Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

ISBN: 0765319853
Publisher: Tor Teen (2008)
384 p.

Reading Level: Grade 10 and up.

One can download for free at

http://craphound.com/littlebrother/download/

 Summary:

Little Brother is a chilling account of what the government might do if the United States is attacked again. Marcus and his friends are in the wrong place at the wrong time when San Francisco is bombed by supposed terrorists. Winston and his friends are whisked away to “Gitmo by the Bay” by Homeland Security and subjected to intense interrogation without any rights given to them. When Marcus is warned and released, at first he and his friends are broken, but soon Marcus realizes he must be a warning voice among the young and adult in San Francisco and around the world. As Marcus says, “How can you protect freedom by suspending the Bill of Rights?” (p. 74). Using technology to set up a group of people to promote the freedoms everyone should enjoy, as well as post videos of the illegal activity happening in San Francisco, Marcus becomes an underground legend. Along with finding love and acceptance from his followers, at each turn Marcus must make life-changing decisions. Will the interrogators catch up to him? Will justice prevail in the end? Read and find out.

Critical Evaluation:

After reading Little Brother, I now have a much clearer idea that nothing is ever completely safe in the modern world. Hackers can attack from all angles, but those who hack are also those who, at times, want to protect and keep people on their toes. From the gait-recognition software to reading about Enigma boxes, word-frequency histograms, and Bayesian statistics, this novel includes not only an action-packed storyline, but also lessons about real-world technology and their uses on almost every page. As the protagonist, Marcus, says,

The best part of all this is how it made me feel: in control. My technology was working for me, serving me, protecting me. It wasn’t spying on me. This is why I loved technology: If you used it right, it could give you power and privacy. (P.32)

This statement exemplifies what Mr. Huang has focused on in the afterword. If an individual has the gift to take apart, figure out, and put technology back together again, the goal should be not only to see if it can be done, but also to make it somehow better. Although today’s environment is fraught with danger for every hacker, or anyone who simply wants to resist a government’s interference, books like these and people like Marcus are vital reminders of the importance of eternal vigilance. Citizens must be constantly on the alert and fight for their freedom—lest we turn into a nation of drones.

Reader’s Annotation:

What happens when Big Brother kidnaps you?

Are you defeated or do you fight back?

Author Biography:

Cory Doctorow is a popular writer for both adults and young adults who works almost exclusively in the science fiction genre, as well as being a blogger and a technology activist. Currently a co-editor of the blog, Boing Boing (boingboing.net), he was formerly the “Director of European Affairs for the Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff.org), a non-profit civil liberties group that defends freedom in technology law, policy, standards and treaties.” (Retrieved from http://craphound.com/bio.php).

As a remarkable example of a young-adult author who communicates important themes that present-day teens can relate to and learn from, he offers practical insights into technology and the problems of preserving individual privacy in the face of growing governmental intrusions.

Genre: Futuristic Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

This novel is perfect for current events, government, and new technology. Students can present what they themselves have built in terms of computer programming or devices. History classes can discuss how the Bill of Rights is used, or not used as the case may be, in this novel and the dangers that this presents. This book could inspire many young adults to engage in social activism groups and help their community to prevent that such a development will never become reality.

Booktalking Ideas:

-What would a regular teenager do after being detained as Marcus and his friends were?
Would most take the path or Marcus or the path Van took at the beginning?

-How did the other young adult characters in the novel help Marcus in his quest for resistance and freedom?

Read-Alikes:

-For the Win by Cory Doctorow.

-Maze Runner by James Dashner.

-Rash by Peter Hautman.

-1984 by George Orwell.

Challenge Issue:

Although some parents may object to some of the themes included in this novel—such as torture, fear of the government, and protesting against the government, along with the mention of sexual activity—librarians can direct patrons to the author’s blog or tell their children to ask questions and provide comments because this is a very topical book with themes that are central in today’s society. Discussions are necessary for teens to learn what type of world they live in, where not everything is perfect, but many things are still important and worthwhile.

Reason to include in blog:

This was the second young-adult book we read in class, and it was both chilling and spellbinding. Not only did I learn about facets of technology I was not aware of, but I also learned how easy it is to track others people’s use of technology. 

References

Doctorow, C. (2008). Little brother. New York: Tom Doherty Associates.

Doctorow, C. (2011) About Cory Doctorow. Retrieved at http://craphound.com/bio.php

Video with Cory Doctorow