Panopticism as Incarnated in Dave Eggers’s Dystopian Novel, The Circle

The surveillance is derived from the French words sur(over) and veiller (to watch), Mann et. The word surveillance and Panopticism become social theory and practice under the postmodern school of thought. Surveillance is also related to panopticon, a model for disciplinary system designed by Jeremy Bentham. This system was discussed by a French literary critic Michel Foucault in his novel Discipline and punish: The Birth of the Prison, focuses on the basis of the constant surveillance. The term Panopticism means that people feel there is an invisible eye which make them under constant surveillance, discipline and punishment. Therefore, people feel that they are under control because of the invisible eye which always watch them although, they can’t see it. One of dystopian novels The Circle which was published in 2013 by American author Dave Eggers. This novel shows bad effects of modern technology. One of these bad effects is the strict surveillance by using modern electronic devices such as See Change camera. The study’s aim is to explore the close relationship between the system of old prison which was designed by Jeremy Bentham and Foucault and the surveillance which is enforced by modern technology in contemporary societies. Surveillance has an important role in contemporary societies. It has also become more difficult to participate in contemporary societies without your movements being watched and recorded.