Literary Analysis #2

Summary: Brave New World is a science fiction novel set on Earth but far into the future. The book starts by giving an over view of the world state and showing how everything is calculated, calm and predicted. From the time they were fertilized in the lab to death, people in this Brave New World live a predetermined future. There is a very strict caste system set in place that all members of society are brainwashed into embodying.  Bernard lives in the world but his imperfections make him feel out of place in this “perfect” society. He pushes boundaries and asks the Director if he can go visit the savage reservation with a girl he likes named Lenina. On the reservation, savages live in dirty conditions but have free will and choices. Bernard is intrigued by this starkly different world while Lenina is repulsed. Bernard brings back a savage named John to the civilized world. At first John enjoys himself but as time goes on he gets angry about how everyone around him acts like clones or robots. At the climax of the book John starts pouring out and destroying cases of soma, a drug the people in the new world use often to feel happy and carefree. Due to this outburst John, Bernard and his friend Helmholtz are taken up to the Director. The Director exiles Bernard and Helmholtz off to an island but tells them that they might actually like it. John is forced to stay in the new world and goes off to live by himself up in the mountains. He works very hard daily building and gardening and occasionally whipping himself for the sins he thinks he has committed. Reporters see this and make a movie about it which draws many curious citizens to visit John at his house. A crowd is present when John sees Lenina (who he loves and is attracted too) and John snaps and runs over and starts whipping her. The crowd gets excited and circles the beating in a flurry of violence. Later Bernard is found in his house where he hung himself.

Theme: The theme of this book is that people are too dependent on technology and too submissive to authority. A combination of these two things results in a loss of individualization for virtually all of society. Everyone is living in an unrealistic bubble content living a life without freewill.

Tone: This book is a satirical cautionary tale to Huxley’s audience. His tone is disapproving but the majority of the book he presents events factually without bias.

“The operation undergone voluntarily for the good of Society, not to mention the fact that it carries a bonus amounting to six months' salary."

"You all remember, I suppose, that beautiful and inspired saying of Our Ford's: History is bunk."

"All of the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects."

Literary Techniques:

Repetition: Throughout the novel Huxley mentions that people in society are conditioned to repeat and embody certain sayings.

"Ending is better than mending. The more stitches, the less riches."

Allusion: Multiple times during the novel phrases are used that are parallel to how we would use God’s name in vain today.

“Oh, Ford!”

Allusion x 2: The use of Ford is a reference to Henry Ford who is responsible for creating assembly line production which basically represents the new world.

“Thank Ford!”

Symbolism: Symbolism is used a lot throughout the book. An example of this is the drug soma which represents and escape and disconnect from reality for the people living in the new world.

"A gramme is better than a damn."

Simile: Multiple similes are used throughout the novel to compare citizens to mindless but effective insects.

“Like maggots they had swarmed defilingly over the mystery of Linda’s death”


Characterization

Indirect/ Direct: An example of direct characterization is when Huxley flat out states that Bernard is insecure about the fact that he is shorter than the typical Alpha. In contrast, indirect characterization shows Bernard’s cowardliness when John and Helmholtz are dumping out the soma and Bernard does not help them because he does not want to get in trouble. When the police show up he even tries to tell them he doesn’t even know the pair and should not be taken into custody with them.

Syntax/ Diction: When focusing on John someone who actually shows passion and feeling both positive and negative, I found that Huxley used a slightly more dramatic word choice to emphasize the difference between him and more robotic characters like Lenina. The graphic detailed whipping scene language also serves to emphasize the contrast between John and the Brave New World.

Static/Dynamic: I believe Bernard is a dynamic character because he struggles with his motives and values throughout the novel. He at first is disgusted by society and people around him at the beginning of the book and questions his place in the world constantly. However, when he brings John back to the New World and is treated with respect and awe, Bernard seems to forget about his previous disapproval. He loves his time in the spot light and when this is taken away he gets disgusted all over again. It seems as though Bernard’s happiness is always fleeting because it depends on the approval of others.

After reading this book I didn’t really feel like I met any of the characters, but it did make me look at our world today in a new light. Is Huxley right? Is this the direction society is heading for? I hope not. The Brave New World is so cold and devoid of real passion, emotion or love. Sure the members of society in the book don’t care because they don’t know anything different. But everybody alive today and I know what these people are missing.