Christa Scheffler Originality is Difficult Violet is the heroine in Feed.

This is because she wants to change the world by promoting compassion, individuality, and intelligence. This is done chiefly by defying the feed. What defines a hero? Is it simply someone who saves others? Do they have to be brave? Does everyone like them? To me, a hero doesnt have to adhere to any sort of standard. A hero can be cowardly, disliked, and save no one. The essence of a hero is in the spirit. The hero has to want something to change, and then try to change it. This is why Violet, from Feed by M.T. Anderson, is a heroine. In spite of the general indifference and naivety of others, Violet wants to change the world. She wants to promote compassion, individuality, and intelligence in a world that has forgotten these things. She attempts this by defying the Feed, possibly one of the bravest things someone in her generation can do. Violet is very in tune with the world around her, contrary to everyone else. While most people are caught up in the Feed, Violet researches different cultures and people to discover how the world is headed downhill. Violet uses her Feed the way society intended it to be used; People were
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really excited when they first came out with feeds. It was all this big educational thing your child will have the advantage, encyclopedias at their fingertips, closer than their fingertips (Anderson 47). Violet uses her feed for knowledge rather than how corporations want it to be used for consumerism. Violet is different from all the other people Tidus has ever met because of her individuality. Most girls their age conform very strongly to the trends and standards of society, even though some of them are seemingly ridiculous. Violet doesnt follow most, if any, of the popular trends. Although poverty does factor into why Violet doesnt follow trends, Violet also explains to Tidus how ridiculous she finds them; when Violet sees Quendys new implanted lesions (the newest trend), she tells Tidus Its the end of a civilization. Were going down, (Anderson 193). Not adhering to standards and promoting consumerism helps with her defiance of the Feed. If she cant buy anything popular, it is more difficult for the Feed to read her and know what she likes. She cannot be placed into a stereotype, which makes it difficult for her feed to give her advertisements for things she could buy. She is virtually unidentifiable, which is the way she likes it.

Intelligence is very important to Violet, as well. She says that [w]hen you have the feed all your life, youre brought up not to think about things Its something that makes me angry, what people dont know about these days, (Anderson113). The Feed has replaced intelligence in the modern society Violet and Tidus are living in. Because everyone uses the Feed, theres no need for people to be knowledgeable; a simple thought on the Feed provides everyone with all the answers they could ever need. Violet doesnt seem to like this about people. She wants people to think for themselves, which is her main reason for defying the Feed. Meeting Tidus gave Violet hope; not only could she learn some things from a normal person but he has proved his intelligence by using metaphors in conversation. If a seemingly normal person could have the type of intelligence she desires, than the rest of society has a fighting chance. Towards the beginning of the novel, Violet discovers that the feed is going to kill her. She spends the rest of her life trying to understand the world around her and experience new things. One of these things is Tidus. By dating and hanging out together, Tidus outlook of everything has changed; I told her the story of us Its about this meg normal guy, who doesnt think about anything until one wacky day, when he meets a dissident with a heart of gold Together, the two crazy kids grow They
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learn to resist the feed, (Anderson 297-8). While Violet may not have been able to change the world, she did change the opinions of one individual; in the face of adversity, she prevails. This is the mark of a true heroine.