Carson Honeycutt
1B
Edward Said states that exile is both “terrible to experience” and “enriching.” Though these assertions may seem very contradictory, Said is correct in that the two work hand in hand. In the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, unusual events and environments are far from rare. These experiences highlight the heart wrenching effects of being torn from the familiarity of a homeland that protagonist, John the Savage, ultimately comes to terms with. Through his exile, John is faced with the struggles in conforming to this “brave new world” while fulfilling his dream and increasing exposure to different cultures throughout his lifetime. In this depiction of what is supposedly a “perfect utopian society” taking place …show more content…
From the moment John is asked to travel back to Europe with the reservation visitors, he expresses his joy in the statement, “To think it should be coming true- what I’ve dreamt of all my life.” (page 138). John’s hopes of seeing this world his mother praises constantly are finally becoming a reality. John can be easily compared to a morality sponge, soaking up culture and knowledge wherever he goes. This can be seen when he states, "Lying in bed, he would think of Heaven and London...and the great Director of World Hatcheries and Awonawilona." (page 128). This shows how each culture he has been exposed to plays a part in what characterizes John, including Christianity, Native American religion, and the “civilized” world. In addition, literacy, which only exists in the controlled world, becomes a major part of John’s life and desire for extensive, enriching, knowledge. This can be seen throughout the book with subtle references to Shakespeare, particularly The Tempest, in which the line “Oh brave new world that has such people in it” is delivered. This parallels John’s words before his entrance to a new world (page …show more content…
Huxley’s numerous parallels between the novel’s protagonist and those from Shakespearean literature, and biblical John the Baptist carry out similar purposes. John shows the underlying theme of the incompatibility of happiness and the truth, as shown by Miranda in The Tempest. The Savage can see through the seemingly joyful mask the people of the controlled world display, and knows that without soma that makes this mask alive, the entire population would collapse of distress. The drug is what keeps the people far from the truth of the immoral society that controls them. John also shows that one can have high hopes for the goodness of something, but once it is attained it does not necessarily live up to expectation. An example of this is when he makes the transition with Linda into the controlled world, he hopes that he and his mother will finally connect but in actuality, she drifts farther away from John due to her addiction to soma; “The return to civilization was for her the return to soma” (page 154).
John’s eventual seclusion on an island in a lighthouse shows that while John belonged everywhere, he belonged nowhere. This paradox is a perfect example of the contrasting points on exile written by Said. Because John was not willing nor accepted to completely assimilating into a society, lines between beliefs and reality become blurry, which leads to his
1B
Edward Said states that exile is both “terrible to experience” and “enriching.” Though these assertions may seem very contradictory, Said is correct in that the two work hand in hand. In the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, unusual events and environments are far from rare. These experiences highlight the heart wrenching effects of being torn from the familiarity of a homeland that protagonist, John the Savage, ultimately comes to terms with. Through his exile, John is faced with the struggles in conforming to this “brave new world” while fulfilling his dream and increasing exposure to different cultures throughout his lifetime. In this depiction of what is supposedly a “perfect utopian society” taking place …show more content…
From the moment John is asked to travel back to Europe with the reservation visitors, he expresses his joy in the statement, “To think it should be coming true- what I’ve dreamt of all my life.” (page 138). John’s hopes of seeing this world his mother praises constantly are finally becoming a reality. John can be easily compared to a morality sponge, soaking up culture and knowledge wherever he goes. This can be seen when he states, "Lying in bed, he would think of Heaven and London...and the great Director of World Hatcheries and Awonawilona." (page 128). This shows how each culture he has been exposed to plays a part in what characterizes John, including Christianity, Native American religion, and the “civilized” world. In addition, literacy, which only exists in the controlled world, becomes a major part of John’s life and desire for extensive, enriching, knowledge. This can be seen throughout the book with subtle references to Shakespeare, particularly The Tempest, in which the line “Oh brave new world that has such people in it” is delivered. This parallels John’s words before his entrance to a new world (page …show more content…
Huxley’s numerous parallels between the novel’s protagonist and those from Shakespearean literature, and biblical John the Baptist carry out similar purposes. John shows the underlying theme of the incompatibility of happiness and the truth, as shown by Miranda in The Tempest. The Savage can see through the seemingly joyful mask the people of the controlled world display, and knows that without soma that makes this mask alive, the entire population would collapse of distress. The drug is what keeps the people far from the truth of the immoral society that controls them. John also shows that one can have high hopes for the goodness of something, but once it is attained it does not necessarily live up to expectation. An example of this is when he makes the transition with Linda into the controlled world, he hopes that he and his mother will finally connect but in actuality, she drifts farther away from John due to her addiction to soma; “The return to civilization was for her the return to soma” (page 154).
John’s eventual seclusion on an island in a lighthouse shows that while John belonged everywhere, he belonged nowhere. This paradox is a perfect example of the contrasting points on exile written by Said. Because John was not willing nor accepted to completely assimilating into a society, lines between beliefs and reality become blurry, which leads to his