1984 And Brave New World

Improved Essays
Determining the Price of Individuality
Sometimes ignorance truly is not bliss. Both 1984 by Charles Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley are clear indicators-though executed in severely opposing ways- of how individuality is worth dying to save. These two novels reveal at its close that losing your individuality is a fate worse than death. Conforming to the mold of society dissipates original thought, leading to loss of individuality which stems from intelligence. This submission, which Winston finally succumbed to and John faced death to avoid, can be more terrifying than even death. In Aldous Huxley 's "Brave New World", one may ponder the implications if would-be hero John Savage attempted to find a solution that differs from his
…show more content…
However, John 's demise is not created in the Predestination Room; rather, by his own hand. John 's suicide should be viewed as an act of defiance-it is the only way out of the new world that leaves the audience with a shred of hope. He will no longer suffer from the prying eyes of society and can finally receive peace. After indulging in an orgy with soma-a heavy immersion into this corrupted world- John is mortified at humanity and his own lack of morality. Suicide seems to be the only plausible and respectable action to express his misery and disgust with immoral …show more content…
The blunt, undeniable truths that Orwell spins throughout the plot explain the importance of individual thought the way that Huxley blatantly implies. In a world where apathy to everything in a person’s daily lives is encouraged, the main character and protagonist of the novel, Winston Smith is surprisingly thoughtful and knowledgeable in the way he views life, unlike John of Brave New World. He finds small, somewhat insignificant ways to rebel against the main principles of Ingsoc as well as against the indifference of the cruel happenings in everyday life by writing in his journal and by partaking in salacious activities with a woman where

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    1984, by George Orwell is about a futuristic Utopian society in which the government controls every aspect of their citizens lives. Whereas in Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, he writes about a society that is also controlled completely by their government, but with much more leeway. Through reading these books, it is much easier to visualize Brave New World as a society that that has the possibility of flourishing, even if everything they do is monitored. It is a society that most people would rather live in because they want to feel happiness, and freedom. In both books the reader can really witness how society and a controlling government can mess with a person 's sanity, and their entire life.…

    • 1576 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    They have no freedom. While John realizes this and condemns the people for it, the citizens view him in pretty much the same way. During the end of the book, they even go as far as throwing food at John "as to an ape" (255). They are so entertained by his suffering and pain not only because they have never experienced it before but because they don’t see John as an actual human being, but as an animal. Another literary element that Huxley uses to show how society should be structured is allusions, especially of William Shakespeare.…

    • 2543 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Interpretive Oral Presentation Transcript on “Nineteen Eighty Four” What were Winston Smith’s philosophical concerns toward his observance of human nature in society and the way people lived their life, in the context of the novel? In the text “Nineteen Eighty Four”, the way the human nature in society and the way people lived their lives was noticeably a concern for Winston. He saw that life was becoming too mechanical and that the loss of humanity was becoming a reality. A mechanical lifestyle involves the idea of conformity, where the population changes their behaviour in order to fit into the society.…

    • 606 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In a time when freedom isn’t an option and opinions didn’t exist, being an individual was a extensive challenge for any member of the World State. In Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, independence is never experienced, this is made clear through the characters Bernard Marx, Helmholtz Watson, and John the Savage. Freedom is understood in many ways, these three characters all struggle for liberty, each of them want to feel what they believe to be individualistic, despite all wanting to be free in different senses. In a so called “perfect world,” each human is given the life they’re expected to live, which undeniably follows with no outlook or perspective. The three subjects that struggle with this lifestyle, are the same people that genuinely need individuality to feel complete.…

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    1984 describes a story of a dystopian society in Oceania, where a man named Winston, lives. This man contrasts with the whole of the Party, as he understands that Party deceives the people and makes them believe that everything told to them equals truth. George Orwell often utilizes a main character, who differs from all others, to highlight values of the society within which the character lives in his other novels. In the case of 1984, Orwell brings Winston into the novel to display all things wrong with his society. George Orwell uses Winston’s class standing alongside his feelings to create this alienation, which reveals the society’s moral values.…

    • 723 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    George Orwell’s protagonist in 1984, Winston Smith, is just one of many in an era of modern antiheroes. He represents all that is undeniably average in a world wrecked with an oppressive government and a constant state of war. However, this plays to his advantage by making connecting and empathizing with him easier. His rebellious nature ensures an ability to be endowed with the bravery to defy and push the limits of the Party’s authority.…

    • 320 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Manipulation of fear in 1984 and Brave New World In 1984 and Brave New World, written by George Orwell and Aldous Huxley, both of the societies function on the concept of manipulation of fear through the control of both governments over the peoples lives. There are similarities and differences between the categories in establishing a totalitarian society such as the purposes that the categories serve for. 1984 is a totalitarian society. Big Brother, the supposed leader of the community, controls and causes fear and has absolute control within the society.…

    • 1850 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The values a person uses defines them, therefore changing those values changes the person. In 1984 by George Orwell, the main character, Winston, lives in a totalitarian government where everyone worships the leader and the ideals of the Party, but him and two others he meets. Winston’s mental state at the beginning of the novel, his indecisiveness to act until he met people who think the same way, and his final betrayal of Julia shows that people lose themselves when they are alone. Winston was lost at the beginning of the novel because he has no one he can trust.…

    • 1081 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Individualism is the act of going against a majority. To be an individual, one must isolate themselves from others, and suffer the consequences of not following the status quo. In George Orwell's 1984, Winston is the perfect representation of what it means to be an individual. He understands a broader range of knowledge, he is willing to be tortured to believe what he thinks is right, and he refuses to give up his ideas until his death. Winston bravely goes against the hive mind of the Party attempting to discover a life outside of his every day drudgery.…

    • 736 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Imagine a civilization where violent teens run rampant, citizens live in ignorance and the government has the power to drastically alter one’s most basic views. In Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 this is people’s reality. These dystopian worlds may not be too distant from the state the world is currently approaching. It is imperative that individuals maintain a sense of identity in a global landscape that is growing more and more uniform.…

    • 585 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Joy Morounfolu Mrs. Weiss Honors English 10 4 August 2014 Choosing Between Individuality and Conformity Individuality consists of one’s own thought and freedom which is not known in these societies and conformity is the social influence which involves a certain belief and or a certain behavior to fit in with a group. Anthem by Ayn Rand and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley believe their societies are a utopia. Both novels are a society without individuality, and solitude is forbidden. Both novels Anthem and Brave New World analyze the conflicts between individuality and conformity in their society, which impacts the protagonist in Anthem, Equality 7-2521, and the protagonist in Brave New World, John the Savage, to attempt to bring freedom…

    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the novel nineteen eighty-four by George Orwell, the main character and protagonist is Winston Smith. He displays a few personality traits that show during the story, these traits lead him to bad situations in the book. Winston Smith is not your average man, he has several character traits that set him up for failure, if it weren't for these traits Winston would have lived a relatively normal life without all the bad coincidences he experienced and all the dangerous situations he was put into. In the end his curiosity, determination and loneliness get him into the rut of his life, he loses himself, and it all could have been avoided if it weren't for his character traits.…

    • 807 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    John Individual Identity

    • 956 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Strength of an Individual Identity John, the Savage, was raised on the Reservation where he acquired his own individuality due to his differing skin tone from the rest of the community. When removed from his first home and put into the place his mother considered him from, John’s identity was put to the test by the conformative government in the World State. John was first exiled from his homeland based on his skin tone and then in exile in his proper society according to his mother because of his beliefs and individualism. In Brave New World Aldous Huxley, the author, condemns political control of science, religion and technology because of its ability to destroy society; this is demonstrated through John’s struggle of being different…

    • 956 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Furthermore, it proves that the World Controllers matter rather than the citizens. Considering this, Huxley believed that the government in the future will advocate entertainment and happiness through constant…

    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This infers that the World State believes that the old citizens should die because they are useless. Huxley employs John’s character to show the morals of the World State and the assumptions that the society…

    • 429 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays