Security, At What Cost
The human instinct to survive is the most powerful drive that our species possesses. At the end of the day, a person will do anything in order to assure that they will continue to live as well as have the best life for their offspring. This is a simple human characteristic, but it is one that dictates the majority of our actions in life. Because of this need to survive, people will be inclined to giving up their other basic rights in order to guarantee their safety. This includes giving up their freedom in some circumstances. The novel, Swipe, by Evan Angle, explores this concept in depth following a young boy named Logan. Over the duration of the novel, this idea is represented throughout multiple ways. Through the use of showing examples of how their freedoms have been stripped, following the story of someone who wants to make a change to the system, and relating the events to real world issues, this novel demonstrates that humans are willing to give up everything in order to survive. At the beginning of the novel, the reader is introduced to a concept this dystopian society has created known as The Mark. This is a mark is available to anyone over the age of eighteen and is highly recommended to get. The Mark allows a person to get a job, buy groceries, and essentially gives people the means to living a prosperous life. However to receive this, a person must pledge themselves to the government and swear to live by their rules and customs for the rest of their life. Those that do not receive The Mark, are cast away from society and forced to live in refugee and rely on stealing in order to obtain food to live. Because of this, people are afraid to go without The Mark, even if they disagree with the system. One of the main transportation devices used is called a roller stick. When Logan asks if “Anyone ever get hurt”, Erin simply replies with, “All the time”(105). This is the only way to get around fast and yet is responsible for many injuries. This is an example of irony how pledging your life to a system that is supposed to keep you safe, forces you to use methods of transportation that have a high chance of getting you hurt. Anyone who doubts the system and thinks there must be something better, is eventually sorted out through the Marking process. Logan is a pre teen who has just reached the age he is allowed to pledge. The only problem is, he is skeptical about doing so ever since his sister did not return from her pledge day. Because of this, he is thrown through a series of events that lead to him finding the truth about the marking process. It is a sorting test designed to get rid of anyone who poses a threat to their “perfect” society. After discovering this, Logan is hunted down because of the fear that he might change the views of others. All he wants to do is find his sister and be free of the system. “I could be free”(129), is a sentence that is represented through the novel. While it is perfectly fine for others to give up their freedom for security, it’s completely different when the majority began to make this decision for others instead of letting them decide what they want. These ideas are connected to our own world through the novel. It would be one thing, if this was only a problem happening in this story, yet it is something that is present in the world today. Every instance of the freedoms taken away in the novel can be connected to our own society. In certain countries, children are pushed into following the customs and traditions of their elders even if they go against their own morals. Because of this, it becomes hard for people to stand up and make a change since if they do so, it will put their lives in immediate danger. This fear is present in the novel when a Logan comes to the realization that “ They're swiping kids, [...], who might grow up to question, to doubt”(245). This is exactly what happens to some people in our own society. Those that speak up are silenced, and then those who think about standing up for what they believe in are heavily discouraged for their own safety. In order for a great change to happen, it takes a few brave souls that are willing to put their lives on the line for what they believe in. However, for their sacrifice to work, it needs to inspire others into doing the same thing. Without these types of people, the world would never change since it is easier to go along with a program that provides safety even if it is something you do not agree with. The will to survive is extremely strong through the human race and is also the main reason people are afraid to speak up when they disagree with something. No one wants to be excluded from the group. Being alone is a terrifying thought to most people yet it is a fear that people must learn to control. Without fear, our world would be chaotic, however with too much of it, there would never be progress.
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