Monday, December 10, 2012

Literary Analysis A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

General:

1) In the beginning of the novel you are introduced into the hatching facility in London where they are creating five different levels of intelligence in humans. They used a factory like method of preparing the different humans. They also have programs for the kids once they start growing to implement a brainwashing method so they do not want to read but they will only want to do what they are trained to do. We switch over to Lenina who is talking to one of her friends about being almost exclusive with Henry. Bernard finds out about this and he is a bit mad so he tries to get Lenina to go with him somewhere and she accepts. They go to a reservation but the director is upset with how Bernard has been acting and is going to exile him when he returns. At the reservation Lenina and Bernard see the world where it has people that actually show signs of aging and illness. They meet a person named John who was born by a person named Linda who was ostracized because she would sleep with anyone. John learned to read by reading Shakespeare and another book about science. Lenina and Bernard want to take John back to the World State but he will only come if he can bring Linda. They head back to the World State and the director almost exiles Bernard but then he is ashamed that he had a kid with Linda. John becomes very popular in the World State and Lenina becomes really confused about her feelings toward John because he does not want to have sex with her. Bernard becomes really popular with the ladies by having John at his house but when John does not show up for one of the parties his social level plumits. Lenina tries to seduce John but it does not work and responds by being mean and saying bad things to her. John gets a call that his mother Linda is on her death bed, so he heads down to her. John gets mad at some kids who say Linda was not beautiful and starts a riot by throwing soma out of a window. John, Bernard, and Helmholtz are arrested and so Bernard and Helmholtz both take their exile while John hides away in a light house. People of the World State find out about John and all rush the light house saying he should be whipped. Lenina comes up to him and tries to hug him and in an outbreak of emotions there is an orgy that takes place. John becomes disgusted that he has fallen into the society of the World State that he hangs himself.

2)With all of the power that the World State has on its citizens there is a price that must be paid. With this so called "perfect" society there is no freedom in what you can do. So with that being said there can never be a perfect society or Utopia that can come if citizens want a free will and the ability to make their own choices in what they can and cannot do.

3)The author focused on a satirical rendition of how a "perfect" society could be. With a free country people are able to share themselves however that may be. “I like being myself. Myself and nasty.” The way the government in this story is able to brainwash everyone they have makes it seem like a perfect society but there is no way anyone can change. “Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly -- they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.” 

4) - Symbolism - “All that happens means something; nothing you do is ever insignificant.”
      - Allusion - “Chronic remorse, as all the moralists are agreed, is a most undesirable sentiment. If you have    behaved badly, repent, make what amends you can and address yourself to the task of behaving better next time. On no account brood over your wrongdoing. Rolling in the muck is not the best way of getting clean.”
      - Foundation - “No social stability without individual stability.” 
      - Foreshadow - “...reality, however utopian, is something from which people feel the need of taking pretty frequent holidays....” 
      - Satire - I ate civilization. It poisoned me; I was defiled. And then," he added in a lower tone, "I ate my own wickedness.” 

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