Page 217 - DENG404_FICTION

Unit 18: Aldous Huxley—Brave New World: Detailed Study of Text-I

The play also parallels John and Lenina’s romantic situation, since the two are from different Notes
worlds. Lenina inhabits the civilized world, a world that looks down upon reservation people
who live savage and incomprehensible lives. The reservation people, on the other hand, cannot
understand the scientific society that now lacks emotion, religion, and natural life. The passion
that John feels for Lenina mirrors the love that Romeo and Juliet, two lovers from feuding
families, have for each other.

18.2 Summary

• Brave New World occurs six hundred years in the future.
• Huxley shows society’s abhorrence of rational, independent thought in the mockery of
Bernard Marx by his coworkers.
• Lenina and Henry Foster finish their game and go to his apartment building.

• Bernard’s inability to join the group as it merges spiritually and sexually further emphasizes
his distinctness.
• Linda taught John to read while he was a child, and reading allowed him to superior to
the other boys who beat and taunted him for being different.
• John’s modesty towards Lenina represents a central conflict between the Indian society
and the civilized world.

18.3 Keywords

Abhorrence : inspiring disgust and loathing.
Awkward: : causing or feeling uneasy embarrassment.
Doctrine : a set of beliefs or principles held and taught by a church, political
party, or other group.
Metaphorical : a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to something
to which it is not literally applicable.

18.4 Review Questions

1. What is the meaning of the World state’s motto “COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY”?
2. Why don’t the Epsilons “need human intelligence”?

3. How does time work in this book? Why does Ford say “History is Bunk”?
4. Why must games be so complex in this society?
5. Why doesn’t Lenina like their Indian guide?
6. What was John’s upbringing like? Explain his relationship with Linda.

Answers: Self Assessment

1. Six hundred 2. Social stability
3. Helmholtz Waston 4. Bernard and Lenina
5. Indian guide 6. Indian village

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 211