From the back of the book:
“Aldous Huxley’s tour de force, Brave New World is a darkly satiric vision of a “utopian” future — where humans are genetically bred and pharmaceutically anesthetized to passively serve a ruling order. A powerful work of speculative fiction that has enthralled and terrified readers for generations, it remains remarkably relelvant to this day as both a warning to be heeded as we head into tomorrow and as thoguht-provoking, satisfying entertainment.”
Writing Prompts (respond to 2 prompts along with your 5 self-directed responses and 2 peer responses):
1. Bernard is criticized by the Director for not acting “infantile” enough. Discuss how and why the World State infantilizes its citizens.
2. Discuss the relation between the sexes in the World State. How do men and women interact? Who holds the power in social situations, in the workplace, and in the government?
3. In what ways does the World State treat people like commodities?
4. Discuss the relationship between science, religion, and political power in the World State.
5. What are Mustapha Mond’s arguments against freedom? Is there any validity to them? Do you think there is a “winner” of his debate with John?
6. It seems undeniable that most World State members are happy, though people like John, Bernard, and Helmholtz might criticize the quality of their lives. What, then, is wrong with World State society? Discuss the relationship between truth and happiness, and the use of soma?
7. Is John really more free than the World State members? How is he conditioned in his own way?
8. How are the castes distinguished from each other? What is their purpose? Do you think they reflect any aspect of contemporary society or are they simply a hypothetical consequence of a society like the World State?
210 Comments
June 11, 2009 at 6:58 pm
hello!
June 11, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Hi. Nice site. Good books too. Hope that the conversations can match up. We shall see.
June 16, 2009 at 10:39 pm
First of all, let me confess something to you: I’ve never read Brave New World before now. It’s true. And it means I’ve committed a cardinal sin among English teachers: you NEVER teach something you haven’t read.
But here’s my excuse: I’m not teaching this book. Well, not yet anyway. We’ll discuss it in class in the Fall, and by that time I will have read it AND read a dozen or so articles about it. But since I’m reading it for the first time along with you as Summer Reading, I figured it’s only fair that I complete writing on it, too. That way you’ll have a model of what I expect from you in your own responses.
For my first entry I want to talk about vocabulary. It might seem like a boring thing to write about, but I’m interested in how Huxley has invented so many new words to describe the various processes and products that have created the World State. From the “bokanovskified” eggs that generate thousands of embryos to the “freemartins” who are bred as sterile, less virile men, Huxley must have had a lot of fun coming up with memorable words.
He also had a good time redefining existing words. To “decant,” for example, means to pour a liquid from one container to another (when you’re older and eating at a fancy restaurant, the server might ask if you’d like a decanter of wine); In BNW “decanting” is what is done to the bokanovskified embryos: rather than being “raised” (like you and I were), the people in this story are “decanted” as they flow along a slow-moving conveyor belt. In essence, they have knowledge poured into them.
It might not seem like much to you at first, but think about the implications of being raised vs. being decanted. To be raised is — literally — to be lifted up, to be exalted, to end up someplace higher than where you started. It brings to mind a small child learning to walk, her parents standing behind her with their hands just beneath her arms in case she falls. She very likely will fall, but when she does she’ll be helped up. To be raised (in child rearing terms) implies an up and down process, trial and error. To be decanted, on the other hand, implies pouring, and the human in this metaphor isn’t the liquid being poured: the human is the glass being poured into. Now, a glass can have many things poured into it — water, milk, orange juice, brake fluid — but a glass never has a choice of what gets poured into it, even if it’s a particular type of glass (like a wine glass). So in BNW, where people are decanted, the idea is that we are nothing but glasses, and whatever it is that fills us (knowledge, skill, speech, etc) is in no way up to us. We have no choice about what we will become. If I’m a Delta, my experience and knowledge will be the same as all the other Deltas, and the same is true for the Alphas, Betas, Gammas and Epsilons. There’s no variation, we’re just one of five different types of glasses…or classes.
I’m only in Chapter 3, so obviously someone is going to come to challenge this system. My guess is that it will be a Gamma or an Epsilon who experiences joy or beauty from something they were programmed not to like, but we’ll see. And we’ll see how many more words Huxley redefines in the process.
(NOTE: I’ve also noticed many vocab words that are less common, but nevertheless are used as the dictionary defines them. Several of these made me stop to wonder how many of you will know what they mean, and I hope that you’ll do what all smart people do when they come across a word they don’t know: look it up. You’ll be glad you did.)
July 15, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Repeatedly throughout the book, characters respond to one another by repeating the slogans they learned in their sleep while being decanted. By doing this, Huxley gives a sense of the deeply subconscious level at which people in the brave new world have been brainwashed and taught to interact in society.
But we have our slogans and sayings, too: is the implication that we, too, are brainwashed? Do you remember the first time you heard the phrase, “A penny saved is a penny earned?” Or what about the Pledge of Allegiance? If I gave you a test on what each word of the Pledge means, would you pass? (Test yourself: what do the words “pledge,” “allegiance” and “republic” mean?) I’ve certainly had moments where I’m struck by phrases I’ve used all my life and I think, “You know, I’ve never really thought about what that means…,” and then I’m left to wonder how it is I’ve used the phrase so long without understanding it. Granted, it isn’t too often that I say things like “A stitch in time saves nine,” whereas the characters in the book use their sayings ALL the time (“Ending is better than mending; the more stitches, the less riches.).
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that we’re not as brainwashed as the folks in the book, because we’re more apt to be reflective about ourselves and others. Are there elements of our socialization that are so deeply rooted that we couldn’t change them if we tried? Sure: I could never unlearn English, for example, even if I learn other languages — it’s too deeply ingrained. But even if my language and knowledge of certain skills can’t be changed, my tastes and beliefs can be. In Brave New World a person’s tastes and beliefs are more or less decided for them at their decanting and are unalterable (except in rare cases) — THAT is a true brainwashing.
And I hope that never really happens!
August 26, 2009 at 4:49 am
I agree with you 100%. The individuals in the book are indeed brainwashed and subject to think and act the way their superiors want them too. They are overly civilized if you ask me. On the contrary, our slogans are meant to help us cope with something or encourage us to challenge ourselves or do something we otherwise would’nt have. That does not make us brainwashed because unlike the citizens of BNW, we have the ability to think for ourselves. Take for example, one of their constant phrases, “ending is better than mending; the more stitches, the less riches”. Something so simple and obscenely unimportant as mending clothes or simply throwing them away has already been programmed for them. They dare not do anything other than their programmed slogan in fear that their Fordship is watching over them and may detest what they ought not to do. We, on the other hand, have the ablity to go against our slogan or not apply the slogan to our everyday life, period. We can add or remove incentives to our slogans; it does not control our everyday thinking and processes. As for the Pledge of Allegiance, I believe the only reason we learn it at a young age and required to recite it sometimes is simply to acknowlegde that the flag serves as a symbol to our great nation which “protects our liberty, freedom, and justice”. If we, as a nation, grasped the underlying meaning to each word of the pledge, then I’m sure we would grasp alot more meaning. But it certainly isn’t something used to brainwash us. Some people, including myself, don’t put much thought into the pledge; its simply something I was forced to memorize and if asked to recite, I can. I don’t think anyone in this country is brainwashed due to their superiors; as for the BNV-well that’s a different story.
July 15, 2009 at 4:05 pm
“To say one was a mother — that was past a joke: it was an obscenity.” (160)
One of Huxley’s creative triumphs in this book is to take the relationship between a mother and child — probably the most instinctual, intimate relationship in all of humanity and the animal kingdom — and turn it into something so sinful and debased that the word itself makes a person’s skin crawl.
Why do that? Wouldn’t the story have worked just as well if he didn’t? Even if there were no mothers and fathers in the story, why go so far as to make the concept of motherhood profane?
There are many ways in which I understand the social commentary he’s getting at in the book, but I’m not sure if this bit about mothers is him being critical of society, or just throwing in a lurid detail to make the story better. It makes Linda’s reappearance in the new world so much more tragic; everyone is fascinated with her son because he’s a Savage, but she isn’t — she’s just a regular person like them who happened to wander into the “old” world. She got old herself, which disgusts them, but more disgusting than that is the fact that she actually bore a child. Mind you, if you’ve ever seen The Miracle of Life video, you know that childbirth is, well, kind of horrific — nevertheless, it IS a miracle, and the hours, months and years that follow those initial hours of intense pain and blood are incredibly rewarding (for most people). To the people in BNW, it ain’t no miracle.
Not that this bothers Linda much. Once she’s back in her homeland, the only thing she cares about is getting back on her soma pills — taking a soma holiday — which she does continuously until her death.
And it’s Linda’s death that really makes the point about motherhood. Even though she never fell naturally into her motherly duties, Linda did experience occasional moments of joy nurturing John. Her relationship with him did not take precedence over her relationships with the men on the Reservation — a fact that complicates John’s memory of his mother. When she dies, John is left trying to decide if he loved her or hated her, and this makes him miserable. But love her or hate her, she was his mother, and to him that means honoring her memory regardless of any misgivings. She was not perfect — and to society, that’s what made her so gross, but to him that’s what made him care about her.
It’s been said (by Joseph Campbell, if you wish to look him up) that it’s impossible to love something that’s perfect. Take babies, for example. It’s because they fall down so much, vomit over themselves, say things the wrong way that we love them so much. They are completely imperfect people. Where adults are concerned, we may like many positive features of someone, but it’s by getting to know intimately all of their insecurities and past mistakes that we grow to truly love them. It’s their imperfections that make us care.
And caring is hard, because caring for someone can lead to hurt. John learns this from his mother. I suppose it’s because the mother-child relationship can be so messy and complex that the Controllers of the new world had to do away with it.
I suppose that’s the point.
September 8, 2009 at 1:26 am
I believe Huxley’s purpose of morphing the relationship of child to parent is to strengthen the realism in the story. In a story where the government is able to create infants by the thousands with one embryo in our world sounds absurd, especially without a mother and a father. But, if its a world where the morals and principles are backwards compared to ours, it’ll sound more believable to the readers and it’ll allow them to be immersed in the story. Another example of this is Huxley uses lots of biological terms to also increase the realism. I’m sure biologists will be able to see through this, but to the average reader, those words make it seem as it could really happen and I believe this is the reason for tempering with the parent and child relationship.
August 18, 2009 at 1:20 pm
3. The World State treat people like commodities because they produce people instead of letting human beings come into existence the natrual way. On P. 19, the Director uses the Bokanovsky process which shocks an egg so that it divides and creates up to ninety six embryos. The Director’s goal is to create ninety six people to work with 96 machines. The cloning process is part of the motto: “Community, Idenitiy, Stability”. It means that everyone must be the same in order to work as one.
On p.33, the Director conditions the Delta babies into hating books and flowers. First he presents the babies with books and flowers, then he sets off the alarms causing the babies to scream in terror. After that, the babies receive an electric shock, causing them to hate books and flowers, “…but at the approach of the roses, at them mere sight of the gaily-coloured images of pussy… the infants shrank away in horror” (39). The Director does this because the World State do not want the children to have a mind of their own. The World State wants to control and create the babies to be more like machines.
The World State also treat people like zombies by making them take Soma, a muscle relaxer that works by blocking pain sensations between the nerves and the brain. The people take Soma to forget about the truth and about their situations and replace them with happiness. On p. 88, Lenina and Henry take a second dose of Soma, causing their minds to separate from the real world, “…that second dose of Soma had raised a quite impentrable wall between the actual universe and their mind” (88).
There are all examples of how the World State treat people as commodities. The World State is manipulating human nature and creating human life.
September 9, 2009 at 3:45 am
I agree because commodities are like trading products and the notion of creating humans in a factory is just inhumane. It is not natural to produce human but they do it in order to manipulate them. I also agree about the Soma part because with the huge population, even puppets would gain an awareness of what is happen in this world and try to spread the word. Soma eliminates that ability to awaken by restoring their state of minds to emptiness.
August 18, 2009 at 3:18 pm
7. John is not more free than most of the the World State members. He had a rough childhood when he was born outside the World State. On 137-138, John was teased by the kids for reading and wearing clothes with holes. They also teased his mother by singing a bad song about her that would get him upset. John is not like the others, and is treated bad because of it.
John tries to condition himself by reading books. He reads the Bible and Shakespeare in order to get people to stop referring him as “The Savage”. He also feels uncomfortable about his feelings with women. In chapter 13, Lenina tied to seduce John into having sex. he expresses his feelings about Lenina by quoting Shakespeare. When she starts to remove her clothes, John got upset and yells at her, “Whore!” he shouted. “Whore! Impudent strumpert!” (199).
John is more of a natural person than the other members of the World State. Even though this is good, John doesn’t know how to deal with the feelings he has among people who do not have feelings of theirown. John is not more free because people around him that share his natural state and because of that is almost like a prison of his own mind.
August 18, 2009 at 10:37 pm
“Swallowing half an hour before closing time, that second does of soma had raised a quite impenetrable wall between the actual universe and their minds” (88).
The soma symbolizes a ticket to fantasy. The World State members have to take soma in order to forget the truth of reality and replace it with happiness. This reminds me of something similar in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Nurse Ratched uses the fog machine on the patients in the ward. The fog symbolizes a wall that keep the patients away from the outside world. Chief Bromden feels safe in the fog because he feel like that he can hide from reality. The fog machine and soma both symbolize an impentrable wall that separate fantasy from reality.
September 8, 2009 at 4:36 am
I agree with you Anthony. Other than the fog machine, Nurse Ratched gave the patients pills. These pills also took the patients away from reality. The pills were the soma for the patients. Both soma and the pills were effective ways of controlling the societies. In Only Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, McMurphy tried to get the patients to stop taking pills like how John tried to stop the people from taking soma. Both of these characters died tragic heroes because they wanted to change the way things were in the societies they were in.
August 19, 2009 at 12:38 am
“They’ll grow up with what the psychologists used to call an ‘instinctive’ hatred of books and flowers. Reflexes unalterably conditioned. They’ll be safe from books and botany all their lives” (34-35).
That’s just plain evil! The Director use a shocking process to make the babies to develop a hatred on books and flowers. He doesn’t want them to come aware of the outside world or obtain knowledge. It feels like slavery because they can’t have their own lives or minds. The World State only care about making the babies to be senseless and emotionless like machies.
September 2, 2009 at 5:01 pm
I agree, the way in which the World State treats children is absurd. It is understandable that they condition children, but they have taken it to an extreme. Prohibiting children to read books is yet another way that the World State shows their power and their ignorance. Children should be able to explore the world as they wish. However, since their lives are governed by the Controller, someone who has knowledge of great works and admits that they are better than the “feelies” yet he does nothing to expose children to greater things, these children will never have their independence.
September 4, 2009 at 3:03 am
Yes, that is the point. The Controller explains to John that he had to choose between science and being in charge in the World State. He wanted to eventually become a Controller and he understands that in order for this new society to continue all the old traditions, customs and scientific research must be controlled. According to him “science is a public danger” (231). He thinks that by taking away pain, suffering, sickness and old age they are giving people happyness, that the people are better off by taking away all their choices and knowledge and giving them soma holidays. The truth is that even the Controller misses science, he still reads the forbidden books and and there are people like Helmholtz and Bernard who are no longer happy. In addition there are all those islands where people have been banned, maybe this is another empire which eventually will collapse like so many others before.
September 8, 2009 at 4:12 am
I agree that the methods the Director uses are evil, but if I was in their position I’m sure I would do the same thing. If I wanted to ensure that my society had no way of being changed, I would have to remove all emotions that would lead them astray. In order for the power to stay in their hands it has to be that way. That’s why the Director uses the shocking process. I don’t agree with the effects it has like stripping away individuality and minds, but thats the way it has to be in the “brave new world”.
September 15, 2009 at 2:38 am
While i do have to admit that this is probably the best way to go about keeping a society unchanged, one question still arises. The matter of ethics come into play here. While it would seem that a supposedly utopian society is a good thing, the lack of emotion within the people keeps them from enjoying or even appreciating their perfect world.
September 8, 2009 at 10:12 pm
I completely agree it is horrible that the children are conditioned to hate books and learning as a hold just because their creator thinks that their time would be spent doing something else. Pre-conditioning as a whole upsets me because it takes away the individuals right to choose who they become.
August 19, 2009 at 5:01 pm
“Rags, rags!” the boys used to shout at him. “But I can read,” he said to himself, “and they can’t. They don’t even know what reading is” (138).
John grew up in rough environment where all the kids made fun of him for wearing bad clothes. He tried to forget the teasing by thinking of something positive about himself. It reminds me that kids today are going through the same thing John went through. They believe that other kids are teasing them because they are jealous of what they have. Those who have greater things in life don’t let anyone or anything bring them down.
August 19, 2009 at 5:52 pm
“But they wouldn’t let me. They disliked me for my complexion. It’s always been like that” (126)
In this chapter, John wanted to be the sacrifice in the ritual. The people in the Reservation wouldn’t let him be the sacrifice because of the color of his skin. It kind of shows racism there. It reminds me how black people wouldn’t allowed to do anything they want such as going to white schools or sitting the buses because of their complexion. People cannot be mistreated by the color of the skin because it will just be a unfair judgment. I believe that everyone should be treated fair and equal by who they are.
August 27, 2009 at 3:22 am
Color is a major symbol in Brave New World. It is more than just skin color though. It represents the caste system in the World State and the role in society. For example, when Lennia is getting dressed her entire out fit is green. When people see her, whether of her own caste or another, they know what feelings to have towards her. What differs between the two societies is the feeling towards color. In the World State the segregation is accepted because everyone is taught to think higher their color and down upon the other. On the other hand, John and his mother are the only of his kind so the feeling of nonacceptance is more intense.
September 6, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Huxley’s use of color could be considered a critique of how race is viewed in the society. Even in today’s society, color is used to control individuals. Also, notice how in both the World State and the reservations that power and acceptance was based on color. Huxley is showing that no matter where in the world, prejudice will always exist based of levels of power.
August 19, 2009 at 8:29 pm
“Don’t take that horrible stuff. It’s poison, it’s poison” (215)
John tries to stop everone in the World State to stop taking soma. He sees that it turn his mother into a slave to the World State. It causes her to live in false happiness with no concern of reality. It is just like that movie, Equilibrium, where everyone is slave to a government that banned emotions and feelings. The people have to take a drug called Prozium that suppresses their emotions. Those who exposed their emotions in public will be executed. It shows that the government would do anything to control people like slaves so they can only have power.
August 26, 2009 at 2:29 am
1.) On p.28 the Director refers to one of the students as an “ass”. I find this quote interesting because the students who visit the “Conditioning Centre” are relatively intelligent and their knowledge is advanced for their age. To the Director who has been “conditioned” to this type of living/environment, the things he speaks of is relatively easy for him to understand. But from a young person’s point of view, from the outside looking in, he doesn’t fully comprehend the process of which embryo’s are born pre-determined of which caste system they will be placed. The Director feels this is an insult to all they (they meaning whom ever created this overly civilized civilation and those who perfected it in the following years) have accomplished and achieved in their many years of living.
August 26, 2009 at 3:02 am
2.) On p.34 the Head Nurse electrifies the babies in order to condition them into hating flowers and books. I find this to be frightening. The extent to which this civilization will condition their babies to become, feel and think like they do has no limits. With no limits as to what they may do leads to certain actions becoming inhumane. To them, of course, this is normal and routine; very vital and essential to the “well-being” of the Alphas, Betas, Deltas, Epsilons and Gamma pluses or minuses they are trying to create.
August 31, 2009 at 4:32 am
I agree because at an early age children are easier to be brainwashed and manipulated. Since they are new to the world they won’t understand anything, it would be easy to lead them one way or the other. By brainwashing the children, it is a good way for the government to control the people and make them into whatever the government wants them to be. In addition, not only do babies get manipulated, but adults do too. Since the adults grew up in an environment where they are being told who they are and who they should be, it doesn’t allow them to become individuals. People don’t get to choose who they want to become because the government plans it out for them which takes away the people’s ability to become real humans.
September 2, 2009 at 8:39 pm
The idea of brainwashing young children is also happening in 1984, the best strategy to change a person beliefs is when they young. I believe when your young, you are more likely to be thought new things. Young children can retrain more information and our easily fooled to believe anything they are thought. This situation happens in 1984; Winston said that the children nowadays are horrible, because they are brainwashed by the government. Most situations, even modern day, parents will make their children believe and follow their beliefs when they young so they can be like them. Brave new world is another example on how people get brainwash at a young age to influence the future to be like them.
September 1, 2009 at 5:58 pm
I don’t think people should have the rights to brainwash babies in their ages. Babies are meant to grow up to develop their own feelings and ideas. They can not let anyone control their lives or they will be treated as puppets forever. People should learn about everything that’s happening around them so they can start their own lives and ideals.
September 1, 2009 at 10:54 pm
I have to disagree. True, people do not have the right to brainwash babies. It is inhumane to brutally torture young children. Sorry to be devil’s advocate but, I do see, however, the effectiveness this brutality does to the society. By shocking the babies at a young age, it teaches them, in this case, to be afraid of flowers and books at a young age. This is beneficial for an ideal society such as the World State because humanity would be stable and people can live a peaceful life. Even if their lives would be hindered and education would be controlled, their lives are peaceful and violence is eliminated.
September 2, 2009 at 10:45 pm
We can not act like we aren’t brainwashed by society. From television to the internet to movies, we are manipulated to feed into what society expects from us. The only thing that is different between BNW and our world is they are open about. There do not hide what we do. With us the only was to not be brainwashed is to live in a bubble. The actions we make, the things we buy are all products of things that are subconsciously told to do. We are told to go to school, go to college, get a job, have kids, ect. Where does our happiness fit in? That is why John and Bernard are not so different from ourselves. They are trying to fit some individuality in a place of conformity and inanimateness
September 6, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Like TRV said, we’re still brainwashed today. We’re subliminally brainwashed; in today’s society you’re not “civilized” unless you have a television in every room and have an ipod or blackberry. Our newspapers and media barely inform us of things worth knowing due to the rise of sensationalism. Although we’re not born in bottles like in BNW, but it’s as though we spend our lives in them; everyday being told what’s right and wrong according to popular beliefs. For the most part, we’re like Bernard: unhappy with the situation but willing to conform for acceptance and fake happiness.
September 8, 2009 at 10:20 pm
I agree that when children are more suitable for brainwashing. This method as wrong as it is can be very effective where spreading ideas and beliefs are concerned. The most heinous villain in history Adolf Hitler say the effects of brainwashing they youth and created an army of young people who worshiped him.
September 8, 2009 at 3:26 pm
I don’t think we are brainwashed today. Indeed society, media, entertainment, etc. has a great impact on the way we live our lifes but not to the point on being brainwashed. I view brainwashing as a process in which someone or something inputs a thought or an idea to an exceeding psychological extent. For instance, the Hitler Youth. They were raised from young to believe all that Hitler wanted them to believe to the point where it would take huge amounts of efforts to erase the negative thoughts that Hitler instilled. Of course if someone is brainwashed that implies they follow everything they are told and live their lifes according to what is in their head. On the other hand, in society today you can either apply what popular demand throws at you or choose to disregard it. Media, entertainment, etc. definitely has a huge impact on what we do, eat, wear, read, etc. but not to the extent of being brainwashed.
August 26, 2009 at 3:47 am
3.) “Till at last the child’s mind IS these suggestions, and the sum of the suggestions IS the child’s mind. And not the child’s mind only. The adult’s mind too – all his life long. The mind that judges and desires and decides – made up of these suggestions. But all these suggestions are OUR suggestions! The Director almost shouted in his triumph” (p.41). (note-all the words that are capitalized are italized in the book)
This quote is both frightening and relates to a bigger theme. In both aspects, you could only imagine what could happen to that entire civilization if the power to feed suggestions to the vulnerable minds of embryo’s were to get into the wrong hands. But the fact of the matter is, I find it disagreeable to feed suggestions to any vulnerable embryo to the extremity of this civilization. Though it is their goal to leave no room for individual thought and to have their society stabilized, the amount of suggestions fed to these embryo’s is excessive. It relates to a bigger theme in such a way that, as you have read or will continue reading, you see that their conditioning and suggestions control their way of thinking and way of life, including the soma they take. They cannot think for themselves when it comes to the basic things in life and for that, the more complex situations become harder for them to address effectively.
September 8, 2009 at 8:17 pm
I agree we are brainwashed from birth. We are brainwashed and controlled through the media and technology. We are subconsciously fooled into believing that we must have a certain phone and look a certain way in order to fit into what society consider to be the norm. Like TRV said we are just discrete about doing so.
September 1, 2009 at 10:01 pm
4. “Undoing all their wholesome death – conditioning with this disgusting outcry – as though death were something terrible, as though any one mattered as much as all that! It might give them the most disastrous ideas about the subject, might upset them into reacting in the entirely wrong, the utterly anti-social way” (211).
I find this quote interesting because it describes the hypocrisy that the World State represents. In this scene, we see John heartbroken over the death of Linda, who was really the only person in the book who raised him like a normal human being. The nurse, who saw John’s emotional breakdown, is more concerned about “death conditioning” the group of children rather than comforting a person who just lost his mother. I thought nurses are there to help people: not aiding John is evidence that she is unsympathetic and not helpful. This quote shows the hypocrisy the World State teaches because instead of helping John relieve his despair, the nurse is more concern about her job. It is as if she does not care how important a person is in someone’s life. She feels that John’s emotions would jeopardize her job with ideas that “corrupts” young children’s minds.
September 2, 2009 at 3:27 pm
” The lower the caste…the shorter the oxygen” (28)
In any society that exists, there may not me a caste system physically but it does exist. In the novel, its evident as a result of this quote. One can clearly see that if your poor, its necessary that you live a shorter life. Although, our society may not be as abrasive in regards to the caste system, those who are rich are at an advantage with what the government has to off its citizens. Because the people in the novel are brainwashed, they are unable to grasp the concept of what is really going on. The main idea is creating what can be the “perfect society.”
September 3, 2009 at 4:24 pm
I agree. People who are poor do not survive as long as people who are weathly and rich. As we learned in health, people who are poor or barely making ends meet cannot afford health insurance and so they do not visit the doctor when they are ill thus shortening their lives. People who have the money can afford to visit doctors and receive perscription medication.
The poor and rich people in the book as well as the poor and rich people in life, share a similarity. When they are feeling stressed, depressed, mad, sad, what have you, they turn to drugs. The people in the book turn to soma and the people in life turn to a wide variety of drugs. Though financial situations are different, consuming drugs by means of releasing stress is all the same.
September 8, 2009 at 3:04 am
I agree with EO, I do think that the above quote can be applied to any societies, particularly those that have a class system. People in the upper class get access to better health care, higher education, more opportunities and a higher standard of living. While on the other hand, people of lower class get denied or limited from everything that the people of upper class have. This is the reason why it is difficult for poor people to move up despite their continuous labors. I am really surprised by the existence of a class system in the “brave new world.” Although happiness exists in everyone there is still a fine line between Alphas and Epsilons. The government uses different levels of intelligent to distinguish the different type of work each person is capable of. However, why don’t the government condition all human beings to be all Alphas or Epsilons so that nobody complains about their type of work?
September 2, 2009 at 7:42 pm
2. In the beginning, Huxley gives off the notion that men and women are independent. In Brave New World there is no need for marriage, and children are out of the question. All the focus is on oneself, and people are able to put themselves first. But as the reader continues they find that it is quite the opposite. There is no independence. Men and women need each other to fit into society. The more social they are and the more promiscous they are allows them to conform.
The interactions between men and women seem to be based around sexual intercourse. They act “infantile” and try to be with as many people as possible. During dates there is little talk about oneself. The focus seems to be on the end product. Plus, soma doesn’t make situations anymore intimate. It just allows the people to escape from reality. Nevertheless, they have intercourse because society says so. Besides that men and women have no other purpose to interact.
The roles that women and men have are almost stereotypical. Women have jobs like taking care if the children or the dying, kind of like nurses. While the men hold more prominent jobs that hold more power. Women do what men ask of. They accompany men on dates, not the other way around. I guess one can say their sexism was a little more futuristic.
September 2, 2009 at 8:10 pm
“All conditioning aims at that: making people like their unescapable [sic]social destiny” (30).
Not only are the lives of alphas, betas, gammas, deltas and epsilons chosen for them, but they are brainwashed into believing that they should be grateful for the lives they have. Their caste, their height, even their mentality is chosen for them. During their childhood, they undergo sleep-teaching, also known as hypnopædia. The children learn about morality in their sleep. In one lesson, the Beta’s are taught the different colors worn by the different members of the World State. They are conditioned to believe that they should be happy about their position as a beta because they do not have to work as hard as alphas and yet they are smarter than gammas and deltas. This is an example of how the children are taught to thrive in their environment, and most importantly, to love their caste.
September 2, 2009 at 8:16 pm
“And that,”put in the Director sententiously, “that is the secret of happiness and virtue – liking what you’ve got to do. All conditioning aims at that: making people like their unescapable social destiny” (30)
During a tour of the factory, the Director shows a group of students how the World State fertilizes their embryos. I find this quote important to the plot because it shows the caste system being a major factor in the World State. The Director comments that conditioning individuals for their “inescapable social destinies” stabilizes this caste system by creating people who love and fully accept their roles in society. Furthermore, conditioning makes them virtually unable to perform any other function than that of which they are assigned. The tone of the text makes it clear that, though social stability may sound like an admirable goal, it can be used for the wrong reasons working towards the wrong ends.
September 2, 2009 at 9:11 pm
“Well, here,” the other went on, “nobody’s supposed to belong to more than one person. And if you have people in the ordinary way, the others think you’re wicked and antisocial. They hate and despise you. Once a lot of women came and made a scene because their men came to see me” (130).
I find this quote interesting because it depicts the Reservation as the opposite of what the World State is illustrated. The Reservation is a dump like setting with many of its residents unhygienic and filthy, contrary to the World State’s “sanitized” utopia. Huxley uses Lenina to show us how dirty the residents are when she trembles in fear of Linda with her “red veins on her nose” and her “bloodshot eyes” (128). It is interesting to see Huxley use this concept of differing civilizations because it questions whether it is better or not to have society controlled to keep society from turning into the Reservation.
September 2, 2009 at 9:42 pm
The use of technology is evident throughout the novel. The government uses their advanced technology to make their people. It also uses their technology to alter their people. Without the technology in the novel the society wouldn’t be what they want it to be. The technology is essential in keeping the societies stable; they were living under a powerful government. Although the citizens are unaware, john is through his knowledge through reading. The constant use of both technology and science in the novel is what is helping the government develop the society that they want.
September 2, 2009 at 10:18 pm
I agree with you. Mond says that through suppressing technology and science, society would be stable. His idea of social stability hides the fact that he censors and limits science because it would allow the residents of the World State to search for truth. His control over knowledge in this society makes it utterly impossible to change how the people see themselves. It is a perfect utopia where Mond is the only leader and no one can challenge his authority.
September 3, 2009 at 10:38 pm
I think technology is an important part of Brave New World as well as 1984. Both of the governments use technology to create and control the people. Since technology has been advancing in society it allows the government to use it to their advantage. In Brave New World, the government uses the newly developed technology to create the kind of people that they want and need in society; however, along with having this kind of technology it also doesn’t allow people to become who they are and who they want to be. I think technology is both important in the World State as well as in our own society; however, we use technology differently then they do. But as technology advances we could become another World State as well if people over use technology and use it only for the benefits of the government.
September 4, 2009 at 3:49 am
I agree. They control the use of science and technology for their own advantage. They make sure people do not possess the knowledge so they are able to maintain their control over them. The conditioning of the children is possible because of discoveries made years before and now they use them with the advanced technology they have. They know how to use different chemicals, alcohol and how to deprive oxygen to the brain to produce hard working Epsilons with no intelligence.
September 8, 2009 at 7:30 am
Technology in the BNW symbolizes the control and power over citizens. Without technology the government is unable to create they people they wanted, which to them means failture to maintain stability and total control. The government uses chemical formulas to create human diversity in the world state. The Epsilons are hard woker compare to the betas. A certain group of people are samrter than the other. If technology does not exist then the creation of a “new world” will be a failure.
September 2, 2009 at 11:08 pm
4.) In the last paragraph on p.75 which extends through p.76, Bernard talks lowly of himself. He hates his physical defects and feels as if it doesnt fit his Beta,I believe or is it Alpha, status. Because of the conditioning process they go through as children, they are conditioned to dislike people of the lower caste, appreciate people of the upper caste, but highly approve of people within their caste as stated towards the end of p.40. Individuals around him believe that something went wrong with his surrogate and have other claims as to why he is the way he is, and little by little he begins to believe him.
However, when he brings John and Linda back from the reservation, the attention he gains from the people around him trigger a sense of arrogance and he becomes intoxicated with overwhelming pride. The many people around him become annoyed with his new cocky and arrogrant ways which leads the Arch-Community-Songster to advise Bernard to “mend [his] ways” (181). After John’s little episode, Bernard is hurt and goes back to being the same way he was.
September 3, 2009 at 1:39 am
i agree with the fact that bernard is different, that is evident to those in the novel as well. in addition those who are being brainwashed are recieving “treatement” as children. in one instance during the novel, they try to teach a child about the nile being the longest river and it was difficult for him to grasp because he had not learned about the general topic. and when the child could not grasp the concept they gave up on him. mind you he was being taught this information as he slept. this is how they taught their people the things that they wanted them to know. it goes to remind us that their government was given too much power.
September 2, 2009 at 11:47 pm
“It hasn’t been very good for truth, of course. But it’s been very good for happiness. One can’t have something for nothing. Happiness has got to be paid for” (232).
Mustapha Mond debates against John about the happiness of the society in comparison to the stability of humanity. Mond argues that we sacrifice the truth to create a “stable and happy” society. He claims that sacrificing the truth, found through technology, science, religion, etc., is best for society to be happy. This feels as if all knowledge that can revolutionize the World State is suppressed because Mond does not want to lose his power. John thinks that this type of happiness creates vile human beings because they do not have the freedom to choose how they live. This is evident when John tries to avert the people to resist the urge to take soma. The people’s urge to take soma is evident that Mond has a strong control over their life.
September 3, 2009 at 12:06 am
“Disgraceful? But what do you mean? They’re being death – conditioned” (20).
The citizens of the World State are taught to embrace death. They are conditioned to accept death as something good that cannot be avoided, and also they are taught not to get overly sentimental over someone’s death. Yet, when one comes to think about it, these people are never given the opportunity to become friends with others in a way that would allow them to have feelings for each other. Close friendships are seen as abnormalities, yet another form of conditioning. I find it disturbing that children are taught to be cold hearted, to be uncaring for the fate of others. In our society, we mourn the dead, but in theirs, that is unheard of, instead they poke fun at the ill and dying. It seems bizarre that children are “death – conditioned” because although death is natural, no one should be taught to take it lightly.
September 3, 2009 at 12:47 am
“The greater a man’s talents, the greater his power to lead astray. It is better that one should suffer than that many should be corrupted… Murder kills only the individual- and, after all, what is an individual” (155).
I find this quote to be important to the main theme. In this scenario, the Director is giving a speech on Bernard being a menace to society. He specifically questions what is a person’s life compared to the life of others. This is interesting because the Director is claiming that Bernard is corrupting others, yet, he is making innocent babies suffer and be brutally tortured to be socially accepted. Huxley uses this hypocrisy to emphasize that corruption comes from those with authority.
September 3, 2009 at 1:28 am
“im awfully glad im a beta, because i dont work so hard. and then we are much better than gammas and delta’s. gammas are stupid.”(40)
this quote clearly emforces the fact that these people are taught from a young age to feel this way about people in other castes. they are taught to look down on one another based on the color of their castes. in other words they resemble robots . in addition, bernard along with being sectioned to a group of others does not feel a sense of belonging because he is different. he is thought of differently and many theories are comming about what may have happened during his development.
September 3, 2009 at 10:02 pm
I agree with you. In today’s society, people still look down on others based on the roles or color of the castes. For example, rich people look down on people who are not as wealthy as they are. Another example is people are being critizied on where they were born. People shouldn’t look down at others for being in a different class or born in a different area. They should be treated as equal.
September 3, 2009 at 1:30 am
“We do not want people to be attracted by old things” (223).
This world is filled modern amenities because the world leader’s find it dangerous for people to like old things, particularly old texts. Anything old is outdated and far too difficult to comprehend. They prefer people who are attracted to new things; hence the concept of mending as an anti-social activity. The controller compares happiness to high art and says that it is better to live in a happy, stable society than to live in an unstable world in which people suffer from illnesses and familial issues, but normal people were never given the chance to choose between those two worlds.
September 3, 2009 at 3:30 am
“It would upset the whole social order if they started doing things on their own” (239)
The World States treats people like commodities because they have conditioned everyone to fit in a place in society where they perform specific tasks and they are not allowed to make their own choices. Each group, from the Alphas to the Epsilons start their conditioning from the time they are embryos in bottles in the Decanting Rooms. They are treated as pieces of a big machine and they are monitored during every step of their growth, For example they ensure the Epsilons grow faster and with less intelligence. As Mr. Foster explains to the touring students : “ If the physical development could be speeded up till it was as quick, say, as a cow’s what an enormous saving to the Community!”. (28). Everyone fits in his or her own place as they are needed to maintain the social order.
To ensure their compliance and maintain control they make soma available to all and in extreme cases when people disagree they are shipped off to remote and isolated islands.
September 11, 2009 at 5:03 am
the government does not want the individuals to gain any sort of independents. they enjoy the people being leaning on them and coming to them for aid. this allows the government to gain control.
September 3, 2009 at 3:49 am
In the new World State, God and religion have no place. Since the entire purpose of the community is to work for the benefit of the State, individual beliefs and allegiances are not allowed. If people believe in God and dedicate their time and feelings toward religion that would take away from their dedication to the group. As Lenina recites : “ When the individual feels, the community reels” (103). Many partnerships are encouraged between men and women so there are not individual relationships. Solitude and time alone are not allowed, instead they are always participating in many community activities or going to the Feelies in groups. Lenina does not understand why Bernard would want to spend some time alone with her just going for a walk and talking.
Mustapha Mond explains that God has no place with machinery, science or happiness. Happiness is achieved by taking more or less grams of soma and escaping reality, science and technology keep people young and healthy so there is no need for anyone to look to God for support during sickness or despair, the State already provides everything they need. The State maintains all the power over the people and the controllers like Mustapha Mond keep the old books and knowledge hidden from everyone. He tells John that he even believes there is a God and read the bible and Shakespeare but all that must be sacrificed in order to maintain control and balance in the new society.
September 8, 2009 at 11:45 pm
It is true that the characters of BNW live in a Godless society. There is no need for religion since there is no need to seek to a higher power for an answer to any question. There is no need for institutions like church because there is no need for teachings about morals and goodness; all those qualities are forced into a persons mind at an early age. There is no need for organized religion because no one is praying for anything better and everyone is content with what they have.
September 3, 2009 at 4:18 am
“She had wondered more than once wheter she shouldn’t change her mind about the New Mexico holiday, and go instead to the North Pole..” (97)
I find it odd that Lenina considers visiting the Savage Reservation a holiday and a “unique opportunity”. She had visited the North Pole and found it “pretty grim”. Bernard’s interest is more understandable because he is an Alpha-Plus psychologist and given his discontent with the new society he is looking for something different. Lenina on the other hand is truly conditioned to the new order. This is again an example of discrimination and how even a society with advanced technology and science still keep another group of people, the Indians, locked behind electrified fences like in a zoo.
September 3, 2009 at 4:41 am
“The policemen pushed him out of the way and got on with their work. Three men with spraying machines..pumped thick clouds of soma vapour…
four others…were methodicaly laying out, squirt by squirt the more ferocious of the fighters”(218)
It is hard to imagine the police today squirting people with some sort of vapour that would get them high. In today’s society that would be almost unthinkable, and yet it is possible that people could react differently to the police. In the World State the lack of soma makes people angry and desperate and they react with very strong feelings. If by any chance the production of soma failed, the entire society would collapse.
September 3, 2009 at 5:31 am
“It only remained to conquer old age” (67)
The fountain of youth finally realized. In the World State people do not get old they just continue to work, go to the feelies, take soma holidays and work again ” safe on the solid ground of daily labour and distraction”(68). This is an example of how the controllers use science and technology to ensure they always have people to do the work and stability is maintained. People stay the same for their entire lives and never change or become feeble, they don’t get senile or weak and since they have been conditioned from an early age they don’t realize they are being used for the benefit of the state.
September 3, 2009 at 3:33 pm
5.) On p. 151, John admires Lenina’s clothing. He examines them because he likes her alot but there’s also a sense of admiration of the things she pocesses. One reason he adores the items she has is because he is a savage and thus does not have access to luxurious items such as these. He makes mention of things he has never smelled or seen of before; her perfumed acetate handkerchief, scented powder, and viscose velveteen shorts.
On the contrary, Lenina can not cope with the environment of the lower caste, of course due to her conditioning. There’s evidence of this throughout the book. On p.85, while on a date with Henry Foster, she says, “I’m glad I’m not an Epsilon,” after refering to them as “nasty” on the previous page. Another instance is when she and Bernard went to the reservation. She was highly uncomfortable with their living conditions and enviornment.
This example is a text-to-world entry. In life, when an individual is struggling and poor, s/he tends to appreciate the little things that come their way. They appreciate any little food they can find or receive, another night with a roof over their head, and clothes on thier backs to accommodate the weather. They do not excerise their strength or go out of their way to purchase items that will not help them survive. People that live this type of live style truly appreciate any type of luxury, like John. Things that we take for granted means something totally different to these type of people.
As for the people like Lenina, they do not appreciate the people who do not hold the same status like they do. This mostly pertains to people who were born into that type of living, i.e. the Rockefeller’s, the Carnigie’s, etc. People like Biggie and Jay-Z often rap about where they came from and where they are now, displaying appreciatation for what the music industry has helped provide for them. Others who are made of money are not appreciative of the people who do their laundry, cook their food, baby sit their child[ren], maintain their cars, maintain their lawns and maintain their entire estate/home. Like Lenina, they fail to see that the basics to their lives, for example, cooking and cleaning, are done by the people they look down on. Without these people they are faced with a diffcult task of learning how to do it themselves and incorporate it into their busy schedules and lives. They’re are people out there that do appreciate people of the lower class but then there are people who don’t but very well should.
September 3, 2009 at 6:25 pm
John is definitely more free than all the other citizens of the World State. Unlike all the other citizens, John was not conditioned at birth. He doesn’t live his life according to the pre-programmed slogans and conditioning provided for the other individuals within civilization. Because of that John is able to have a knowledgeable debate with Mustapha Mond which in return gains respect from him. John is not subject to follow the rules and principles given by their Ford.
All the citizens of the World State are conditioned chemically, hence all the chemical terms used throughout the book. They are programmed how to think, how to work, how to live their everyday lives. John is conditioned naturally, like you and I. We are blank slates; our blank slates gradually fills with experience and with the experience of others. We have the ability to think for ourselves and consider our own actions. John was raised in the wild which puts emphasis on his natural conditioning. He’s like a free bird.
September 3, 2009 at 6:50 pm
“For of course some sort of general idea they must have, if they were to do their work intelligently – though as little of one, if they were to be good and happy members of society” (18).
In this society everything is predetermined, from the color of your clothing to your feelings. Even your future job is determined for you. People are taught to accept that fact and not complain about the life they have; even a gamma’s life there is a positive spin. The only way to ensure survival is to lead your life as normally as possible. Complaints generally do not exist because a person would run the risk of being sent to an island, which seems to be the World State’s preferred method of removal from society.
September 8, 2009 at 4:20 am
To imagine that my life could be predetermined is the most restricting thing ever. I appreciate all of the freedoms I have in making my own decisions and choosing what I believe is right for myself. Its sad to see that people in our own world don’t have the small freedoms that we do. So many children have predetermined lives, like living in poverty and arranged marriages. These restrictions are there to hold people back in life and to strip them of their own minds. Hopefully, everyone can grow to leave that behind.
September 3, 2009 at 9:11 pm
4.In chapters sixteen and seventeen, Mustapha Mond has a debate against John about the morals of a society. In the World State, science and religion are censored to ensure that society is “stabilized and happy.” Science is suppressed because it allows people to question something and to pursue to find evidence. It is the “search for knowledge by experiments.” Mond fears that with science, the “truth” would be discovered and stability would be ruined. It is ironic to see science censored because the World State reveres science. Mond’s argument is that science would allow the citizens to find corruption and that would lead to chaos in society.
Religion, likewise, is censored in the World State. The belief of God is created people are curious of what happens in the afterlife. John argues that religion is important because it is “natural to turn to God when they are alone” (237). Mond argues that the residents of the World State do not need religion because they are “conditioned” to a point where they are “never alone” (237). Mond thinks that by “death conditioning” the citizens would erase any fears humanity has. Mond comments that both science and religion cannot exist in the World State because it disrupts the happiness.
Through suppressing science and religion, Mond uses the opportunity to gain political power. He controls the flow of knowledge; therefore there is no possibility of revolutionizing the World State. Mond argues that he gave up the pursuit of his own happiness in order to give the happiness of others. “One can’t have something for nothing. Happiness has got to be paid for [stability]” (232). Mond uses his sacrifice of losing his freedom to elude the fact that he gained political power. Huxley uses the characteristic of Mond to show that political power is correlated with corruption.
September 8, 2009 at 3:58 am
I find the the suppression of science to be ironic because I think science and technology are important in keeping the “brave new world” in progress. For example, science in “decanting” infants and the conditioning of people all require science. The government uses science to create this “brave new world.” I can understand why religion is banned because to certain extent religion can destabilize a society. People apply their religion teachings to their lives and when perfection is applied to a flaw world it creates problems. This is when people begin to question and doubt. The happiness that exists in this world is fake and vulnerable, by giving freedom in science and religion it would only undermine it.
September 3, 2009 at 10:39 pm
6. In a way, John is more free than the World State members. He has freedom because he is not raised with censored knowledge. He is allowed to read literature, such as Romeo and Juliet, which are banned text in the World State. John is unique to this society because he is raised in the Reservation. Although he lived in an environment that is less sanitary than the World State, he is more independent. An example is when he decides not to take soma when his mother died. He also demonstrates his freedom by having the courage to stand up against hypocrisy. This is clearly shown when he protests in the hospital against taking the soma. John says, “Listen, I beg of you. Lend me your ears… don’t take that horrible stuff. It’s poison, it’s poison” to show his audacity of speaking out against authority (215). Huxley uses this revolt against society to show that we must rise against hypocrisy.
John is conditioned in his own way through the books that he reads. In the World State, books are banned because they are written with emotions, something the residents do not experience much. He is also conditioned by practicing self-discipline. In the end of the novel, John decides to go to a lighthouse to get far away from civilization. There he performs rituals where he whips himself to purge away from society. This conditioning shows that we must resist corruption which distorts our freedom.
September 5, 2009 at 10:47 pm
I agree with what you are saying. John knew what it felt like to have the freedom to enjoy reading unlike everyone else in the World State. John is more independent and can make his own decision unlike many people in the World State who are programed.
I believe that John knows that he cannot get people to change their mind about the government and John is sad. I feel like John is a good leader because he stands up for what he believe in. The example with his mother was a good one bcause this shows how John will not take everything people say to him.
Huxley also shows how people can be with anyone. Some are emberrassed when they talk about sexual things but many are still open minded to that. John knows he is lucky to have experienced freedom.
September 3, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Huxley emphasizes throughout the novel that everyone belongs to everyone. In other words, everyone in that society shared the belief that they could be with anyone at any time. For example, Lenia is encouraged not to stay with Henry because the other men should have the opportunity to be with her. She goes around sleeping with a countless number of men and its completely normal. In our society it is not rare but there are many consequences with those actions;commitment is a big thing. In BNW, commitment is not found and may not exist. As a result, they live in a society where they freely fraternize with other for pleasure and its very well expected.
September 5, 2009 at 2:03 am
I think that the phrase “everyone belongs to everyone” is quite disturbing. Citizens of the World State are conditioned to believe that. Further, they have never known anything contrary to that belief, which does not allow for them to have a different mentality towards life. They laugh at the mere idea of commitment, something so foreign that they cannot comprehend. As a result, they act in a promiscuous manner which, to them, is normal. However, as crazy as it might seem, Huxley might have been on to something when he wrote Brave New World because unfortunately, our society seems to be headed in that direction.
September 8, 2009 at 11:28 pm
I agree with you. There seems to be no such thing as a relationship or commitment in BNW. Everyone is open to more sexual partners because no one considers the idea of reproduction while having sex. They even laugh at the idea of being or having mothers and fathers. Everyone is just a potential sexual partner for everyone else.
September 4, 2009 at 12:11 am
#4
In the world state science and political power are closely intertwined throughout the novel. The state is derived of people created through both science and technology combined. With the use of genetics and machinery, mustafa mond created a society where he has full and complete control. Through brainwashing their citizens they were able to develop their ideal society. In addition to both science and political power religion gives the people hope. “Yeah of our ford” praising him as if he was God or someone of that nature. All three factors emphasize that the government held full and complete power and as a result the citizens where not really able to be themselves. They lived life the way that they were programmed to.
September 5, 2009 at 10:42 pm
I agree with you. The thing is that people are created not naturally but by genetics. People are programed to think they way they do. The way the World State hates flowers and books is because the government has instilled in the heads of the younger children that this is all bad. I also agree with religion that it gives people false hope. They believe things will get better for themselves but the people with power know that things will never change for the better. The government had complete control of everyone and no one could ever rebel because they are programmed to agree with everything they do.
September 4, 2009 at 12:16 am
The citizens of the World State are taught to act in a childish manner because that way, they never forced to grow up. Children are easily manipulated. As opposed to adults, the thoughts and feelings of children can be controlled. This ability to control young ones is essential to the survival of the World State. But most essential is the fact that grown men and women will not complain that they are unhappy, or that they do not have the most advanced commodities because they as children, they are taught to behave properly and that mindset will be forever embedded in them. The world state cannot survive if everyone behaved like adults, but if they everyone behaved like infants, then the society would be able to flourish.
September 4, 2009 at 1:20 am
On p.237 Mustapha Mond says, “Call it civilation. God isn’t compatible with machinery and scientific medicine and universal happiness. You must make your choice. Our civilization has chosen machinery and medicine and happiness. That’s why I have to keep these books locked up in the safe.”
This is one of many quotes used by Mustapha Mond to defend his belief and justify the way he governs his people. He believes that the key to true happiness within the World State is the advancement of their technology. He would rather hands on, visual evidence rather than an invisible being. He uses readings he has locked away in his office that are written by philosophers, named Cardinal Newman and Maine de Biran, to prove his claim that having God in civilization is not a necessity starting on p.235. In one of the readings it makes mention of a guy being old; he becomes ill of old age and fearful of death. Because of this, he turns to religion. Mustapha’s response to this mishap is to insure everyone has “youth and prosperity.” With this necessity taken care of, the “religious sentiment is superfluous.” If ever they require more delight they turn to soma. Mustapha feels as if everyone has what they need to be happy, so in order to maintain the stability within this society, there need not be any knowledge of God, only Ford.
In a way there is validity but also no validity. People should have the natural born right to think for themselves. They should decide whether or not youth and prosperity is what they want with addition or minus to God. On the other hand, I do see where he is comming from and really he just wants whats best for his community. He’s not a mad man trying to take over World State; he just simply wants everyone to be happy.
I do not think there’s a “winner” in this debate. Both people provided alot of evidence to prove their claim. In John’s case, his characterization is his evidence; he was born unconditioned and with the ability to think for himself which shows through his actions once he entered World State. Mustapha Mond’s evidence is his knowledge through the readings of those philosophers and having read the Bible. Both individuals clearly stated their opinion on the topic of God and in the end nothing was really resolved. Mustapha Mond made no changes to the way he governed the World State and John was sent away so he could practice what he believed.
September 4, 2009 at 1:48 am
The limitations faced by the citizens of the World State are truly detrimental. ‘Normal’ people do not realize the extent to which their lives are controlled. Those who are ‘abnormal,’ like Bernard, Helmholtz, and even John realize that something is terribly wrong within the society. There is no real source of happiness; people are simply conditioned to believe that they are happy. Soma is the perfect example of false happiness that people live, people take soma as if it were candy. Supposedly to make them feel better, in reality they just want to escape the society in which they live. Further soma kills. Soma killed Linda in a short period of time and it can kill others in the long run. In reality, citizens of the World State are ignorant of happiness, truth, and sadly, of free will. They have no say in their lives or their future, the only thing they can do is pretend to be happy by taking soma.
September 5, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Happiness is whatever the Controller deems it to be. The citizens of the brave new world live in an allusion of happiness. Happiness is defined by the propaganda, emotional engineering and hypnopaedic lessons. Happiness its just an allusion in the brave new world created by the Controller. With the soma being a suppressing aid.
September 8, 2009 at 1:04 am
I agree, the government’s way of controlling it’s citizens is incorrect. Sure the society is stable as a result of “dumbing down” it’s citizens and giving them soma in order to make them happy, but, it is not ‘true’ happiness. True happiness is when one is content while having the options to make choices for oneself. The people living in the World State do not really have free will as the party assigns them a class before they are born and therefore, it is artificial happiness they are feeling, and in virtually every case, natural is superior compared to artificial things.
September 4, 2009 at 3:14 am
4) Science, religion and political power and all connected in many ways. Throughout the book we learn that humans are created through science. Nothing is natural in the world. Mustapha Mond is able to control everyone through brainwashing. Also through genetics the government is able to create people that are all alike. This is very similair to 1984 because both governments use different tatics to get complete control over society and the people around the world. Now that everyone is brainwashed the Mond is able to control everyone. He is able to get people to think that he is the “god” of the world. Citizens are unable to think for themselves and are forced to go by what the governments thinks and says. Religion has a role to in the fact that Monds views are the best for the citizens.
September 9, 2009 at 3:57 am
I agree because I also feel that the World State made themselves the “god” of the world by creating and brainwashing them. They created the sole religion for the people and that is the government. There isn’t anyway to approve any other religion because humans are now created through technology and science has advanced to a very high level. These methods are all used to control and manipulate the people, the Mustapha Mond is an example of that.
September 4, 2009 at 3:28 am
2) Men and women interact in a different way then people like us. In the World State men usually have the power in society. Also women in the State are more comfortable in discussing their sexual lives in front of people. For example when Lenina came to Bernard and accept him invitation to the Reservation Bernard felt very embarrassed. Bernard felt a bit sad that Lenina acted like a “healthy and virtuous English girl” Bernard feels that people act the way the State tells them to. In the world state men hold the power in situations and in the government. But men like John have never really gotten used to the state because he grew outside the state. Helmholtz is a teacher but feels that he is usless. He is forced to teach the things that the state wants children to learn. Most of the characters in Brave New World are men and they all have some sort of power in the State.
September 4, 2009 at 5:48 am
When I started reading the books I has an immediate text to text connection with “Soma.” On of my favorite bands, the Strokes, has a song named “Soma,” and the some of the lyrics are ironically connected to the book. For example, “Soma is what they would take when/ Hard times opened their eyes
Saw pain in a new way/ High stakes for a few names.” Brave New World was Huxley’s interpenetration of the society he lived in, and alcohol abuse wasn’t uncommon in the 1920’s. They would use this liquid almost like medication, in dosages that helped them manage how long they would be under its influence. When I look at the similarities between “Soma” and alcohol its almost like a wake up call. Reading this book helped me see my own world in a new light.
September 5, 2009 at 9:05 am
That’s an interesting interpretation of the use of soma. Its understandable that the book can be a representation of the 1920’s and the high percent of those who were taking drugs. It was an escape for them to help them get away from the actual situations that they were experiencing. the comparison reminds me of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey where it may not have been a utopia but drugs were common during the time period that the book was written. Drugs were used to relieve them of their stress;it was a way of life. It served as a cause of the many people in a mental institution becuase the actual society served as a threat to them. In both scenarios, drugs served as hope and was also impacted into their daily lives.
September 8, 2009 at 6:30 am
I agree that soma and alcohol are very similiar. The reason soma is use is because the world state wants everyone to be happy in order to aviod complains and maintain stability. People are not require to take soma or drink alcohol, but they choose to in order to escape from reality and gain happiness.
September 4, 2009 at 1:49 pm
“Wretched, in a word, because she had behaved as any healthy and virtuous English girl ought to behave and not in some other, abnormal, extraordinary way” (75).
It is curious to see how behavior that, in our society would be punished, in their society is seen as normal and necessary. If women are not constantly on dates and if men are seem emotionally attached to one particular woman, it is not only suspicious, but discouraged behavior. Citizens of the World State are conditioned into the mentality that ‘everyone belongs to everyone else.’ Promiscuity is encouraged and even children are allowed to engage in the activities with each other. Contrary behavior is worthy of ridicule, that seems completely unusual in our society.
September 5, 2009 at 7:56 pm
I agree with AJR. Behavior considered taboo in today’s society is actually being encouraged in the brave new world. Exploring one’s sexual possibilities, even at an adolescent age is disgustingly allowed. Lenina was even told by a close friend that she wasn’t being promiscuous enough and the Controller wouldn’t approve of her behavior.Even privacy was considered something of the past. Lenina found it funny that one wouldn’t want to talk of their most private affairs in public. Customs in the brave new world are backwards and awkward.
September 9, 2009 at 5:09 am
I agree with AJR also because, in our modern world, what we believe is moral is totally discouraged by the society in Brave New World. Along with what the world today sees as right or moral can also be connected to religion, because in some religions Promiscuity is a sin. It is very unusual to see the behavior presented especially by the children, accepted in today’s society.
September 4, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Soma has taken a toll on the lives of the citizens in brave new world. They live depending on this drug unaware of the damage that it does to them. They constantly take it and feel a sudden change of “universal benevolence [break] out on every face in happy friendly smiles.” (92) some is a way of life for them, even children are included in the rationing of this drug;which at many times can become violent. We as products of a different government may think of the addiction as outrageous and ignorant and although we are informed of things in the nature of soma, the government prohibits it and therefore it is not often seen. In BNW, soma is so important to the extent that they have “soma holidays.” Everyone comes together to take the drug aware that “[they] drink to [their] annihilation” (91) soma is deeply rooted in the lives of the citizens in BNW.
September 5, 2009 at 2:56 am
“‘I actually dream about it sometimes. . . of being woken up by that pedal of thunder and finding her gone.”
This is an important part of the book because Bernard finds himself to be different. He sees the world in a different light than the others. But this shows that all the conditioning still can not strip a person from their most humane attribute: feelings. The Director, a powerful man, can not even control the feelings he had towards the woman. Because he is conditioned to think wrongly if his feeling he tries to fight it. This eternal fight between human nature and society’s expectations is what leads to this bitterness the Director holds inside.
September 5, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Pg. 30 – “All conditioning aims at that: making people like their inescapable social destiny”.
The belief in conditioning beings, in reference to the text, to like their inescapable social destiny is akin to the caste system; an inherited socioreligious rank. Similar to the traditional Hindu separation of four simple castes, ‘In the Brave New World’ there are the Betas, Deltas, Alphas, Grammas and Epsilons. All five were conditioned without potential caste switching to compose the backbone of society. The higher ones rank the more superior their career, physique, the quality of your clothing and intelligence was. A Beta child dare not play wit an Epsilon or Delta, nor even any child in lower caste. However, each member of society was content with their caste, knowing their duty was essential for “COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY”.
September 5, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Pg. 90 – “Thank Ford!”
The citizens of the Brave New World substitute the word ‘God’ for ‘Ford’. God being a religious and spiritual figure and Henry Ford merely being a technological genius and founder of Ford Motor Company. This emphasizes society’s infinite reliance on technology. It has become part of their daily life and worship. Technology is society’s new God. Technology has evidently replaced religion.
September 9, 2009 at 5:18 am
I agree with this comment that technology has taken place of religion, because of the method of worshipping, and also the replacing of the word God, with Ford. What would seem as a sin to certain religions to replace or put anything before God, is the norm and almost celebrated. Aldous Huxley emphasizes the reliance of material things in a society, and how it can become a catalyst to the ignorance of more important things in life such as religion.
September 5, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Pg. 54 – “…it’s not as though there were anything painful or disagreeable about having one or two men besides Henry. And seeing that you ought to be a little more promiscuous…”
It’s scandalous that within the society of the ‘brave new world’, being promiscuous and sluttish is promoted and encouraged. Society dislikes Christianity because it forces its women to go on being viviparous. Often considered taboo, both sexes are sought to be more public with themselves, constantly exploring their sexual urges. Even sharing your sexual partner with a friend or co-worker is common because “one’s got to play the game. After all, everyone belongs to every one else.”
September 8, 2009 at 7:50 am
I agree with I.R.H, I find it a bit disturbing how out of everything that the world states control, it doesn’t control people’s sex life. I can’t believe that being promiscuous is being promoted and it’s not dishonorable like in our society. I feel like its ironic how the topic that I believe its very unequal is accepted in Brave New world. In our society, there’s a lot of sexism in being promiscuous. If a guy cheats on a female he is considered to be “cool”, while if the girl was to do the same, her reputation will be destroyed.
I would have guess that Brave New World will have controlled the sex, and made men dominated like everything else in that society
In my opinion, Huxley is probably trying to prove a point on how sex shouldn’t be unequal, and how he is trying to twist the situations that what we as the readers find morally incorrect, BNW thinks is the right thing to do.
September 5, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Pg. 101 – “…why you don’t take soma when you have these dreadful ideas of yours. You’d forget all about them. And instead of feeling miserable, you’d be jolly.”
Soma is a suppressive narcotic used by the government to keep its members content with the way things are run. Whenever one is facing hardship or annoyance with the regulations of society he or she takes soma; often three gram tables at a time. Soma blurs one’s sense of actuality and replaces it with an ideal sense of contentment. Thus, promoting social stability. In addition to soma, the government suppresses its members by: medical intercession through technology conditions a beings behavior and physique, propaganda, emotional engineering and hypnopaedic lessons.
September 5, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Pg. 223 – “Beauty’s attractive, and we don’t want people to be attracted by old things. We want them to like the new ones.”
The Controller’s obsessive urge for ideal social stability consist of him expunging history. Promoting the new, propagandized material lacking all sense of opinion and oppression to the established social order. Anything old is unfiltered and threatens the equilibrium of “COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY”. Literary works such as The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, other religious text, Shakespeare and a whole collection of pornographic old books were kept in a large safe; concealed from society. It was illegal to read anything old or anything that was propagandized. “God in the safe and Ford on the shelves” (234).
September 5, 2009 at 7:37 pm
The Controller’s obsessive urge for ideal social stability consist of him expunging history. Promoting the new, propagandized material lacking all sense of opinion and oppression to the established social order. Anything old is unfiltered and threatens the equilibrium of “COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY”. Literary works such as The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, other religious text, Shakespeare and a whole collection of pornographic old books were kept in a large safe; concealed from society. It was illegal to read anything old or anything that was propagandized. “God in the safe and Ford on the shelves” (234).
It seems undeniable the most World State members are happy, though people like John, Bernard, and Helmhotlz might criticize the quality of their lives. All three men have something in common, either it’s their physique, characteristics or behavior that’s cause them to be diverse. They are individuals in an overly populated perfect civilization over run by twins of all the same unemotional and ignorance to the World State. “Bernard’s physique was hardly better than that of the average Gamma. He stood eight centimeters short of the standard Alpha height and was slender in proportion” (76). He was physically inadequate, barely respected by lower caste-men and “feeling like an outsider he behaved like one, which increased the prejudice against him” (76). The alcohol in his blood-surrogate was the alleged reason for his eccentricity and his self-consciousness of this exasperated dilemma. Bernard wants to know what passion is, wants to feel something strong; wanting to be inquisitive of emotion is what made him and individual.
On the other hand, Helmholtz “was a powerfully built man, deep-chested, broad shoulders, massive, and yet quick in his movements, springy and agile. The round strong pillar of his neck supported a beautiful shaped head. His hair was dark and curly, his features strongly marked” (78). Similar to Bernard, a mental surplus had fashioned in Helmholtz because he was a little too able. Hundreds of women would through themselves at Helmholtz and he would simply decline. He considered women, sports and communal activities as subsequent best. Helmholtz was interested in something else and often got a queer feeling that he has something powerful and important to say. However, the Savage, John, was the only valiant individual of the three, bold enough to expose the state for its travesty. John wanted sovereignty for the citizens from the state and its suppressive substances. Whenever one is facing hardship or annoyance with the regulations of society he or she takes soma, a suppressive narcotic; often three gram tables at a time. Soma blurs one’s sense of actuality and replaces it with an ideal sense of contentment. There is no real happiness, only a false pretense, and illusion of what is really supposed to make one blissful. And the truth can be limitless; whatever the controller desires can be distorted from fiction to verity. All elements of history is kept locked away in a vault, off the selves and replaced by reading-machine bobbins and sound-track rolls.
September 5, 2009 at 7:37 pm
John does indeed have more liberty than the World State members; however, it’s limited. Dissimilar to John, the citizens of the World State are treated as commodities. The general public is produced, almost as if they were machinery, altering their: ability to adapt, characteristics and aptitude. To achieve social stability, the citizens must be identical and lacking of individuality in everyway. John is portrayed as the ‘savage’ because he wasn’t pre-conditioned to the fondness of the Controller. John was born, something currently considered taboo, thus being shunned and considered the outcast of society. The boys laughed at him for being “ragged” and called him “Rags”. The more the boys taunted him; John became free from anxiety because he knew he was literate. When he entered the brave new world he was showcased as the amazing savage; almost as if he was an exhibit.
John consisted of ‘real-world’ experience, historical knowledge, emotion and the will-power to refuse soma. John is conditioned by the Shakespeare and literary text in which he reads. The books influence his emotion and gentlemen-like behavior. This is evident on numerous occasions; when John refuses to take sexual advantage of Lenina and when his mother is disrespected, it angers him. John inflicts pain upon himself as an act of self-redemption. John isn’t censored and ventures far from the evils of society.
September 6, 2009 at 5:15 am
“The others get a dose of male sex-hormone every twenty-four metres for the rest of course. Result: freemartins – structurally quite normal . . . but sterile” (27).
The sterilization of the females allows the government to not only control the population, but also the sexual behaviors of the people. Like in 1984, the government forms stability through creating a vent for that sexuality in the form of loyalty to one’s country.
This is similar to the massive sterilization of Puerto Rican women during the 1970’s. A government sponsored program, allowed 30 percent of women of be sterilized in order to control the amount of working labor. Many of the women undergoing the process were between the ages of 16 and 25. The government knew what they were doing was corrupt, just like the Director. Sterilization is a way to dehumanize individuals by controlling what is natural: i.e. child birth and sexuality.
September 6, 2009 at 10:10 pm
The World State infantilizes its citizens to make them ignorant to how their being practically enslaved. Naturally, infants are unable to realize situations around, therefore the most vulnerable to corruption. It reminds of a Dr. Seuss quotation in which he states “adults are just obsolete children and the hell with them.” Although the citizens mature faster physically in the World State their minds are still that of young naive children. They don’t have mothers or fathers like infants, but, instead, they have the government to mold their minds and beliefs.
September 6, 2009 at 10:13 pm
“I’m really awfuly glad I’m a Beta, because I don’t work so hard. And then we are much better than the Gammas and Deltas. Gammas are stupid” (pg 40).
One of the ways the government brainwashes the children is that they play a tape that instructs them on who they are, who they should be, who they shouldn’t be with, and how to live their life. I think once the kids listen to the tape it makes the children believe that they are all grouped into different classes and are not allowed to speak to people that don’t belong to their own class. As they grow up, it is implanted into their minds that the Alphas are better than everybody else. With the government separating people into different classes it creates a sense of diversity.
Although Bernard is an Alpha, he is still treated differently because he acts strange compared to the regular Alphas. It shows that in that brainwashed society people are expected to act a specific way and if people overlook the rules, they seem odd and different from the “normal” people.
September 6, 2009 at 10:38 pm
“I often think one may have missed something in not having had a mother. And perhaps you’ve missed something in not being a mother, Lenina.” (pg 121).
Since technology has taken over the lives of the people in the World State, they no longer need to reproduce. Instead they use technology to create artificial babies. I disagree with this way of making babies because they don’t have real parents who can raise them and teach them about the world. They don’t receive the same parental love and knowledge about life that a parent provides.
September 6, 2009 at 10:56 pm
People in the World State take Soma as away to escape reality. The times that people take Soma are when they are upset or they just don’t want to remain in a place in which they think is horrible. I think our society can relate to this because much of the population uses drugs or alcohol as a way to get away from the real world. Once they get attached to it, it becomes a hard habit to break. Just like Lenina, who takes Soma regularly and she starts to become dependent on it.
September 6, 2009 at 11:18 pm
“Finally- and this was by far the strongest reason for people not wanting to see poor Linda- there was her appearance period. Fat; having lost her youth; with bad teeth, and a blotched complexion, and that finger (Ford!)- you simply couldn’t look at her without feeling sick, yes, positively sick” (pg 160).
This quote shows the fact that people not only judged others on their class, but also on their appearance. They are superficial people who evaluate others on their looks. In their society they create the “perfect people” and they look down on the people who are different from them.
September 6, 2009 at 11:29 pm
In addition, they dislike the elderly because they are not longer youthful.
“‘You mean, of her not dying?’ (He nodded.) ‘No, of course there isn’t. When somebody sent here, there’s no…’ Startled by the expression of distress on his pale face, she suddenly broke off” (pg 204)
This quote shows that as they got older, people starts to care less until the retired are sent to a place to wait for their death. With no families to care for the elderly, they have to spend their last moments alone and unloved.
September 6, 2009 at 11:21 pm
8. The World State’s caste system in split into 5 groups — Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons, which are distinguished by their physical, mental and social characteristics. Alphas are at the top of the caste system and are produced to be tall, fair skinned and intelligent. Betas are right under Alphas and have the same characteristics except they are made to work less than Alphas. Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons are the lower caste of the World State. They are shorter then the upper caste and less intelligent. Gammas wear green, Deltas wear khaki and Epsilons wear black. These castes are also produced in two different ways. Alphas and Betas each come from one embryo and turn into one fetus, which makes each one of them different. Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons are produced through the Bokanovksy Process. Through this process, “a bokanovskified egg will bud, will proliferate, will divide. From eight to ninety-six buds, and every bud will grow into a perfectly formed embryo” (20). The D.H.C. considers this process to be one of the keys to social stability.
The World State’s ability to keep the society stable is through this caste system. The Alphas and Betas have no problem being at the top so they’re intelligence won’t affect their views towards the State and most of them have no intentions of changing the world order. The Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons are only fine with their positions in society because they are conditioned to stay where they are. They condition them through shock treatments which creates hatred towards literature and nature. If they were made to like literature and nature it would give them the tools to go against the order because the system would be somewhat leveled out.
The caste system reflects many aspects of contemporary society. The lower caste is darker than the upper caste and on the reservation being dark is superior to be light. This is seen today through the media, workplaces and schools. Height is also seen between the two. The lower caste is shorter than the upper caste. When it comes to dating in society, some women look for tall men and some men look for shorter women. There are many correlations between Brave New World’s system and ours.
September 6, 2009 at 11:40 pm
6. The reason why society is so wrong is because the people are conditioned and told what to do, what to like and what to say. From the beginning children are taught everything they ought to know; there is little room for self discovery and for finding out what they truly want in life. Most people are ignorant to another form of life besides Brave New World, yet John, Bernard, and Helmholts do know more. This is what separated them form the rest. John not only comes from a different place, but he also read Shakespeare. Bernard knows the importance of the brainwashing, and he also know what life could be like without. Because of their knowledge, all three men do not use soma like the others. They realize it is not a solution to problems, only an escape. They know it will not change their circumstances, and they would be happier without it.
September 7, 2009 at 12:16 am
2. In the World State, men clearly hold the power in the workplace and in the government. Women hold jobs of less importance like in nursing the children while men are able to get jobs as leaders of different industries in the World State. Lenina and Fanny are nurses while Bernard works in propaganda. The level of work is drastically different. The government, The World Controllers, are all Alpha men. Women have no place in the government in the World State.
The social relations between women and men can be represented through this repeated quotation, “Everyone belongs to everyone else.” In the dating scene, promiscuity is encouraged by everyone. No one stays with anyone in a relationship for a long period of time and everyone is usually seeing more than one person. When Lenina mentions her relationship with Henry Foster to Fanny, Fanny finds it absurd and tells her that the DHC, would be furious and its not a good look for Lenina. The thought of seeing a person exclusively is out of everyone’s mind because it’s not common and unhealthy in their society. Women also have the pressure of avoiding pregnancies in the society which the men don’t have. Lenina was given a green Malthusian belt which hold contraceptives.
Women have to make sure they use contraceptives and have many appointments about what to do. When Linda was stranded on the reservation by Thomas, she gave birth to John and when Thomas’s secret was revealed to society, Linda was treated horribly and Thomas didn’t really have to deal with anything.
September 7, 2009 at 12:19 am
In BNW, the society plays a big part in the development of the “utopia” that they try to establish. Colors differentiate the more powerful to the weaker castes and as a result color serves as a major symbol. Because the people are programmed to believe the things that they’ve grown accustomed to realize the color and how to treats the person wearing it. In an instance where a beta child was reflecting on how much he loves his caste and is happy that that’s his caste, he managed to speak down on the other caste and what makes them what they are and tie it back to the color of their caste. It goes to emphasize the type of society that the world state was trying to create. In another instance lenia is wearing a green outfit and before getting to know her they make judgements on how to treats her because she is wearing green. The beliefs of the caste serves as a reflection of the type of society that they are created in. They are genectially made by machine and are not able to grow up like regular people. The world state shows that they have dominant power and that their citizens are just a product of their work.
September 7, 2009 at 2:26 am
The World State use of hynophædia to brainwash the minds of children relates to the different forms of brainwashing in our society today. The World State starts conditioning when humans are children. During their scheduled naps, the nurses play different “suggestions” into the children’s ears so it becomes attached to their minds. “Everyone belongs to everyone else” and, “A gramme is better than a damn” help form narrow-minded thoughts that keep the society in uniform and give the World Controllers complete control over everyone.
In our society, people are also brainwashed from a young age. Children get told what is right from wrong by their parents and other authoritive figures in their lives. Even as adults, everyone gets brainwashed. The media puts out certain images to mold the minds of people and so do educational institutions and various places. Thankfully, our society isn’t as extreme as the World State.
September 7, 2009 at 2:42 am
In the world state sex is a normal everyday thing for people. In our society sex in a controversial subject that people like to avoid in conversation. Today and in the past, Sex is considered to be fine if you do it when you’re in love with someone or after marriage. If you have sex for reasons besides that then you are looked at as immoral. In the World State, it’s the opposite. Sex is introduced to humans at a young age and is just a natural way of life. In Chapter 3, the DHC and the schoolboys observe the children play and instead of the games we have in society they partake in erotic play. If children were seen doing that today, they would be admonished and told it was wrong when it really isn’t. In the past people lost their virginities as very young ages. It was completely normal. The view on sex has changed so many times throughout generations and now people have begun to rebel against it. There has been less censoring of sexual themes on television and in music. In the World State they movie theaters called “Feelies” where people can watch a pornographic movie and experience what the actors are feeling at the same time. With all of the changes going on in society, I wouldn’t be surprised if it got to this point in ours.
September 7, 2009 at 3:27 am
“Alpha children wear grey. They work much harder than we do, because they’re so frightfully clever. I’m awfully glad I’m a Beta, because I don’t work so hard. And then we are much better than the Gammas and Deltas. Gammas are stupid” (27)
This quote is very significant to the book. People were separated into different groups from Beta to Delta to Gammas. Alpha children worked very hard because they were programed that way. Many people would take advantage of some of the people that were “lower” then them. This shows how the World State is very organized because children were born through the technology they had. The World State reminds me of the 1900’s when white men had more opportunities then people of color. Characters like John know how it feels to have the freedom. Characters like Bernard didn’t. These classes are horrible and should not have been used but that is how the government controlled the citizens.
September 7, 2009 at 3:35 am
“Put your arms around me…Hug me till you drug me, honey…Kiss me till I’m in a coma. Hug me honey, snuggly…” (194)
This quote shows how sexual activity was popular during the time. Lenina was very sexual and she was not afraid to say that in public. During this time many people like Bernard was very embarrassed to talk about sexual things in front of people. You would that since people cannot reproduce naturally that sexual activity was not important but many people was involved with sexual activities.
Also this shows how Lenina was very open to sleeping with many men. Lenina did not have a lot of respect for the men she slept with and even herself. This changed how I viewed Lenina as a person.
September 7, 2009 at 3:39 am
“All our science is just a cookery book, with an orthodox theory of cooking that nobody’s allowed to question, and a list of recipes that mustn’t be added to except by special permission from the head cook.” (225)
This quote is very important because it tells the whole story about Brave New World. The people are like a cook book. They are made by technology with the government telling the people how they want them to be and how to act. Technology has changed the lives of everyone as they are unable to think for themselves and they need the government to tell them how to act.
The people in the book are unable to ask any questions about how they were created and what the government does. People were forbidden to act anything, so the government would not have to deal with problem. The government wants stability and the way they were going to receive that was through the creation of people with the things they wanted in them.
September 7, 2009 at 3:44 am
“We can’t allow science to undo its own good work.” (227)
The people in the town know that technology has played a major role in society. People know that if the government were to redo everyone that things still will not change. People have to make the change; they need to come together and realize that what the government has done to everyone. Everyone thinks that the government is always right because they are programed to. I believe that people should band together. John is kind of that leader in the book because he knows how it feels to have that sort of freedom. The government has abused the power but no one cares because everyone thinks alike.
September 7, 2009 at 3:51 am
“Just under the crown of the arch dangled a pair of feet.
‘Mr. Savage!’
Slowly, very slowly, like two unhurried compass needles, the feet turned towards the right; north, north-east, east, south-east, south, south-south-west; then paused, and, after a few seconds, turned as unhurriedly back towards the left. South-south-west, south, south-east, east…” (260)
The quote represents the ending of the book. John who has hung himself, was the major character in the book. John who tried to get people to realize that the government has “programed” them to act and think the way they do. John was talking to Mond and telling him that if people believed in god that they should do the right thing and protest against the government. The ending was very surprising and I like the other people in the book was shocked to find that John has killed himself; But John did it knowing that he tried his best to persuade people that the government is dishonorable. It was sad to see one of the major character go like that but he died trying him best to do what was best for the world.
September 7, 2009 at 8:28 am
“Christianity without tears – that’s what soma is” (240)
This quote reminds me of how soma can be a powerful drug. How Mustapha Mond is trying to enforce this drug to the people and is very controlling. He describes Soma in his own unique ways and I think that that’s just a way for him to be controlling. To describe soma as Christianity without tears its implying that’s is the right to do and its better because it wont bring sufferings. He uses his powers of manipulation to keep the society with the control of the World state by trying to imply people to use soma. I think Christianity is a way to escape from reality and going to faith. John says it’s natural to turn to God when one is alone, which I agree with him and Soma is a way to make people believe everything will be okay but not dealing with reality. Soma keeps individuals from experiencing the stressful negative affects of conflicts that the society cannot prevent. Such as stress or anything unpleasant life can offer. When people use soma it’s like forgetting about reality but the purpose of it isn’t used correctly. Mustapha is trying to make people forget about reality and make them go to unrealistic happiness. Since he knows about the history that must don’t, his only way to make them take what he wants is being persuasive in his own style. His idea about soma is convincing and shows how he has different views of freedom, happiness and society.
September 7, 2009 at 2:22 pm
1. The World State infantilizes its citizens by as the World State assigns a class to them even before they were born. The World State decrease the amount of oxygen that the lower classes receive before birth in order to make them unintelligent so they’ll be content with their roles in society. The government also decides what the babies are to like or dislike as they electrocute the newborns for liking flowers and books. The citizens are never really able to make a choice for themselves and since the World State is able to create thousands of them within a short amount of time, they have no identity. The reason for this is so the society will be stable. If all citizens are happy with their jobs, then there will be no reason for them to revolt and it is the sole purpose of this whole system.
September 7, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Mr. Weber i posted all 9 comments saturday and they still aren’t posted!
September 7, 2009 at 5:20 pm
“One of the principal functions of a friend is to suffer (in a milder symbolic form) the punishments that we should like, but are unable, to inflict upon our enemies.”
If this is Bernard’s idea of a friend I feel sorry for him. He lives in a world you someone physically but not mentally. This is probably why he feels so alone. He can not truly share himself with another. A person needs to be able to vent to someone in confidence. The relationship between Bernard and Helmholtz is one of pity and misery. If he can not change his mentality of what a friend is than he can not grow as a person.
September 7, 2009 at 5:48 pm
“Well, I’d rather be unhappy than have the sort of false, lying happiness you were having here.”
Bernard has become intoxicated by his new popularity, and when John refuses to come to his party the guest’ old feeling of Bernard return. It’s ironic how easily he conformed. He began to take soma and be who he wasn’t. I think John gave him a much needed reality check because Bernard was in John’s place a few months back; He was the outcast, and he was the savage.
September 7, 2009 at 6:54 pm
“Don’t you want to be free and men? Don’t you even understand what manhood and freedom are?”(217)
I think that this quote is so significant because I believe people in Brave New World don’t know what it is to be truly free. I think that the concept of free is misinterpreted. This is a good quote to acknowledge because it reminds of how a lot people don’t really know what it is to be a free man. It’s true how the people in Brave New world don’t understand what manhood and freedom is and I think people in our society today abuse this freedom. In BNW, the society is morally wrong and controls the people lives. People are conditioned, and ignorant. The Savage is trying to open people’s eyes and make them realize the importance of being free. I feel like this quote can make more people want to be free and can make them a bit curious about another from of life other than Brave New World.
September 7, 2009 at 7:28 pm
“It is better that one should suffer than that many should be corrupted.” (155)
In chapter 10, the Director says this quotation above during a conversation with Henry Foster about Bernard Marx. The Director sees Bernard as a threat to society because he thinks differently than others. In the World State, people who have been considered to have “unorthodox behavior” are sent away to places where they are cut off from the rest of the world and live with other people that have “unorthodox behavior”. I immediately made a text to world connection between the World State and the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. The concept of making one suffer to prevent the corruption of others is used by both the World Controllers and the US government. The government captures terrorists and threats to society to stop attacks from happening. They also try to prevent more people from following the steps of terrorists. I don’t agree with the methods used by the Guantanamo Bay facility, but the purpose had good intentions.
September 7, 2009 at 7:37 pm
The use of soma, a drug in the World State, is used to escape from the realities of life and other feelings their not used to. Soma is found everywhere from tablets to ice cream in hotels and at social events. In our society the “soma” people use are drugs and alcohol. In the World State, soma is legal and is encouraged, but in our society the use of illegal drugs is prohibited. Since soma is used to mask reality, I guess there could be other forms of soma in our society that aren’t necessarily drugs. The media is used to place idealisms in front of people through television and music, its like “digital” soma for the public. The only difference is it hasn’t taken complete control over us or maybe it already has.
September 7, 2009 at 8:26 pm
“Yes, that’s just like you. Getting rid of everything unpleasant instead of learning to put up with it.” (241)
A major factor of keeping stability in the World State is abolishing all unpleasant things. The main goal is to keep and achieve happiness among the people, but how can you know what happiness is, if you haven’t experienced any other emotions in life. The World Controllers think that using the Violent Passion Surrogate treatments once a month for people is healthy, but it really isn’t. Living life without different emotions is empty to me. Without experiencing different emotions you can’t think for yourself and create who you really are. That’s why the World Controllers gets rid of all emotions besides happiness. Any other emotion would cause people to become individuals and not a uniform society.
September 7, 2009 at 8:44 pm
“‘Strange,’ mused the Director, as they turned away, ’strange to think that even in Our Ford’s day most games were played without more apparatus than a ball or two and a few sticks’” (43).
Huxley shows that although the technology has profoundly advanced, the people’s behavior has regressed. It’s similar to today. With all the technology available to the public, it seems the people slide further ad further into ignorance. For example, citizens spend massive amounts of time watching t.v. or playing video games with no interest in ever reading books. The language in everyday life and in books has been “dumbed down” compared to past decades. There’s excess to a plethora of information engines, yet a lot of people are clueless of what’s going on in the world around them. Technology has allowed people to become lazy and instead of progress, they worsen.
September 7, 2009 at 8:46 pm
“I rather regret the science. Happiness is a hard master – particularly other people’s happiness.” (230)
I agree with this quote to an extend, I do believe happiness is a hard master, but I wont regret science. Science has created a lot of great things in our society because people use to scientific method. I understand completely where the controller is relating to how science has is a “danger” but I believe it’s the people that need to change the science into helping themselves not to hurt them. I think that the truth is the inner happiness and science should be use to help the society not to destroy it. I think sometimes even nowadays science has become more important than our own morals in some cases.
When it comes to people’s customs science has a lot interfering with the beliefs of the people. In Africa, female practice FGC (female genital cutting) and in the United States we want to prevent this practice because we realize that it’s unhealthy. The concept of science with health prevents many people to not know the truth about their own freedom to choose to practice what they want. Science has prevented those people who practiced this to not believe in cultures.
September 7, 2009 at 8:57 pm
“Straight from the mouth of Ford himself” (47).
Huxley’s placement of “Ford” in the place of god or lord throughout the book, seems as a warning to future generations that technology may take place of religion. Cars, money, and clothes have taken the place of god in some people’s lives. It’s as though once technology made luxuries available to the people, they didn’t have a reason to go to a place of worship or pray anymore. It’s every normal for people only to venture to religion when times are hard, but besides that it’s looked down upon in today’s society. Kanye West once said “But if I talk about God my record won’t get played,” which is true. It’s more common for someone to talk about violence and sex then for them to talk about their god. Like the World State we have become unhabited with our bodies and sexuality but narrow minded about other things like religion.
September 8, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I agree with yo Mel.
One the quotes i chose was “Thank Ford”(90).
Huxley illustrates “Ford” as the “God” of Brave New World. It demonstrates that something so simple as technology can be praised or compared to something so huge like religion. I agree because today we are so depended on technolgy for the simpliest things as if it were our only resort to things. Its as though little by little technolgy is what we are worshiping instead of God.
September 8, 2009 at 12:16 am
2. In Brave New World, the men are clearly have more power and have superior roles compared to the women. The director is male, and so are the students in the beginning of the book, hinting that males are more dominant. The government, represented by Mond, and the main characters are also men further proving that males hold more power over women in the story. Also, Lenina is a beta female and we never actually see any alpha females which gives more evidence that males control society. While the men do have more power, men and women act equally in sexual intercourse and is possibly the only area in which the men do not hold more power. Overall, the men clearly have more power over the women in almost every category.
September 8, 2009 at 12:50 am
“’Just to please me,’ Bernard bellowingly wheedled. ‘Won’t you come to please me?’” (178).
This quote shows that Bernard is a selfish man. He knows that without the savage he would be nothing to the people in World State. People have always judged and disliked Bernard, but once the savage came everything changed. People no longer see Bernard as an outcast of the Alpha but starts to like him, but it’s all because of the savage. The savage has made Bernard popular. Bernard never cared about the savage’s feelings because he never asked him if he would like to attend the party, Bernard just assumed that the savage would do anything for him. In the beginning of the book, I felt sorry for Bernard because everyone makes fun of him, but after I read this, I feel like Bernard is just selfish and there is no difference between him and the people that surround him. The people in the World State are just selfish people that only think about themselves and I think it is all because the government created self-loving humans.
September 8, 2009 at 12:51 am
1. The World State infantilizes its citizens because by treating the people like babies, they will not rebel against the governments. The leaders treat the people like children because they don’t want anyone to say or do things that don’t go with what the government wants. People are afraid to speak up: “But one of the students was fool enough to ask where the advantage lay” (21) since people have always been treated like children, people are less likely to go against speak up even though they are adults. This is an advantage for the governments because nobody would be against them and this shows that after all the brainwashing, people can still be controlled by the governments if they are just treated like kids. Even though its wrong for the government to treat its citizens like babies, the citizens doesn’t act like adults either. They make fun and judge people and it is what children do when they don’t know better. Sometime it may be the people’s fault that the governments treat them like babies.
September 8, 2009 at 12:52 am
6. The World State is a wrong society for people to live in because people don’t have individuality. Once they are babies, they have always been told what to do and who they should be. People don’t have the right to become the person that they want to be. This society also causes people not to put any emotions into relationships, which lead to no love or family. Many of the people in World State take Soma as a way to escape from their society. Soma plays a major role in the lives of the people because it is something that makes the people feels happy. Some people are living in “happiness”; however, people like Lenina, Bernard, and Jason are living in an unhappy environment. Lenina depends on Soma whenever she is unhappy. The government uses Soma as a way to trap the citizens and it forces them to feel nothing for this unhappy society. The society not only creates people’s lives but they also make people feel like outcasts, just like Bernard. Since Bernard acts and thinks different from other people, he is also being judged. This society creates judgmental people and it doesn’t bring happiness for people because it traps them in a society where they don’t know what life is like outside of the world that the government had created.
September 8, 2009 at 1:41 am
“Two hundred repetitions, twice a week from fourteen to sixteen and a half,” (103)
This quote shows how Bernard gets annoyed about the brainwashing. He realized that lenina keeps repeating the same thing over and over again. He thinks she’s repeating herself because she is brainwashed. He knows that it’s not normal for her to be repeating herself. This quote shows how he mentions how many times she repeats herself. This is an example how people in Brave New World are conditioned. How the world state is brainwashing their people, that they repeat the same thing over and over again. This shows how brainwashing can be dangerous.
September 8, 2009 at 3:10 am
“Happiness is a hard master- particularly other people’s happiness. A much harder master, if one isn’t conditioned to accept it unquestioningly, than truth.”
Mustapha Mond doesn’t realize that he is not doing people good by conditioning them to accept anything unquestioningly. it prevents people from being human. The quest for truth and happiness is what separates us from other animals. BNW doesn’t want people to suffer, but Its worst to be ignorant. Mustapha Mond gave up his own happiness to prevent others. Isn’t that selfish? He believes it is doing them good but it isn’t. It just makes it easier to conform.
September 8, 2009 at 3:20 am
2. In Brave New World, Men are superior then the women. They have more power and control, it seems like the role of women is typical what most people expect. The men are more dominant, it’s very obvious because the main characters are men and they have important roles dealing with the society. Men are mention more even in the beginning of the book. Men have more impact on the way society is form because the females have to be sterilized, not the men. It shows how there is an unfair balance towards the duties between the men and women. The only fair balance is when men and women have sex. The freedom of having more then one sexual partner is equal, they both can be promiscuous. On the other hand, in the work place and government there is an unequal balance. Women have no place in Brave New World’s government and the only thing they both have in common is that they are controlled. They do what society wants them to do, which to be promiscuous. Women have the same “type of role” that men expect them to have is to crater to all their needs. They have simple jobs while the men do the powerful jobs. They are housewives and have no right in the men’s world.
September 8, 2009 at 3:24 am
“Pierced by every word that was spoken, the tight balloon of Bernard’s happy self-confidence was leaking from a thousand wounds.” (180)
Bernard has never been as popular as he is now showing the Savage to everyone. But when the Savage refuses to go to the party everyone turns against Bernard and he is left alone again. People are very selfish and do not think about how the Savage or Bernard feel, the only important thing to them is their disappoinment for not meeting the Savage. Even Lenina leaves the party with the Arch-Community-Songter in spite of her own sad feelings. Bernard takes four tablets of soma to forget. The people in this society is so conditioned by the government, that even Bernard who seems to have feelings, abuses the Savage’s friendship for his benefit and then goes back to the soma to escape the reality of his situation for awhile.
September 8, 2009 at 6:22 am
Science, religion and political power is all the World State use to create its society. Science is the impact of the society because it makes the population; humans are created through the use of science. The world states blocks the study of science because they do not educate the people about what they are really doing. Everything is science related and technology is a form for science to control the society. People are being brainwashed and through the government and science we can see how people are controlled and the society is being created. The tactics of scientific method and the use of mind control the government are finally controllable; this is where religion comes into place. Religion no longer exist because science has became more powerful then religion. The imaginary of god is the government and Mustafa. People don’t have their own beliefs and have to follow the rules of the government. The different type of religion that is offer in our modern society doesn’t exist. The political power is the form of religion that gives people an idealistic religion. Since science and technology has control towards the live of the people, no ones thinks that their society is wrong because of the brainwash. Censorship is a big party of the political power in the World State. The world state wants the society to have stability and happiness, but its doing it immorally. They trick the people in society and don’t educate them about what’s happening, they hide the truth of what they doing. They are brainwashing everyone by using science, religion and political power.
September 8, 2009 at 1:11 pm
“and Delta Children wear khaki. Oh on, I don’t want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. Beside they wear black, which is such a beastly color. I’m so glad I’m a beta.” (pg 40)
This is an perfect example of how the World State has conditioned its civilians to be content with their class. The beta children is satisfied with their class not because they chose to be, but because they were made to be joyful in beta before they were born, and also through the use of soma. These children have been deprived of their free will and as a result of that, they can’t make their own choices of what to do when they’re older. It can be questioned if they have any humanity left in them because the citizens have no free will. They look more like puppets instead of humans, doing whatever command the World State gives them.
September 8, 2009 at 1:37 pm
“Our Freud had been the first to reveal the appalling dangers of family life. The world was full of fathers – was therefore full of misery; full of mothers – therefore every kind of perversion from sadism to chastity; full of brothers, sisters , uncles, aunts – full of madness and suicide.” (pg 51)
The citizens of the World State does not have a family, and even worse, no mother nor father. In the story, saying that someone was your mother is “past a joke, it was obscenity”. This shows how backwards and different their society is from ours. We value all of our family, but, they consider it as something awful. If one does truly have a mother, such as John, then he is to be considered savage or an outsider. The World State is a very different society compared to ours, but, to remove the idea of family is just wrong. No one should be deprived of a family because having a family is a crucial part of being human. When they take out family from the citizens, they are also taking out humanity along with it and when humanity is gone, they’re just mindless organisms.
September 8, 2009 at 1:48 pm
“But everyone belongs to everyone else,” he concluded, citing the hypnopaedic proverb” (53).
This quote reflects one of the themes of Brave New World: community leads to stability. Only by having a common set of values and knowledge in people can the society be stabilized without any interference of individual thoughts. This is much like the situation in 1984 in which independent thoughts are banned to secure the safety of the Party. When everyone acts the same way this makes it easier for the government to control the mass. Since “everyone belongs to everyone else,” the only relationship that is significant is the one among the mass. Family relationships are long forgotten and the constant changing of boyfriends and girlfriends become a social norm. What Huxley says here does reflect the gradual changes our society is having. Family relationships in our society begin to play a less significant role in a individual’s life because one is so distracted by the complex world we live in. We are all about survival of the fittest and forget to establish a relationship among others. I don’t think people in the brave new world has any significant relationships between any person for a significant amount of time. They are conditioned to constantly change their partners just like we are conditioned to constantly consume.
September 8, 2009 at 1:57 pm
The use of soma in Brave New World is clearly the use of drugs in our world, but in their world, its given out like candy and actually encouraged to be used. The purpose of soma is not for the benefit of the citizens, but for the stability of the society. It give the people satisfaction for a while and when one is happy, there is no reason to complain and I believe its also one of the ultimate ways of controlling a society, similar to the use of the telescreen, and hidden microphones in 1984. Both the party and World State uses technology to control its citizens and I also believe both authors want to express that a “negative utopia” can occur as a result of technology.
September 8, 2009 at 2:12 pm
“Swallowing half an hour before closing time, that second dose of soma had raised a quite impenetrable wall between the actual universe and their minds” (88).
There are a lot of similarities between Brave New World and 1984, and one of them is the government’s usage of technology and science to control its mass. Soma in Brave New World is just like victory drinks and cigarettes in 1984. The usage of these drugs puts people into a fantasy world of perfection and happiness and hides people from the problematic world. Drugs control people’s emotions and they play a significant role in controlling the mass. People in brave new world are conditioned to consume soma to attain their false happiness. People rely on soma to be happy, and the government relies on soma for security. Brave new world presents many flaws, for example hypocrisy in leaders and the censorship of emotions. If soma were not invented then it would not be a perfect world. This also shows government’s cruelty in which it will use anything to control the mass.
September 8, 2009 at 2:39 pm
“Bernard shrugged his shoulders philosophically. “Any how,” he said, “they’ve been doing it for the last five or six thousand years. So I suppose they must be used to it by now” (119).
In this scenario Bernard and Lenina are visiting the Savage Reservation in New Mexico, and Lenina feels disgusted by the behaviors of the indigenous people. This much reminded me of what I learned in history class with the discrimination of indigenous people and the violation of their human rights. The World State marks them as outsiders and creates the reservation as a zoo for people of the new era to see. The World State considers its own society with a civilization and simply marks the indigenous people as uncivilized savages. This is ironic because indigenous people preserved their civilization to be the way they are today, while the New World simply wipes out thousands of years of civilization and creates this false utopia which it calls a “civilization.”
September 8, 2009 at 3:29 pm
“There was a sudden appallin hush; eyes floated uncomfortably, not knowing where to look. The Director went suddenly pale, stopped struggling and stood, his hands on her wrists, starting down at her, horrified” (158).
This scene exposes one of the many flaws the perfect world possesses. In this scenario Linda comes back to the new world and meets the Director who she has a relationship with and has a son together. This shows hypocrisy in leaders and shows how corrupted a government can be despite the fact that it is enforcing perfection in people. I think the few leaders with the most powers are often the most corrupted people. I also think Huxley is trying to tell us that no matter how perfect human beings want their society to be there will still be flaws, even if one doesn’t notice it. I think the public are shaped to be in certain way in the wishes of the few leader. Maybe most people didn’t want to be this way, and it is the few leaders who use lies to seduce people into conforming to this false utopia.
September 8, 2009 at 4:16 pm
“Well, I’d rather be unhappy than have the sort of false, lying happiness you were having here” (184).
This is the underlying problem of the “brave new world” in which false happiness is impose on people to keep the society stabilized. I don’t think this can last forever because true happiness comes from within, and the people here are constantly using soma and slogans to keep themselves happy. I think Huxley is saying that there is no perfect world and that by forcing a society to be perfect it must enforce rules and tell lies. I see John as Winston from 1984. I think he is the few people who is aware of the reality. Majority of the people are conditioned to conform to the World State, and they don’t realized the problems their society possesses. For example, the way the World State “decant” infants and the inhuman way to condition infants to hate nature. I think there will never be a perfect world: the harder one try to create one the worse the world will get.
September 8, 2009 at 4:51 pm
3）In what ways does the World State treat people like commodities?
The World State treated people like commodities in the way that it purposely produces human to work for the society. The production of humans and the conditioning of them are made to meet the economic need of the government. The government purposely divides the society into a caste system with each group specifically designed to perform certain tasks. For example, the Alphas, the highest of the caste system are designed with more oxygen for intellectual work while the Epsilon are designed with little oxygen for strenuous works. Every aspects of a person is created for the sole purpose of benefiting the government. Even when a person is born a infant has to go through trainings to be conditioned to be certain way. For example, the government purposely let infants get electroshock with a picture of the nature; so that when they grow up they will work in factory and stay away from the country. The government controls every aspects of a person’s life and this is only for the sole purpose of production.
September 8, 2009 at 6:24 pm
There are many distinguished features that separate people of different social class. Every aspect of a person’s life is different from a person of another class. From genetic creation to life style, they are all created base upon a person’s social class. People of the upper class, the Alphas and Beta, are created with the highest intelligent and therefore assigned to the most intellectual work. On the other hand, people of the lower class, the Epsilons are created with no intelligence so that they can perform the least pleasant work. Appearance wise, Alphas are the tallest and the most beautiful people while the Epsilon are the shortest and ugliest. Color is also assigned to each social class to distinguish them from one another. For example, Epsilons are designed with the color black which represents a “beast” color, and this shows their insignificance in the caste system. The purpose of a social class is to distribute different type of works to people of different capability. The government assigns jobs base on the intellectual capability of that person. The caste system certainly does reflect our contemporary society because people’s lives are effected by the social class they are in. We are definitely effected by our appearance, race, intelligence and other characteristics.
September 8, 2009 at 6:40 pm
“Every one works for every one else. We can’t do without any one. Even Epsilons are useful. We couldn’t do without Epsilons. Every one works for every one else. We can’t do without any one” (85).
This quote shows an example of people in society working together. This shows the stabilization the current government wants by programing these people to act this way. Sometimes people would take advantage of people in other groups. Characters like John and Bernard work together even though they are in different groups. They act that way because they realize to create a stable environment they need everyone to work together without complaining.
September 8, 2009 at 6:42 pm
“No wonder those poor pre-moderns were mad and wicked and miserable. Their world didn’t allow them to take things easily, didn’t allow them to be sane, virtuous, happy” (54)
This quote shows how the government has brainwashed and made everyone think that the current state of society is correct. John who has had the opportunity to experience what life was like before the current government has taken over the world, John was more happier. Citizens in the current world don’t realize that the way the government is running things is wrong and should not be supported. John knew that he was very lucky to know what freedom feels like, Characters like Bernard are as lucky because they feel that everything is current government does is correct. The government have made everyone believe like they are “god.”
September 8, 2009 at 8:15 pm
2. In the World State men holds more power than the women. The majority of people that work in the government are men. Mustapha Mond is a scientist and considers the most powerful in the World State. He controls and creates the humans the way he wanted. Woman like Lenina plays a small role in the workplace. She nurses the children in the Conditioning Centre while men like Helmholtz Watson lecture at the College of Emotional Engineering. Women’s jobs are usually arranged by men that holds the most authority in the World State.
The purpose of interaction for both sexes in the World States is very much alike. People tend to not stay in a relationship for too long because it is better to have multiple lovers in their life than to focus on one. Lenina is attracted to Henry and Bernard in the beginning of the novel and as it progress she tends to have interest in John, but ironically john feels disgusted about her unorthodox behavior because he grew up outside the World Sate. Unlike Henry, he talks about Lenina’s body with his coworkers in order to make Bernard jealous. Citizens of the World State doesn’t keep sex privacy because they are comfortable talking about their relationships in public.
September 8, 2009 at 9:00 pm
One can regard the quotation above as cold and frank, but it gives great insight as to what type of society the novel takes place in. And as sad as it maybe the people in that inhabit the world created by Aldous Huxley in Brave New World are conditioned before birth to fit into a world that already exists. Before they are born they already have a purpose, everything is pre determined, the people who are born in this world aren’t given the opportunity to mature and develop their own identities like someone in the United States today. They are conditioned to blend seamlessly into their society; the State used various methods to create variations in social classes. Oxygen shortage to keep the embryo below par, along with alcohol and heat conditioning help to manufacture people to work in their respective environments. The quotation leaves the reader wondering many things some of which are, how can a society create a group of people with a lower functioning capacity and find consider it “a benefaction to Society”? And is it humane to deprive an individual of his or her ability to function at their ultimate potential?
“Mother,” he repeated loudly rubbing in the science; and leaving back in his chair, “these,” he said gravely. “are unpleasant facts; I know it. But then most historical facts are unpleasant.” (37)
Its quite unusual to regard a word like “Mother” with as much shock that the people in Brave New World do. The word seems to have become taboo and has adapted negative characteristics which are not easy to understand. One can compare the society in the novels view of the word mother to the readers view of their willingness to take part in sexual activity. Their attitude towards sex is portrayed as something extremely casual. As Lenina walks into the Alpha Changing Room “she is greeted by many friendly nodes smiles. She was a popular girl and, at one time of another, had spent a night with almost all of them” (69). The idea that a woman can have affairs with the men in her work place and be proud of herself like Lenina is can easily regard that as a “unpleasant fact”.
“He let out the amazing truth. For a very long period before the time of Our Ford, erotic play between children had been regarded as abnormal…and not only abnormal, actually immoral…and therefore suppressed” (45)
The theme of sexual expression is quit prominent throughout the novel, and with this quotation shows the reader just how deeply rooted it is in their world. As the Director tells the group of students that there was a time when children like them selves could not “amuse themselves” they break out in frenzy. They are overwhelmed by the thought that there existed a time when children could not run naked together and explore their blooming sexuality. The thought of such acts being normal in ones society is hard to image, and the outrage that it’s absents presents is almost amusing. The Director goes on to infer that the lack of “erotic play” results in “barring a little surreptitious auto-erotism and homosexuality” which is debatable.
“and in spite of his misery absolutely refused to take a half-gramme raspberry sundae which she pressed upon him. ‘I’d rather be myself’ he said. ‘Myself and nasty. Not somebody else, however jolly.’ (99)
Bernard desires for a sober existence in a world of dreamers is something to be admired by the reader, and threat to the state. His will to live without the soma that his society abuses mirrors Winston’s rebellion in George Orwell’s 1984 in the sense that they would both prefer a reality as dark and bleak as it may be than a haze created my the government as comfort. This quotation forces the reader to examine Bernard closer and see how different he is from the others in the book. Even as Lenina is trying to coax him into taking the half-gramme raspberry sundae he refuses and decides to see things as they actually are.
“The happiest times were when she told him about the Other Place… [with] everybody happy and no one ever sad or angry, and everybody belonging to everybody else…and people never lonely, but living together and being so jolly and happy” (136-137)
One can trace John’s intense interest of the “Other Place” to the fact that he like Bernard is an outsider. He holds on to the stories that his mother tells him and images what he thinks makes the people happy and wants desperately exist in that place. He doesn’t know that happiness that his mother tells him is created by the government as a way to control the people. He sees it as a utopia where he and his mother will be accepted and nothing more. He wants to be surrounded by smiling face and the warmth of a caring and united community, unlike the one he currently lives in. Like the proles in 1984 John is portrayed as innocent and his existence outside of the governments control is a much better on than being secretly brain washed and controlled.
September 8, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Below is the quotation for the first response in the set above
“that is the secret of happiness and virtue — liking what you’ve got to do. All conditioning aims at that: making people like their inescapable social destiny.” (30)
September 8, 2009 at 9:30 pm
1. Citizens are being infantilizes in the world state because the government doesn’t want any corruptions. Adults are treated like children; they do what the government desires. In order to avoid the citizens from rebelling against the government, they are brainwash and provided with soma, and once again they’ve become happy as they escape from reality. In this case, adults have become babies because they have no troubles to worry about in life since their job is to listen to the people that have the most power over them (government), which is very alike compare to how babies are. The government makes the decision on human identity even before they were born. For instance, the lower class babies receive less oxygen for the purpose of social satisfaction. Therefore the government takes the benefits for having the full authority over the World State.
September 8, 2009 at 9:38 pm
1. Bernard is criticized by the Director for not acting “infantile” enough. Discuss how and why the World State infantilizes its citizens.
One can interpret the director’s regarding Bernard behavior as “unusual” and threatening to expel him to Iceland as him realizing that Bernard unknowly has the ability to challenge the State and cause an upraise. And by making his displeasure of his behavior know the Director hope that he can suppressed what it is that makes Bernard different from the group and force him to conform. By simply expressing to John that the world that he wants so much to be apart of is far from perfect he is challenging the beliefs of the State. The State distracts the people from their lost of individuality with things like soma and their encouragement to explore sexuality.
3. In what ways does the World State treat people like commodities?
The World State treats people like commodities because of the way they are able to mass produce and engineer the people as they would cars. Each conditioned child can be seen as a part of the great machine which is the government. Each child’s purpose is conformed before they even leave the womb every aspect of their being is designed without their consent. The Directory portrays them as subjects that can be tweaked for different outcomes rather than living people when he explains “Hot tunnels altered with cool tunnels. Coolness was wedded to discomfort in the form of hard X-rays. By the time they were decanted the embryos had a horror of cold. They were predestined to emigrate to the tropics…we condition them to thrive in the heat.” (29). The children have no identity and are treated as such.
September 8, 2009 at 9:42 pm
1. Bernard is criticized by the Director for not acting “infantile” enough. Discuss how and why the World State infantilizes its citizens.
The World State infantilizes its citizens because its makes it easier to control them. They do this because children are more vulnerable and gullable, so by the citizens acting infantile it makes manipulating them easier. Also because children’s minds are more malleable therefore making it easier to control their minds and create “stability” in society. By having the caste system and creating everyone equal it makes it easier for the Director to manipulate the citizens and having control over what they do.
September 8, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Mr Foster states, “if they could discover a technique for shortening the period of maturation what a triumph, what a benefaction to Society”(28).
Would it really be a “benefaction to society” if no one was aging? I honestly don’t because if no one is maturing how would society grow in general, not necessarily in population but intelluctual and mentally. I feel their has to be some growth and matureness in order for a society to function properly. In BNW the World State feels if no one matures and they remain “infantile” then they will be able to control the and stablize society.
September 8, 2009 at 10:10 pm
1.) The World State “infantilizes” its citizens by constantly keeping them happy. There are no citizens that are unhappy with their lives and if there are they can be treated with soma. Since birth every inhabitant of the World State is “conditioned” to be happy with what they have, who they are, and what they do. There are few exceptions to this rule like Helmholtz and Bernard but the majority of society gladly accept the pleasures handed to them by the higher-ups. The reason the citizens of the World State are kept happy is to eliminate the possibility of rebellion. The people never object to their form of living because they see no fault with it. No citizen is ever unhappy or in disagreement with their life because they can be kept happy by soma or are happy with their job. By treating its citizens like spoiled infants the World State ensures control and stability.
September 8, 2009 at 10:53 pm
“We believe in happiness and stability. A society of Alphas couldn’t fail to be unstable and miserable”(225).
This quote emphasizes how society try’s to make life perfect, but in reality life isn’t perfect. The mistakes in creating a society are not expecting the worst. The irony in this quote is that they believe in happiness and stability but it’s all a fantasy. They aren’t really creating the view of happiness, because they are living in a lie. The truth isn’t told and they are controlling the people to believe that they are happy. I think truth happiness doesn’t involved lies. I rather know the truth, and then live a lie.
September 8, 2009 at 10:53 pm
“Wheels must turn steadily, but cannot turn untended. There must be men to tend them, men as steady as the wheels upon their axles, sane men, obedient men, stable in contentment.” (pg 55)
This shows how Mond believes in a totalitarian government as the quote emphasizes that there must be a group of people who control society; that group of people must know whats best for the civilization and most importantly, it must be a stable society. Mond believes that a totalitarian government is justifiable in order to keep society stable as the government is more intelligent that the citizens. I personally do not agree with the quote as I believe people should be able to make they’re own choices. Citizens should be able to have some control in the land they live in and if they aren’t given the chance, they’ll have no responsibility. The citizens in the World State are being dehumanized because of their lack of responsibility and it is wrong for the World State to do this.
September 8, 2009 at 11:01 pm
2.) In the World State, the men are dominant and the women are just objects of pleasure that are willing to be nothing more then objects that are used for sex. Men hold the high ranking positions within the World State and even seem to have dominance over the women. When Lenina arrived for her date with Henry, he was already seated in the helicopter and only said “four minutes late” as she climbed in (4). By greeting her with his smug insensitive remark, Henry expresses the belief that his time is more important than her. The men of the World State are in high positions of power like the Director and Mustapha Mond. Women seek to sleep with men in positions of power or men who have prestige. On page 163 Bernard tells Helmholtz about having “had six girls last week.” Bernard became a sexual interest to women when he found John and became somewhat of a celebrity around the World State. The men of the World State are in a dominant position and the women are nothing more than objects of sex.
September 8, 2009 at 11:09 pm
“‘My word,’ said Lenina ‘I’m glad I’m not a Gamma.’”
This quote shows the separation of classes within the World State. The people in the higher castes look down on those in the lower castes. Lenina is judging and ridiculing a Gamma because of the color the color that all Gammas are forced to wear.
This is much like the times of prejudice against blacks in America. Those who believe they are a higher form of citizen criticize the color of another without knowing them personally.
September 8, 2009 at 11:30 pm
The quality of life in Brave New World has been terribly malformed. The purpose of life is to be able to experience and achieve self discovery, but, this does not happen in story. Since they are conditioned to hate books and nature, experience greatly decreases as most of life comes from nature and books. Also, the World State gives it’s citizens soma and it destroy their need for a quality life. This is one of the major reasons why this society is wrong. There is no quest for self discovery or experience not because the citizens don’t want to, but because the World State does not allow them. The World State is reducing the quality of life by forcing their government on the people.
September 8, 2009 at 11:53 pm
“And a man called Shakespeare. You’ve never heard of them of course.”
Citizens in the World State have never heard of Shakespeare because the government restricted from them. Unlike John, he grew up outside the World State. He reads the Shakespeare’s plays ever since Pope gave him the books. As time progress, John is able to view the world according to his knowledge that relates to the book. Compare to Citizens of the World State, John sees thing very differently because he is not control by the World State government. As an educated and more human-like person, john thinks that he is unable to fit into the World State.
September 9, 2009 at 12:09 am
“What the two men shared was the knowledge that they were individuals. But whereas the physically defective Bernard had suffered all his life from the consciousness of being seperate…Helmholtz Watson had also become aware of his difference from the people who surrounded him.” (79)
Bernard and Helmholtz both dislike the World State because they are being control by the government. Although Helmholtz teaches in the college of emotional engineering, but he finds his job pointless because he dislike what le lecture. He thinks with his intelligent, he can do something better. On the other hand, Bernard becomes a outsider since he’s in as smart compare to the other alphas. Helmholtz and Bernard are friends because they both censure the World State.
September 9, 2009 at 12:18 am
“Whatever is the matter with her? Why is she so fat?” (206)
This quote clearly illustrates the contrast of life in and outside of the World State. Inside the World State everyone is slim and beautiful and things like obesity and “ugly” people don’t really exist. Outside people are allowed to live and grow as they please and do not have to fit into the same category as another human being. When the children mock Linda, they are are amazed because they don’t know what it is like to know or even see someone who wasn’t bred into existence like they were.
September 9, 2009 at 12:31 am
7. Is John really more free than the World State members? How is he conditioned in his own way?
John is more free than the World State members to a certain extent. He’s freer in the fact that he wasn’t raised with all the censorship and restrictions that they have. Unlike the World State members he had some knowledge of life outside of the World State; he also has independence, for example when he refuses to have sex with Lenina and when he throws the soma out the window.At the same time he isn’t treated as a person, more like a savaged animal. He is constantly referred to as “savage” and loses his identity. He is no longer consider as an individual in the reader’s eyes more as an experiment.
John conditions himself by the way that he grew up learning about “uncivilized” things like religion, marriage, etc. He learns how to stand up for himself, he matures alot when he gets to the World State. He learned to be alone, he not excepted by the Indians at the Reservations and by the World State, he’s alone in the fact that he has no one to relate to. His rejection to the “happiness” of the World State leads to his death.
September 9, 2009 at 12:40 am
“We-want-the-whip!We-want-the-whip”(258).
I found it ironic this coming from the “civilized people. It reminds me of Chapter 7 and 8 Reservation. The sacrifice the child being whip til he falls and when John recalls back to the time when he was beat by the women. Its ironic because at the sacrifice the “savages” were chanting for the child to get whipped and the “civilized” people are doing the same. It brings upon the question how civilized are they when they don’t have the controller telling them what to do.
September 9, 2009 at 12:42 am
In the beginning when John was first introduced in the book, he seemed as though he was free compared to the citizens of the World State. But as the book went on, it seemed as though he too was a victim of being conditioned, but in the Reservations. He was thought the ways of the natives and uncivilized people: he learned about religion, Shakespeare, the importance of marriage, and virtue. It’s evident when he shouts and hits Lenina when she throws himself at him. While the citizens of the World State, he was taught to believe in a certain way, although his way of living is more common to that of today. He too was in a way brainwashed and forced to believe in a specific way, like when he begins to beat himself because of feeling guilty. He learned to “purify” himself through the teachings of the natives. In BNW, Huxley gives an insight on the two extremes of society.
September 9, 2009 at 12:50 am
In the beginning of the book I thought that Bernard was this dynamic character. I thought that he was going to be like Winston from Orwell’s 1984. It looked as though he was rebelling against the DIrector and the ways of the World State, when infact he’s a coward. In chapters 10 and 11 the reader begins to see Bernard’s true colors. He uses John as a “piece of meat” exploiting him in order to gain social status. Another example of his selfish act is when John and Helmholtz are taken away by the police, Bernard trys to ease away from the scene to save himself (220). Bernard is sort of like O’Briend form 1984 in the fact that they both are deciving characters.
September 9, 2009 at 12:59 am
“[T]here’s one thing we can be certain of; whoever he may have been, he was happy when he was alive. Everybody’s happy now” (86).
This quote stirs up questions. Are the people truly happy? The World State has instilled the thought that they are happy being in the living conditions that they are in. Honestly the people sound like robots when they talk, they are programed into believing that they are happy, but if they had the ability to think to a full extent they will realize that they are living a tedious and monotonous life.
September 9, 2009 at 1:00 am
“He waved his hand again, and the Head Nurse pressed a second lever. The screaming of the babies suddenly changed its tone. There was something desperate, almost insane, about the sharp spasmodic yelps to which they now gave utterance. Their little bodies twitched and stiffened; their limbs moved jerkily as if to the tug of unseen wires” (19).
This quote shows us that the government is now abusing it’s power over the people. We begin to feel bad for the citizens and especially for the babies. The babies are crying for help and all the nurses do are flicking a switch and they all are quiet. That is not normal but everyone believes it is because it is what they always do. It is sad to see what is happening to the babies and the nurse has no sympathy towards their job. This quote reminds me of the Head nurse from “One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest” because both Head nurses does not seem to care about the patients and neither of them have sympathies.
September 9, 2009 at 1:04 am
“It’s an absurdity. An Alpha-decanted, Alpha-conditioned man would go mad if he to do Epsilon Semi-Moron work” (226).
This section of the book resembled the debates of illegal aliens in the U.S., mostly Mexicans, and the arguments that they shouldn’t be protected under the law. Most arguments against foreign aliens in the country, is that the immigrants take jobs away from the U.S. citizens. In reality, the jobs that they take no American would consider doing. Americans have the opportunity to go on welfare if they can’t find jobs, while the foreigners have to work under slum conditions. It emphasizes how “civilized” people have become spoiled.
September 9, 2009 at 1:11 am
“why don’t you take soma when you have these dreadful ideas of yours. You’d forget all about them.” (101)
The governemnt wants citizen of the World Sate to take soma in order for them to feel happy and erase “miserable” memories. Lenina takes soma very often because she doesn’t have hatred toward the government. All she wants is to satisfied herself with sex and go along with the government’s rule. Bernard dislike soma. He tries to fit in the World State. For Instance, When citizens gather around and call for “Ford”, Bernard follows although he fakes to feel the spirite of God.
“The happiest times were when she told him about the other place.”(136)
Linda told John about the World State, how nice it was, people were “never sad and angry” and “everyone belongs to every one else”. John thought the “other place” is a dreamland where everything is perfect. Linda is consider a perfect that actually likes to be control by the World State government. Compare to her life in New Mexico, it is miserable how things are total opposite to the World State. I think Bernard would rather switch locations with linda so he can escape from the government’s control.
“one day they sang song about her, again and again. He threw stones at them. They threw back; a Sharp stone cut his neck. The blood wuldn’t stop; he was covered with blood.” (137)
While i was reading the sentence, the word racism came to my head. It reminds me of the separation of black and white back in the time. Black people were treated differently compare to the whites. White kids go to school in a school bus while black kids have to walk to school in miles. On the way to school, children threw rocks at the black kids on the sidewalk. Most of the time, they were hurt badly just like Bernard.
“They say those men are their men” (135)
For those married mans that Linda slept with, a revange have came to her. Three women approach Linda violently and whip her badly for sleeping with their men. In the World State people won’t get in trouble for having more than one lover because ” everyone belongs to everyone else”. I think the reason why linda adores being in World State is because she can live a “perfect life without being “sad or angry”. In additon, she woouldn’t be beaten for sleeping with mutiple men.
September 9, 2009 at 1:12 am
“High, low, from a multitude of separate throats, only two voices squeaked or growled.” (213)
This represents a common narrow-mindedness of the society in BNW and even our world. In BNW everyone thinks the same and care about the same things. It is also like that in our world because everyone is chasing the same thing or have the same ideals as the next person. There are very few members of society that choose to stand out and have their own voice. The majority of our two societies are filled with people who think and act in similar ways.
September 9, 2009 at 1:13 am
“It’s lucky,” he added, after a pause, “that there are such a lot of islands in the world. I don’t know what we should do without them.” (p 67)
This quote shows how the other island fail to control any of there people. The reason why this quote is important is because this makes it seem like the current government can control and make good decisions. The only thing is that the government does not realize they are providing stability but people are unhappy. People are brainwashed and it’s really sad. Also individuality always comes up on top.
September 9, 2009 at 1:14 am
“Science is dangerous; we have to keep it most carefully chained and muzzled” (228).
Science is an enemy to any form of power trying to control its people. Science is a power in which people look to for answers, which threatens a power who wants the people to only follow the rules given to them. The quote seems similar to the ideas of the church during the Scientific Revolution. The leaders were intimidated that the people would turn from the rule of the church to science. It’s easier to rule a people who are uneducated, because they won’t question authority.
September 9, 2009 at 1:20 am
“Unorthodoxy threatens more than the life of a mere individual; it strikes at Society itself.” (155)
In the BNW being “orthodox” is a key part of being part of the World State. Everyone is expected to act the same and be similar and those who differ from the status quo are outsiders. People like Bernard and Helmholtz are looked at differently because they do not behave in the same manner as several of the members of their caste. The belief of the World State is that those who choose to differ from the monotony of their society are a danger to the rest of society.
September 9, 2009 at 1:29 am
“No, of course it isn’t necessary. But some kinds of baseness are nobly undergone. I’d like to undergo something nobly. Don’t you see?” (195)
John chooses to do things “nobly” because nobility still exists to him. He is willing to sweep to please Lenina but she doesn’t understand that because she doesn’t know what it is like to have some do something out of their own volition. She thinks the task he wishes to accomplish is tedious work that is meant for those of the lower caste and he sees it as a chance to do something generous for her. She doesn’t understand the basis of his generosity because there is no such thing in the World State.
September 9, 2009 at 2:30 am
“Very slowly, with the hesitatinggesture of one who reaches forward to stroke a shy and possibly rather dangerous bird, he put out his hand. . .on the verge of contact. . .he didn’t. How beautiful she was” (153).
This quotes depicts John from everyone else. It shows how different he is from the people in the World State. Any male member of the World State would of touched Lenina, but not John he refrained himself from doing so. The World State promotes promiscuity as if it were a good thing. The members of the World State are taught to view one another, and themselves, as commodities to be consumed like any other manufactured goods. They view those of the opposite sex as a “piece of meat.”
After spending time at the “other place” John learns for himself that it wasn’t as he had imagined it as a “brave new world”(166). He then percieves it to be superficial, inhumane, and immoral.
September 9, 2009 at 2:49 am
“And this, said the Director opening the door, is the Fertilizing room.” (17)
This quote shows how the the story begins in a human factory. I find this part interesting because of how much the future was exaggerated in this book. I mean human factory is already explaining that the technology of the era has advanced to the point in which human cloning is possible. This human factory creates 16,000 of siblings using the Podsnap’s technique and imagining this is a bit horrifying. Standing on the same face with 15,999 other humans that look like me is something I wouldn’t want to experience.
September 9, 2009 at 3:15 am
4. Discuss the relationship between science, religion, and political power in the World State.
The relationship between science, religion and political power in the World state are areas used to control the people. Science controls the people by how they create them in the factory and then raise them using psychological method like creating phobias of books and flowers by manipulating the conditional stimulus. They abolish religions to also control the people because they wants the citizens to be fully attentive to only the government and their advanced science. Finally the political portion of the world state is that the government controls the lives of the people by suppressing anything that may go against them and monitoring their lives. It is similar to 1984 because both books involve brainwashing the people to make them unaware of what is really happening.
September 9, 2009 at 3:35 am
3. In what ways does the World State treat people like commodities?
The World State treat people like commodities because they are able to create people based on what they want. They become the objects the government would use in real life and it is easy for them to manipulate them since everyone are like puppets. They are also created in a factories; mass producing thousands of human beings of identical genes which isn’t natural and normally we mass produce things that we sell for profit. The World State are cruel beings for doing this because in order to make sure their “products” doesn’t retaliate, they purposely create the phobias of books and flowers on babies and it reminds me of the experiment of Little Albert. Little Albert is an orphan child who at 11 months and 3 days old was taken in by psychologists in order to conduct experiments on how to create phobias. Albert became afraid of a lot of things involving fur and hair but before they found a way to cure him, Albert was taken back to the orphanage.
September 9, 2009 at 5:28 am
3. Huxley shows the World State’s belief that human beings are things meant to be “used up until they wear out.” Just like manufactured goods, when people get worn out, they are thrown away. In Brave New World, The Predestinators count the need for different members of each caste, and the Hatchery produces human beings to match their mathematical figures.
September 9, 2009 at 5:41 am
In Brave New World, The World State infantilizes its citizens by giving them positive emotional reaction of happiness in response to a fulfillment of a desire as quickly as possible and also discarding responsibility. During the process of conditioning citizens become dependant on the State through the reminders of safety, pleasure,and self assurance. Citizens become like children because they are never allowed to make choices that are moral on their own. The choices they make are based on the World State’s moral laws.
September 9, 2009 at 5:49 am
Science and it’s influences on humanity is one of the major themes of Brave New World. Brave New World depicts a new society where human beings have been deprived of individual freedom, programmed to certain types of behavior, and conditioned to respond in scientific ways. All ways of the old order have been eliminated. For example no longer are human emotions or relationships important. This is seen through Infants being created in a fertilizing room and trained to perform certain tasks for the totalitarian regime without any question. Huxley shows how a government can be controlled by science and when basic human actions are taken away what results
September 9, 2009 at 5:54 am
Adolous Huxley warns readers that social stability, which the natural concern of a post-war generation, should not be valued by individual freedom. Huxley teaches readers to defray from escaping reality through drugs, the growth of irrelevant entertainment, the pleasures of sex, and the increasing power of mass media, problems that still plague modern life.
September 9, 2009 at 5:59 am
Throughout the novel we can say that John, The Savage, in spite of his frustration and confusion, is used as a spokesperson for Huxley’s own views about art, literature, culture, human relationships, and individualism. John cannot find a place where he is allowed to express his own views about these things and be heard. It is another warning from Huxley on the dangers of a brave new world that refuses to acknowledge individualism.
September 9, 2009 at 6:09 am
Huxley shows that despite individual awareness social acceptance is a daunting feature of life. To show this Huxley uses Mustapha Mond, despite his acknowlegment of the old and new world, he understands and accepts the principles of the new conformist totalitarian society because of the benefit of social stability. Ironically, we can also say Mond, the Controller also represents Huxley; he expresses the author’s view about science and philosophy. Despite his similarity with John, Mond denies human emotion expressed based on science and world order, where as John accepts what he reads and senses about human nature.
September 9, 2009 at 6:20 am
“If one’s different, one’s bound to be lonely.”(137)
In the Brave New World, people who are different from the normal standard are alienated and isolated from society because of their individuality. Huxley shows the society of the Brave New World as being structured and ordered in which the government attempts to control everything. Alienation in the Brave New World can be categorized into three areas, appearance, intellect, and morals. This quote shows the need to be alike in the World State, community is key and individuality is odd and not approved, producing negitive results such as being lonely.
September 11, 2009 at 4:44 am
i believe alienation can be categorized into those three areas. The caste with in the society is based off of intelligences, Bernards appearance and morals cause him to be the “outsider”. He believes its morally incorrect to degrade the Epsilons, when exclaiming “‘Even they are useful! So am I…’”(100)
September 11, 2009 at 2:39 am
“what would it be like if I could, if I were free – not enslaved by my conditioning” (100)
Bernard is aware of the governments ability to brainwash the people amongst the society. His mind is “enslaved” since his thinking is reduced by the “conditioning”. Although “soma” can be used to free his mind, he views it as the governments scientific way to brief happiness. He doesnt allow the conditioning to take over his mind like the other men and women in the new world.
September 11, 2009 at 2:59 am
“The mockery made him feel an outsider; and feeling like an outsider he behaved like one…”
Even in a perfect society, there are no perfect people. In fact, the seems to contradict their own beliefs. The government wants everyone to be equal and happy at all times, yet the men and women make Bernard feel like an out caste because of his appearance. The new world has many flaws, even with the major technology and drugs. The new world shows that even with conditioning and authority, no world can be perfect.
September 11, 2009 at 3:16 am
“Feeling it was time for him to do something , Bernard also jumped up and shouted ‘I hear him; He’s coming.’ But it wasn’t true. He heard nothing and, for him, nobody was coming.” (94)
This reminded me of a religious ceremony, only people are felt obligated to experience the coming of the “Greater Being”. Although Bernard is already view as the black sheep in his society, he tries to stay from under the eye of the people and government. Once again, his own beliefs and thoughts are being reduced/ “enslaved”.
September 11, 2009 at 3:42 am
The director criticizes Bernard for not being “infantile” enough and he threatens Bernard by saying “If I ever hear again of any lapse from a paper standard of infantile decorum, I shall ask for your transference to a sub-centre– preferable to Iceland” (108). Bernard was not intimidated at all by this. He felt that the Director was only blushing and that they threaten everyone with Iceland. The World State Infantilizes its citizen and mak them more baby-like so that they would have to depend on them more and so they can control the people better.
September 11, 2009 at 3:49 am
“Murder kills only the individual – and, after all, what is an individual?” … “We can make a new one with the greatest ease – as many as we like.” (155)
This goes to show the lack of morals and ethnics with in the society. people no longer care about the death rates because they are capable of replicating an embryo through science and technology. They also see themselves as a whole, rather than caring about peoples individuality.
September 11, 2009 at 4:23 am
I agree with the way you interpreted this quote. the World State does not care about the people and what happens to them. They have sex so often so it doesnt phase them whether a large number people die or not. i feel that individuality is important in a community becuase it is nice to be individual and everyone would not have to be referred to as a whole with everyone else. It is important to have equality and individuality.
September 11, 2009 at 4:08 am
In the World State, men are more dominant than the women, they are held to a higher standard and have more power than the women. Also in the World State the men and women are very promiscuous. They have sex with whom ever they want and it is not against the laws of the World State. I compared this book to George Orwell’s “1984″ because in that book sex was not allowed. If they did have sex they were going against the Party and would eventually get shot in the back of their heads. This is what happened to Winston , the main character, as a result of him having sex with Julia, his lover.
September 11, 2009 at 4:15 am
Although the men and women of the World State seem happy, they are actually not happy in reality. The “soma” is used to inducing artificial happiness. “Oh, I wish I had my soma,” says Lenina to Bernard in agony after seeing blood. (125) She depends on it to free her mind of any stress, worries, and troubles. the “soma” is useful to her and others in the society because it allows them to escape from reality when ever they feel it is necessary.
September 11, 2009 at 4:34 am
This i found very interesting becuase it is amazing how they would need their “soma’s” in order to feel happiness. Happiness should be something that is natural and real and isnt induced inside of you to make you seem phony. The women are very unhappy and arent treated equally with the men. The only time that they are treated equally is when it comes to having sex in the society, all people can hav sex with whom ever they chose to.
September 11, 2009 at 4:31 am
The government infantilizes the World state by constantly “holding their hands” by telling them what to do and when to do it. The people in the society depend on the government. through conditioning they are not given any other choice but to listen and learn from them. This gives the government the authority they need and want in order to maintain the new world.
September 11, 2009 at 4:43 am
“Oh, I wish I had my soma,” says Lenina to Bernard in agony after seeing blood. (125)
Soma’s are what the ladies in the book used to bring happiness too them. they were not happy in this book and we can tell that becuase they arent treated fairly. They are considered to be lower than the men and the women do not receive as much respect as the men do.
September 11, 2009 at 4:59 am
“”Old?’ she repeated. ‘But the directors old; lots of people are old; they’re not like that.’” (120)
this goes to show how unaware Lenina is of reality and the old world. she believes that people do not age because of the governments different remedies. she is also very rude and judgmental. she does not want to be near Linda because of her appearance, which is very superficial.
September 11, 2009 at 5:03 am
“But seriously, i really do think you ought to be careful. It’s such horribly bad form to go on and on like this with one man” (53).
I found this quote to be interesting becuase one woman is encouraging another woman to be more promiscuous than she is. The woman is with a man and has been with a man for four months now, and when she was telling her friend he friend was telling her she is with the man too long and she needs to move on to someone else. Fanny, Lenina’s friend gets defensive and tells Lenina that she needs to find someone else fast becuase the D.H.C would not like her being with one man for so long.
September 11, 2009 at 5:20 am
“Every one works for every one else. We can’t do without any one.” (85).
This quote makes it seem lik it is a real community that cooperates with eachother and they work together. They depend on eachother to work but mostly the women do everything. The women are held to a lower standard so that is whythey do the work and have to obey the men more than the men obey them.
September 15, 2009 at 2:39 am
“but at the approach of the roses, at them mere sight of the gaily-coloured images of pussy… …the infants shrank away in horror” (39).
This is just a messed up concept. Using a conditioned response, the scientists have made these children afraid of both books and flowers. This is quite similar to an experiment that was used to prove the theory of conditioned responses with a child called Little Albert. Using the same technique as the scientists in the book, John Watson use negative responses to make a small child afraid of mice, which resulted in an innate fear in of other small, furry objects and animals.
This is a very immoral experiment to do. It wasn’t right when John Watson did it and it isn’t right in the book, especially since it’s being used here to control how they will think as adults, becoming afraid of books as well as flowers.
September 15, 2009 at 2:39 am
3. We see in the beginning of the book that the World State treats people as commodities. In their incubators they actually produce human beings, working hard to create dozens of people out of a single embryo, all for the sake of labor. The director stated that he wanted to make 96 people in order to use an equal amount of equipment. They even went so far as to use conditioned responses to control the free will of these created babies, shown when they made them afraid of books and flowers.
The world government also uses a muscle relaxing drug called Soma to effectively zone out those who take it. It induces happiness by making the takers forget the truth about what’s going on around them.