The Circle

The story is narrated in the third-person, following the perspective of 24-year-old Mae Holland. Mae arrives for her first day of work at the Circle. She is amazed by the enormity and modernity of the campus, which is situated close to the Pacific coast, near San Francisco. She is thrilled to be employed at “the most influential company in the world” (1). In front of the complex’s main door, Mae pauses to relish the moment. Inside, there are over 10,000 employees working for the company that “has been voted the world’s most admired [for] four years running” (2).

Mae got the job through her friend Annie, who was her roommate in college. Annie is a high-up at the Circle and will become an important workplace resource for Mae. While Mae waits to meet with Annie, Renata offers to walk Mae to her desk. Mae thinks of her dad, who is immensely proud that—though only two years out of college—she has landed a highly-desirable job that grants her full financial independence.

Each wing of the Circle is named after a historical period; Mae is in the Renaissance, along with the rest of Customer Experience.