Brave New World Entry #2

Shimasaki Entry #2 Brave New World

                I think the quote that you chose “the secret of happiness and virtue [is]—Liking what you’ve got to do” (16) is the perfect quote to capture what the people in power want the regular population to think. In our world, we are encouraged to do things that we enjoy and to do things that we are passionate about. In their world, they are designed from conception for a specific job and it is programmed into their brains. I think people work harder and do a better job if they enjoy and love what they are doing, rather than doing something because they have to do it. What I found interesting in the next section was how Lenina describes Bernard. She comments “odd, odd, odd…So odd… and yet so unique also was Bernard’s oddness that she had hesitated” (88). Bernard is not happy with his life or his society. He feels unsettled and Lenina picks up on that. She represents the epitome of their society and the fact that Bernard acts differently, and does not fit into social normality disturbs her. Why do you think Lenina likes Bernard if he is so different?

I agree with you on the style choice. I found it disturbing that the men talk about the women as objects because while this world is a fictional world, the objectification of women happens in our own world as well.  This book is supposed to be about a world that is very different from the world we live in, but there are some similarities and this one is a very difficult and complex one. A phrase that they kept repeating as well is “Everybody is happy now” (75). The fact that it is ingrained into their brains as children reflects the complete frailty of the true meaning. True happiness is not taught, it’s gained through experience and a relationship with God. They have an artificial happiness. It reminds me of the movie Wall-E where everyone thinks they’re happy but then one couple look up from their computer screens and realize that life away from the program is more fulfilling and makes them happier.

I find the caste system to be troublesome because I believe every person should be able to decide, on their own, where they want to go in life. They should be able to work for their rank rather than to be given a rank and have to live with it. The prejudice against the lower castes is terrible but effective for the society leaders because it keeps people isolated and individual, yet contained and manageable. I do not think the “straight from the horse’s mouth” comment is that important. It shows that the people believe and adore everything their leader says and it shows their brainwashed state.

In this section, they talk about Bernard a lot and how he is very different. Why do you think the author creates this character? They also talk about how Bernard goes to the ritual. What does this ritual symbolize and how does Bernard’s reaction to it show how he is different? 

Brave New World Entry #1

Shimasaki, Entry #1 on Brave New World

            The first thing I noticed when I read this first section was how ridged their society is. The beginning introduces the Director as a very commanding figure who is described as “Tall and rather thin but upright… had a long chin and big rather prominent teeth” (Huxley 4). This brings an image of a tall, handsome man who is all about protocol rather than emotion. When the Director is showing the new students around the factory, everything is described as very mechanical and scientific. The Director even describes the production of humans in a very mechanical way, stating “Eight minutes of hard X-rays… a few died; the least susceptible divided into two; most put out four buds… by which time the original egg was in a fair way to becoming anything from eight to ninety-six embryos” (6-7). The author sets up the scene and mood of the book by describing the machines used to create humans. It creates a very sterile situation that reeks of order, suppression, and monotony.

What do you think about the section talking about torturing the babies to ingrain in them a fear of flowers or books? That section ties in to the other sections that talk about the sleeping children and how they are influenced by words. I thought it was very interesting because of similar tests done in real life. I know that people learn information more efficiently if they learn things before going to bed. I do not know if this is where he gets his information or if this was made up by the author but there is some real-life tie-ins. Two final questions: What do you think of the part about the children’s erotic games? I do not understand the purpose but it set a very creepy tone to the whole book and when I read it, I felt digested and slightly violated. The second question is why do you think the author formatted the last chapter of the section in the way he did? I found the fragmented conversations highly confusing. It was a different way of writing which I had never seen before and the author probably did this to be confusing, adding to the overall tone of the book.