Bernard Marx And Society In Aldous Huxley's Brave New World

Superior Essays
Prompt 1:

In Aldous Huxley’s novel Brave New World, the society is based on the community, leaving little to no room for individuality. Several characters in the story are branded as outsiders since they do not fit in with the “normal” World State citizens. One of these characters, Bernard Marx, shows a monumental shift of his behavior and mindset from the start to the end of the book. Bernard Marx is introduced to the story as a character who does not seem to suit the normal Alpha Plus role. He is an outsider who is shown to be curious and have opinions on things he does not agree with in the society. In an early part of the book, Bernard shows us he is not like the other citizens when he comments, “Talking about her as if she were a bit of meat…” (45). This statement emphasizes the fact that Bernard is not like the other citizens, others in this society have no problem talking about the sexual acts they carry out and who they do them with. Bernard even resists taking soma because he wants to feel his emotions, such as anger. The main cause for Bernard to be different is the fact that there were mistakes made when he was formed at “birth”. Bernard does not display the characteristic of the
…show more content…
The ending is able to wrap up any unfinished conflicts or plot holes, and the ending can complete the book and make the reader feel complete and fulfilled. However, if the ending is done wrong, the reader can be left lost and annoyed. I think the ending of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World leaves the reader having both positive and negative feelings. The novel ends with John committing suicide, which completed his part in the book and showed readers how he felt. On the other hand, Helmholtz and Bernard were sent to islands where others who do not follow World State society’s rules go, and then they are not mentioned again. What happens to these two on the island, and are they happy and able to

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    When a person has some physical deformity, it is generally safe to assume that said deformity is just what it appears to be, and has no deeper symbolic meaning. In the book, How to Read Literature Like a Professor, author, Thomas C. Foster explains the idea that in literature, physical deformities most likely have a more symbolic meaning. Several characters in the novel, Brave New World, exhibit this common pattern in literature; their physical imperfections refer to their characters overall, and themes within the book. Bernard Marx, a main character from Brave New World, is a perfect example of someone who has a physical deformity, that symbolizes a deeper issue. Bernard belongs to the alpha class, which is the top caste in the World State.…

    • 1187 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Bernard was the only individual in the novel who felt as though he never belonged. Always isolated , felt that there was more to life that sex and soma. Bernard actually wanted to have an emotional relationship with Lenina which was unorthodox in this type of society because emotions meant weakness, and the government controller could never allow that. This relates back to Marxist theory of conscious awareness. If one individual begins to act different from the norm, that individual could have an influence on others, thus meaning challenging the status quo in Brave New World.…

    • 1225 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Because individuals are bound to stay in a community, it prevents them from exploring themselves as individuals and expanding on their identities. Aldous Huxley develops the idea that adversity allows individuals to expand their perceptions of their identities using hardships which lead to isolation and ultimately freedom of thought. We can best see this idea throughout the character development of Bernard Marx . Despite the fact that hardships are often seen as a negative aspect and are avoided to attract happiness and joy, it is critical to have these experiences as a human in shaping their identities because these experiences allow them to make decisions in the future. Hardships and suffering allow individuals to set narratives through emotions which then shape their identity.…

    • 902 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is a complex novel full of controversy, in a timeline that is both distant and relatable to the reader. In the world that is A.F. 632 life is something to indulge in, acting on one's urges is common, along with overly active sex lives, and constant drug abuse. Individuality has been lost to the past and new lower function human hybrid twins are everywhere. But in this strange world a character seems to stand out against the odds, making an identity for himself where it was thought one couldn't be made, that man is Bernard. Bernard is representative of the common modern day reader, as he is logical, contemplative, and feels real emotion, unlike his cookie cutter counterparts.…

    • 457 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In a conversation between Bernard and Lenina you can sense Bernard is uneasy and distressed about trying to be like everyone else, as well as trying to fit in where he clearly doesn’t, he says, “Everybody’s happy nowadays. We begin giving children that at five. But wouldn't you like to be free to be happy in some other way, Lenina? In your own way, for example; not in everyone else’s way” (Huxley 81). Bernard’s low confidence and self-esteem is resulting in rejection from the Alpha- class and is evidently leaning him to believe he is stuck in society where he will never truly belong and live as the individual he so desperately wants to be.…

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Today’s government is flawed, it is not perfect and neither are the people under it, but the government situation that we have today is not even close to the troublesome governments that are found in the dystopian novels 1984 and Brave New World. The term utopia describes a world that is filled with peace and happiness. A dystopia, on the other hand is a world filled with manipulation, controlling government, and sadness. In Huxley’s Brave New World he shows the reader his idea of a futuristic dystopia where babies are born in bottles and the citizens are taught their morals through sleep teaching. Bernard is a character who feels like he doesn't fit into the society that he has found himself in.…

    • 998 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    How Bernard’s Pride Sets Him Apart in Brave New World Pride, the belief that one matters more than another, is not tolerated at the best of times. It leaves other members of society with anger at their supposed inferiority, among other negative emotions. When society is totally dedicated to destroying both emotions and individuality, pride is loathed; seen as morally wrong and subversive. That is exactly why in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, Bernard Marx’s pride ostracizes him from everyone in how he talks, in his actions, and through the characterizations provided by other characters.…

    • 1745 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    xUnorthodox Characters of Brave New World Unorthodoxy in the World State is really any form of individuality, so many of the upper caste characters of Brave New World are unorthodox on some level. A few of them stand out as fundamentally unorthodox. Bernard Marx, Helmholtz Watson, and Mustapha Mond are all unorthodox, but they vary in how and why they are unorthodox. Bernard Marx is a strongly unorthodox character, mainly because of his physical appearance; He is shorter than the other Alphas, and they find him strange.…

    • 706 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    John Greed Quotes

    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Brave New World Essay In Life we all experience detached periods or moments of separation from others, feeling alone, different, and inadequate but these times can also bring out the best in us, we develop skills, discover interests, mature in who we are. “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley is a book about a controlled futuristic society where people are placed in caste systems, conditioned to do a single job and always remain happy, however, we are introduced to a few people who may be viewed as eccentric in this eutopia. One Character made known to us is John The Savage.…

    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Hunger, poverty, and war, our society is rampant with these assumed unavoidable dysfunctions of society. Aldous Huxley’s world famous novel Brave New World presents us with a world where social unrest and the ills of society are all but eliminated. Huxley imagines a future of total social and economic stability; where “Community, Identity, Stability” is the world motto (Huxley pg.1). There is no desire for revolution against the elite leaders of the World State, and there are no disagreements; everybody is content with their pre-assigned purpose in society. However, Huxley shows us through intricate uses of symbolism, allusions, and tone that achieving this seemingly ideal society of social stability and total control sacrifices what truly…

    • 983 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As noted before, since they are reproduced in a hatchery and forced to have certain beliefs, different views stand out immensely. The least unorthodox being Lenina because she only disagrees with having multiple sexual relationships by dating one man for several months, which is extremely unusual. Bernard Marx is an Alpha, additionally an outcast because of his inferior height. Making him stand out even more is his unconventional beliefs and values.…

    • 811 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Karl Marx, a theorist who examined the societal values and orders, ultimately came to the conclusion that human history was composed of a level of struggles between different classes. The main motivator for humans is “historical materialism” which is associated with wealth, gain, and resources. Marx believed that when factories were created with no progress and investment, the workers just ended up getting poorer and poorer until there was no incentive to work. To fix this problem, Marx came up with “Marxism” which was an economic system that eradicated the entire class system and was self-governed. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley highlights the parallels between the individual and the society and truth and deception.…

    • 771 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Exile, as something that represents both alienation and enrichment, can be found throughout Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. However, the best example of a character’s experience with exile is Bernard Marx’s emotional detachment from society and his fellow citizens. Bernard’s detachment represents how an emotional exile can isolate one, but can ultimately also enrich one’s life. His detachment also makes clearer the meaning of the work as a whole. From this first chapter, the reader is aware of the significant grasp the state has on society.…

    • 927 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The 1920’s and 30’s was a time of renaissance in America, many embraced the changes and many resented them. Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is a satirical novel illustrating a dystopian world that has very different social and political values. Huxley discusses how the world is becoming socially and politically corrupt and evil by alienation, brainwashing, and moral and cultural decay. Throughout the novel, Huxley uses literary devices such as symbolism, imagery, and allusion to convey his message of social and political corruption to the reader.…

    • 1179 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber are three fundamental figureheads in the foundation of sociology who asserted that our lifestyles are products of the society in which we live. They all lived in a period of great social change, that of the Industrial Revolution, and based their writings and musings upon what they observed happening around them and extrapolated as to the condition of the future. One foundational product of contemporary societies, that truly came into existence at the time during which they were writing, would be the economy and economic life. Looking at it on a macro level perspective, it is one of the aspects of the social superstructure. It is a social institution by itself, but it also shares a give and take relationship with other institutions in society and the superstructure such as education, ethics, law, religion, etc.…

    • 1198 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays