Waiting in the Silence

Technology’s integration into daily life is all but certain to have a drastic effect on the way humans live in the near future. Some people believe that technology will save humanity by eliminating its problems, but in effect technology is redefining humanity and its values in the process. Recent technological developments in fields like nanotechnology and genetic engineering are enabling scientists not only to manipulate the world, but control it outright. In Rosalyn Berne’s Waiting in the Silence, she explores how Nantucket, an Island best known for its whaling heritage, is transformed into a technology reliant utopian by VISHNEW, a complex technological system that links people together. Berne illustrates Oriana, the protagonist, as she struggles to find balance between her father’s desperate persistence to avoid becoming “connected” and the societal pressures to succumb to the increasingly prevalent practice of joining the network. Technological fix, the idea that all societies problems can be fixed through technology, is a prevalent theme in Berne’s novel. Berne shows how society uses technology to manipulate both human and animal genetics so people are able to choose the physical characteristics of both their offspring and pets. Furthermore Berne brings to life VISHNEW’s attempt to control social issues by contrasting Oriana’s emotions before and after being connected to the system. (Claim)

One of the most prominent technological fixes throughout the novel is the ability to manipulate genetic code in humans and animals. Disease is so prevalent in society today, that this fix could substantially improve the overall quality of life for all. In a VISHNEW connected society, parents are able to select almost all physical characteristics of their children, “The name Oriana, which is Latin for rising, like the sun, was chosen by her parents, Rebecca and Gardiner Rotch, on the same morning they selected her sex, her height, and the shape of her eyes. Her golden brown hair and green eye coloring were decided after some heated discussion.”(Berne, 2012, 9). This technological fix is not only prevalent in humans, but Berne also highlights how animals are modified by manipulation of genes to create types of designer pets later in the novel. Using technology for such a trivial purpose seems wasteful, and it could be put to better use trying to restore the wildlife that was taken out in “the great storm” like the Osprey. Regardless of its use, the ability to manipulate genetic code to produce a desired outcome is an extremely significant technological fix that could be substantial in the near future.

Oriana’s temporary “connection” with VISHNEW shows how society uses technology to fix a social problem. Before being connected to the system, Ori was limited to interaction with others through the Hood. She was deeply saddened that she could not relate to other children her age, all of whom were connected. Being