In this final section, we learn a little more about the demise of the Rusty civilization - that all the oil became infected by a bacterium and combusted upon contact with oxygen. There are at least two messages we can take from this exchange between Tally and David as they discussed the downfall of the Rusties. The first is that every civilization has its weakness, and David suggests that perhaps even something intangible as an idea can be the catalyst for a society's downfall. The other message is environmental.
Just like the spores that infected the oil, an idea can spread throughout a population. What idea do you think David is referring to? What do you think is the weakness of Tally's society? Is there only one weakness? What would you do if you were in Tally's or David's position?
The Rusty civilization - our civilization - relies primarily on fossil fuels for energy. Do you agree with David that this reliance could be our downfall? Do any of the environmental messages in the book resonate with you?
Unfortunately, by the time Tally and David manage to rescue what few they can that were taken from the Smoke, Shay has had the pretty operation against her will. What is your reaction to the changes in Shay? What do you think of Tally's choice to turn pretty? Special Circumstances knows that there is a resistance brewing. Why don't you think the New Smokies have been flushed out yet?
It may be disappointing that there isn't concrete resolution to the story by the end of the novel. Uglies is part of a quartet, but I chose it because I think it can stand alone. The issues it raises about physical beauty, self-reliance, and the functions of society, provide opportunities for discussion and debate. I hope you've enjoyed the novel, and if you are curious to read the rest of the series, it's worth checking out. At times, the story can get formulaic, but it's still a fun, worthwhile read. Thank you for the insightful discussions!
Just like the spores that infected the oil, an idea can spread throughout a population. What idea do you think David is referring to? What do you think is the weakness of Tally's society? Is there only one weakness? What would you do if you were in Tally's or David's position?
The Rusty civilization - our civilization - relies primarily on fossil fuels for energy. Do you agree with David that this reliance could be our downfall? Do any of the environmental messages in the book resonate with you?
Unfortunately, by the time Tally and David manage to rescue what few they can that were taken from the Smoke, Shay has had the pretty operation against her will. What is your reaction to the changes in Shay? What do you think of Tally's choice to turn pretty? Special Circumstances knows that there is a resistance brewing. Why don't you think the New Smokies have been flushed out yet?
It may be disappointing that there isn't concrete resolution to the story by the end of the novel. Uglies is part of a quartet, but I chose it because I think it can stand alone. The issues it raises about physical beauty, self-reliance, and the functions of society, provide opportunities for discussion and debate. I hope you've enjoyed the novel, and if you are curious to read the rest of the series, it's worth checking out. At times, the story can get formulaic, but it's still a fun, worthwhile read. Thank you for the insightful discussions!
7 comments:
Let's hope this works this time...I finished the book on the way home from Colorado on Monday, and while I am curious to see what will happen in the next books, I can't say I absolutely loved it. As a whole, it brought to light plenty of insecurities that I thought I had left behind in high school.
On the environmental side, while I get what they're going for, I always feel vaguely like I'm being preached at when a book is so heavy-handed with the message. As far as ideas that can spread through a society, it could be as simple as the idea that physical appearance fixes everything wrong with you, like we saw with Shay. She didn't want the surgery, but once she got it, she looked on her time with the resistance movement as a silly, childish game that she grew out of. Even the fact that these people are trained since youth to believe that being pretty is the most important thing that happens to them reinforces what a bad idea it is to spread, and yet it has complex roots. The Specials, who are obviously not as vapid and shallow and mindless as the rest of the population, have realized that when you give people something mindless to focus on, they don't pay attention to anything else. I bet this started as a social experiment, and when they saw how controllable these people were, they instituted it far and wide. Meanwhile, the population turns a blind, ignorant eye to things like human experimentation and mind control, because why should they care? They're pretty. Unfortunately, the weakness in sheep is that they are unable to think for themselves in a panic, so that were any other big crisis to hit the world, no one would be of any use in helping to fix it, except the Specials, and if all of them were taken out in some way, humanity would be easy pickings. On the other hand, sheep are followers, so if one of them becomes fixed on a new idea, the rest will trot along after them with no questions asked. I do think that if Tally or someone else were to be able to convince enough Pretties to believe in the brain lesions, the rest would jump on the bandwagon just to be part of the crowd.
The changes in Shay were quite possibly the most repulsive part of the whole experiment for me, especially how she used her status as the group's token Pretty to manipulate others into doing what she wants, and the way she complains and whines about the less-than-ideal conditions of the New Smoke. The attitude of indifference is the worst part though. Not only are these people vapid and shallow, they're totally selfish, and it shows in the manipulation and the attitude worst of all. People will do what I want because I'm pretty. People will listen to me and think I'm important because I'm pretty. I deserve better than other people because I'm pretty. What's scary is how much that can be seen in our own society. I can see why Tally is doing what she's doing, but it almost seems like a cop-out that she chooses to turn pretty, when I hoped she would stay as she was and come to appreciate the real beauty of what nature gave her, rather than the artificial looks given her by a surgeon. As far as the Specials, it's hard to say what they know for sure about the New Smoke, or whether they're biding their time, learning the patterns and numbers, or even whether they've already sent in another spy. Personally I think they're biding their time, learning what they can, and then will do what they need to do. They know that the New Smoke isn't as big or powerful as them, and that to a lot of the young Uglies it's merely a prank, not anything real yet. Or who knows, perhaps they want to make a study of it before they destroy it, to find a way to keep people from having these rebellious thoughts and actions in the future.
I felt that the environmental message is actually quite appropriate considering the hike in gasoline prices we've seen since this spring and the huge dependence that we have on fossil fuels. I really think that we should be investing more in renewable sources of energy - solar, wind, and water. Just a few days ago I listened to "Talk Of The Nation" on NPR about shale and what a messy messy process it is to get the natural gas out of it. It contaminates water, it can cause problems for people who live around where they are working...if your neighbor allows work on their property and you don't on yours, it still affects you...anyway, I'm a huge proponent about environmental issues, so while yes, the novel was strong on this, I agree that its' an issue that we ignore too much when gas prices are comfortable and which we forget all too soon after gas prices go back down to being comfortable.
Am I completely missing the point of the novel when I actually thought that Shay turning pretty was an improvement upon her personality? To be serious, it really was repulsive to see how dramatic those changes were. It wasn't just being distracted into a new life - it really was mind-altering what they did to her with the pretty surgery. In many ways, she became quite childlike, which makes her easier to manipulate in pretty society.
I also felt that Tally turning pretty was a cop-out. I wanted her to prove that she didn't need to turn pretty to fight against the rules of the pretty society.
I actually finished the book on time but then couldn't find the time to post. And I didn't know just what I wanted to say.
I didn't mind the environmental stuff. I just don't think that anything in a book is going to change the way we use up things. It would take a massive world culture shift for humans to stop using up things in the environment. However, I thought it was very ironic that a flower that was once difficult to find (if I remember the story correctly) became an invasive weed and that it was a bacteria that killed the gasoline. To my way of thinking, that still doesn't explain the virtual disappearance of the Rusties. It seems move likely to me that the Rusties and Pretties lived side by side for a time until the Pretties took over. I think that's one reason they are so aggressive about hunting down escaped uglies.
I was sad to see that Shay was made a pretty because she was so adamantly against it. Her personality is a little annoying but I still didn't like seeing her so helpless. On the other hand, I was glad to see that Tally was made a pretty, just because she had originally wanted it so. As miserable as it is, I was also glad that the truth finally came out. Her relationship with David could never have survived otherwise.
I have already started the next book. At times I was a little annoyed reading this one just because I was reading some other books that were better. I was too curious about what happens next so I'm doing on with it.
I noticed that you were rooting for Tally to turn pretty, Debra. I'm glad to hear your perspective because I always thought it was disappointing that she did. Now I don't feel so bad.
I chose this book as a fun read, not for quality as much, so I hope that was okay with everyone. I thought it provided some interesting material to discuss without being super deep and time consuming.
First of all, I want to apologize for posting on this so late. Things got ahead of me and then the...past week or so really sent things out of control so...yeah. Better late than never, though, right?
I do think that over reliance on one single source is a horribly bad idea. Like you pointed out Kate, the gas prices were jumping (until recently, with pleasure I noticed that my usual station was back down to $3.71, thankfully) and, due to that, prices elsewhere were rising too. And then there's the fact that oil is a finite resource. We use it for so much, not just energy but in products too, once we run out, that's it. We'd be screwed. So we need to be reliant on other sources of power, for a start. Whether or not we will...is another question entirely.
I absolutely hated seeing Shay turn pretty. But while I hated that, seeing Tally get turned (and, I hope its ok to mention, but that preview chapter of the next book, totally turned my stomach to see her turn so vapid and vain) was just...it was what she wanted, once but now...I can only imagine how things will change.
I think that the whole focus on appearance and being "pretty" is the weakness of the Pretty society. Anything not is shunned, as we saw by Tally and others living elsewhere when they were "ugly", as well as the sheer force the Special Circumstances gave when attacking the Smoke. All in all their life just seems so...controlled and fake. I get the feeling there is more going on behind the scenes there too.
I mean, while I know that most of the Pretties (those with those lesions that make them controllable) are like sheep, surely some are still able to fight against it. Some people have a strong enough will.
Uglies definitely gave me some food for thought, and I thank you for introducing me to it Kate. I do plan on reading the rest, as soon as I finish Harry Potter anyway, heh.
thanks for the comments, maenos. i agree with you about our dependency on oil. and as china and india and other developing countries continue to assert their position as world powers, they are going to draw down those finite resources as well. i think that unfortunately, our nation is lacking a lot of foresight these days. in addition to education cuts (which is so depressing to me...why we cut costs in investing in our future with our kids' education is beyond me), we're refusing to pursue innovated solutions. we should be investing more in renewable sources of energy and draw back our dependency on oil. so, yes, this environmental aspect of the novel struck a chord with me because while i don't see us going through something like the rusties in their society did, i do see that as long as we continue to chain ourselves to oil that we will be tied down from truly meeting our potential.
i think i'm the only one that felt that shay turning pretty was an improvement. i thought that her personality change was fabulous. i guess i just don't respond well to jealousy, so shay's anger was something that made me feel uncomfortable. once she turned pretty and the past issues didn't bother her anymore, i felt a lot of tension leave. i guess tally still felt the tension from guilt, but the direct conflict between the two was gone. i thought shay sounded like a lot more fun to be around instead of her moody previous self. that's probably not the point the author was trying to prove, but i thought it was great. :D
i'm glad that you enjoyed the book, kyle. i regretted my choice when everyone seemed bothered by the story. i think the next time i choose a book, i will choose a classic so that there won't be an issue of quality that at least one person questioned in these discussions. i was just trying to choose a quick interesting read...
I have continued with the series and just finished Specials. Maenos I'm interested in your response as you continuing reading the series. But, yes, you do need to finish Harry Potter first. :p
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