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Part 4: 76.3%
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Feed, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Corporations and Consumerism
Apathy, Happiness, and Satisfaction
Resistance
Class and Segregation
The Environment
Summary
Analysis
While Titus sleeps on the lawn, Violet forwards him a message from FeedTech. While he’s still sleeping, Titus opens the message. He experiences Violet’s sensations from earlier that day—sometimes, he’s unable to move his legs or speak. While he, as Violet, struggles to breathe, an automated response explains, first, that there are great new deals on deodorant, and second, that FeedTech has turned down Violet’s request to pay for her repairs, because her purchasing history makes her an unreliable investment.
Violet’s attempts to confuse the feed with her unreliable taste profile have succeeded—and backfired. Because she’s made a point of being an eclectic shopper, FeedTech has concluded that she’s not a worthwhile business investment—if the company were to pay for her repairs, it wouldn’t reap any economic benefits in the long run.
Themes
When Titus wakes up, he has a headache. He finds that he’s still on the lawn, next to Violet. Violet’s father stares out the window, clearly unhappy that his daughter is spending so much time with “some malfunctioning asshole.”
Titus knows that he has behaved irresponsibly by getting mal.
Themes
Titus tells Violet he had no idea she got a refusal from FeedTech that day. Violet replies by saying, “You didn’t ask.” There’s a long pause, and then she asks if he has to go. He replies that he should.
Titus is feeling guilty about having abandoned Violet, and yet in this scene he chooses to abandon her again. At a loss for how to respond to the news that Violet’s condition will likely continue to deteriorate, Titus simply exits the interaction.
Themes
Titus walks to his upcar. As he climbs in, Violet waves to him. But the next day, her arms stop working, and she’s given a sedative for panic.
Violet’s condition continues to deteriorate, and Titus continues to be unable to cope with any type of “problem.” Instead, he flies away.
Themes
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