Brave New World Discussion

Back to the old blogging routine.

*After reading the packets about detail and diction, I found that the assignment wasn’t still posted on schoology (that I could see), so I’m not exactly sure what I’m supposed to write about. But! I think it was something about giving examples of detail and diction in Brave New World, so that’s what I’m going to write about.

From what I gathered in the detail packet, detail is when you write something and are just giving a description. There is no emotional information included, just facts. I think a good example of this in Brave New World would be when they describe without any emotion the process of how they make people and then brainwash them. No one really seems to have any emotion most of the book, so I think a lot of this book could qualify as detail. I also believe that an example of an author who uses this form of writing constantly would be Ernest Hemingway.

Diction would be when you do have an emotional connotation with what you’re saying. An example of this in the book would be, just in general, the character John. Most everything he says is filled with emotion. Another example would be when the Director gets emotional about him and Linda. Or one more would be when Bernard has his moment of questioning with Lenina. This book does have emotional text, but not as much as the factual aspect. I think this is okay though because the book is about how no one thinks or has real emotions. So it all works.*

On to examples of how Brave New World exemplifies a Dystopian society perfectly.

1. Propaganda is used to control the citizens of the society

As Bernard mentions about a thousand and six times, every single night from (birth) and as children, the citizens of the society are subjected to subliminal messages each night that condition them to act differently. They also learn catchy little phrases that they can repeat on command, even when completely unnecessary, such as when Linda is living on the reservation with the "savages."

      2. Information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted.

There is a chapter, or at least a section, that begins with Mustapha Mond, world controller, looking over a report from a scientist and rejecting it—even going so far as to underline multiple times the rejection—because he thought that it would let people think. He, and other world controllers, also send people who think freely to little islands outside of society because if they think it could bring everything down. They also restrict the citizens time so much that even if they wanted to think, they would be exhausted. Additionally, they give them little pills called soma so that any time any thoughts or even bad feelings come up they can just take a “holiday.” Even going farther than that, they’ve been brainwashed since birth (not even birth) so free thinking is pretty much out of the question. They also have pretty much no job choices and a set caste system they have no way of getting out, and they don’t want to get out of it. 

3. A figurehead or concept is worshiped by society. 

The people of this "brave new world" worship a man called "Ford" almost obsessively. And he just sort of speaks out of the ceiling at strange times. And on a recording too. 

4. Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance.

Bernard and Lenina's boss mentions something about how he has noticed that Bernard's behavior reports have been unusual outside of work and even during work. Obviously they are spied on/have surveillance if Bernard's boss has information on him outside of work.

5. Citizens have a fear of the outside world. 

Citizens don't so much have a fear as they just don't see the use of it. When Bernard suggests they go to Malpais, Lenina thinks it's a stupid idea and doesn't want to have to live in the muck and all that. The only character that seems, or at least seemed at one point, genuinely afraid of the outside world is Linda. She didn't exactly adjust well to being thrown into the world of savages. 

6. Citizens live in a dehumanized state.

The citizens even realize this several times and don't care. They refer to themselves as children and don't really care that they are. Everyone there is kind of child, and they don't really do any adult activities. "It is their duty to be infantile (pg. 98)." They also aren't parents, don't have children, and don't have spouses. They have no connections, but they are supposed to be a "unit" or a "whole." No one person matters, so I guess none of them matter?

7. The natural world is banished and distrusted.

The citizens our the "brave new world" live in a high tech society where they got rid of all the trees and the grass and the bugs and anything that could potentially hurt anyone. It's all a padded room. The citizens distrust the "savages" and call them that because of it. They don't think that living in squalor with, god forbid, families and religion and drama could ever work. 

8. Citizens conform to uniform expectations. 

Everyone is conditioned to believe that the caste systems they are placed in are just and right. They are also taught as small children that they and their death don't matter. Individuals don't matter. It's society as a whole that matters. They also say a few times, "what do a few murders matter? As long as society is kept intact." 

9. The society is an illusion of a perfect world. 

This should be evident from all the previous information, but to further drill in the point, at the end after John, the "normal" human, experiences the world and feels so much guilt for what all is happening, he kills himself. 

Next. First of all, Huxley's dad was a biologist, and Huxley also wanted to be a biologist, but he had a major vision problem and instead turned to writing. This explains his fascination with genetics (the making of humans in labs) and biology (making them better) in the novel. An industrial revolution was going on right as the new century began. This meant new inventions and improvements and new science to ogle at. This contributed to a feeling that everything was moving too fast. An example of new inventions in the novel would be how all everything had to be new, how a model of consumerism was promoted, and how all sports had to involve probably a hundred pieces just to work.
Also in teen years of the 1900s, there was a war happening. That was World War I. That means a lot of unrest and people were scared. An example of this in the novel would be the "Nine Year's War." People got really scared during that time and so the government just "fixed" it. Then we had the '20s, which was all prosperity and lavishness until 1929. The '20s represent how the people in the novel live day to day.
Then the real stuff went down and the feeling of moving too fast was cemented. They had moved way too fast. The '30s were a time of cynicism. They were moving forward too quick, and now was the time to slow down and catch up with aspirations. An example of this would be the people who think too much. One example would be John, and other examples would be the people who were taken to the islands.
The 1930s was when Brave New World was published. I think it was published then to show what could have happened, and what still could if people continued the way they had been.

Last. I found a lot of things about this book interesting/important.

1. The scene with Bernard and Lenina in the helicopter thing near the beginning of the book (page 92) was really interesting. At first Bernard is trying really hard to get her to just think ("But it's lovely. And I don't want to look." Daisy Buchanan moment much?) and feel ("I want to feel something strongly."), and then he just kind of gives up and starts laughing. I think this is really interesting because he's trying to break free, but then Lenina just continually resists and finally he just gives up. I think this is probably pretty representative about how most people feel in this society. Maybe at first they tried to get out of it, but then there was just so much to keep them there. He also continues on page 94 about how "it suddenly struck me the other day that it might be possible to be an adult all the time." And then Lenina is all like, "No, no. I don't understand. We had fun, you're dumb. Stop thinking." Bernard, again, is a real pushover, and stops the discussion. 
2. Just a small thing: on page 95, when it talks about Mustapha Mond intial-ing a permit, I thought the way he signed was really interesting. "He pencilled his initials--two small pale letters abject at the feet of Mustapha Mond--and was about to return..." It's interesting that his signature is small and pale. It kind of represents him as more of a figurehead, with no actual power, against "Ford." 
3. OH MY GOD when the Director was reminiscing, I repeat, reminiscing, about Linda and his trip to Malpais. Like, wow. You don't just think. I bracketed that entire part.
4. And then Mustapha Mond talking at the end to all John, Helmholtz (?), and Bernard. He knows enough, but he still doesn't really get it. I mean, he's trying to protect the world, but he's kind of going about it the wrong way.

There was a lot more stuff that was super interesting, but I just can't even think of any.

Confusing stuff:

1. Ford. 'Nuff said.
2. I didn't like how he didn't explain a lot of things. I mean, I realize all the characters know everything about everything, but some things weren't explained that well and I was confused on what they meant. Also, even though I guess it doesn't really relate to the story, I would have loved an explanation of what all the different activities they did were. (i.e., the golf and the helicopters and whatnot)
3. What the whole basis of government is? Like, who is running this whole thing? Or is no one running it at all and that's part of the problem? We just have the world controllers and a dead guy* controlling the place? *read: dead guy=Ford to the 21st century mind of Erika

I probably also have a lot more questions, but again, nothing I can think of at the moment.

Overall, the book had some really interesting ideas and I think it's a classic for a reason.