Book Report - "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
I embarked on this book report endeavor for several reasons: partly because I was interested in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” myself, partly because a friend recommended it as his personal favorite book, and partly to prove to my 12th grade AP Literature teacher that I would stick to my word and read a book that I swear wasn’t required reading in that class, but she claims was.
I started reading it for the first time (in my memory) back in college. I hadn’t previously read it, and I recognized that it was a classic work of literature, so I determined that I should read it for my own personal improvement. Unfortunately, I got distracted at some point partially through the novel, and didn’t finish reading it during that attempt. In any case, I did finally get around to consuming it in audiobook format, and am now a more well-rounded person because of it.
As far as the setting goes, “Brave New World” is standard dystopian fare. Reproduction is left to labs, and human coitus is strictly for pleasure. Citizens of the civilized world are encouraged to skip from partner to partner. Monogamous relationships are considered primitive and barbaric. Mood-altering drugs are standard fare to control emotions. This is the way of the future, the same old song and dance. Except this may be the original song and dance, since it was written in 1932. These tropes are quite common in the 1980s and beyond. The 1930s, on the other hand, probably didn’t have much dystopian future material to compare. Huxley managed to create a rather convincing dystopian world nearly 90 years ago, before we had anywhere near the technology that we have available today.
The plot follows Bernard, a member of this modern society, albeit one who does not fully relate to the rest of his peers. He and a love interest Lenina visit a reservation of savages, people who parallel Native Americans in lifestyle. Through plot points that I will not discuss here, a savage by the name of John and his mother Linda return to civilization with Bernard and Lenina. The rest of the plot follows the repercussions of this decision, and its impact on each of the characters involved.
While “Brave New World” does not read as easily as many modern dystopian works, it is absolutely steeped in allegory and symbolism. I would say it is some of the best literary fiction that I’ve read. Bernard serves as a sort of postmodern tragic hero in his quest for revenge against the Director. John reflects the purity of the old world, and how it simply cannot exist in the context of the new world. I think the book challenges the reader’s worldview, in its bleak exposure to our rejection of the old in favor of the new, no matter whether it is an improvement. The neophilia of the Lenina and neophobia of John stand in stark contrast, and both pay their own sort of penance. Perhaps the best scenario is a moderate stance between old and new, almost aligning with Bernard’s viewpoint, but even he is not without crime and punishment.
Much like other dystopian novels, there is no “good” ending to “Brave New World.” Everyone experiences some sort of loss, and there is no firm resolution to the problems presented. These problems simply fade into the new reality, or cease to exist entirely. No story points are left unfinished, but the finish may not be what the reader expects or wants. Huxley may not leave readers with a satisfied reaction to a story well told, but he does encourage us to have a healthy concern and criticism of rampant and unchecked social progress. What is old is not necessarily bad, and anything new is not necessarily good. We must individually stake out our own middle ground, while avoiding the flaws that plague Bernard.
So Mrs. Dionne, there you go. I did finally read “Brave New World,” whether we were supposed to have read it in your class or not.
Resources:
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. Narrated by Michael York, Blackstone Publishing, 2008.
I started reading it for the first time (in my memory) back in college. I hadn’t previously read it, and I recognized that it was a classic work of literature, so I determined that I should read it for my own personal improvement. Unfortunately, I got distracted at some point partially through the novel, and didn’t finish reading it during that attempt. In any case, I did finally get around to consuming it in audiobook format, and am now a more well-rounded person because of it.
As far as the setting goes, “Brave New World” is standard dystopian fare. Reproduction is left to labs, and human coitus is strictly for pleasure. Citizens of the civilized world are encouraged to skip from partner to partner. Monogamous relationships are considered primitive and barbaric. Mood-altering drugs are standard fare to control emotions. This is the way of the future, the same old song and dance. Except this may be the original song and dance, since it was written in 1932. These tropes are quite common in the 1980s and beyond. The 1930s, on the other hand, probably didn’t have much dystopian future material to compare. Huxley managed to create a rather convincing dystopian world nearly 90 years ago, before we had anywhere near the technology that we have available today.
The plot follows Bernard, a member of this modern society, albeit one who does not fully relate to the rest of his peers. He and a love interest Lenina visit a reservation of savages, people who parallel Native Americans in lifestyle. Through plot points that I will not discuss here, a savage by the name of John and his mother Linda return to civilization with Bernard and Lenina. The rest of the plot follows the repercussions of this decision, and its impact on each of the characters involved.
While “Brave New World” does not read as easily as many modern dystopian works, it is absolutely steeped in allegory and symbolism. I would say it is some of the best literary fiction that I’ve read. Bernard serves as a sort of postmodern tragic hero in his quest for revenge against the Director. John reflects the purity of the old world, and how it simply cannot exist in the context of the new world. I think the book challenges the reader’s worldview, in its bleak exposure to our rejection of the old in favor of the new, no matter whether it is an improvement. The neophilia of the Lenina and neophobia of John stand in stark contrast, and both pay their own sort of penance. Perhaps the best scenario is a moderate stance between old and new, almost aligning with Bernard’s viewpoint, but even he is not without crime and punishment.
Much like other dystopian novels, there is no “good” ending to “Brave New World.” Everyone experiences some sort of loss, and there is no firm resolution to the problems presented. These problems simply fade into the new reality, or cease to exist entirely. No story points are left unfinished, but the finish may not be what the reader expects or wants. Huxley may not leave readers with a satisfied reaction to a story well told, but he does encourage us to have a healthy concern and criticism of rampant and unchecked social progress. What is old is not necessarily bad, and anything new is not necessarily good. We must individually stake out our own middle ground, while avoiding the flaws that plague Bernard.
So Mrs. Dionne, there you go. I did finally read “Brave New World,” whether we were supposed to have read it in your class or not.
Resources:
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. Narrated by Michael York, Blackstone Publishing, 2008.
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