technology, the story may have resulted differently, possibly bringing down the DHS quicker. The fact remains that this technology was foreign to everyday citizens. I just feel it would be nice to have a perspective shown from a citizen who was not informed about this technology.
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I really do believe that if we as a nation had a better understanding of computers we would become a more powerful country. But, at the same time that would not necessarily be the safest thing for all of us. For example, if everyone in the country had the same knowledge and computer-savvy that Marcus displayed in the book nothing would be able to be kept private. Then if everyone were to be that sophisticated with computer the question poses itself of "when would someone use this technology for bad?" I thoroughly do think that with the way society is moving forward; in order to keep up we will need to become better technologically.
DeleteNick I agree with what you are saying. Although Doctorow focused mainly on Marcus and his opinion of the DHS and how the surveillance of the city works it made the book seem very narrow minded. It is almost as you said the book would have come out differently if more people were aware of the technology that they have access to. It is almost as the book is more so spun from the eyes of someone that is, lack of better words, a “computer nerd”. The story that was presented came from one mind rather than a couple. I believe that if Doctorow would have incorporated a few more thoughts maybe apposing or representing the other side of Marcus’ opinion or argument they would have made the story go a little bit more smoothly and a little bit more enjoyable rather than listening to the same one throughout the entire book.
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I totally agree with the statements above, but I just have one question. Is the Department of National Security using our military for the “protection” of the citizens? The reason I ask this is because of the oath that most military members have to take as soon as they finish basic training. The oath states that “I will protect this country from all threats, foreign and domestic”. Well if they were to actually protect their country then they would turn on the DHS. Sure if they turned on the DHS there would be a conflict of interest because the country is giving them orders to threaten the citizens that they are trying to protect, making a never ending cycle of either disobeying orders, or going against everything they once stood for. (131)
DeleteIt was mentioned that not everyone is very technologically advanced, but if everyone were, it would make the security of America less protective because with everyone's minds they would be able to get into the sites of the government and break into the the security. I agree that by this it would not necessarily make us safer because it would cause for more revolts and it would be hard for the governmen
Deletet to be defensive. The DHS in the book took it way too far though, they basically seperated themselves from what America stands for. This is something we need to protect ourselves from, we need to be able to make sure that parts of the government does not become corrupt, whether it be by government checks or whether it be by the people to be able to check the government since this land is governed by the people. With the different divisions of the military ( i don't know muh about it) i'm sure they do background checks but for those going into leadership positions they should have extensive backround checks and person checks so that the chances of corrupt leadership are slim. obviously, nothing in this world are perfect but we can do all that we can to make it a better place.
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DeleteEven though the government was increasing their surveillance of citizens in order to protect them in the future, I believe they abused their power and took away the basic right of privacy. After terrorist attacks I believe it is necessary for the government to increase security, but not by spying on its own citizens. I think citizens would be safer if they knew more about technology because technology is changing how things are done. If the citizens in Little Brother had known that the government could watch their every move, they would have supported the DHS a lot less. I believe we need to make America safer by preventing the terrorist from getting access to America.
DeleteCortney Chelmo, Jenna Rogers, Emily Schneider
ReplyDelete12. What is Bayesian probability and how does it relate to Marcus and Jolu’s strategies for safely encrypting XNet communiqués? How does Pigspleen fit into this plan? Why does this company appeal to Marcus
The Bayesian probability is a theory that provides a mathematical framework for performing inference, or reasoning, using probability. The Bayesian probability relates to Marcus and Jolu throughout the book as they use the Xnet and become more reliant on it to communicate with others and profess and expose the DHS. They encrypt every word that is put onto the Xnet so that no one is discovered by the DHS and punished for speaking and acting out against them. They use keys to keep up with what is being said across the Xnet. If a key is found and decoded every code that is ever used with that key becomes obsolete and can no longer be used. The less the DHS knows about these keys, the better. Marcus explains that when they use keys the ones he chooses are ones that have been around for a while; they seem to be the ones that work the best because of the thought that was put into them. Jolu is working at a company by the name of Pigspleen. The company works with creating codes to encrypt messages that are sent between Xnet users. This catches Marcus’ attention because he has created codes before but was never paid for them. “’Really?’ No one has ever paid me for writing code. ‘Sure. You’re probably good enough to be worth it.’” Jolu seems to be the one that works better at Pigspleen and although Marcus is extremely intelligent he may lack a little when it comes to creativity.
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Matt, Nick P, Carson, Nick H.
ReplyDeleteCPC Wright
Blog #2 Question 15
Van and Jolu break away from Marcus because they believed that it was getting too dangerous. Although Marcus was doing it for all the right reasons, his friends did not want to get intertwined with his shenanigans. Van did not agree with Marcus in taking down the DHS. She believed it was too risky and she just wanted to be left out of Marcus' business. Even though her and Marcus were great friends, she had a bit of a crush on him. Knowing this, the strength for her to shut him out of her life must have been very difficult. Jolu, on the other hand, went with Marcus' plans but he then decided to quite early because he figured that since he was Mexican he would do much more jail time than Marcus or any other rebel. Jolu was a great friend of Marcus’ as well, but his fear got the better of him. Marcus lost a majority of his closest friends because of his fearlessness to fight. If i had been a part of Marcus' group i feel that i would not have stuck with him. Although Marcus was doing the world a great favor and was standing up for what he deemed right, i would have thought it was too risky. Marcus’ personality is much different than mine. Although I always have an opinion about certain things, I would not go to the ends of the earth just to prove a point that something is wrong. Although Marcus proved a success in the fight against the government and the DHS, his actions were very risky and he is very lucky to even be alive.
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After reading the book, I realized that going after the DHS like Marcus did would be one of the toughest decisions you could make, especially at his age. I agree with you guys when you say that you probably wouldn’t have stuck up for him because it would have been too risky. You never know what could happen, especially when you are dealing with the government. It would have been hard to lose the friends that he did, and would have required an enormous amount of bravery to stand up to the DHS the way that he did. I honestly could never see myself doing that.
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Marcus is brave kid. I'm all for doing what you believe in but I could't do it myslef, that's way too risky for my taste and I wouldn't be able to handle basically being the only one with everyone else against you. I would probably be more like Jolu where he stuck with Marcus for some of the way but not all of it and like under the circumstances of being a different race would cause Jolu to leave because there is still discrimination, that's how I am, I'm guatemalan although only half but I don't know if i were to receive different treatment. Better to be safe then sorry. I would cheer on Marcus from the side lines but I wouldn't involve myself. Life is way too short and I would want to enjoy the things that I can, like traveling, and doing activities that I have never done before.
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Delete9. List some of the technologies Marcus explains in the novel. How much of this information did you already know? How are the explanations in the novel similar to, or different from, your previous encounters with this information? Do you view the Internet differently after learning this information? (Cloe, Jamie, Sam, Blake)
ReplyDeleteThroughout the whole novel, it seems as though Marcus is consistently introducing multiple different technologies. Whether it is the internet game, Harajuku Fun Madness, or the entire concept of the Xnet, Marcus is always tackling a new obstacle. Using his very own Xbox, Marcus can not only play multiple different games, such as the ever popular Prirate Party, but he can also maneuver around using programs such as the ParanoidXbox or the Xnet. From the beginning, it is clear that Marcus has a knack for gaming, and he is seemingly an expert when it comes to the internet. Today, kids of our generation live in an age where technology defines us, and is part of our everyday routine. Yet, even after reading Little Brother, many of the technologies Marcus brought up and used throughout the book were not familiar. Teens today are accustomed to using our iPod’s, iPhone’s, and iPad’s habitually, but gaming is not an expertise I personally possess. Although, I know there are kids out there who definitely know how to skillfully game. Marcus is very passionate about his gaming, and even more, his cause. He also does a very good job at explaining each and every new technology introduced. When explaining how the DHS is able to wire tape the internet, more specifically the Xnet, Marcus describes on page 112, “You can’t tell who’s passing Xnet packets by looking at the contents of those packets, thanks to crypto.” He continues on, explaining exactly what crypto traffic is and how the DHS utilizes it when surveilling people. The explanations within the novel are very informative, and definitely help to educate those of us who were not familiar with the aspects of the overall concepts which make up Little Brother, such as the Xnet and all its features. Even after learning all about the internet, and the many different ways it can be maneuvered, it is surprising that so much can be monitored, even hid, so easily when one knows the tricks. Living in an era where it seems as though without technology we are unable to properly function, sometimes we do not pay as close as attention as we should when it comes to outside sources and different methods of security. Though, overall, we do not look differently at the internet as a whole, but we definitely can become more aware of what we are doing on the internet, and the fact that we could be monitored at any such time.
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After reading this book I realized how much technology there is. I also had no idea that Xnet even existed. I thought I was up to date with our technology until I went through and read all of the paragraphs where he explained different things he could do with technology. I agree that he is very informative in those paragraphs of him explaining the technology. It helped me understand what he was talking about. Without that I would have been completely lost. I also know that there are kids who actually know what Marcus was talking about, and I too think that they are very skillful. I actually do look at the Interent a little differently. I think it is weird knowing that I could be watched right now while writing this blog. Even though I do realize that so many more things are happening over the Internet, I probably will not change anything that I am already doing. (159)
DeleteI found myself wondering how it was possible that we use so much technology habitually or without even realizing it. It has become so much of our daily lives that up until i read the book, I didnt realize the countless hours that i spent using technology. I found it even more odd that there is a whole other realm of technology that normal people such as myself haven't discovered yet, and are left to those who are what most would call "Computer savvy". The idea of the Xnet was a completely new concept for me, as is the scattering software and the ability to completely build laptops from scratch. Regardless, i am inspired now to look into some of the technology used and how it all works. (129)
Delete18. Who ultimately betrays Marcus, and how and why? Whom does Marcus ultimately trust to save himself and his friends? Is this a surprising choice? What actions do Marcus and his confidantes take to help him regain a certain type of freedom? How does Marcus feel about going down this path? (Cloe, Jamie, Sam, Blake)
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the novel, it is quite apparent that the Department of Homeland Security is who ultimately betrays Marcus. They not only embarrassed him, but they stole his innocence and forced him to live in complete and utter fear of those associated with the DHS. Marcus is betrayed by the DHS when they rip him of his virtue. Despite the fact that he is an innocent American citizen, a high school student nonetheless, they still treat him as if he is a terrorist. They treat him with the utmost disrespect, as if he is the dirt underneath their feet. Even in spite of the fact Marcus surrendered to them, giving them all his passwords when they initially jailed him in the beginning, the DHS continued to be relentless to not only Marcus, but his friends, family, and community also. On page 200 Marcus says, “I was doomed. I had known that since they let me go from the DHS truck, that someday they’d come and arrest me and put me away forever, send me to wherever Darryl had gone.” From here it is evident Marcus lives in a state of fear. He cannot even trust, or depend, on his own government to protect him. Continuing on, Marcus only truly trusted himself. He had many who supported and followed him and his efforts, yet when it came down to it, Marcus was his own worst enemy. It does not seem surprising that Marcus trusts himself over anyone else simply because of the type of person he is. Marcus and his allies preform many different activities, trying to regain their most scared, personal freedom. Not only do they utilize and spread the Xnet, first through their peers, then their peer’s friends and so on, but Marcus also organizes different rebellion type of group meetings (essentially trying to prove a point.) Examples of these events might be the party him and Jolu planned, or even the VampMob, both of which had extraordinary turnouts. Marcus, unlike many of his friends, seems to not be afraid of what might happen to him. Obviously he knows he will be caught, or have to surrender at some point, but as long as he is not caught, he will continue rebelling against the DHS. Though, he definitely is fearful of what might happen to him when he is caught simply because of his previous encounters with the DHS.
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I agree with you that the Department of homeland Security is who ultimately betrays Marcus. The DHS mad Marcus feels like he is the worst thing in the world, and accused him of things that he never did. Marcus helps his friends because he does not want anything to happen to them, like what had happened to him. To me, it does not seem surprising that Marcus would choose to risk his life for his friends and his peers. He has such a great heart and really cares about saving his country. I also believe that Marcus knows that sometime he will get caught. I agree that Marcus at times shows his fear when it comes down to the DHS.
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I completely agree with everyone here on the fact that the government and the Department of Homeland Security are the ones that in the end betrayed Marcus. I also agree with the idea is also more "gung-ho" about taking down the government compared to all of his friends that he started off the book with. He did although pick up friends that were completely on the same level of commitment as him as far as getting back at "big brother." Marcus by the end of the book basically shows an utter disregard for what happens to him as long as it is helping his fight against the DHS and the government.
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I agree 100% with your argument. The government ultimately betrays Marcus because they are forcing him to give up passwords and accusing him of crimes he never did. They are assuming everyone in San Francisco is a potential terrorist. Marcus ultimately trusts the use of the Xnet to save himself and his friends. I guess you could also say that he trusted Barbara also. I agree with your statement when you said that Marcus lives in a state of fear, because I think he does. He doesn’t want to go back to the prison because they treated him with disrespect.
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I completely agree that the Department of Homeland Security are the ones who betrayed Marcus. In the beginning of the novel they pretty much took away his personal life when they took his passwords. They took them from him even as an innocent person who did nothing wrong. I also agree with you Sam when you say Marcus cannot fully trust anyone. He does have his friends and family supporting him though, but in the end I think that he is better off with telling nobody anything. I also do agree with the fact that Marcus is afraid of the DHS after what they had done to him.
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I agree with everyone else that the Department of homeland security betrayed Marcus as they created a false trust with him. They also made him out to be a terrorist when in reality, he just was a teenager who didn’t want to give out his password and let the world see his secrets. Marcus is also stuck with wondering how his friends are doing along with Darryl in the novel and is left with no clue if he or his friends will survive another day. I think one of the hardest things for Marcus was dealing with going against his country who he once thought was completely for the people.
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Carson Shanks, Nick Hart, Nick Peppler, Matt Schroll
ReplyDeleteQUESTION 23:
How do the afterwords affect your reading of Little Brother? Has the experience of reading this book changed your understanding of—or your standards for—security, privacy, and freedom? If so,how?
RESPONSE:
Little Brother is a book dealing with many various aspects of life. Adventure, friendship, corruption, and privacy are just a few major themes in this book. Marcus leads the Xnet and causes a lot of trouble with the DHS and American government. The DHS had become corrupt and felt as if the Xnetters were terrorists living on the American home front. After reading the book, many moral questions arose about Marcus. His hacking and ability to break into highly secure sites, databases, and other government property is very dangerous. Initially, he uses these abilities to help escape his school so he can play Harajuku Fun Madness. After the attack on Bay Bridge and imprisonment, his mindset changed.
The Department of Homeland Security displayed a great example of government corruption. The freedoms of the Californian citizens were being comprised at the expense of government paranoia. Privacy, under the protection of the Constitution, is a right of all American citizens. Invasion of privacy is a recurring theme throughout Little Brother. The section of the book where Marcus discovers that his computer is hacked provides an initial example of more invasions to come. He continues to discover that he has to monitor more and more of his everyday belongings and activities. These include transportation, purchases, and internet access.
Reading Little Brother instilled a feeling of curiosity. Are we really being watched similar to Marcus was in the book? The government plays such a heavy role in our lives, and we don’t even realize it. Nobody except the government can predict potential threats to our nation. In order to protect us, there must standards in place, but to an extent. How truly free would citizens be if the Department of Homeland Security was as corrupted as it was in Little Brother?
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I agree with the themes that you said were in Little Brother deals with. When you said that the DHS is government corruption, I thought it was a great way to explain the DHS. Even though the country has all of the security issues in the novel, I do not believe that it will happen to us. I agree with your statement that the government has a heavy role on our lives, but no one really realizes it or gets worried about it. I also believe that the country is not watching us like how the novel portrays it. If the government was corrupt like in Little Brother, I believe that no one would know what to do. I believe that there would not be that many people revolting, because they do not want to risk their lives.
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I could not agree more with this group. Reading this book made me think about what really goes on that we dont know about. There is so much that the government keeps from the society. When the group says that reading this book made them have a feeling of curosity, i could not agree more because without reading this book I would not have known anything that goes on behind the closed doors. I do not think that they have much freedom when the government is watching them do everything.
DeleteBlog Post #13
ReplyDeleteLibby, Bre, Brooke, and Katie
13. What historical events inspire Marcus to form a protest community? Is protest the only way to determine the acceptable level of sacrificed personal freedom for the good of the nation? Cite the novel or real, historical examples in your answer.
Marcus finds inspiration in the lecture that Ms. Galvez gives in class about the movements that have made history. She explains to the class how “DON’T TRUST ANYONE OVER 25” relates to the Civil Rights Movement. One historical event that is mentioned several times in the novel is the event at Berkeley. Students at Berkeley were protesting against segregation of African Americans. In result of the protesting one student was arrested and put into a police van. Almost three-thousand students surrounded the van, so the van could not move. This was an action about having no free-will and restrictions on freedom of speech. Another historical movement that is presented throughout the novel is the movement of the Yippies. Part of their movement was the Democratic National Convention in 1968. This was a huge deal for the Yippies because their association attracted reporters throughout Chicago to report the truth about the government. The police did not agree with the reporters and began beating them up for doing their jobs. This became known as the Police Riot. Ms. Galvez explained, “They didn’t lose…but they did change the world. The war in Vietnam ended, and the kind of conformity and unquestioning obedience that people had called patriotism went out of style in a big way.” (178)
Protests are very effective, but are not the only option to make a difference. Although, the gathering of a mass amount of people sharing the same idea is powerful, social media is just as competent. Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and Email are ways of gathering people with the same idea. For example, on Twitter people can follow what or who they agree with. Marcus used protests to defeat the DHS and change the world.
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I agree with you. I also think that protests are very effective, but are not the only way to make a change. Marcus made a huge change by going out there and protesting. It is crazy how we can go on Twitter or Facebook and follow what or who we want so easily. The Internet itself can make drastic change by people posting what they think. I thought that you guys did a great job at stating what historical events played into the book, and why Marcus decided to hold those protests. I think there is a great comparison to protests that our country has faced and to what happens in the book. (103)
DeleteI agree with you. Protesting is one of the few ways to go about different things. I certainly do not think it is the only way to go about things though. You have to think about your resources when you are going to do something this big. The internet is always there and you can make a online protest to make your point get bigger. I think that sometimes if it is on the internet it will get seen more because so many people go on the internet throughout the day. I do think protests are very effective but sometimes you have to do other things to make it get heard around the world.
DeleteBlog Post #22
ReplyDeleteGroup: Libby, Bre, Brooke, Katie
Question:
What is Marcus’s job at the end of the novel? What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages, satisfactions and frustrations of this job? Is it important to have people like Marcus on the Internet? Why or why not?
Response:
At the end of the novel, Marcus is hired for the Coalition of Voters for Free America. Instead, everyone called him and others he worked with the Xnetters. The organization – a charitable non-profit – had been cofounded by Barbara Stratford and some of her lawyer friends after the liberation at Treasure Island. Some tech-millionares donated money to the organization because they could not believe an average seventeen-year-old kicked the DHS’s butt. Marcus and fellow workers gave away ParanoidXbox CD’s and held workshops on building better WiFi antennas. In the future, Marcus’s big plan is to launch his own ARG just in time for the elections to really recruit people to vote at the polls. Some advantages may include changing the outcome of the elections based on your actions. Disadvantages could be that the job is very time-consuming and there would be a lot of pressure or high expectations to get the job done. A frustration would be getting voters to actually go to the polls and vote because only 42% of Americans show up to the polls for elections. Satisfactions of the job would be knowing you have the capability to make a difference and helping your country when more people go to the polls to vote.
It is important for people like Marcus to be on the Internet because he uses the Internet wisely and not only to his advantage but to the advantage of others as well. His knowledge of computers and the Internet are also used to help other people learn and understand more about the Internet. The Internet can be a very powerful tool if one uses it wisely.
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I really liked your closing point. Although Marcus did not use his abilities very wisely at the beginning of the book, I think his experiences at Treasure Island put these skills into perspective. Throughout the book he became more and more involved in the Xnet to the point where everyone knew "M1k3y" as the leader. Others were able to learn his ways and about the government corruption based on his involvement and leadership. The Xnetters were involved and informed enough that they were willing to be arrested and trust M1K3y during the VampMob that occurred late in the book. Following this incident, two jammers were very open to helping M1K3y out and acted somewhat weird about the situation, as if M1k3y was an idol to them. Even though Marcus used an alternate alias, he displayed his trustworthiness through his wise actions on the Xnet. Without his broad knowledge of the Internet and computers, the success of unveiling the corrupted Department of Homeland Security may have resulted much differently.
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I actually feel Marcus underestimated his knowledge at the beginning of the book, where he didn’t realize what power he actually held within the internet. As time went on and the Department of Homeland security put new tracking measures, Marcus had to find ways to get around them. Cunningly, Marcus remembers about ParanoidXbox and basically starts the revolution from his bedroom. Throughout the book, Marcus learns more about the government ways through the Xnet along with trial and error. Without his knowledge of the internet and the xnet itself, I don’t think Marcus would have been able to expose the Department of Homeland security.
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CARSON WORD COUNT: 114
ReplyDelete11. How does Marcus use the Xbox Universal and the XNet to undermine government surveillance? How does he use the Internet to organize real-world protests? Is he surprised by the results of his actions? What are the most surprising similarities differences between an ARG crowd and a crowd in a real public space? (Max, Ethan, John, Justin, Michael)
ReplyDeleteMarcus uses the Xbox Universal and a program called Paranoidxbox to keep his privacy. This is limited, however, because the Department of homeland security can make an account, and track the user of the program. XNet is like a social media for the users. Marcus is one of the creators, so his name is known to all as M1lk3y. He used this to his advantage; he could ask the people that feel the same as he does what their opinions are. Eventually he told people about jamming, which was a way to stop the Department of Homeland Security from tracking people, the idea exploded. Many people on XNet were joining forces and jamming the Department of Homeland Security. He was surprised to see that thousands of people were jamming and getting caught by the police. He did not want the guilt of putting these people in jail so he sent out a blog. “I’m not jamming. Not this week. Maybe not next. It’s not because I’m scared. It’s because I’m smart enough to know that I’m better free than in prison. They figured out how to stop our tactic, so we need to come up with a new tactic. I don’t care what the tactic is, but I want it to work.” (Doctrow 244) The difference between the Alternate reality gaming and the real public is the Alternate reality gaming crowd wants freedom, while the real public wants safety. They are similar because they care for the future of the nation.
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Michael S., John B, Max E, Justin S, Eathan
20:Marcus and his friends all seem to be quite intelligent and share a passion for figuring out how things work. Do these qualities make them safer than other characters in the world of Little Brother? Is smarter safer in general? (Max, Ethan, John, Justin, Michael)
ReplyDeleteIn a way, yes, it does make them safer. Take Marcus’ laptop as an example. He finds it unable to charge because there is a crack in the casing. He then takes apart his laptop and finds the little bug, “it was perfectly situated to capture all the keystrokes I made while I typed on my machine. It was a bug” (Doctorow 84). Since he found out something irregular with his personal laptop, he then knew that something was wrong internally. So he looked around and found the bug. The only thing that would have prepared Marcus for this would be his own yearning for finding out how his laptop worked. Also he is safer by jamming. Jamming is when you go out and change people’s IDs on their BART passes. Therefore it makes everyone look like a terrorist and it allows people to move around under the identity of someone else. When you are jamming the government cannot track your exact location therefore making you safer. But if you get caught jamming you could go to jail for a long time. Another way that technology makes them safer is that on their School Books he is able to hack into it and download a bunch of files that the Board of Ed would never be able to find. So in a sense, yes, being smarter in general does help. On the other hand, there is a point where one’s curiosity can go too far. If a seventeen year old boy is able to hack into computers and use technology to his advantage think about what a trained, determined, terrorist cell would be able to do.(276)
7. What does Marcus’s refusal to give passwords to and answer questions from government interrogators reveal about his character? How are passwords a recurring motif in the novel? (Nicole, Leah, Janelle)
ReplyDeleteMarcus is the type of person who will not be brought down. He is very stubborn and questions the interrogators methods. This reveals that he is a resilient person and aware of his privacy rights. Passwords show up from time-to-time when the government is trying to force him to give up his rights as a citizens for the security of the nation. In Little Brother, Marcus makes his point by saying, “There’s something really liberating about having some corner of your life that’s yours, that no one gets to see except you. It’s a little like nudity or taking a dump. Everyone gets naked every once in awhile. Everyone has to squat on the toilet. There’s nothing shameful, deviant or weird about either of them...Even if you’ve got nothing wrong or weird with your body—and how many of us can say that?—you’d have to be pretty strange to like that idea. Most of us would run screaming. Most of us would hold it in until we exploded. It’s not about doing something shameful. It’s about doing something private. It’s about your life belonging to you.” (p.g 124-Nook) He believes his private life should stay private, not because he did anything wrong, but because he has a right to live with privacy.
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ReplyDelete3. Describe ‘Harajuku Fun Madness’ (HFM). Explain why Marcus trusts HFM organisers and follows their clues to real-world encounters with ‘enemy teams’, while he is highly suspicious of government operatives attempting to similarly control him.