Juxtaposition In Brave New World

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In the fiction books Brave New World and 1984, authors Aldous Huxley and George Orwell, respectively, write about potential dystopias in the future. Although they both envision eventual dystopias, the juxtaposition of the two novels shows that they are for different reasons. For example, while the society in 1984 is run by fear and punishment, Brave New World is run by false happiness. Oppositions in themes such as sex, technology, and indifference between the book are apparent, and in my opinion, I would rather live in Brave New World due to its more positive approach. Of the many shared themes tackled by both authors, views on sex are among the most differing. In Brave New World, sex is promoted because people enjoy the act, which is shown when Fanny, upon hearing that Lenina is only talking to two men, tells Lenina “you ought to be more promiscuous” (43). Whereas sex is promoted in this brave new world, the leaders of the society in 1984 are trying to eradicate …show more content…

In Huxley’s society, whenever someone is unable or unwilling to abide by the society’s principles, they are sent to one of many islands, to live with others who want to live life differently (227). When Bernard Marx and Helmholtz Watson ordered to be sent to an island for their differences, state controller Mustapha Mond still attempts to be accommodating when he asks Helmholtz, “By the way, would you like a tropical climate?” (229). Additionally, Mond states that being sent to an island is really a reward, because they will now live with people who are similar. On the other hand, in Orwell’s 1984, those who are different are tortured until they are corrected. For example, when torturing Winston for his thoughtcrime, O’Brien states, “you are a flaw in the pattern, Winston. You are a stain that must be wiped out” (255). The accommodation and acceptance in Brave New World is much more desirable than the torture approach used in Orwell’s