"You can carry at least half your mortality about in a bottle. Christianity without tears - that's what soma is." (Page 238)
Well, the end is here, and I can't say I am sad. However, I admit that I enjoyed this book in a way. It was definitely challenging to understand, and I had to work to analyze it. Despite my constant judgment that the book was disgusting and morally wrong, I did learn some things about literature and myself. I am extremely capable of keeping a firm grasp on my beliefs, even when reading fiction. Near the end of the book when John admitted to wanting Christianity over the community Mond works so hard to uphold, I had flashes of Christ in my head. he was a rebel as well, and he stuck to what he knew was right even when no one was in his corner. Both men ended their lives in premature, unnatural deaths. Unfortunately, Christ's death was extremely real while John's was a work of fiction. Also, Christ selflessly gave his life for those He loved while John selfishly took his life as a means of escape. Both died sad deaths, but that was the end of their similarities. I must say that I like John. He was a good, solid character, and I enjoyed reading about him. Over and out!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Potential Uprising?
"All the people who, for one reason or another, have got too self-consciously individual to fit into community life." (Page 227)
The Controller, Mustapha Mond, is lecturing Bernard, Helmholtz, and John the Savage about why they must be content with the way their world works. If they don't comply with his demands they will be banished to an island with other citizens who tested the boundaries of the society that lived in. I can't help but wonder though why Mond and the rest of the Controllers think it wise to put all of the rebels together on various islands. Is this not the makings of a potential uprising? I used my simple deductive reasoning skills to answer my own question. There will not be an uprising simply because there are not enough pages left in the book to hold the amount of time I know Huxley would want to dedicate to an uprising. It would be exciting, but it is not practical at this point. The story is coming to a close, and I am excited to be finished with this world that goes against everything I believe in.
The Controller, Mustapha Mond, is lecturing Bernard, Helmholtz, and John the Savage about why they must be content with the way their world works. If they don't comply with his demands they will be banished to an island with other citizens who tested the boundaries of the society that lived in. I can't help but wonder though why Mond and the rest of the Controllers think it wise to put all of the rebels together on various islands. Is this not the makings of a potential uprising? I used my simple deductive reasoning skills to answer my own question. There will not be an uprising simply because there are not enough pages left in the book to hold the amount of time I know Huxley would want to dedicate to an uprising. It would be exciting, but it is not practical at this point. The story is coming to a close, and I am excited to be finished with this world that goes against everything I believe in.
Analogy - My Heart Will Most Definfitely Go On
' "The optimum population," said Mustapha Mond, "is modeled on the iceberg - eight-ninths below the water line, one-ninth above." ' (Page 223)
I really enjoyed this analogy. It was well placed, and quite effective. I had the stereotypical reaction to any mention of iceberg's: I immediately thought of the Titanic. That, in turn, made me think of the movie made about the horrific sinking ship. All of the passengers on that ship were much like the citizens in the brave new world Huxley created. They were all categorized into a specific cast of society, and they were not allowed to venture out of the lines of their social status. Of course, two people break free of their bonds, and they were the central characters of the movie. Jack and Rose each left their social bonds behind and challenged society. The former climbed the social ladder while the latter stooped to a lower level for the man she loved. However, she still maintained her ties to her original ranking in the pyramid of society. Much like all of that, the people in Huxley's story are bound to a specific walk of life, and they rarely challenge the system.
Huxley's analogy served its purpose in that it gave me a clear image of how the civilization he created works. I can only be grateful that the world I live in is not as strict. A hard-working lower class person can climb up in the world and make a better life for himself. That whole mentality of hope and potential is what drives our culture.
I really enjoyed this analogy. It was well placed, and quite effective. I had the stereotypical reaction to any mention of iceberg's: I immediately thought of the Titanic. That, in turn, made me think of the movie made about the horrific sinking ship. All of the passengers on that ship were much like the citizens in the brave new world Huxley created. They were all categorized into a specific cast of society, and they were not allowed to venture out of the lines of their social status. Of course, two people break free of their bonds, and they were the central characters of the movie. Jack and Rose each left their social bonds behind and challenged society. The former climbed the social ladder while the latter stooped to a lower level for the man she loved. However, she still maintained her ties to her original ranking in the pyramid of society. Much like all of that, the people in Huxley's story are bound to a specific walk of life, and they rarely challenge the system.
Huxley's analogy served its purpose in that it gave me a clear image of how the civilization he created works. I can only be grateful that the world I live in is not as strict. A hard-working lower class person can climb up in the world and make a better life for himself. That whole mentality of hope and potential is what drives our culture.
Hello, new Bernard
"Success went fizzily to Bernard's head, and in the process completely reconciled him (as any good intoxicant should do) to a world which, up till then, he had found very unsatisfactory." (Page 157)
May I just begin by saying how much I love the use of the word "fizzily" in this sentence. It makes me think of that scene in the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when Charlie and his Grandpa fly to the ceiling because they drank the fizzy drinks when they were not supposed to.
Now on to the actual blog for this quote. Bernard is practically a celebrity now. He has a circus act of John the Savage, and he is loving the attention. I didn't think about this until I was typing the quote out, but the instant popularity is his own soma. He never did like the drug, but when I typed the word "intoxicating," I realized Bernard finally found his happy pills: attention. In the past he was cast aside by society despite his intellectual abilities and professional success. Now, he can get any woman he wants, and he keeps company with the upper-tier of society. But, like all lucky streaks, at on point, the world throws a curveball. His is in the form of Bernard getting tired of the attention. Once again, Bernard is regarded as less than his status among the people of his civilization.
May I just begin by saying how much I love the use of the word "fizzily" in this sentence. It makes me think of that scene in the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when Charlie and his Grandpa fly to the ceiling because they drank the fizzy drinks when they were not supposed to.
Now on to the actual blog for this quote. Bernard is practically a celebrity now. He has a circus act of John the Savage, and he is loving the attention. I didn't think about this until I was typing the quote out, but the instant popularity is his own soma. He never did like the drug, but when I typed the word "intoxicating," I realized Bernard finally found his happy pills: attention. In the past he was cast aside by society despite his intellectual abilities and professional success. Now, he can get any woman he wants, and he keeps company with the upper-tier of society. But, like all lucky streaks, at on point, the world throws a curveball. His is in the form of Bernard getting tired of the attention. Once again, Bernard is regarded as less than his status among the people of his civilization.
Shallow new world... RIP Linda
"Fat; having lost her youth; with bad teeth, and a blotched complexion, and that figure (Ford!) - you simply couldn't look at her without feeling sick, yes, positively sick. So the best people were quite determined not to see Linda." (Page 153)
Imagine the sadness Linda felt when she was finally able to return to the world she loved, and she was not received with open arms. Her son was, for he was a scientific adventure, but she was shunned for her appearance and status as a mother. I can only feel distraught for poor Linda because she spent most of her adult life pining to escape her life with the savages only to finally break free into a world of exile. She came from the reservation where she was actually whipped for doing what she thought was right: being with more than one man. And to make matters worse, she was basically an exile in her community on the reservation. The poor thing lost her life in the brave new world, found a half-life among the savages, and died in a familiar setting with only her son by her side. I can only hope that she was happy to be back near hot water and constant nurse's aid. I definitely do not envy how her life turned out. RIP Linda.
Imagine the sadness Linda felt when she was finally able to return to the world she loved, and she was not received with open arms. Her son was, for he was a scientific adventure, but she was shunned for her appearance and status as a mother. I can only feel distraught for poor Linda because she spent most of her adult life pining to escape her life with the savages only to finally break free into a world of exile. She came from the reservation where she was actually whipped for doing what she thought was right: being with more than one man. And to make matters worse, she was basically an exile in her community on the reservation. The poor thing lost her life in the brave new world, found a half-life among the savages, and died in a familiar setting with only her son by her side. I can only hope that she was happy to be back near hot water and constant nurse's aid. I definitely do not envy how her life turned out. RIP Linda.
O Brave New World....
' "O brave new world," he repeated. "O brave new world that has such people in it. Let's start at once." ' (Page 139)
I have been thinking all along that the title of Brave New World was just a name Huxley gave the world he created. I always assumed it was simply his way of describing the odd future he envisioned for the world he lived in while he was an author. In a way, it is still his description of his world, but now I see the true meaning behind it. It is John's view of the world he enters after hearing a first-hand account of it his entire life. He says this quote directly after hearing that Lenina is single, and he can pursue her if he so desires (which he does). He is eager to get started in this "brave new world," and he has nothing but good things to say about the world he will be living in. However, the happiness can only last so long. His mother, Linda, will be traveling back to her former home with him, and her life is near an end. John will experience true pain in the chapters to come, and he goes a little crazy at one point.
I have been thinking all along that the title of Brave New World was just a name Huxley gave the world he created. I always assumed it was simply his way of describing the odd future he envisioned for the world he lived in while he was an author. In a way, it is still his description of his world, but now I see the true meaning behind it. It is John's view of the world he enters after hearing a first-hand account of it his entire life. He says this quote directly after hearing that Lenina is single, and he can pursue her if he so desires (which he does). He is eager to get started in this "brave new world," and he has nothing but good things to say about the world he will be living in. However, the happiness can only last so long. His mother, Linda, will be traveling back to her former home with him, and her life is near an end. John will experience true pain in the chapters to come, and he goes a little crazy at one point.
Finally, something she likes!
"Lenina liked the drums. Shutting her eyes she abandoned herself to their soft repeated thunder, allowed it to invade her consciousness more and more completely, till at last there was nothing left in the world but that one deep pulse of sound." (Page 113)
Let's face it, to this point, Lenina has not enjoyed her trip with Bernard. She has been thrust into a situation that she is completely uncomfortable with, and she even asked to go home a few times. She doesn't like the Savages and their customs, and she is scared of their varying looks. When it seemed that all hope was lost for her vacation and she was destined to be miserable, the drums started. She had to admit that she liked them, but only because they reminded her of home and the Solidarity Services and Ford's Day celebrations they have. Despite the minimal reminder, she allowed herself a slightly renewed store of energy, and she needed it. In a few short pages, she was thrust into the lives of Linda and John: none other than the Director's lover and illegitimate child. It's so ironic that they would meet. I do realize that it is a story though, and nothing is coincidence.
Let's face it, to this point, Lenina has not enjoyed her trip with Bernard. She has been thrust into a situation that she is completely uncomfortable with, and she even asked to go home a few times. She doesn't like the Savages and their customs, and she is scared of their varying looks. When it seemed that all hope was lost for her vacation and she was destined to be miserable, the drums started. She had to admit that she liked them, but only because they reminded her of home and the Solidarity Services and Ford's Day celebrations they have. Despite the minimal reminder, she allowed herself a slightly renewed store of energy, and she needed it. In a few short pages, she was thrust into the lives of Linda and John: none other than the Director's lover and illegitimate child. It's so ironic that they would meet. I do realize that it is a story though, and nothing is coincidence.
Imagery - Can't you just see it?
"Cloaks of turkey feathers fluttered from their shoulders; huge feather diadems exploded gaudily round their heads." (Page 109)
What a scene! For the entire lives of Lenina and Bernard, order has been the only thing they knew. It ran their lives, and they were comfortable with that. And then, BAM! All of a sudden, they are thrust out of their world and into one with color and disorder. One with spontaneity and true emotion. It is only fitting that I chose this scene to highlight Huxley's knack for imagery. He couldn't have fully written the scene without pulling out all of the stops and plowing full-speed ahead with his power verbs and eccentric adjectives. This sentence is only one of many that he hand-crafted to adorn this scene. From "the clink and rattle of their silver bracelets" to the old man's skin that was "wrinkled and black, like a mask of obsidian," Huxley gave his reader's imagination a literary treat.
What a scene! For the entire lives of Lenina and Bernard, order has been the only thing they knew. It ran their lives, and they were comfortable with that. And then, BAM! All of a sudden, they are thrust out of their world and into one with color and disorder. One with spontaneity and true emotion. It is only fitting that I chose this scene to highlight Huxley's knack for imagery. He couldn't have fully written the scene without pulling out all of the stops and plowing full-speed ahead with his power verbs and eccentric adjectives. This sentence is only one of many that he hand-crafted to adorn this scene. From "the clink and rattle of their silver bracelets" to the old man's skin that was "wrinkled and black, like a mask of obsidian," Huxley gave his reader's imagination a literary treat.
Vernacular - You don't say!
"She must have fallen into a gully somewhere; or been eaten by a mountain lion. Ford knows." (Page 97)
This quote falls very shortly after my previous blog's quote, but I found it a particularly good example of the vernacular used in this book. The name of Ford is used throughout the book, but it is most consistently and significantly used by the Director himself. I've been searching the book for the best way to blog about this incessant word, and I wanted the accompanying quote to be from the mouth of an important character. As it is, the Director won my little contest for best quote. The whole idea behind this word, "Ford," is that it is used much in the same way someone might use the word: Lord. For example: "Lord knows," "Oh, Lord, that's ridiculous." I also find it ironic that Ford and Lord rhyme. I can only assume that Huxley purposefully chose this name. If he didn't, that would be too much of a coincidence for well-crafted literature.
This quote falls very shortly after my previous blog's quote, but I found it a particularly good example of the vernacular used in this book. The name of Ford is used throughout the book, but it is most consistently and significantly used by the Director himself. I've been searching the book for the best way to blog about this incessant word, and I wanted the accompanying quote to be from the mouth of an important character. As it is, the Director won my little contest for best quote. The whole idea behind this word, "Ford," is that it is used much in the same way someone might use the word: Lord. For example: "Lord knows," "Oh, Lord, that's ridiculous." I also find it ironic that Ford and Lord rhyme. I can only assume that Huxley purposefully chose this name. If he didn't, that would be too much of a coincidence for well-crafted literature.
Anecdote - An author's parable.
"And then - it was almost the last day of my leave - then...well, she got lost." (Page 96)
Bernard is about to embark on his week-long trip to New Mexico with Lenina when the Director hits him with this anecdote of his trip to New Mexico quite a while back with a woman he was seeing at the time. The short story surprises Bernard in that he didn't realize the Director possessed the capacity to have the feelings he insinuated in his story. The Director had lost the woman in the hills while horseback riding near the reservation of savages, and he never found her. The anecdote added to the story simply because it showed that the Director has feelings. However, it also provides necessary information for the scenes to come when Bernard discovers this long-lost lover on his voyage to the reservations. Without this particular anecdote, the reader would be completely lost as to why the woman Bernard finds is important or special. I'm sure Huxley could have explained it, but an explanation as part of the narrative of the story is never quite as good as one straight from the character affected. These upcoming scenes have the potential to be a soap-opera drama.
Bernard is about to embark on his week-long trip to New Mexico with Lenina when the Director hits him with this anecdote of his trip to New Mexico quite a while back with a woman he was seeing at the time. The short story surprises Bernard in that he didn't realize the Director possessed the capacity to have the feelings he insinuated in his story. The Director had lost the woman in the hills while horseback riding near the reservation of savages, and he never found her. The anecdote added to the story simply because it showed that the Director has feelings. However, it also provides necessary information for the scenes to come when Bernard discovers this long-lost lover on his voyage to the reservations. Without this particular anecdote, the reader would be completely lost as to why the woman Bernard finds is important or special. I'm sure Huxley could have explained it, but an explanation as part of the narrative of the story is never quite as good as one straight from the character affected. These upcoming scenes have the potential to be a soap-opera drama.
Anthropomorphism - Words so real, they're practically crawling off the page!
"Northwards, beyond and above the trees, the Internal and External Secretions factory glared with a fierce electric brilliance from every window of its twenty stories." (Page 73)
Just reading this sentence gives me the chills. Huxley makes the factory seem like a bull ready to charge the matador with its glaring eyes. I just have this image in my head of the scene from Cars when Mater and Lightning McQueen go tractor-tipping and meet Frank, the evil bull-like machine. The image I get is at 2:25 of the following clip.
What a great movie. But I digress. This quote appears during Lenina's date with Henry Foster for an afternoon of Obstacle Golf. Huxley particularly enjoys personifying things in his book because it aids his imagery - the most obvious of his artistic traits as an author, and I thank him for it. Anthropomorphism is never undesirable when reading a story. It can only help.
I don't quite understand the idea of Lenina and Henry's game, but I know the general idea behind it. It seems to be an almost universally enjoyed sport by the characters because of what they get to do afterwards. When, later in the book, Bernard mentions that Obstacle Golf is not his activity of choice, Lenina is taken aback simply because it is almost second nature for the people in her world to enjoy the game. It was unsurprising for me though because Bernard strikes me as a character who enjoys his solitude and deep conversations in a private setting. He sure is a dynamic character.
Just reading this sentence gives me the chills. Huxley makes the factory seem like a bull ready to charge the matador with its glaring eyes. I just have this image in my head of the scene from Cars when Mater and Lightning McQueen go tractor-tipping and meet Frank, the evil bull-like machine. The image I get is at 2:25 of the following clip.
What a great movie. But I digress. This quote appears during Lenina's date with Henry Foster for an afternoon of Obstacle Golf. Huxley particularly enjoys personifying things in his book because it aids his imagery - the most obvious of his artistic traits as an author, and I thank him for it. Anthropomorphism is never undesirable when reading a story. It can only help.
I don't quite understand the idea of Lenina and Henry's game, but I know the general idea behind it. It seems to be an almost universally enjoyed sport by the characters because of what they get to do afterwards. When, later in the book, Bernard mentions that Obstacle Golf is not his activity of choice, Lenina is taken aback simply because it is almost second nature for the people in her world to enjoy the game. It was unsurprising for me though because Bernard strikes me as a character who enjoys his solitude and deep conversations in a private setting. He sure is a dynamic character.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Time for Recess, Kids! - Mood
"Helmholtz Watson listened with a certain sense of discomfort....He wished Bernard would show a little more pride." (Page 71)
The mood in this scene is bogged down by the lives these men live. Neither is happy, and the mood resembles that of stressed students who take a brief ten-minute break or power nap. Helmholtz Watson is a new character, and he is like Bernard in that he is slightly different than those of his caste. However, whereas Bernard suffers from that difference, Helmholtz is treated like a special specimen. Helmholtz doesn't feel elated by this special treatment, though. He simply feels like he can never reach his full potential. Bernard experiences the same feelings, but in a different way; he feels his true potential is never quite up to par. He is ecstatic that Lenina agreed to have him in New Mexico, but he can barely react well to his good luck. He feels disconnected from her because she is normal for her caste; she acts as she should in social situations. All of these details are minimal when separate, but when added together, they make for a rather depressing mood. Needless to say, this chapter was not a joy to read.
The mood in this scene is bogged down by the lives these men live. Neither is happy, and the mood resembles that of stressed students who take a brief ten-minute break or power nap. Helmholtz Watson is a new character, and he is like Bernard in that he is slightly different than those of his caste. However, whereas Bernard suffers from that difference, Helmholtz is treated like a special specimen. Helmholtz doesn't feel elated by this special treatment, though. He simply feels like he can never reach his full potential. Bernard experiences the same feelings, but in a different way; he feels his true potential is never quite up to par. He is ecstatic that Lenina agreed to have him in New Mexico, but he can barely react well to his good luck. He feels disconnected from her because she is normal for her caste; she acts as she should in social situations. All of these details are minimal when separate, but when added together, they make for a rather depressing mood. Needless to say, this chapter was not a joy to read.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Welcome to the circus, ladies and gentlemen! Feast your eyes!
" 'I've had it nearly three months.'
'Chosen as the opening date of the new era.'
'Ending is better than mending; ending is better...'
'There was a thing, as I've said before, called Christianity.' " (Page 52)
I am exhausted! This chapter drained me. For the entire last half of the chapter my brain was playing the classic circus theme song that musically presents chaos. Here's an example for you:
Take this classic song and speed it up until it is so fast you feel like your head is spinning. That is the background music my dear brain played for me while reading this chapter. I could practically see the three-ring circus. How appropriate too, in a stretch of dialogue that includes three separate scenes: the conversation between Lenina Crowne and Fanny Crowne, Mustapha Mond's monologue, and the dialogue between Henry Foster, the assistant Predestinator, and Bernard Marx. Like a three-ring circus, the events in each ring of the story correlated with one another. Mond spoke of the importance he saw in a civilization that values an extremely social community in which "every one belongs to every one else." Lenina and Fanny simultaneously spoke of the dangers in Lenina's presently monogamous relationship with Henry Foster, and the three men spoke of Lenina in a way that does not promote monogamy in any way. And when the adages that all children learn in their sleep started mixing themselves into the dialogue, the simple sayings corresponded to what the women were discussing, namely buying new clothing often. The conversations wove themselves around each other in a way that was barely possible to follow, but I persisted.
In this chapter, I was also presented with various relationships. Lenina and Henry are currently friends with benefits (for lack of an easier explanation), Bernard Marx has some sort of feelings Lenina who, until recently, completely disregarded him. Fanny and Lenina are friends ( just remember they are friends in Huxley's new world, not ours), and Lenina is comfortable with Henry to a point of danger. Bernard Marx hates the two men he is forced to listen to in the equivalent of a men's locker room. Finally, the story has reached a point I can take a serious interest in.
'Chosen as the opening date of the new era.'
'Ending is better than mending; ending is better...'
'There was a thing, as I've said before, called Christianity.' " (Page 52)
I am exhausted! This chapter drained me. For the entire last half of the chapter my brain was playing the classic circus theme song that musically presents chaos. Here's an example for you:
Take this classic song and speed it up until it is so fast you feel like your head is spinning. That is the background music my dear brain played for me while reading this chapter. I could practically see the three-ring circus. How appropriate too, in a stretch of dialogue that includes three separate scenes: the conversation between Lenina Crowne and Fanny Crowne, Mustapha Mond's monologue, and the dialogue between Henry Foster, the assistant Predestinator, and Bernard Marx. Like a three-ring circus, the events in each ring of the story correlated with one another. Mond spoke of the importance he saw in a civilization that values an extremely social community in which "every one belongs to every one else." Lenina and Fanny simultaneously spoke of the dangers in Lenina's presently monogamous relationship with Henry Foster, and the three men spoke of Lenina in a way that does not promote monogamy in any way. And when the adages that all children learn in their sleep started mixing themselves into the dialogue, the simple sayings corresponded to what the women were discussing, namely buying new clothing often. The conversations wove themselves around each other in a way that was barely possible to follow, but I persisted.
In this chapter, I was also presented with various relationships. Lenina and Henry are currently friends with benefits (for lack of an easier explanation), Bernard Marx has some sort of feelings Lenina who, until recently, completely disregarded him. Fanny and Lenina are friends ( just remember they are friends in Huxley's new world, not ours), and Lenina is comfortable with Henry to a point of danger. Bernard Marx hates the two men he is forced to listen to in the equivalent of a men's locker room. Finally, the story has reached a point I can take a serious interest in.
Simile and ANOTHER animal reference. Picking out the animal references in this book is like taking candy from a baby.
"Maniacally, the mother brooded over her children (her children)...brooded over them like a cat over its kittens, but a cat that could talk, a cat that could say, "My baby, my baby," over and over again." (Pages 37-38)
Mustapha Mond is enlightening his avid listeners on the tour about the old days when children came into the world the traditional way: to parents. They are simply dumbfounded to hear about the "maniacal" mothers who protected their children out of love. These mothers are described as practically rabid. Huxley has once again proven his abilities to weave words into something easily imaginable. However, this is on image that I do not welcome into my brain. To me, a mother is loving, sweet, and supportive, not freakishly protective, brooding, and animalistic. I would be disgusted by the mothers that Mond is describing to these boys too if I was in their position.
This simile serves its purpose, but its an unwelcome one. My current diagnosis of Mond is that he is as weird and foreign to me as the rest of this story. I sincerely hope this is completely wrong, and I could possibly like this character at some point.
This simile serves its purpose, but its an unwelcome one. My current diagnosis of Mond is that he is as weird and foreign to me as the rest of this story. I sincerely hope this is completely wrong, and I could possibly like this character at some point.
Characterization of the Direct and Indirect Sort
"...a man of middle height, black-haired, with a hooked nose, full red lips, eyes very piercing and dark."
"...but at the sight of the stranger, he sprang to his feet and darted forward, his hand outstretched, smiling with all his teeth, effusive." (both page 33)
Huxley begins by characterizing the new character directly. He tells the reader what this new man looks like and how his eyes hit the receiver of their gaze. However, he continues on to indirectly characterize this man. I can infer from the way The D.H.C. reacts to him that this man is his superior, possibly many people's superior. The Director pulls himself out if his momentary relaxation and immediately approaches the new man. Moments after, the reader is informed that this man is, in fact, the Controller ("his fordship") Mustapha Mond. He is a top dog in the social pyramid that is this society. To add to the aura of this man, Huxley decided to make his name an alliteration. He's basically a powerhouse of a character, but I'll wait to see if I like him or not.
"...but at the sight of the stranger, he sprang to his feet and darted forward, his hand outstretched, smiling with all his teeth, effusive." (both page 33)
Huxley begins by characterizing the new character directly. He tells the reader what this new man looks like and how his eyes hit the receiver of their gaze. However, he continues on to indirectly characterize this man. I can infer from the way The D.H.C. reacts to him that this man is his superior, possibly many people's superior. The Director pulls himself out if his momentary relaxation and immediately approaches the new man. Moments after, the reader is informed that this man is, in fact, the Controller ("his fordship") Mustapha Mond. He is a top dog in the social pyramid that is this society. To add to the aura of this man, Huxley decided to make his name an alliteration. He's basically a powerhouse of a character, but I'll wait to see if I like him or not.
It Seems the Times Have Changed.(Sarcasm alert) Poor us!
"Poor little kids not allowed to muse themselves? They could not believe it." (Page 32)
And so the disgusting sexual activity between the 7- and 8-year-olds continues. Not only that, but I learned that I am pitied by these fictional characters because I was not allowed to explore my sexuality at a young age. Poor little Juliana. I had to read my way through the Berenstein Bears books until I graduated to the Magic Tree House series when I was allowed to travel with siblings Jack and Annie through history and some magic books. For me, that was literary bliss. I didn't realize my A.F. 632 counterparts were so much further embedded in the adult world than myself. But oh well. I think I grew up well. Thankfully, I was never a victim of a pedophile or involved in a case of child pornography. In this day and age, children exposed to anything sexual are pitied, but in Huxley's "brave new world" the children not allowed to experience anything sexual are pitied. The boys on the tour are aghast at the thought of someone having to wait until their twenty's for any sexual activity. They learn that this was the case before the time of their "Old Ford."
There is one thing I can say with complete honesty that I learned from this chapter: I am extremely grateful to be growing up in the time that I am.
And so the disgusting sexual activity between the 7- and 8-year-olds continues. Not only that, but I learned that I am pitied by these fictional characters because I was not allowed to explore my sexuality at a young age. Poor little Juliana. I had to read my way through the Berenstein Bears books until I graduated to the Magic Tree House series when I was allowed to travel with siblings Jack and Annie through history and some magic books. For me, that was literary bliss. I didn't realize my A.F. 632 counterparts were so much further embedded in the adult world than myself. But oh well. I think I grew up well. Thankfully, I was never a victim of a pedophile or involved in a case of child pornography. In this day and age, children exposed to anything sexual are pitied, but in Huxley's "brave new world" the children not allowed to experience anything sexual are pitied. The boys on the tour are aghast at the thought of someone having to wait until their twenty's for any sexual activity. They learn that this was the case before the time of their "Old Ford."
There is one thing I can say with complete honesty that I learned from this chapter: I am extremely grateful to be growing up in the time that I am.
Onomatopoeia - It's just so fun to say!
"The air was drowsy with the murmur of bees and helicopters." (Page 30)
Chapter 3 opens with the tour continuing. BAM! Next stop on the list: reviewing the sexual games the children play at around ages 7 or 8 in the garden. This is disturbing to read about on so many levels. I understand that I have to be mature and open-minded when reading something as controversial as this, but I am simply disgusted. As I've blogged previously, Huxley can paint a scene (OOH! AWW!) in a way that seems almost effortless, and he utilizes every literary device available to him. In that repertoire of literary genius is onomatopoeia which, ironically, is just as fun to say as the words it describes. FIZZLE! In this particular excerpt, the word "murmur" is the focus, but the intriguing bit of the sentence is the use of the word "drowsy." It's not often a word associated with the air on a nice day, but I fully understand what it entails. This air is almost plagued by the noises breaking the silence that must have inhabited it at one point in history. BUZZ!
Chapter 3 opens with the tour continuing. BAM! Next stop on the list: reviewing the sexual games the children play at around ages 7 or 8 in the garden. This is disturbing to read about on so many levels. I understand that I have to be mature and open-minded when reading something as controversial as this, but I am simply disgusted. As I've blogged previously, Huxley can paint a scene (OOH! AWW!) in a way that seems almost effortless, and he utilizes every literary device available to him. In that repertoire of literary genius is onomatopoeia which, ironically, is just as fun to say as the words it describes. FIZZLE! In this particular excerpt, the word "murmur" is the focus, but the intriguing bit of the sentence is the use of the word "drowsy." It's not often a word associated with the air on a nice day, but I fully understand what it entails. This air is almost plagued by the noises breaking the silence that must have inhabited it at one point in history. BUZZ!
Assonance - It's so exciting!!
"The mind that judges and desires and decides - made up of these suggestions." (Page 29)
I must be completely honest: I didn't think I would get to use the literary term assonance in these blogs simply because I rarely notice it in use. But alas, I have discovered it! And I am ecstatic!!
"...desires and decides..." are the words in question here, and they are kind of fun to read. It spices up the sentence! The Director is telling the visiting students about the uses of hypnopaedia, and he is saying that the children's minds absorb the information fed to them in their sleep and that information helps to shape their minds. Personally, I wouldn't mind being able to learn in my sleep. This idea is the only one so far in this story that doesn't disgust me. To this point, I have wanted to cast the book aside dramatically to display how uncomfortable I am in reading about this disgraceful civilization. It sounds positively barbaric to be raised by electric floors and horrific loud noises after being "decanted" - not born - in a factory of children. Yuck.
I must be completely honest: I didn't think I would get to use the literary term assonance in these blogs simply because I rarely notice it in use. But alas, I have discovered it! And I am ecstatic!!
"...desires and decides..." are the words in question here, and they are kind of fun to read. It spices up the sentence! The Director is telling the visiting students about the uses of hypnopaedia, and he is saying that the children's minds absorb the information fed to them in their sleep and that information helps to shape their minds. Personally, I wouldn't mind being able to learn in my sleep. This idea is the only one so far in this story that doesn't disgust me. To this point, I have wanted to cast the book aside dramatically to display how uncomfortable I am in reading about this disgraceful civilization. It sounds positively barbaric to be raised by electric floors and horrific loud noises after being "decanted" - not born - in a factory of children. Yuck.
Straight From the Horse's Mouth
"Straight from the horse's mouth." (Page 4)
"Straight from the horse's mouth." (Page 28)
This repetition of the same phrase in the first 3 chapters caught my attention. Not only was it the same exact wording, but it was also in regards to the same character: the Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning or the D.C.H. This man is obviously passionate about his work, and he is quite a character. He seems to be a bit annoying though, to be frank. He is also the director of this disgusting program that raises children like animals, so I don't like him on principle.
This phrase used twice thus far simply grinds in the realization that this book seems to reference animals as much as it reminds me of animals. I keep having images of factories that mass produce animals for slaughter, and that unnerves me. I would prefer not to think of those things while reading, but it appears to be inevitable for me while reading this book, so I must carry on.
"Straight from the horse's mouth." (Page 28)
This repetition of the same phrase in the first 3 chapters caught my attention. Not only was it the same exact wording, but it was also in regards to the same character: the Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning or the D.C.H. This man is obviously passionate about his work, and he is quite a character. He seems to be a bit annoying though, to be frank. He is also the director of this disgusting program that raises children like animals, so I don't like him on principle.
This phrase used twice thus far simply grinds in the realization that this book seems to reference animals as much as it reminds me of animals. I keep having images of factories that mass produce animals for slaughter, and that unnerves me. I would prefer not to think of those things while reading, but it appears to be inevitable for me while reading this book, so I must carry on.
Brave New World - I Must Admit I'm Spooked
"The light was frozen, dead, a ghost." (Page 3)
Almost instantly I realized the apparent similarities between Brave New World and Never Let Me Go: they both tell tales of cloning and tweaking humans. However, I'm afraid the congruence of the books will most likely stop there. For starters, Brave New World appears to be about the process of forming the so-called humans whereas Never Let Me Go never truly explained the nature in which the students were made simply because that wasn't the focus of the story.
Take this quote, for instance. It alone illustrates a difference between the two authors. Huxley possesses a talent for decorative wording. He will paint this book rather than write it. Ishiguro is a quite fluid author, but he was not as generous with the adjectives in Never Let Me Go as Huxley is. Which is all well and good. I'm ecstatic that I won't be reading the exact same writing style in this second book. That would be rather boring.
I have now neglected to explain this metaphor in two paragraphs, so I must plunge forward. Basically, the warehouse these "humans" (I dare call them that) are being grown in has bad lighting. But Huxley took the opportunity to paste an image of death in the reader's head. Not only to describe the light, but to emphasize the fact that this setting is not one to celebrate life in a traditional way. I daresay this story is going to push the limits, especially for a reader who lives by morals that are not reflected in this book so far.
Almost instantly I realized the apparent similarities between Brave New World and Never Let Me Go: they both tell tales of cloning and tweaking humans. However, I'm afraid the congruence of the books will most likely stop there. For starters, Brave New World appears to be about the process of forming the so-called humans whereas Never Let Me Go never truly explained the nature in which the students were made simply because that wasn't the focus of the story.
Take this quote, for instance. It alone illustrates a difference between the two authors. Huxley possesses a talent for decorative wording. He will paint this book rather than write it. Ishiguro is a quite fluid author, but he was not as generous with the adjectives in Never Let Me Go as Huxley is. Which is all well and good. I'm ecstatic that I won't be reading the exact same writing style in this second book. That would be rather boring.
I have now neglected to explain this metaphor in two paragraphs, so I must plunge forward. Basically, the warehouse these "humans" (I dare call them that) are being grown in has bad lighting. But Huxley took the opportunity to paste an image of death in the reader's head. Not only to describe the light, but to emphasize the fact that this setting is not one to celebrate life in a traditional way. I daresay this story is going to push the limits, especially for a reader who lives by morals that are not reflected in this book so far.
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