The Circle

“The best people had made the best systems and the best systems had reaped funds, unlimited funds, that made possible this, the best place to work. And it was natural that it was so, Mae thought. Who else but utopians could make utopia?”

Even though it’s only her first day, Mae has completely bought into the Circle’s idealism. Her excitement about the Circle is juxtaposed against her modest upbringing and disdain for her previous dead-end job. At the Circle, she has seemingly unlimited potential.

“All that happens must be known.”

For the first time in the novel, Bailey makes clear a main objective of the Circle: to make all knowledge universally available. He paints this goal in an idealist light, arguing that full transparency will prevent atrocities. However, he neglects to consider the potential downsides of large-scale privacy invasion. 

“‘We will become all-seeing, all-knowing.’”

In Bailey’s claim that they will become omniscient, he is elevating technology to a godlike status. In response to this declaration, the Circlers’ thunderous applause makes it seem like they are revering a messiah.