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.
