Map of the Society

This is a map of the Society that Matched takes place in. It shows the many different provinces under the control of the Society. Cassia's province, Oria, in the blue central province encompassing the Centra. Cassia's mother is from the Farmlands and Arboretum section just outside of Oria. Ky is from the Outer Provinces (depicted by the large pink province in the south). This map helps me understand how far away Ky spent most of his childhood, and how far he had to travel to live with his aunt and uncle in Oria. 

This helps me better visualize the novel's contents, because I get a better idea of where everything takes place, the climate of the area, and the landscape. I know that there are cotton fields in Oria, and this fits in with modern-day central America. Also, this map shows me just how powerful the Society is; they are controlling nearly the entirety of North America. Also, it shows how similar everyone's lives are; that location doesn't change the fact that everyone is Matched to someone they don't know (most of the time), and is under the power of the Society.

I created this map based on information from the Matched trilogy, including text as well as a map from Crossed. Also, Aimmy Arrowshigh's map helped me create my own. Despite Sonoma Province looking like a dinosaur and Grandia like a trident (and Quebec having a face), I think I did a pretty good job of representing the Society.

In the book, it says that The Outer Provinces and River Sisyphus (the largest river in North America; the Columbia) were meant to be West of Oria; that Central was IN Oria Province; Acadia had to be "many miles" East of Oria and full of "rock and forest"; Tana had to border Camas.

What I did differently from Aimmy Arrowshigh is that I made the Outer Provinces actually border the Society in the south. I found it logical that if they were 'outer' they must be on the outside protecting the important provinces in the middle. Also, I made Centra in the current geographical center (even though this would probably change in a cataclysmic shift) of North America, as opposed to just the center on the US. I figured that after such a fall in the government, then a rise of a new one, there'd be no separation between Canada and the United States (and Mexico), and it would be one  large country split into many different provinces. I also decided to separate Oria from the Farmlands, because in the book, it says that Cassia's mother and father were from different provinces, and both came to live in Oria.

Picture 2

     The cover I created features something standing out in a sea of sameness. In a world were perfect man-woman marriages are the norm, and no choices are the be made, a girl is trapped between two boys. Used to others making the decisions for her, Cassia now must choose between two amazing boys. But, yet, somehow the love triangle seems to blend in as much as it stands out; sure, it is something different, but not something the Society can control (or so they think).

          The male/female symbols are generic, and in a world where no one is different in any way, this is a perfect representation of 'normalcy'. The font I used looks cold, and hard; much like the  writing used on ports by the Society and society members. This is the writing everyone knows; not the loopy, swirly, natural cursive writing of today. Blue is used to represent the blue pill; the one that will keep you alive if you have water. It shows that citizens are only given what they think is enough, what they think they need. They have other people make important decisions for them; something that, in reality, is important to do yourself. The green is kept to link with the original title, but also to show that everything is calm, and controlled within the Society; that this 'love triangle' can be easily controlled by the Society.

Picture 1

The cover art of 'Matched' is quite interesting, and tells a lot of the book. It shows a girl (presumably Cassia) trapped in a bubble, lightly pushing on the sides. She is wearing a green dress (the one she wore to her Matching ceremony); a beautiful dress that is borrowed and must be returned after the ceremony. It is poofy, and over the top; not something she would wear every day. It is almost ironic; making one feel like a princess, when even though her life seems perfect, there are dark truths hidden from them. She is trapped in the bubble of the Society, and will never do anything with her life but lightly push on the sides of her cage. Although the bubble symbolizes Cassia's imprisonment, it isn't a violent imprisonment - it's just that she is living in a bubble, unaware of the dark truths that are hidden all around her.

Green symbolizes nature (where Cassia first met Ky after the Matching and also Cassia/Ky's summer activity; hiking), growth (of her knowledge as the book goes on), hope (for a happy Match and life), youth, money (which is ironic, as there is no money, or anything to trade in the Society) and envy (of a better time, where people were allowed to marry whoever they want). Green is also the colour of the green tablet from the book. This is a tablet that is used to calm and pacify. It seems to convey such a message that no great action will happen in the book; out of all the books in the trilogy, this is the one with the least violence, and most knowledge-attaining. Also, Cassia's pose doesn't show that she is concerned about her imprisonment. She's not panicked; not fighting... yet. The cover art perfectly conveys Cassia's world at the start of Matched: its a false fairy tale. She's calm, unaware of the fact that her princess life is even a little bit problematic.

Source: Condie, Ally. Cover Page. Matched. New York: Dutton, 2010. N. pag. Print.

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on that sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light. 

-- Dylan Thomas

          This poem was featured as the one that Cassia's grandfather gave to her in the hidden compartment of her compact. It was smuggled by Cassia's great-grandmother during the time they were deciding on the 100 Poems. This one wasn't chosen because it tells you to fight. It says that no matter what kind of life you had, that you must fight death. It implies that no one should die without fighting for life. 
         The Society didn't like this poem because in such a uniform society, what would happen if people didn't want to die? What if they went against the Society's wishes for a death at age 80, then where would everyone be? How could the Society control everyone that refused to be controlled? However, Cassia couldn't stop thinking about this poem, and it sparked her curiosity for another world, where everyone can do whatever they liked.