John+G

Plot Overview

A Brave New World is a chilling story of an unsettling negative utopia set in a not so far off future. The story begins inside the Central London Hatching and Conditioning Center, a “hatchery” being the place of birth place of every citizen born into this society. At the hatchery, embryos are conditioned and augmented both physically and mentally before being placed into one of five castes; Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, or Epsilon. In the hatchery we are introduced to the majority of our main characters; Bernard Marx, a sleep-learning specialist and non self-esteemed Alpha, Helmholtz Watson, an intelligent non-conformists and friend of Bernard, and Lenina Crowne, a somewhat naive girl and the target of Bernard's affection. We also gain our first insight to the social workings of these characters, specifically Bernard's selfish by the standards of the BNW, desire for Lenina. Lenina and Bernard then take a trip to a “savage” reservation, a place still uncivilized according to the BNW. While on the reservation they encounter and return with Linda, a former lover of the Director of the Central London Hatching and Conditioning Center and her son John. Upon their return to the BNW, Bernard receives instant fame and recognition for his discovery of the “savage” son of the Director. John is a strange and unconditioned human conceived through natural birth. He is literate through teaching himself to read via Shakespeare and upholds strong values about pre-marital sex and love that he picked up from his life in a normal to our standards society that is found on the reservation. The story from this point forward no longer follows Bernards, but progresses with the story of John the savage and his adjusting to the Brave New World. He leads a troubled relationship with Lenina, repulsed by her “premature” sexual advances and becomes increasingly disillusioned with the world he now finds himself in. After his mother Linda's death, more turmoil with Lenina, and a failed attempt at revolt, John retreats to a lighthouse before eventually succumbing to his depression and hanging himself.

Character List

1.Bernard Marx – Bernard is a troubled Alpha absorbed in his own affairs. He longs for what he can not have, one of the most human characteristics observed my any citizen of the state. He is selfish and prideful, and lets his new found fame get to his head. 2.Lenina – An oblivious girl who has trouble understanding what she really wants and has difficulty dealing with feelings not encouraged in the BNW. She has a slight attraction to Bernard but ultimately falls in love with John. She is well accustomed to life in the Brave New World and struggles to understand why John wont return her feelings. 3.John the Savage – The illegitimate son of the Director and Linda, John is the only main character to grow up outside of the BNW. He taught himself to read through Shakespeare and has difficulty adjusting to life outside the reservation. He is deeply in love with Lenina but is disillusioned with the BNW and Lenina's attitude towards love, marriage, and sex.

Important Quotations Explained

1."You’ve got to choose between happiness and what people used to call high art. We’ve sacrificed the high art." This quote explains the mindset of the BNW. It is a powerful quote that shows the full seriousness of their commitment to ensuring stability. They're willing to sacrifice basic human freedoms for the “greater good.” 2."Christianity without tears— that’s what soma is.” Another astoundingly powerful quote, it basically states religion is a drug.  It raises the question, if religion and drugs can give people the same fulfillment, whose to say which is the wrong choice? 3.“Everyone works for everyone else.”  This quote shows the foundation for this society.  It lures the reader into drawing comparisons to communism.

Suggestions For Further Reading

If you enjoyed this book then you might also like Fahrenheit 451 by Rad Bradbury. Both of these stories are set in negative utopias. The main characters of both novels are not content with the lives they are leading. They are weak and broken people who are riddled with hypocrisy. However Farenheit 451 differs from Brave New World in that the main character tries to escape and change his fate whereas Bernard succumbs to his disillusionment. Both novels are great reads that really draw you in. You're sucked into a world you don't want to be in, and you need to keep reading to find your way out. This gives both novels a haunting feel that is hard to find anywhere else.