Feed, by M.T. Anderson, is a young adult novel that explores intersections between traditional teenage experiences and impending social, environmental, and electronic advances of the future. The novel gets its name from the ever-present "feed," a device in the distant future that is implanted into people's bodies and acts as a way to constantly connect individuals to one another and occurrences around them. The novel's main character, Titus, meets the intriguing Violet while on a trip to the moon. The two hit it off and continue to see one another when they return to Earth. The plot interweaves Titus and Violet's relationship with environmental and political turmoil that culminates in defects in Violet's "feed." Her device was implanted years after her birth, causing her physical problems she cannot afford to fix. Although Titus and Violet's romantic relationship ends, the novel seems to insinuate that their true connection begins when the pair interacts near the end of the novel, when Violet does not have access to the "feed." Science fiction is one of my favorite genres, so I was very excited for this week! I think Feed is a novel very relevant to today's classroom because of its tactful integration between technology and everyday life. Titus' relationships, friendships, and academic life seem to take precedent in the novel, but environmental degradation and technological advancement is ever-present in the background. This reminds me of my time at Malcom Bridge Middle as a writing mentor; the students utilized phones, personal computers, and other mediums of technology seamlessly in the classroom. I think it would be interesting to discuss themes of connection, particularly centered around Titus and Violet: does the "feed" help them grow closer or does it tear them apart?
Science fiction is one of my favorite genres, so I was very excited for this week! I think Feed is a novel very relevant to today's classroom because of its tactful integration between technology and everyday life. Titus' relationships, friendships, and academic life seem to take precedent in the novel, but environmental degradation and technological advancement is ever-present in the background. This reminds me of my time at Malcom Bridge Middle as a writing mentor; the students utilized phones, personal computers, and other mediums of technology seamlessly in the classroom. I think it would be interesting to discuss themes of connection, particularly centered around Titus and Violet: does the "feed" help them grow closer or does it tear them apart?