Brave New World Analysis

Since its publication, the concepts and story of Brave New World have remained relevant and intriguing to this day, even echoing some of the issues and advancements of our modern world. This novel’s origin, plot, writing style and themes have all culminated to produce Brave New World’s lasting legacy as a pensive critique of society.
Brave New World was written during a time of great political, technological, and social change. Preceding the publication of this novel was the conclusion of World War I and the rise of totalitarian states in Europe. (McCrum)(Pauley) Governments such as those in Fascist Italy, and Soviet Russia had significant control over its people, manipulating the culture, limiting the arts, and creating propaganda. (Pauley)

Some of the individuals, like Lenina Crowne, a member of a lower social caste, are perfectly content with this society, participating in the recreational activities and societal norms, while others like Bernard Marx and Helmholtz Watson, who both are in a higher social caste, are discontent with their futuristic world. After travelling to Savage reservation where religion is more prevalent than technology, Bernard and Lenina bring back two members of its society: Linda, a former member of London who was abandoned there, and her illicit son John the savage. While Linda is elated to reunite with her former society and forget her troubles with soma, John is mortified by this irreconcilable world. In a stage of grief following his mother’s unceremonious death, John tries to start a riot and free the people from soma. John fails, and after discussing the triumphs and downfalls of this society as well as different philosophical ideas, John is willingly exiled from London. Tragically, John is found by members of London, and after being harassed, taking soma, and engaging in sexual activities, John is mortified by his actions and commits suicide. While this narrative is thought-provoking and captivating, what’s arguably more memorable is

One of the more prominent themes is the exclusiveness of one’s happiness and ignorance as well as one’s comfort and freedom. This theme is constantly emphasized in many ways throughout the novel. For example, Bernard and Helmholtz Watson, whom are considered scholars, are both almost always in a state of anguish, while characters like Lenina Crowne, who is intellectually stunted by comparison, is generally quite content. The entire society is based off of this principle; for happiness to exist, there must be stability, and for stability to exist there must limits placed on how much one can think and see. Thus all attempts must be made to prevent unwanted knowledge, art, and philosophy to be spread. With this conclusion being made, Huxley goes on to criticize happiness for this reason, claiming “happiness is never grand” (Huxley, 181) and that “being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt”. (Huxley, 181) Those wishing to experience richer ideas, grander concepts, fine art and philosophy must be willing to sacrifice the small price of one’s