My Final Thoughts on Brave New World
While I was reading Brave New World, I had mixed emotions throughout. At some points in the book, I didn’t like the way their society was organized but at other points, I was even a little jealous because I wished our society would be the same way. However, all things considered, I think overall I found more flaws in the story than things I liked.
For starters, I didn't like the way the society was built and organized. While I do think that the idea of soma can be appealing, I think there are some problems with it, the biggest one being that it takes away a person’s ability to understand and express emotions, whether they are positive or negative. Even though it may seem like never feeling sad or angry is better, it also means that they are deprived of feeling authentic happiness when something good happens. Instead, I feel like it would have been more utopian if soma was a drug that reinforced or enriched the idealized, cherished feelings. However, that said, I do think having something like soma can seem really delightful, especially when we are experiencing extreme emotions, like rage or depression. The problems with soma goes hand in hand with the fact that there is no individuality in the New World and that everyone is genetically engineered to be the same and how everyday is monotonous and following the same pattern. Again, I think it would have been better if they used the biotechnology to engineer people who were incredibly intelligent and had a long life rather than using it to create a hierarchy of genetically-preordained castes.
I think building a world this way is very problematic because, if there is no room for people to grow and change others, then I see no point in even creating different castes of people. After reading the whole book, the first thought that crossed my mind was "what was the point of Huxley creating 5 different castes of people who minimally differ when everyone is the same?" I think part of the problem was that the story was told from the perspectives of the upper classes but no one from the lower classes played a major role in the book. Even if everything else was the same in the book, telling some events of the book from the perspectives of the lower classes would have added more humanity to the novel in my opinion.
Finally, I wasn’t particularly fond of the ending. We already covered this during class discussion but I felt that the ending wasn’t very satisfactory because I, personally, was rooting for John. Since he was the one character who wasn’t like a “robot” but rather an individual, I thought that he would make some sort of change to the society or at least get to go to the island. Rather, by having John die, it made me feel like there was no hope and that it actually is better when everyone conforms to the rules.
- Neha Aluru
For starters, I didn't like the way the society was built and organized. While I do think that the idea of soma can be appealing, I think there are some problems with it, the biggest one being that it takes away a person’s ability to understand and express emotions, whether they are positive or negative. Even though it may seem like never feeling sad or angry is better, it also means that they are deprived of feeling authentic happiness when something good happens. Instead, I feel like it would have been more utopian if soma was a drug that reinforced or enriched the idealized, cherished feelings. However, that said, I do think having something like soma can seem really delightful, especially when we are experiencing extreme emotions, like rage or depression. The problems with soma goes hand in hand with the fact that there is no individuality in the New World and that everyone is genetically engineered to be the same and how everyday is monotonous and following the same pattern. Again, I think it would have been better if they used the biotechnology to engineer people who were incredibly intelligent and had a long life rather than using it to create a hierarchy of genetically-preordained castes.
I think building a world this way is very problematic because, if there is no room for people to grow and change others, then I see no point in even creating different castes of people. After reading the whole book, the first thought that crossed my mind was "what was the point of Huxley creating 5 different castes of people who minimally differ when everyone is the same?" I think part of the problem was that the story was told from the perspectives of the upper classes but no one from the lower classes played a major role in the book. Even if everything else was the same in the book, telling some events of the book from the perspectives of the lower classes would have added more humanity to the novel in my opinion.
Finally, I wasn’t particularly fond of the ending. We already covered this during class discussion but I felt that the ending wasn’t very satisfactory because I, personally, was rooting for John. Since he was the one character who wasn’t like a “robot” but rather an individual, I thought that he would make some sort of change to the society or at least get to go to the island. Rather, by having John die, it made me feel like there was no hope and that it actually is better when everyone conforms to the rules.
- Neha Aluru
Great analysis, Neha. I agree with a lot of what you said, and I really missed the individuality and creativity of the human mind in this society. No one really expressed their emotions, because they didn't have any strong emotions. There were so many times where things could've changed, but instead the characters took soma and knocked out. The ending was sad for me not just because John committed suicide, but because the people he thought of as friends, Helmholst and Bernard, left him behind. He was forced to stay in the society and even though it was hard for him, at least he had those two to talk to and create with. With John being trapped in a place that doesn't and never will understand him, he just ended it himself, and that wasn't the ending I wanted or expected.
ReplyDeleteI also think it would have been beneficial to have a main character that was from a lower caste. I think it would've given a fuller view of the society, and give a better explanation as to why it is necessary to have these castes. I would also say that in general, I never got the feeling that I would ever want to live in that society, and there were no aspects of the society that I found appealing.
ReplyDeleteI also think the ending with John is super sad, but it also helped highlight the fact that the society in BNW is one that, once established, can virtually never be undone. Everybody is content because of soma and the genetic engineering, so when there is any kind of push back, just about nobody does anything, even if they might agree that the society needs reform.
ReplyDeleteI think its interesting that we see both elements we are repulsed by and that attract us in the BNW society. The question for me, then, is whether the price paid by the BNW society is worth the benefits that arise. For me, the answer is no, and I agree with many of the things you wrote about here that you dislike. Also, the split feelings of the ending poses interesting discussion for me. I find myself somewhat ambivalent about it, and thinking about that, I find it exactly how I want it to be. I think that level of discomfort and dissatisfaction in the ending is effective in Huxley's attempt at a political commentary, in trying to stimulate us to think about our society around us in starker terms.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point about the fact that we didn't get to see the rest of the world because the story was told from the perspective of the alpha class. I think it would be very interesting and insightful to see what it's like being a Gamma or Epsilon. Perhaps it was Huxley's intention to make the world and society as inhumane as possible by only showing the perspectives of Bernard and Lenina. If he had chosen the perspective of an Epsilon, the society would seem less perfect and more unfair than he makes it out to be, and I think that would take some of the attention away from the plot. Good post!
ReplyDeleteThis society is so insidiously scary exactly *because*, in some ways, it works. Parts of it coincide with what we as humans want. I think soma is a good example of something that originates from a human desire (who hasn't wanted to escape their thoughts/emotions at one point?) that ends up being destructive. I understand not personally enjoying the ending, but I really don't think it's a nonsensical curveball... If the book were building up to some sort of revolution (whether quiet or loud), some form of hope would have been telegraphed earlier in the book. But John is thwarted at every turn. He never wins, even when he confesses to Lenina, rages at the hospital, or talks to Mond. The depressing, deflating ending was inevitable, in my opinion, 'cause it's a depressing, deflating book.
ReplyDeleteI get the feeling that if we were in the head of a lower caste person, it would be very uneventful and kind of pointless. They wouldn't have any of the hints of rebellion that Bernard has. It would be total conformity, conformity, conformity--which can be just as effectively shown from an outsider point of view (which it was).
I think the ending of the book didn’t do much in terms of upsetting the dynamic in the BNW society. It’s sad that John died and his life in the world of BNW wasn’t a happy one, but I felt that he could have done more to upset the World State, or he could have helped bring about change by maybe rubbing some of his philosophy on those closest to him.
ReplyDeleteReading this book brings up deep fears of how innately the ideas of this book are woven into our human nature. If there is a possibility that this society could really occur, then the reader becomes uneasy. I find Huxley's writing to be spot on in his creation of this society because of it's odd mix of things we find progressive and things that we find terrifying.
ReplyDeleteI think you've got it right here, there's something about the society we see in Brave New World that's just inherently terrifying. The complete loss of what we feel makes us ourselves, how we respond to outside influences, how we feel about other people, and even our ability to determine what we do with our lives is really disturbing.
Delete-Sasha
The ending of this novel blows. I honestly wish it didn't and had more potential, like some type of epilogue to what happened after the Savage died. Speaking of dying, after Lenina got distracted and ended up letting someone killed by disease in the future, it kind of gave away that nothing was going to happen. In 20ish years the horrid "civilization" of Brave New World will still remain. The line in the book was subtle, a little funny, and had massive foreshadowing.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the conclusion to the novel is not satisfactory at all. It neither results in a solution to the various flaws we perceive to be in society nor does the protagonist accomplish what he set out for. The New World Order does not change in even the slightest, which creates a sense of doubt about the purpose of the novel. Is it just to inform the reader of the ramifications of attempting to create a utopia? Or can the themes of individuality and expression be recast to modern society?
ReplyDeleteWith regards to your discussion of soma, I think it is very common to assume that the joy felt by people who are on some substance is less pure or profound than joy felt by people who are off them. Not that I have any experience, but maybe it is enjoyable enough that, given the few side effects of soma in Brave New World, people are truly happy knowing that they have it at their disposal
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with your point about soma, I think it is a substance which may seem good at first but is ultimately not actually that beneficial. Part of what makes us human is that we experience so many different emotions throughout our lives. It could be nice to take away those feelings which are not as pleasant, but to do that would also take away a part of our humanity.
ReplyDeleteI totally see the unsatisfying aspect of John dying and most of the society doesn't even get impacted by it. However, to let John a savage go a save the world that controls people with mind control and artificial selection would be a little unrealistic after seeing how efficient this society is.
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading, I was unable to find major aspects of their society that I liked at all. There were small things like personal helicopters that I found slightly appealing, but their society as a whole was largely unattractive to me. Even though the majority of people seemed happy, the world felt very monotonous which made me less engaged with the book. I agree that seeing a lower caste perspective would have made the book more interesting. I wonder if soma was able to completely suppress their unhappiness or if they still felt frustrations from being at the bottom of the social order.
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