Big Brother Is Watching You: Literary Works on Stalking & Surveillance

Literature is a reflection of society, its problems and worries, ups and downs, and current trends as well. Tracking technologies that have made their way into any sphere of life, be it daily mundane routines, business dealings, political processes, management, emergency services, personal safety, and the like, inevitably affect literary art due to what people are concerned about, i.e., constant surveillance. 

At present, modern tools may track phone number free of limits, but most importantly, they follow average users wherever they go. And since liberal arts are sensitively responsive to any movement in the human mindset, which is certainly ruled by monitoring opportunities these days, there appeared numerous literary works that focus on how tracking may turn into surveillance and stalking as its hyperbolized form, which most people are generally afraid of. 

The Concepts of Stalking and Surveillance in Literature

Writers have always been fascinated by the ideas of stalking and monitoring because they are strong allegories that express deeper social fears and concerns that become more and more acute year by year. These literary themes delve into the complex connections between control, power, and privacy invasion, as they provide perspectives on people's own psyche as well as societal institutions as a whole. 

In literature, stalking takes on symbolic significance as a conflict of will in which the stalker manipulates the victim's life, frequently instilling fear and anxiety at last. From another perspective, surveillance usually symbolizes the larger, more pervasive invasion of privacy with an invisible watcher controlling and managing people's behavior to the full extent. 

As such, literature examines the problems of conformity and control through the prism of surveillance, raising concerns about how to reach a balance between personal freedom and security. Surveillance involves more than just monitoring but controlling and influential behavior, which might potentially result in a loss of identity and independence.

Key Literary Works

Although the landscape of literature is relatively diverse, it might be still difficult to select decent, REAL literary works with profound backgrounds and proper development of action. Originally, these books are meant to push readers to think about the moral and ethical implications of living in a society where everything is tracked and controlled. The following books constitute essential reading in the discussion of surveillance and private freedom with uncomfortable ideas behind.

1984 by George Orwell

The classic novel "1984" by George Orwell examines the horrifying effects of a surveillance state under a repressive regime and corrupt government. In this dystopian society, Big Brother, a ubiquitous authority figure who employs surveillance to control and influence every aspect of life, keeps track of everyone around him. 

The book explores in great detail the psychological effects that arise from having every thought monitored and uniqueness methodically annihilated. Orwell's depiction of a society devoid of freedom and privacy has come to symbolize the dangers of unfettered government surveillance and constant tracking without limits.

The Circle by Dave Eggers

"The Circle" written by Dave Eggers presents a near-future dystopia in which The Circle, a formidable tech organization, covers every aspect of existence. The story explores the appealing qualities of technological innovations that inevitably sacrifice privacy and autonomy in the name of convenience and security. 

By following the protagonist's journey, Eggers criticizes the contemporary fixation on openness and connectivity and explores the price of living in a society where everything is tracked and nothing is private. What should readers see is that the Circle is an obvious warning of what can happen when people in a society exchange their right to privacy for the illusion of progress and safety.

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

A modern examination of freedoms and surveillance in the age of technology can be found in Cory Doctorow's work titled "Little Brother". The story, which takes place in a near-future San Francisco, revolves around a group of tech-savvy teens who rebel against a government that, in the midst of a terrorist assault, deploys sophisticated monitoring technologies to control its citizens for good. 

In addition to being a captivating narrative, Doctorow's writing includes political commentary that emphasizes the value of freedom of speech, privacy, and resistance against repressive government surveillance. In fact, the younger generation may find Little Brother relatable since it stresses the relationship between activism, technology, and freedom of choice without prejudices. 

You by Caroline Kepnes

The idea of stalking to its most intimate and disturbing extreme may be found in the work of Caroline Kepnes called "You". The book, which is written from the perspective of the stalker, offers a terrifying look into the head of someone who uses social media and technology to obsessively follow and manipulate his victims. 

"You" delves deeper into how quickly innovative communication tools may be converted into means of control and surveillance, which blurs the boundaries between love and addiction. Kepnes' work is a compelling investigation of the issues strongly associated with the dissolution of borders when it is harder to distinguish between what should be public and what should be not. 

Contemporary Relevance

There has never been a more relevant time for literary themes of stalking and surveillance than now. In a time of fast technological progress, the distinctions between personal and professional life become obscure and blurred. Due to the widespread use of mobile devices, social media, and advanced monitoring technologies, surveillance seems like an integral component of everyday life. 

These days, governments, businesses, and even average users experience inexplicable levels of tracking, influence, and power over other people. These worries and concerns are immediately addressed by literature that examines stalking and surveillance, which additionally offers a critical prism through which we can view our relationship with power and technology. These works' imaginary worlds feel uncomfortably true, especially in light of cyberstalking and data breaches in real life.

In the context of recent anxieties regarding corporate data mining, government monitoring, and social media privacy violations, these narratives force us to think about the consequences of living in a society where every activity may be exposed to the public overnight. Hence, these works of literary art that concern surveillance and stalking warn us to acknowledge the essence of tracking technologies and what they may do to our lives from now on.

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