Summer Reading Essay Prompt Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses the moral worth and value of the individual. Ralph Waldo Emerson, arguably the most important individual in the Transcendentalist movement, expressed the gravity of the “integrity of your own mind” which seemed to influence the writings of many authors. Emerson’s wrote in Self-Reliance a cohesive statement of individualism, which contained his most meticulous comment of the need for each individual to avoid conformity. Although many novels’ principal goal wasn’t to advocate individualism, we see copious amounts of characters with the underlying theme of individualism. In Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations, Charlotte
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John, the only person in the novel born naturally with a mother, represents a unique human being with an identity unlike any other character. Although John is boron into the hands of two upper-caste Londoners, he is raised in the Savage Reservation. Disconnected, rejected, John is not truly a part of the Brave New World and lives life as a subject of experimentation. His only society is Shakespeare's imaginative world, a realm which he incessantly compares reality to. John is the true loner, whom Bernard imagines himself at times. John feels great resentment for those who mindlessly consume soma and finally cracks by saying, “ ‘Free, free!’ the Savage shouted, and with one hand continued to throw the soma into the area while, with the other, he punched the indistinguishable faces of his assailants. ‘Free! Yes, men! men!’and there was no more poison left. He picked up the cash-box and showed them its black emptiness. ‘You're free!’ Howling, the Deltas charged with a redoubled fury.” (Huxley 213) John, obviously a nonconformist, sees no value in soma and tries to contain the morals/values he learned at the Reservation. John is much like that of a morality sponge. Everywhere he goes, he picks up different ideas which he soon sees aren’t all correct. In order to retain the values Shakespeare and his “savage” companions instilled in him, John must decide which idea is more true to him and his identity. In doing this, John represents the foil character of Bernard and the hard-headed nature of the “savage” people. Bernard's dissatisfaction with his society expresses itself most characteristically in sullen resentment and imagined heroism, but John lives out his ideals, however unwisely. Despite the propaganda in Brave New World, John rejects the society's values and acts boldly in calling the Deltas to rebellion and in throwing out the soma. Finally, he faces the
John, the only person in the novel born naturally with a mother, represents a unique human being with an identity unlike any other character. Although John is boron into the hands of two upper-caste Londoners, he is raised in the Savage Reservation. Disconnected, rejected, John is not truly a part of the Brave New World and lives life as a subject of experimentation. His only society is Shakespeare's imaginative world, a realm which he incessantly compares reality to. John is the true loner, whom Bernard imagines himself at times. John feels great resentment for those who mindlessly consume soma and finally cracks by saying, “ ‘Free, free!’ the Savage shouted, and with one hand continued to throw the soma into the area while, with the other, he punched the indistinguishable faces of his assailants. ‘Free! Yes, men! men!’and there was no more poison left. He picked up the cash-box and showed them its black emptiness. ‘You're free!’ Howling, the Deltas charged with a redoubled fury.” (Huxley 213) John, obviously a nonconformist, sees no value in soma and tries to contain the morals/values he learned at the Reservation. John is much like that of a morality sponge. Everywhere he goes, he picks up different ideas which he soon sees aren’t all correct. In order to retain the values Shakespeare and his “savage” companions instilled in him, John must decide which idea is more true to him and his identity. In doing this, John represents the foil character of Bernard and the hard-headed nature of the “savage” people. Bernard's dissatisfaction with his society expresses itself most characteristically in sullen resentment and imagined heroism, but John lives out his ideals, however unwisely. Despite the propaganda in Brave New World, John rejects the society's values and acts boldly in calling the Deltas to rebellion and in throwing out the soma. Finally, he faces the