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Freud And Brave New World Essay

732 Words3 Pages

Sigmund Freud contributed to the society presented in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, with many of his psychoanalytical theories. He understood that dreams were manifestations of desire, which in Brave New World could potentially bring down a society. Freud also developed theories about children’s stages of development which affected how the world state raised the children. Furthermore, he also noticed how families could be dangerous in a utopian society, such as Brave New World. In Brave New World, the Oedipus complex, a theory that was developed by Freud, is a recurring theme. Throughout the book this appears in a character, and the world state even eliminates it from the society. John shows an intense need for his mother, Linda, and even attempts to kill one of her suitors, Popè. Although Popè wasn’t John’s father, he did provide a father figure for him, which would explain why he tried to kill him. The wish to sleep with Linda also explains why he is attracted to Lenina. Lenina is essentially a stand-in for Linda. For example, their names are very similar, and they …show more content…

Freud’s psychoanalytical work proved that negative events in childhood could have a long-term effect. Even before birth, the fetus is being shaped differently from oxygen deprivation, or putting alcohol in their blood. This conditioning continues throughout their years. As children, they learn that without soma, they become unhappy and that it is normal to engage in sexual activities. In the book, each caste is conditioned to different situations, and is taught that they all work together, and all castes live by the motto that “everyone belongs to everyone else.” The citizens are also taught that sex and drugs are important. The world state uses these ideas as distractions from what the citizens actually want, so they never actually have to think for

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