Final Study Questions

STUDY GUIDE:


1) Be able to outline the Plot

Exposition:

The director is explaining to the students how the hatchery works.

Meeting Bernard, Lenina, Henry Foster,

Nursery

Inciting Event:

Depends on who you think the main character is...

Bernard~ Going to the Reservation

John~ Leaving the Reservation

Rising Action:

Meeting John & Linda

John's life story

Bernard confronting D.H.C.

Bernard is put in charge of John making him popular (Bernard changes here)

John is taken to see the society (John changes here)

John & Helmholtz meet (instantly like each other)

John goes to feely with Lenina and hates it

John refuses to go to Bernard's party making everyone hate Bernard again

Lenina throws herself at John

John pushes her away

John gets phone call from Hospital for the Dying

Linda dies right in front of John

Climax:

The riot over soma

Falling Action:

John, Helmholtz & Bernard are arrested

They talk with Mustapha Mond & learn what society had to give up to be stable

Bernard & Helmholtz are sent to an island

John is sent to live in a lighthouse

John beats himself and a reporter films it

Everyone flocks to see John

John whips Lenina

Resolution:

John hangs himself

2) Know the importance of the following people:
Bernard Marx~Outsider, Dynamic character, finds & brings back John. At first he is disgusted with society but changes with his acceptance. Bernard isn' accepted into society & rejects it.

John~Outsider, Son of Thomas and Linda. He is the product if two societies, but has been given the morals of Shakespeare. He is at first fascinated w/society but later comes to be disgusted by it. Only character in the whole book that actually tries to change people, but he fails quickly. 
Helmholtz Watson~Outsider. The writer. He is superior physically & mentally, but rejects society. He is the exact opposite of Bernard.

Linda~ John's mother. Linda shows people what happens when you leave the society. She becomes a symbol of mothers. She never forgets the society. Her conditionings are so engrained on her, that even when she is put into a different society she doesn't change.  
Lenina~ The image of what society wants their citizens to be like. There should some sort of Love interest between Lenina & John but there's not. 
D.H.C. (Tomakin)~ He runs the Hatchery. He is John's father. Bernard sees a moment of sadness in the Director & this causes the Director to want to punish him. It also shows that there is humanity and possible hope in these people. There is something underneath all the teachings that is still human, the people just need to find a way to break free.
Mustapha Mond~ One of the 10 world controllers. He gave up his happiness to make sure everyone else is happy; which insures social stability. (World State's Motto: Community, Identity, Stability) 
Henry Foster~Represents a perfect citizen of the Society.
Fanny Crowne~Represents a perfect citizen of the Society
Popè~ He is supposed to show you that life on the Savage Reservation is not that different than life in Brave New World

3) Discuss BRAVE NEW WORLD as a 3-part structure
1.) Intro to society & Bernard, Lenina, DHC, Mustapha

2.) Reservation, Meeting John
      Comparison & Contrast w/Society & Savage Reservation


3.) Conflicts in Society
     John/Bernard

4) Give examples of the following themes:

The Meaning of Freedom~ They are trained from birth to think they are free / People are encouraged not to have relationships. Relationships are about creating bonds between people. If people have alliances then they can band together & overthrow the government. 

Individual vs. Society~ John is not exiled because he is not part of society. He is viewed as an animal at the end on the book

The Meaning of Power ~ The citizens are controlled by World Controllers. Even though the World Controllers are in a position of power, they have no true happiness.

5) Discuss five ways people are controlled in this society

Keep People Happy & Content

1.) Embryos- decanted, or conditioned for caste & job

2.) Hypnopædia

3.) Soma

4.) Ban of literature, science, religion

5.) No families / everyone either sterile or on birth control

6.) Consumerism

7.) No relationships (as in romantic relationship ~ everybody belongs to everybody)

8.) People don't age & everyone is kept in a juvenile self-centered POV.

6) Discuss the title and how its meaning changes throughout the course of the novel.

Title is an allusions to The Tempest. John quotes Miranda several times. The first time he uses it he is about to go to the New World. He is excited to see new people. 

The second time is when John is at the Decanting place & sees all the deformed Epsilons and see what they lower caste members are conditioned. He uses the quote out of disgust right before he vomits. 

The third time is right after Linda's death, John sees all the Deltas going in for their soma rations. John stands up are quotes Shakespeare & preaches the dangers of soma. He is still disgusted but he is also angry that no one is caring about Linda's death. 

7) Does this novel contain any elements of hope? Why or why not?
For a quick instance the reader thinks there is hope for John. He is sent to live in a lighthouse, alone. All he ever wanted was to be alone.

8) Why is Shakespeare used so often?

The only book that John has every read and enjoyed is The Complete Works of Shakespeare. John has learned all his morals from Shakespeare. John has based his life and views on life on Shakespeare.

Is it ironic that in one world you have the idea of Ford (sort of like God), but in the other world you have the idea of shakespeare.

9) For a world that lacks history and literature there are many, many allusions to both (perhaps Huxley means something by this): list at least three literary and three historical and discuss their meanings.

History:

Joanna Diesel- Rudolf Diesel: a German inventor and mechanical engineer, famous for the invention of the diesel engine

Fifi Bradlaugh- Charles Bradlaugh- a political activist and one of the most famous English atheists 

Bernard Marx- Karl Marx, George Bernard Shaw

Literary:

Othello ~ "Impudent strumpet!" 
In Othello, Othello is convinced that his wife is cheating on him and calls her and 'Impudent strumpet' or disrespectful whore. John calls Lenina this when she is throwing her naked self at him.
Antony and Cleopatra ~ "Eternity was in our lips and eyes." 
Cleopatra speaks this line when Antony tells her he is going back to Rome. John say this line when the doctor claims soma is a little piece of eternity. He also says it when he can't stop thinking of Lenina.

Romeo and Juliet ~ When John quotes lines from Juliet he imagines himself as Romeo & Lenina as Juliet. 


10) Who is FORD? Why is he an important Symbol of this society?

Ford refers to Henry Ford, the creator of the Ford Motor Vehicles and more importantly, the assembly line. The assembly line is a good way to mass produce something, it also takes the humanity out of the product. Before people had to make everything

11) Discuss the why everyone is similar.

Everyone is similar because most embryos go through the 'Bokanovsky Process'. Everyone is conditioned to like what they do and like what the society has to offer them.

12) List two symbols other than FORD.

Linda ~

John whipping himself ~

Soma ~

13) List three ironies.

Situational:

Children are engaging in sexual play at a very young age and it isn't considering strange or wrong.

People are disgusted at the fact  that humans used to give birth to one another.

People should date more than one person at a time because it is considered wrong if one is not promiscuous

14) Discuss death in this novel and the deaths of the following:

John~ John hangs himself because he just wants to be left alone.

Linda ~ When Linda is taking her last breathes, there is a look of absolute terror in her eyes. She was clawing the air, like she was checking to make sure it was there. When he had finally died, her face was distorted and her lips were blue. Nurses are supposed to help patients but the nurses at the Hospital for the Dying don't care. When someone dies, the children get ice cream.

The average person in this society~It's very peaceful. Nobody cares because when they are young conditioned that death is not a terrible thing. 

15) Discuss the “Bokanovsky Process”.

Embryos that are destined to be anything below a Beta are put throw the 'Bokanovsky Process'. The ‘Bokanovsky's Process’ continuously divides one egg until there are 96 identical eggs. This process uses radiation, which cause some of the eggs to die.

16) Is Mustapha Mond really powerful or is he controlled by society as much as anyone else? 
Even though Mustapha Mond is in a position of authority, he isn't truely happy. There are so many things he had to give up in order to become a World Controller. He used to be a very good physicist. 

Book Review

     Aldous Huxley's Brave New World is a novel in which the government controls its civilians. In this society people’s futures are decided for them. While they are still embryos in a bottle, they are conditioned to like what they are going to do. Some embryos are put through the ‘Bokanovsky's Process’, which continuously divides one egg until there are 96 identical eggs. This process uses radiation, which cause some of the eggs to die. Some eggs are also poisoned with alcohol until near death. Once the embryos are a little older, and have been predestined, they are conditioned according to their future job. For instance, if they are going to be working in a tropical mine, they will be conditioned to hate the cold.
     From the time they are newborns, until they are adults, they are conditioned to be successful in society according to their caste. Everyone is put into a category. The people in the highest cultural level are Alphas, and then Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons are the bottom. Alphas are strong, tall, smart, and extremely attractive. Epsilons are short, stupid, and most of them are deformed.
     As they get older, another way the citizens are controlled is with soma. Soma is a pill that makes people happy. People are supposed to take the drug whenever something goes wrong and they start to feel depressed.
     As the story progresses we meet two characters that are very different. The first is Bernard, an Alpha, who is abnormally short and hates soma. He refuses to take it. He would rather be unhappy than have a false bliss.
     Another character that is encountered is Lenina. Lenina loves soma. She takes soma all the time. In our society she would be considered an addict, but in their society, it is completely normal. 

      There is one similarity between these characters; they like each other. They go on an awkward date, which ends in them having sex, which is also normal for the society. They move past the gawkiness and decide to go to the Savage Reservation together.
      Once they are there, they meet a man named John. John's mother is from the outside world, but he was born in the reservation. Bernard and Lenina meet his mother, Linda. Linda came to the reservation 20 years ago and was accidentally left at the Reservation. Since Linda has been in the reservation she has gotten old, fat and ugly. Bernard finds this all every interesting and calls the World Controller. Bernard and Lenina bring John and Linda back to the New World with them.
     Once they are brought to the New World, Bernard takes Linda and John to see the Director, John’s father.  Linda throws herself at him but he doesn’t remember or doesn’t allow himself to remember who she is. John comes in, drops to his knees, and yells, “My Father!” The Director ends up quitting his job.
     Bernard is put in charge of John, and shows him around the city. John was very excited to see the new world because his mother had told him wonderful things. He begins to hate the New World very quickly.
     So, ever since John laid eyes on Lenina, he has liked her. Lenina also starts to develop feelings for John. In one part of the novel, Lenina goes to see John to confess her feeling for him. She takes off all her clothes and throws herself at him. He pushes her away and threatens to kill her if she doesn’t go away. Lenina runs and hides in the bathroom and John receives a phone call and rushes out of the apartment.
      The call is from the Hospital for the Dying. Linda was taken there to die. She was so old, fat and ugly that the society wanted nothing to do with her. So, when Linda was brought back to the New World she was put on a twenty-four hour soma intake. The soma was slowly taking away her lung capacity until she could no longer breathe and ended up dying right in front of John.
      John is so upset that when he sees a group of Deltas getting their soma rations, he flips out. He starts quoting Shakespeare and lecturing them about how soma is not only poisoning their bodies, but their souls as well. When the Deltas look at him puzzled, he begins throwing their soma pills out the window.
     Then, John, Bernard and their friend, Helmholtz, get in trouble with the law and are going to be exiled to an island. John has to go to a different island than Bernard and Helmholtz. So, John chooses to live in a lighthouse.
      John needs to feel like he is worthy of something. This is because of his upbringing and having the only book he has ever read be The Complete Works of Shakespeare. He was raised in the Savage reservation, where when a man wanted to marry a woman he had to prove himself commendable.
     To prove that he is worthy; the first night John is in the lighthouse he stretches out his arms in a mock crucifixion style.  After doing that all night, he is still unsatisfied, but he tries to get over it and goes to start a garden. He also decides that he needs bows and arrows. He falls down a tree and starts carving out a six-foot bow and some arrows. He realizes that he is actually having a good time and immediately starts thinking about his dead mother.
      John continues the masochistic routine of brutalizing himself on a daily basis. One afternoon, John starts to think about a naked LeninaLenina and starts whipping himself. A reporter catches this on film and makes a movie out of it. People from all over London, flock to see John whip himself like an animal. John grabs his whip and starts advancing at people as if he were going to beat them. Lenina shows up and sends John over the edge. He runs at her and whips her. The crowd loves the ‘show’, and starts imitating John’s actions and chanting ‘Orgy-Porgy’.
      After he regains consciousness from the soma-induced orgy, John remembers everything. Some reporters go to see him that afternoon and find him hanging from the rafters of the lighthouse.
      Brave New World is not the traditional book you would read in high school. While most books depict a world where the protagonist lives happily ever after; Brave New World does just the opposite. Although the identity of the protagonist is debatable, neither John nor Bernard has a happy ending.
      Bernard’s character is fairly wishy-washy. He has a ‘woe-is-me’ attitude. He feels that because he is shorter than all the other Alphas, people don’t respect him. There is an instance in the book, when he has to yell at the Gammas three times to bring his helicopter out of the garage. Bernard is a whiny, self-absorbed person. He is definitely not my favorite character. 
      I would recommend this book to a friend. It is a very interesting book. It is well written and makes you wonder if Huxley was making a prediction of what our society will be like in another 100 or so years. 

BNW- blog 19

Chapter 18



Summary:
Helmholtz and Bernard go to say good bye to John. John wanted to go with them to the island, but Mond wouldn't allow it. He said John had to finish the experiment. John is then taken to a secluded area to live in a lighthouse. He chose this lighthouse because it is far away from people and theoretically, he will be alone. Once he gets to the lighthouse, he feels he doesn't diserve to live in such a beautiful place. His first night there, he holds his arms out in a mock crucifixion and begs for forgiveness. The next morning he still feels he is unworthy. He starts to plant a garden and make a bow and some arrows. He is having a good time carving, until he realizes he is having a good time and immediately starts thinking about his dead mother making himself miserable. 


John continues on with his strange masochistic routine everyday until three Delta-Minuses drive past the lighthouse. They see him whipping himself and can't believe it and go back to the society and tell everyone. A few days later, reporters flocked to John. The first reporter to show up got dropkicked and every reporter after that was a little more conscientious about trying to get an interview. After awhile it seemed like people had left him alone. 

One afternoon, John begins to think about Lenina. He thinks about the time she confronted him about her feelings, naked. To keep himself from thinking impure thoughts, he runs and jumps into a thorny bush and thinks about his dying mother. He still can't stop thinking about a naked Lenina and starts whipping himself. 

There is a reporter hiding in a bush films everything. He is a very important famous reporter. He makes a feely out of the footage and everyone swarms John. People throw peanuts at him, and start chanting, "We want the whip!" John picks up his whip and starts advancing toward the crowd and they back up. A helicopter decends and out walks Lenina and Henry. John looks at her and runs at her and starts whipping her. The crowd imitates his action and everyone starts singing Orgy-Porgy. 

John wakes up and remembers everything that happened. Awhile later reporters show up to interview him and finds him hanging from the rafters swinging back and forth. 


Vocab:
Viscose ~adj~ Sticky; Thick; Adhesive


Lit. Terms:
Simile ~ “…like turkey buzzards settling on a corpse, the reporters came.”
Allusions ~
"Maiden of Mátsaki"

Americans of Malpais

Jesus Christ

Shakespeare~

Measure for Measure ~ Thy best of rest is sleep and that thou oft provok'st; yet grossly fear'st thy death which is no more."

Othello ~ "Impudent strumpet!"

Antony and Cleopatra ~ "Eternity was in our lips and eyes."

Troilus and Cressida ~ "Fry, lechery, fry!"

Hamlet ~ Sleep. Perchance to dream. […] For in that sleep of death, what dreams…?"

~ "A good kissing carrion."

Macbeth~ "And all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death."

King Lear~ "As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport. Thunder again; words that proclaimed themselves true – truer somehow than truth itself. And yet that same Gloucester had called them ever-gentle gods."



Chapter Importance:
John is a freak; he isn't a part of society. He wants nothing to do with the society, so he kills himself. Not only that, but by killing himself, he allows society to win. When you don't fit into this society, they send you away so you don't mess with the stability. This society was messing with John's mental stability. He just wanted to be left alone.

BNW- blog 18

Chapter 17

Summary:
After Helmholtz left the office, Mustapha and John continue to talk, but the subject shifts to religion. John tries to explain the religious views of the people on Savage Reservation, but there are no words to describe them. Mustapha has always been interested in God and pulls out The Holy Bible, The Varieties of Religious Experience and The Imitation of Christ. John asks Mond why all of these books and religion are band and Mustapha tells him they, like Shakespeare, are too old. No one would understand them because God doesn't exists anymore

Mustapha reads out of some of the books and then goes on to explain why there is no God today. John asks Mond what he thinks. Mustapha believes that there probably is a God, but he manifests himself in many ways. In a Brave New World, God happens to take an absent form.

John says, "Isn't it natural to think there's a God?" Mond says that thinking there is a God is just conditioning. Well it may have been instinct in the past, in Brave New World; they create instinctual feelings by conditioning. The citizens of the new world's 'instincts' are to not believe in God.

John tries to contradict Mustapha by bringing up the point that being in solitude often brings up thought of a higher power. Mond reminds him that they have essentially gotten rid of solitude.
John, trying to prove his point, quotes lines from King Lear.

John's next point is that maybe God is punishing today's society to live like they do. Mond tells him that man hasn't been demoted; he is happy and perfect. Mustapha realizes that from John's point-of-view as an unconditioned person, the state of society now is terrible. By the standards of Brave New World, the people of even the lower caste have free will.

They continue to talk and John decides that while society prefers to be comfortable; John wants God, poetry, danger, freedom, goodness, and sin. He claims the right to be unhappy.


Vocab:
Neurasthenia ~noun~ an obsolete technical term for a neurosis characterized by extreme lassitude and inability to cope with any but the most trivial tasks


Lit. Terms:
Allusions:

"The Holy Bible"

"Maiden of Mátsaki"

Thomas à Kempis ~The Imitation of Christ

William James ~ The Varieties of Religious Experience

Cardinal Newman ~ Sermon No. 6 of his Plain and Parochial Sermons, Volume 5 

Shakespeare ~
King Lear ~ The gods are just and of our pleasant vices make instruments to plague us…

Hamlet ~ "[A philosopher is] a man who dreams of fewer things than there are in heaven and earth."

~ Whether 'tis better in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them…"

Troilus and Cressida ~ But value dwells not in particular will. It holds his estimate and dignity as well wherein 'tis precious of itself as in the prizer."

Othello ~ "If after every tempest came such calms, may the winds blow till they have wakened death."

~ "All the tonic effects of murdering Desdemona and being murdered by Othello, without any of the inconveniences."

The Life and Death of King John ~ "I Pandulph, of fair Milan, cardinal."


Chapter Importance:

In this society there is no old age, misery or suffering; all of which are things that would cause people to turn to God. There is no God to turn to in Brave New World, people are conditioned to not believe in one.

In this chapter is it said that 'Christianity with out the tears- that's what soma is.' People are now dependent on soma to make them happy, whereas people in the Savage Reservation turn to the Gods when they are sad and hurting. 

In this chapter we learn why there is no religion in the society. If there were religion, that means that there is something to be sad. Which would cause people to turn to a God for help. Sadness means instability which means the downfall of society.

Book Review/ Personal Response NOTES

• Book Review
• Summary of Book
• start with what the book is about 
• this is going to be your thesis statement
• think about the theme
• Personal View of book
• what you liked 
• what you disliked
• Would you recommend  the book
• Why or why not?
• This should be fairly easy 
• Don't summarize the book chapter by chapter
• Talk about the book as a whole
• Pick a theme
• Summarize the book based on things that have to do with your theme
• Don't focus on too many people for your summary
• Plot
• Expositon
• Introduction of:
• Society
• Bernard
• Director
• Lenina
• John
• Linda
• Mustapha Mond
• Inciting-
• depends on who you think the main character is
• Going to the Reservation (Bernard)
• Leaving the Reservation (John)
• Rising
•  
• Climax
•  The riot over soma
• Falling
• Resolution
• John hangs himself

BNW- blog 16

Chapter 15


Summary:
John is leaving the hospital as 162 Delta workers are going out to get their soma rations. John starts preaching to the Deltas about how soma is dangerous to their health. The Deltas don't really understand anything that he is saying. John then starts taking handfuls of soma and tossing it out the window. This, the Deltas understand and are outraged and start charging John. Helmholtz and Bernard show up just in time. Helmholtz rushes to John's side to help him fight off the angry Deltas. Bernard however, contemplates whether or not he should help, and is rendered useless to the fight.


The police come bursting through the door armed with water guns full of soma and a synthetic music player, which holds the 'Voice of reason'. Everyone gets doused with soma and all of the Deltas start crying and kissing each other. Even John and Helmholtz are moved and tell the police they are going to cooperate.  Bernard is caught sneaking out the door and is told that he needs to go with the police because he is friends with John and Helmholtz.


Vocab:

Dolychocephalic ~adj~ having a head much longer than it is broad

Ardour ~noun~ great warmth of feeling
OR
Ardour ~noun~ intense devotion, eagerness, or enthusiasm


Lit. Terms:
Allusions:

The Tempest ~ "...O brave new world that has such people in it..."

Julius Caesar ~ "Lend me your ears..."


Chapter Importance:
People are conditioned to depend on soma to get them through the hard times. John discovers that no matter what he tells them, the Deltas aren’t going to listen.

BNW-blog 17

Chapter 16


Summary:
Bernard, John and Helmholtz are brought to the Controller’s office. Mustapha Mond enters and starts asking John questions. They begin talking about science and how he had the option to go to an island like Bernard and Helmholtz and destined to. When he mentions this, Bernard immediately starts groveling. Mustapha sends him away to be given soma to calm down. The rest of the men continue to carry out their conversation about what Mustapha had to give up to become a World Controller. Mustapha tells them all of the things the society had to give up to become stable, such as science.

Helmholtz asks Mond if he can be sent to an island with terrible weather because he thinks it will be easier to write. Mustapha thinks this is fair and agrees to it. Helmholtz goes to check on Bernard.



Vocab:
Parenthetically ~adj~ characterized by the use of parentheses



Lit. Terms:

Allusions:
The Tempest ~ "Sometimes a thousand twantgling instruments will hum about my ears and sometimes voices."

 Macbeth ~ "But they're… they're told by an idiot."

Othello ~ "Goats and Monkeys"




Chapter Importance:
We discover what the society had to give up to become stable.  They had to give up art and limit the ability scientists have to discover new things. Science leads to change, which leads to instability. 

We also learn how Mustapha became a World Controller. He used to be a physicist, a very good physicist. He was almost too good; he was doing things that only the ‘head cook’ should be able to do. The government asked him if he would rather go to an island to be isolated from society or to possibly become a world controller. He chose World Controllerism. He decided to put other peoples happiness before his own, which he sometimes regrets.

BNW- blog 15

Chapter 14

Summary:
John shows up at the Park Lane Hospital for the Dying and goes to see Linda. Linda is sitting in her bed barely awake watching tennis. The nurse that had greeted John rushes to meet in the identical Delta children.

John then starts thinking about all of the good memories he had with his mother. The children have flocked to Linda's bed because they have never seen anything like her. John hits one child and the nurse distracts the children with a game on Hunt-The-Zipper. Linda, who had fallen asleep, starts to wake up and mumbles something about Popè. John is so furious that she would think of Popè. Now all John can think about is all the bad memories surrounding Linda and the Reservation. John shakes his mother out of her sleep. Linda realizes its John but in her mind she is with Popè, and John is intruding. Linda starts gasping for air and dies. John yells for the nurse and starts crying. The nurse doesn't understand why John is freaking out. A little boy repeatedly asks John if Linda is dead and John pushes him over and walks away.

Vocab:
Moribund ~adjective~ in a dying state; near death.

Lit. Terms:
Simile: "...the little figures noiselessly darted, like little fish in an aquarium."
Irony:
~ The Hospital has no visitors. Hospitals normally have visitors. It is usually encouraged  to go visit the sick.
~ John is freaking out about his mothers death and the nurse asks him to behave. Usually when someone dies like Linda did, it is normal to freak out. John thinks he killed his mother, and he can't understand why the nurses aren't caring.
 
Chapter Importance:
We see how the society views death. We see the difference in how John sees death and how the society views death. Where John comes from, death is considered sad and when someone dies they are to be morned. The society views death as a happy thing. When someone dies, they are cremated and the ashes are used to help plants grow.

The way Linda dies is a little unusual for the society. Most people go peacefully; but when Linda is taking her last breathes, there is a look of absolute terror in her eyes. She was clawing the air, like she was checking to make sure it was there. When he had finally died, her face was distorted and her lips were blue.

BNW- blog 14

Chapter 13

Summary:

 Henry Foster comes to ask Lenina to a feely. She declines and he wants to know with whom she is sleeping, just because he is curious. She becomes incredibly irritated and tells him to shut up. He leaves and she messes up her work. Later in the changing room, Lenina tells Fanny that she is frustrated and confused about John. Fanny tells her to go over to his place and have him whether he wants to or not. Lenina pops some soma and heads over to John's.

When the doorbell rings, John hopes it's Helmholtz, but is surprised to find Lenina. John is trying to tell Lenina that he loves her but he just ends up confusing her with lions and vacuum cleaners. She is growing annoyed with all his jibberish that she stops he and tells him she likes him and asks if he likes her back. He says he does and begins spouting or Shakespearian quotaions at her and starts talking about getting married, which really freaks Lenina out. To stop John's crazy babbeling, Lenina kisses him. After awhile, John pulls away and retreats to a corner. Lenina walks toward him and starts undressing. She presses her naked body up against him and he pushes her away and calls her a whore. She drops to the ground and John tells her to get out of the apartment before he kills her. Lenina tries to escape to the bathroom, but John slaps her. Lenina locks herself in the bathroom and John is pacing around mumbling Shakespeare to himself. Lenina asks him to pass her clothes to her through the ventilator. 

John gets a phone call, (most likely about Linda) and rushes out of the room. Lenina takes this opportunity to hurry back home.

Vocab:

Trypanosomiasis ~ noun~ a disease caused by any minute, flagellate protozoan of the genus Trypanosoma,  parasitic in the blood or tissues of humans and other vertebrates,usually transmitted by insects.

Lupus ~ noun~ a rare form of tuberculosis of the skin, characterized by brownish tubercles that often heals slowly and leave scars.

Lit. Terms:

Allusions:

4 Allusions to The Tempest

Allusion to King Lear ~ "The wren goes to't and the small gilded fly does lecher in my sight...."

2 Allusions to Trolius and Cressida

2 Allusions to Othello

Allusion to Twelfth Night ~ "If I do not usurp myself, I am."

Allusion to Timon of Athens ~ "For those milk-paps that through the window bars bore at men's eyes."

Chapter Importance:

In this chapter John and Lenina finally admit their feelings for each other. John however, wants to take their relationship in a more romantic direction, where as Lenina would rather stick to a strictly physical relationship. All John knows about love comes from Shakespeare and his mother's dysfunctional relationships. Lenina knows only what she was taught hypnopaedically, which is to be promiscuous.

Lenina's behavior also fuels John's dislike for the society.

BNW- blog 13

Chapter 12

Summary:

John has locked himself in his room because he doesn't want to go to Bernard's party. Bernard tells all of his important guests that the Savage won't be making an appearance. Everyone is outraged; all the women feel like they had been used and the men were furious because they were tricked into being nice to Bernard. The Arch-Songster is appalled that someone would play a joke on him. He tells Bernard to change his ways and tells Lenina (who had be sitting in the corner keeping to herself) to come with him. The other guest stormed after him. Bernard began to cry but thought better of it and took four soma tablet and went to bed. 

While all of this was going on John was in his room reading Romeo and Juliet. 

The Arch-songster took Lenina back to his place for sex, and Lenina and to take soma to be able to go through with it.

We then flash to Mustapha Mond sitting in his office reading a new paper. He decides that even though it was an exceptional piece of work, it shouldn't be published because it's rebellious.

Bernard is back to his old 'woe is me' self. John tells him that he prefers this Bernard than the popularity crazed Bernard. 

Helmholtz has decided to take back Bernard, no questions asked. Bernard is grateful to finally have a real friend. We learn that while Bernard was bust being famous, Helmholtz was getting in trouble with the authorities. Helmholtz was reading some rhymes he made up that are about being alone. The students reported him to the the principal who threatened to fire him.

Bernard introduces John to Helmholtz and they immediately hit it off. This makes Bernard jealous because everything has to be about him; and he isn't as close to John has Helmholtz is after their first meeting. John then starts reading Helmholtz Shakespeare. Helmholtz really appreciates Shakespeare's works. Bernard didn't like how they weren't paying attention to him, so he would interup John and yell things like, 'Orgy-porgy!' 

The three friends got together frequently and every time John and Helmholtz were talking, Bernard would interject a ridiculous comment. Helmholtz got so fed up that he told Bernard that if her interrupted again he would be kicked out of the room. As John was reading  a passage from Romeo and Juliet about Juliet wanting her parents to delay her marriage to Paris, Helmholtz burst out laughing. John locked away his Shakespeare book in a drawer.

Vocab:

Magnanimity~ noun- generous in forgiving an insult or injury

Inexorably~  adjective- unyielding; unalterable

Lit. Terms:

Allusions:

2 allusions to Romeo and Juliet

Allusion to The Phoenix and the Turtle ~ "Property was thus appall'd, / That the self was not the same..."

Allusion to The Tempest ~ "But some kinds of baseness are nobly undergone."

Metaphor: Bernard's self confidence is compared to a deflating balloon when he tells everyone that John isn't coming to the party.

Chapter Importance:

We see that no one was really Bernard's friend. They were just curious about John and the only way to get to him was through Bernard. 

John also begins to hate the New World.

BNW- blog 12

Chapter 11

Summary:

 The Director resigns and therefore Bernard is able to keep his job. Bernard is then appointed to guardian of the Savage (John). This increases Bernard's popularity because everybody from all parts of London, wants to see this 'delicious creature'. Bernard is now getting girls, people stop judging him, and there are no more rumors circulating about alcohol in his blood surrogate. He talks to Helmholtz about his new attention but Helmholtz is less than impressed. Helmhotlz has never cared for Bernard's 'poor me attitude', but he appreciates his boasting even less. Bernard, aggravated by Helmholtz lack of enthusiasm, proclaims they are no longer friends and vows to never  talk to him again.

Bernard sends in a report to Mond about how John is adapting to the New World. Mustapha Mond is irritated with the way Bernard comes off in his letter, arrogant and condescending. He couldn't believe that  someone like Bernard would call his civilization to easy. He decides to plan a punishment that will teach Bernard a lesson.

In the meantime, John is taken around the city to see what it is like. First, he goes to the Hospital for the Dying. There, Linda is being held with constant soma intake. John doesn't see how this is helping her but Dr. Shaw convinces him that while it is shortening her life as a whole; to Linda it seems like a lifetime. 

Then, John is taken to Eton, there they catch the last few minutes of a movie where savages much like John, are whipping themselves. Everyone is laughing at the savages but John is disgusted and losing hope. Bernard hits on the Headmistress of the academy and they arrange a date.

John is also taken to be shown the assembly lines. He is horrified by the site of all the deformed lower caste and runs of to violently vomit. There he repeats the line from The Tempest, 'O brave new world, that has such people in it.' Although this time is in a much different context then the last time he said it when he was ecstatic to becoming to the New World. 

Lenina is preparing for her 'date' with John. Bernard is busy so she is going to take him to the feelies. She tells Fanny that she can't figure out if John like her or not. He goes out of his way to avoid her but she often finds him starring at her. All she knows is that she is very attracted to him and thinks tonight is going to be the night that they hook up. They get to the feely (a movie in a special theater that interacts with all five senses), and see a feature about a black man kidnapping a Beta woman and taking a three week long adventure in a helicopter, hence the title, Three Weeks in a Helicopter. It is an obscene movie with an opening sex scene on a bear skin rug and a very simple plot. Lenina and the rest of the audience found it quite lovely while John thought it was horrible. They got in the taxicopter and they dropped Lenina off. She got out of the helicopter and powdered her nose. John told her good night and got back in the helicopter. As the vehicle was in the air John could see Lenina calling up to him. She sulked off crying to her apartment and took some soma. John on the other hand goes home and reads Othello, who like the main character in the movie, is a black man.

Vocab:

Cadged -verb~ To borrow without intent to repay

Tete-a-tete -noun~ a conservation specifically held between just two people

Vitrified -verb~ to convert, or be converted into glass

Prognathous - adj~ having enlarged jaws, protrusive jaw structure

Lit. Terms:

Allusions:

Dr. Shaw~ George Bernard Shaw
(Whom Bernard Marx alludes to, as well as Karl Marx)

Mozart, Lucrezia Aguiari~ famous musicians

The Merchant of Venice~ "What's in those, those caskets?"

Repeat of the 'O Brave New World' quote from the Tempest. (Also Irony)

Tempest~ Ariel could put a girdle 'round the earth in forty minutes...

Antony & Cleopatra~ Eternity was in our lips and eyes

Chapter Importance:

Bernard starts to change in this chapter. He has gained confidence and popularity and it goes straight to his ego. He goes to talk to Helmholtz about his success and when Helmholtz doesn't care, Bernard cuts him out of his life. 

John isn't as happy with the New World as he thought he would. He learns that children watch videos of savages and laugh and make fun of them whipping themselves. All of the things he sees brings down all excitement he once had for the New World.

BNW- blog 11

Chapter 10

Summary:

The Director and Henry Foster are talking about how Bernard is unorthodox and that it is better to get ride of one person rather than have that person poison many peoples' thoughts. The director says that even though Bernard is smart and good at his job, they can make plenty Alphas to replace him.

The Director has become so frustrated with Bernard that he has decided to banish him to Iceland in a public place. Bernard arrives in the Decanting Room and the Director gets everyone's attention. He tells Bernard whats what and asks if he has any reason to not be sent to Iceland. Bernard then brings out John and Linda. Everyone is disgusted by the sight of Linda and laugh when Linda shouts that the director made her have a baby. John the comes forward a drops to his knees and cries out 'Father!' The director runs out of the room with his ears covered.

Vocab:

 Ignominy- noun.~ Dishonor or disgrace

Lit.Terms:

Irony:

People think that someone in the society being a father is very funny

Chapter Importance:

The Hatchery is compared to a bee hive which bring up a question of how animalistic the society is or rather insect-natured the society is organized. 

It is also John's first experience of the New World, as well as the beginning of his journey in it. Although if the rest of his time in the New World is like this first encounter, then his excursion will be filled with humiliation and sadness. 

At one point the Director is talking to Henry Foster about individualism, and a question arises: what is an individual? The question is one of the main focuses of the whole novel.  

Vocab- Nov. 29

Lupus~ noun- a rare form of tuberculosis of the skin, characterized by brownish tubercles that often heal slowly and leave scars.

The man walked into the hospital and was immediately quarantined because they thought he had leprosy, but it was really Lupus.  

Effusive~ adjective-unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve
Brandy's effusive motions shocked the judges.

Surrogate~ noun- a person appointed to act for another
The minor's surrogate, testified that he was at home, not killing the homeless man with a paintball gun.  

Peritoneum~ noun- the serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity and investing its viscera.

To motivate us, Cindy said, "Feel the burn in your peritoneum!"

Viviparous~adjective- bringing forth living young rather than eggs, as most mammals and some reptiles and fishes
The people in the society couldn't imagine what it was like to be a viviparous parent.

Moribund~ adjective- in a dying state; near death.
The moribund scientist was rushed to the hospital after the experiment went wrong. 

 

Fulminate~ verb- to explode with a loud noise
I heard the oven fulminate and when I went to investigate, there was cake all over the kitchen.

Malignant~ adjective- to cause harm, suffering, or distress deliberately
The malignant overlord decided to make pie illegal.

Palpitating~ verb- to pulsate; quiver; throb; tremble 
After running a 500K marathon, Kathy's body was palpitating. 

Viscose~ adjective- of a glutinous nature or consistency; sticky; thick; adhesive.

The viscose adhesive stuck to my finger.

Hypnopaedia~ noun- the learning of lessons heard during sleep

The society thought that they could teach children history using hypnopaedia; they were wrong.