Language played a large role in the novel Brave New World, as language is what really separates the people of the World State and John the Savage. On top of this, John really distinguished himself from the World State citizens just by the language he uses. John’s use of Shakespeare is what makes him seem more real than the people around him, as the language of Shakespeare allows John to have emotion. All the other people of the World State have been conditioned since birth to not have real emotions, and they have been made to think that traditional families are not right and pornographic. Language really does influence the thought, behavior, and actions of those in the World State. Huxley chose Shakespeare to be the medium of John because this
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His intense readings of Shakespeare have allowed him to explain his emotions in depth to people such as his feelings for Lenina and his conversation with Mond. “‘On the white wonder of dear Juliet’s hand, may seize And steal immortal blessing from her lips, Who even in pure and vestal modesty, Still blush, as thinking their own kisses sin’” (144). John recited this piece of from Romeo and Juliette to show his feelings to Lenina while she was passed out on a soma vacation. He is able to express how he feels much better than the people of the World State, and he does not think that the use of Shakespeare in language is odd because he grew up reading it. This allows John to not think twice about showing emotions of love and his criticism of the World State throughout the novel. One of the main Shakespearean quotes from the novel was when John said, “‘O brave new world… O brave new world that has such people in it. Let’s start at once” (139). This quote is from The Tempest, and at first represented John’s excitement to visit the World State. However, as John learned more and more about the World State, the quote gained more of a negative connotation. An example of this is when John is walking around after the passing of his mother, and he comes across soma being distributed to Delta workers. He repeated the quote, except he said it in a more mocking way to himself. This was also when John let his emotions of his mother’s death get the better of him, and he uses these emotions to try to get the Deltas to stop getting soma. He even is able to slip in some Shakespeare when he says, “‘Lend me your ears’” (211). However, this use of language and emotion drives the Deltas into a frenzied rage after John provokes them by throwing the soma
His intense readings of Shakespeare have allowed him to explain his emotions in depth to people such as his feelings for Lenina and his conversation with Mond. “‘On the white wonder of dear Juliet’s hand, may seize And steal immortal blessing from her lips, Who even in pure and vestal modesty, Still blush, as thinking their own kisses sin’” (144). John recited this piece of from Romeo and Juliette to show his feelings to Lenina while she was passed out on a soma vacation. He is able to express how he feels much better than the people of the World State, and he does not think that the use of Shakespeare in language is odd because he grew up reading it. This allows John to not think twice about showing emotions of love and his criticism of the World State throughout the novel. One of the main Shakespearean quotes from the novel was when John said, “‘O brave new world… O brave new world that has such people in it. Let’s start at once” (139). This quote is from The Tempest, and at first represented John’s excitement to visit the World State. However, as John learned more and more about the World State, the quote gained more of a negative connotation. An example of this is when John is walking around after the passing of his mother, and he comes across soma being distributed to Delta workers. He repeated the quote, except he said it in a more mocking way to himself. This was also when John let his emotions of his mother’s death get the better of him, and he uses these emotions to try to get the Deltas to stop getting soma. He even is able to slip in some Shakespeare when he says, “‘Lend me your ears’” (211). However, this use of language and emotion drives the Deltas into a frenzied rage after John provokes them by throwing the soma