Isolation In Brave New World

Isolation. Self-destruction. Desolation. When societal influences become that little voice planting doubt in the mind, the line between personal values and the cultural normalcy become blurred. The influence of those around us becomes the only thing that is discernible. When society is working against personal values, self-isolation becomes an appealing choice. Alienation provides the main characters in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and William Shakespeare’s Othello with their motivation, while self-isolation as an act of self-preservation it ultimately leads to self-destruction.
Cultural normalcy is set on the concepts one grows up with, it’s based on the society one lives in and the conditions surrounding them. Personal values are created when an individual reaches their own conclusions on the society around them. People begin to doubt themselves when the cultural normalcy clashes with personal …show more content…
Both suicides were a rash decision based on a conditioned set of morals. John’s suicide is a result of insanity created by the conflict between his values and the world around him. He is thrust into this New World and is forced to act as everyone else. When he refuses to conform, John is rejected by this new society and viewed once again as an outsider. John becomes infamous in the New World because of his differences. Meanwhile, Othello’s eventual downfall is caused by the tension between his victimization at the hands of outside forces and his own willingness to self-torment. Othello prides himself on being a great general. He gains societal, and self, acceptance through his victories on the battlefield. When the battles are over, Othello has no means of proving himself and his manhood, causing unsettling emotions in his relationship with Desdemona. Othello spends his life punishing people for their betrayals. When he is the one to cause the betrayal, he takes pride in punishing himself as he knows he