Little Brother

The concluding chapters of Little Brother bring Marcus up against his greatest fear—being recaptured by the DHS—but also bring a measure of fulfillment. His second imprisonment provides a release from the trauma and fear he has carried since the day of the bombing; because the worst that can happen has happened, he is free to recognize his substantial achievements against the DHS. He has brought to light the fate of hundreds of DHS secret prisoners and created a techno-guerilla network, exposing profound corruption at the highest level of government. He already survived the worst that the DHS threw at him when he was first imprisoned, and the indignity of not being able to void his bladder in a toilet no longer bothers him because he knows he has won. Even when he is waterboarded, a practice that entails having water poured down his nose and mouth in a simulated execution, he understands that they can’t kill him because he has gone public with his story. However, it is only when Barbara enfolds him in a hug that he believes that he is saved and that his nightmare is over.

His request to find Darryl and Ange as soon as he is freed demonstrates his newfound maturity; he is more concerned about their safety than he is about savoring the few minutes of freedom he can enjoy before returning to his cell. As he tells the judge, “freedom wasn’t worth anything [...] if my friends were still locked up [...] freedom for me wasn’t as important as a free country” (354). He has emerged as a leader in the fight for democracy in America, and his character arc ends when he recognizes that he can only be free if everyone else in the country is as well.

Marcus’s faith in Barbara, who represents the Fourth Estate, is justified. Barbara’s character illustrates the crucial role that the press has in a democracy. A well-informed citizenry is vital to democracy, and it is the role of the press to keep citizens informed. Barbara demonstrates that the press has an obligation as well to scrutinize public institutions and officials to prevent abuses of power. When the press deflects from the issues that M1k3y raises to focus instead on sidebars about America’s misguided youth, they are neglecting their duty to their readers. Barbara’s role in bringing the DHS to justice reinstates the duty of the press to report news rather than digging for a perspective that validates the existing bias. Additionally, Doctorow creates an opportunity for justice for Ms. Galvez, whose freedom of speech was curtailed by Fred Benson. Benson, whose “early” retirement can be read as forced, fired Galvez to silence her from presenting a history that examines the importance of freedom of speech. By examining the role of the press in these final chapters and righting the injustice against Ms. Galvez, Doctorow again demonstrates the importance of freedom of speech in a democracy.

Doctorow also addresses the issue of Privacy and Safety in Times of War or Crisis when Marcus gives up his passwords to Van. Passwords are a motif throughout the story; Marcus only gives up his passwords under duress, and Carrie never gives up the encryption key that would illuminate abuses perpetrated by the DHS. Passwords represent the power of privacy; when Marcus divulges his passwords during his first imprisonment, he gives up his power to his tormentors. During the second imprisonment, he endures torture without giving his email password to Carrie, recognizing that Xnetters would be put at risk if she accesses his encrypted email. Passwords guarantee security of information, thus protecting privacy, but privacy is anathema to the governmental departments who would rifle through ordinary citizens emails and Internet accounts to search for threats of terrorism. However, Marcus realizes that the demonstrable need for his passwords supersedes his need for privacy; giving Van his password will enable Barbara to access the video that shows Rooney capitalizing politically on an impending terrorist attack. The difference is that Marcus freely gives up his privacy for a specific need; in contrast, the DHS arbitrarily suspends all rights to privacy to spy on citizens.