Throughout the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, we are introduced to several characters who face adversity through motifs like structured society and alienation. One character that embodies these experiences throughout the novel in both a good and bad way is John the Savage. John faces this theme of alienation several different times throughout the novel, first when he is taken from his homeland into the city and then exiled from the city to a barren home in a lighthouse. Through his experience in the city, John is relieved to be away from the torment and hardships that he faced in his homeland, and he is able to focus on his love of Shakespeare. On the contrary, John is used to being alone and the prevalent attitude of being social
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Because John was an illegitimate child of two outsiders, he was harshly treated by the native people and even his own mother. His mother Linda says “If it hadn’t been for you, I might have gone to the inspector, I might have got away. But not with a baby. That would have been too shameful.”(Pg.127). Bernard Marx also states “ The bruises hurt him, the cuts were still bleeding; but it was not for the pain that he sobbed; it was because he was all alone, because he had been driven out, alone, into this skeleton world of rocks and moonlight.”(Pg. 136). This blatant abuse and mistreatment towards John is the reason why he feels distatched from his own society, even though it should be a place where he is comfortable and is treated equally from everyone. It’s not the abuse from everyone that bothers John, it’s the realization that he doesn’t fit in with everyone and his sense of morality and belonging is dampened because of this. This attitude of alienation can also be traced to John’s life living in the city. Bernard Marx says “ The Savage refuses to take the soma, and seems much distressed because the woman Linda, his m------, remains permanently on holiday. It is worthy of note that, in spite of his m-------’s senility and the extreme repulsiveness of her appearance, the Savage frequently goes to see her and appears to be much attracted to her.” …show more content…
Because John has rejected the lifestyle of the city people, he seeks his enjoyment in reading, in particular Shakespeare. Because of his truly isolated state and lifestyle, Shakespeare’s imaginative world gives John a sense of belonging and hope. For example, it says “ The Savage was reading Romeo and Juliet aloud- reading (for all the time he was seeing himself as Romeo and Lenina as Juliet) with an intense and quivering passion.” (Pg. 184). Even though John acts quite strangely at times around Lenina, this false sense of reality in Shakespeare gives him the impression that it is all real. When John is sent away to life in a lifehouse outside of the city, it is here where he finds solitude and sense of belonging. It says “ After those weeks of idleness in London, with nothing to do, whenever he wanted anything, but to press a switch or handle, it was pure delight to be doing something that demanded skill and patience.” (Pg. 247). Being alone gives John the opportunity to express himself as he wants, and not being held to a standard that he is foreign to like he was in the city. Because John was brought up in a very harsh environment around people who looked down on him, he believes he is lesser of a person because of it and often punishes himself. The book says “ When morning came, he felt he had
Because John was an illegitimate child of two outsiders, he was harshly treated by the native people and even his own mother. His mother Linda says “If it hadn’t been for you, I might have gone to the inspector, I might have got away. But not with a baby. That would have been too shameful.”(Pg.127). Bernard Marx also states “ The bruises hurt him, the cuts were still bleeding; but it was not for the pain that he sobbed; it was because he was all alone, because he had been driven out, alone, into this skeleton world of rocks and moonlight.”(Pg. 136). This blatant abuse and mistreatment towards John is the reason why he feels distatched from his own society, even though it should be a place where he is comfortable and is treated equally from everyone. It’s not the abuse from everyone that bothers John, it’s the realization that he doesn’t fit in with everyone and his sense of morality and belonging is dampened because of this. This attitude of alienation can also be traced to John’s life living in the city. Bernard Marx says “ The Savage refuses to take the soma, and seems much distressed because the woman Linda, his m------, remains permanently on holiday. It is worthy of note that, in spite of his m-------’s senility and the extreme repulsiveness of her appearance, the Savage frequently goes to see her and appears to be much attracted to her.” …show more content…
Because John has rejected the lifestyle of the city people, he seeks his enjoyment in reading, in particular Shakespeare. Because of his truly isolated state and lifestyle, Shakespeare’s imaginative world gives John a sense of belonging and hope. For example, it says “ The Savage was reading Romeo and Juliet aloud- reading (for all the time he was seeing himself as Romeo and Lenina as Juliet) with an intense and quivering passion.” (Pg. 184). Even though John acts quite strangely at times around Lenina, this false sense of reality in Shakespeare gives him the impression that it is all real. When John is sent away to life in a lifehouse outside of the city, it is here where he finds solitude and sense of belonging. It says “ After those weeks of idleness in London, with nothing to do, whenever he wanted anything, but to press a switch or handle, it was pure delight to be doing something that demanded skill and patience.” (Pg. 247). Being alone gives John the opportunity to express himself as he wants, and not being held to a standard that he is foreign to like he was in the city. Because John was brought up in a very harsh environment around people who looked down on him, he believes he is lesser of a person because of it and often punishes himself. The book says “ When morning came, he felt he had