Monday, April 2, 2012

Journal #1- Brave New World

In regards to motifs, one of the prominent topics brought up has to do with isolationism. Bernard Marx exemplifies this trait more than any other character in the novel. Whereas most characters want to join in with the crowds and socialize, Bernard is more content being alone and thinking, something that is clearly evident and controversial when he pauses his helicopter to watch the moon and waves while with Lenina. Her surprise and breakdown in response to the situation clearly indicate the strong values of the society they live in, one where people are free to express themselves within a certain set of limitations. Also, the fact that at the beginning of the novel we can see that the D.H.C. takes pride in the facilities ability to produce "identical" men and women is peculiar given that individuals like Bernard and Hemholtz seem to defy that preconceived mold. I believe that this idea will contribute to a major theme that universal human conformity is simply not feasible.

The setting of the novel takes place in London, in what we can presume is still a futuristic date in time. The city is lively with many factories, facilities and apartments dotting the skyline. The first few chapters revolve around a certain spawning facility where people are artificially made, not born. Inside thousands of eggs are fertilized and specifically modified to fit a certain peg in the caste system that is implemented into the society, alphas being the largest and smartest specimens, while gammas and epsilons bring up the rear, doing undesirable jobs that are all too necessary. This sort of scientific, yet unsettling environment provoke a distrusting view on the society as a whole, as though they are hiding something.

Language is very unique in this novel. The people have embraced Henry Ford, a famous inventor and father of the modern day assembly line as a God-like figure. During conversations, in instances where one might normally  say "God" or "Lord", instead the word "Ford" is substituted, symbolizing the significant impact he has on the society. Also, I noted the denouncement of words like "mother", "father", and "born", suggesting that this society looks down on what is considered normal in our society, that having families and devoting yourself to one person only creates more issues and keeps everyone from "being happy".

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