Transcript Brave New World

BRAVE NEW WORLD
By Aldous Huxley
Introduction Lecture
What does the “perfect” or “ideal”
society look like? How does it
function?
“O WONDER!
HOW MANY GOODLY CREATURES ARE
THERE HERE!
HOW BEAUTEOUS MANKIND IS! O, BRAVE
NEW WORLD
THAT HAS SUCH PEOPLE IN’T!”
-MIRANDA,
THE TEMPEST
GENRE: DYSTOPIA
Utopia:
an ideal society possessing a
perfect social and political
system
Dystopia:
a society where the condition of
life is extremely bad, as from
deprivation, oppression, or
terror
Often futuristic
 Often under the guise of being
a utopia
 Often totalitarian

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POPULAR DYSTOPIAS
Earliest Literary Dystopia:
Plato’s Republic
 Government had a deep
suspicion of literature
 Viewed educated men as
potentially subversive
Genre became extremely
popular in the 20th
century…
2
POPULAR DYSTOPIAS
20th century popularity
Attempts to put utopian
ideals into place resulted in
real-life dystopias:





Soviet Communism
German Nazism
Western Consumerism
Modernism
Technological mass
production
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SOVIET COMMUNISM

Political system of social
engineering working for a
classless society of equals

Individual liberties were
taken away from citizens
because the government
thought people could not be
trusted to make decisions
for themselves

Atheist worldview:
Religious worship was
suppressed
3
GERMAN NAZISM

Movement led by Adolph Hitler
to lead Germany out of its postWWI depression

A pure race (Aryans) were
thought to be superior

“Final solution” included
eliminating whole races of
people (e.g., Jews) and religion

The Aryan military class
executed Jews, disabled people,
the elderly, Catholic priests, an
all dissenters

Doctors carried out experiments
on non-Aryan patients (including
pregnant women), treating them 3
as sub-species animals
WESTERN CONSUMERISM

A social and economic order
that is based on the
systematic creation and
fostering of a desire to
purchase goods and services
in ever greater amounts.

People purchasing goods
and consuming materials in
excess of their basic needs

Characterized by
propaganda and advertising
everywhere

“Who owns you?”
3
MODERNISM


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A group of movements in the
20th century that sought to
break with the past
To eliminate traditions
To live without dependence
on the family, the Church,
and the community
Only novel and innovative
ideas were considered
worthy
Technological advancement
was worshiped without
questioning the possible ill
3
consequences
MASS PRODUCTION

Product of the Industrial
Revolution

Production of large
amounts of standardized
products, including and
especially on assembly
lines

Contributed to
consumerism

Henry Ford’s Model T was
the first Mass produced
car.
3
THE DYSTOPIAN WRITERS




Reacted against one or
more of the many 20th
century movements to alter
human society
Believed “the more man
controls nature, the less he
controls himself”
Warned against the “evil
ends” that our technological
advances would be used.
Created futuristic worlds
that showed the potential
dangers of the new 20th
century movements.
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SOME FAMOUS/IMPORTANT
DYSTOPIAN NOVELS
BRAVE NEW WORLD



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Portrays a society that has
been socially engineered for
a mindless happiness.
No need for a totalitarian
state because everyone is
so “amused” and
entertained by sex and
drugs.
Technology drives the
culture and takes away
one’s humanity
A critique of consumerism,
3
technology worship, mass
media hypnotism
BRAVE NEW WORLD

Human beings are treated
like different model cars
trundling off the Ford
assembly line.

Babies are bred in bottles
for designated roles in
society comparable

The family is seen as
unnecessary and
revolting.
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2540 AD; referred to
in the novel as 632 years AF
(“After Ford”), meaning 632
years after production of the
first Model T car
 Narration: Third-person
omniscient
 Point-of-View: Narrated in the
third person from the point of
view of Bernard or John, but
also from the point of view of
Lenina, Helmholtz Watson, and
Mustapha Mond
 Setting:
ALDOUS HUXLEY WAS BORN IN
ENGLAND IN 1894, GRANDSON OF THE
PROMINENT BIOLOGIST T.H. HUXLEY
AND BROTHER OF JULIAN HUXLEY, ALSO
A BIOLOGIST. HUXLEY FIRST STUDIED AT
ETON COLLEGE BUT LATER WENT TO
BALLIOL COLLEGE IN OXFORD. AT 16,
HE SUFFERED MONTHS OF BLINDNESS
BUT ONE EYE RECOVERED AND WITH
SPECIAL GLASSES HE COMPLETED HIS
STUDIES.
HE MAJORED IN ENGLISH
WHEN HE WAS UNABLE TO PURSUE HIS
CHOSEN CAREER AS A SCIENTIST.
“Universal happiness keeps the wheels steadily
turning; truth and beauty can’t.”
- Aldous Huxley
“Manmade utopia is an oxymoron.”
-
Mike Duran
ALDOUS HUXLEY INTERVIEW 1958

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TQZ-2iMUR0
As you watch and listen to this interview, answer the
questions on the handout provided and be prepared
for a discussion to follow.