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Student 3 Mrs. Verenkoff English 2H, Period 5 6 September 2010
Give to Gain:A Reflection on Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Quotation: The motto of the World State, the utopia government which administers the world, lists its prime goals: “Community, Identity, Stability” (1).
Analysis: Aldous Huxley reflects on the sacrifice of community and identity to achieve stability in Brave New World. In this world, the function of people in a community has already been predetermined. A fertilized human egg splits into multiple genetic copies through the Bokanovsky process. Embryos receive treatment according to caste; the higher castes receive little handicap, while the lower castes are dosed with alcohol and heated for long periods of time. From their birth, children are taught through hypnopaedia, or sleep-learning, to be content with their way of life. They are told phrases such as, “Civilization is sterilization” (110) and “A gramme is better than a damn” (89) to protect them from any physical or emotional harm. The children also experience conditioning in which they are taught to enjoy their purpose in society. For example, babies from the Delta, or lower, caste are taught to dislike nature and books through electric shocks and sirens. The community is given up since everyone is divided into separate classes. Identity is lost because each person has a direct role in society instead of getting to choose his or her own future. However, with these losses comes the assurance of stability, because the people are content with their function in society as a result of conditioning. Aspects of Brave New World can be seen in the real world. In communist states today, authoritarian governments have ownership of all means of production and the economy. The people in these states must also give up both their community and their identity in order for the state to be stable. They can no longer own properties and businesses and cannot speak against the government, by punishment of force. This is evident in both China and North Korea, where the dictators give death sentences to those who disobey. The government makes all the decisions that can determine the fate of the people in their society. But by giving these rights up, they achieve an established state. Similar to Brave New World, children from communist countries are taught since youth to be obedient and loyal to their government. Granted, these ideals are hard to maintain in a society; people in both communist countries and Brave New World often rebel against the government, but they are dealt with in the end. Huxley believes that stability is not worth the cost, but also recognizes that stability in a society can only be achieved by giving up qualities of community and individualism that we cherish today. |
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