Aldous Huxley’s novel, Brave New World, conveys a futuristic view of a utopian society in which all aspects of life seem to resemble perfection and meticulous organization. Having been written during a time of social unrest and new ideologies, the novel addresses changes during the time frame as well as the impacts of the time period on individuals of society. Many ideas and personal experiences of Aldous Huxley are conveyed to the audience through Brave New World, including his family background, religious views, and imaginations for an ideal society. Huxley reveals aspects of his own life and personal beliefs; in addition to this, Huxley personalizes a few characters in his classic to convey fragments of himself as an individual. A duration
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In the novel, soma, a powerful drug, is promoted unconditionally by both society members and the government. Both New World members and government believe that soma is the panacea, the cure-all, for all negative aspects of life, allowing the user to forget all problems and experience pure bliss. Soma is so powerful that rioting, enraged individuals will be “kissing and hugging one another… in a comprehensive embrace” within intoxication or consumption (Huxley 215). “Soma holidays” are vacations in which an individual is placed under a more intense influence of soma, and relieves oneself for a prolonged period of time—today’s equivalence of a summer trip to the Bahamas. Huxley’s frequent use of drugs was for a similar effect; Huxley looked for “drugs that would release [the] mind [and make one] forget [his or her] problems [and] escape from the present [with] no negative effect” (Bradshaw). Personally, Huxley found these through uses of drugs such as mescaline and LSD. Searching for the “perfect drug”, Huxley created the fictional soma to suffice for his failure to find a truly perfect drug. Huxley’s obsession with drugs and dedication towards discovering the “perfect drug” is exemplified in his promotion of soma in Brave New World, his only outlet for creating his perfect and faultless
In the novel, soma, a powerful drug, is promoted unconditionally by both society members and the government. Both New World members and government believe that soma is the panacea, the cure-all, for all negative aspects of life, allowing the user to forget all problems and experience pure bliss. Soma is so powerful that rioting, enraged individuals will be “kissing and hugging one another… in a comprehensive embrace” within intoxication or consumption (Huxley 215). “Soma holidays” are vacations in which an individual is placed under a more intense influence of soma, and relieves oneself for a prolonged period of time—today’s equivalence of a summer trip to the Bahamas. Huxley’s frequent use of drugs was for a similar effect; Huxley looked for “drugs that would release [the] mind [and make one] forget [his or her] problems [and] escape from the present [with] no negative effect” (Bradshaw). Personally, Huxley found these through uses of drugs such as mescaline and LSD. Searching for the “perfect drug”, Huxley created the fictional soma to suffice for his failure to find a truly perfect drug. Huxley’s obsession with drugs and dedication towards discovering the “perfect drug” is exemplified in his promotion of soma in Brave New World, his only outlet for creating his perfect and faultless