Huxley’s Brave New World
"A Gramme is Always Better Than a Damn" (Huxley, 2006, p. 90)
Aldous Huxley saw a fully aware and intelligent society the only way to obtain a government which would keep the people’s best interest a priority. In Brave New World it was clear the government had utter control of its people, which the government gained by supplying the population with Soma. Soma was a fictional recreational drug which caused euphoria, relaxation, and “an escape from… reality” (Hickman, 2009, p. 145) all while making its users absolutely dependant of it. Huxley was by no means against the use of recreational drugs, however, he loathed the concept of a drug which could suppress human emotions and intellect, making a population submissive to its government. Bernard Marx, the main character of the first half of Brave New World, continuously struggled internally with his anti-authority sentiments and dependency of Soma. Although Soma allowed people to believe they are happy, in reality it created a pseudo contentedness that suppressed any of the user’s true emotions.
A Rebellious Writer
Aldous …show more content…
4). Brave New World focused on the negativity of the future, particularly people’s “ignorance… loneliness and despair, and their pointless and sordid existence” (Aithal 2010, para.13). Ultimately, Bernard proved to be too weak to resist Soma, which functioned a metaphor for conformism and the overwhelming power an authoritarian state has on the governed while they are drugged and “render[ered]... docile” (Hickman, 2009, p. 145). A civilization incapable of intelligent thought, powerless to absolute control was Huxley’s ultimate fear. Huxley believed a tyrannical society, such as the one in Brave New World, could only be fixed once the public attained “wholeness and integrity” (Aithal 2010, para.
"A Gramme is Always Better Than a Damn" (Huxley, 2006, p. 90)
Aldous Huxley saw a fully aware and intelligent society the only way to obtain a government which would keep the people’s best interest a priority. In Brave New World it was clear the government had utter control of its people, which the government gained by supplying the population with Soma. Soma was a fictional recreational drug which caused euphoria, relaxation, and “an escape from… reality” (Hickman, 2009, p. 145) all while making its users absolutely dependant of it. Huxley was by no means against the use of recreational drugs, however, he loathed the concept of a drug which could suppress human emotions and intellect, making a population submissive to its government. Bernard Marx, the main character of the first half of Brave New World, continuously struggled internally with his anti-authority sentiments and dependency of Soma. Although Soma allowed people to believe they are happy, in reality it created a pseudo contentedness that suppressed any of the user’s true emotions.
A Rebellious Writer
Aldous …show more content…
4). Brave New World focused on the negativity of the future, particularly people’s “ignorance… loneliness and despair, and their pointless and sordid existence” (Aithal 2010, para.13). Ultimately, Bernard proved to be too weak to resist Soma, which functioned a metaphor for conformism and the overwhelming power an authoritarian state has on the governed while they are drugged and “render[ered]... docile” (Hickman, 2009, p. 145). A civilization incapable of intelligent thought, powerless to absolute control was Huxley’s ultimate fear. Huxley believed a tyrannical society, such as the one in Brave New World, could only be fixed once the public attained “wholeness and integrity” (Aithal 2010, para.