The Circle

Mae’s new job is to show her viewers what is happening at the Circle. On her first day of transparency, she stares into the new aquariums to watch the creatures that Stenton has brought back from his expedition to the Marianas Trench. All the creatures are near-translucent, and viewers can see food pass through their digestive systems. Mae provides narration as she sees fit, but also receives suggestions in her earpiece from Additional Guidance.

She wears an advanced camera that allows watchers to focus in on any part of the view and “with some effort, isolate and listen to any other conversation” (310). When she is in the presence of other Circlers, they try to act as if the filming isn’t happening. The buzz on campus is that the Circle is nearing its completion, though no one seems to know what exactly that means. Ninety percent of politicians in Washington are now transparent, and the other 10 percent are regarded with great suspicion. In light of this, the plan is for most Circlers to be transparent within the year. Mae, as the ambassador, makes transparency seem joyous. She revels in the affection of her millions of viewers.