The Uglies #2

" 'What do you mean? Outside the city completely?'

'Yeah'

'That's crazy. There's nothing out there.'

'There's plenty out there. Real trees, hundreds of years old. Mountains. And the ruins. Ever been there?' "

Pg 71

Reaction: It's kind of interesting how many similarities dystopian novels have. When first reading Fahrenheit 451 all I could think about was how many thing reminded me of Brave New World. Now, reading this book I find myself making connections to Fahrenheit 451 instead. Shay's connection to nature reminds me of Clarrise's  connection to nature. The same way that Clarrise placed great importance in observing the little things out in nature and tried to get Montag to notice these things, Shay also seems to be getting Tally to appreciate nature the way she does. I feel like nature is repetitively used in dystopian novels as a symbol to the 'real world' in contrast to the highly technological and brain-washing characteristics of the world state.

Analysis: This passage shows an element of a dystopian society - the outside or natural world is banished or discouraged. Tally knows nothing outside of the city, and is shocked and confused when Shay asks her to come out into the wilderness with her. You can see that the normal person in this world state would place no importance in nature since Tally describes it as being 'nothing out there.' But Tally once again shows her dystopian protagonists characteristics by going against the norm in society and describing whats beyond the city as 'Real trees...Mountains. And the ruins.' Shay's connection with nature gives her a deeper connection with life and a better sense of living than she would get if she spent her time constantly anticipating the day that she'll finally become 'pretty' like Tally usually does. We can see that Shay is slowly trying to bring her friend from out from the brain-wash that society has put on Tally in order for her to appreciate other things other than just being 'pretty' or 'ugly'.