Bernard Marx
Bernard Marx is a paradoxical character. At first, he seems
rebellious. He desires feelings and wonders “if [he] were free
– not enslaved by [his] conditioning” what life would be like
(91). He is reprimanded by the director for not conforming to the
social norms of society. The director warns Bernard that “it is
[his] duty to be infantile, even” if he feels otherwise, but
Bernard wants to feel like an adult (98). He does not want to
instantly gratify his desires, and he believes that women should
not be treated like pieces of meat. Conversely, Bernard tries to
conform. He attends a Solidarity Service and “he went on
doing his best to beam” even though he didn’t feel happy
(82). He tries and tries to become one with the group, but “[he]
knows [he] will … be a failure again” (82). All of the
members of the orgy begin jigging, stamping, and shuffling.
Bernard desperate to feel united with his peers, “begins to jig
and stamp and shuffle, … with the best of them” (84).
Bernard, ultimately, is not able to feel wonderful, but his effort to
be a part of the whole disagrees with his desire to be rebellious.
The short Alpha Plus is a contradictory character.
Why is Bernard acting rebellious,
when secretly, he wants to fit in?
Bernard is hurt and angry because others do not accept him. If it were
up to him he would “have as many girls as Helmholtz did, and with as
little trouble” (86). He would be perfectly happy conforming to society as
long as the other citizens treated him with respect. The only reason he
doesn’t take somas is because he wants to feel sorry for himself, not
because he is an individual, “his self-pity was like a fountain suddenly
released” (70). No matter how angry Bernard feels he “absolutely refused
to take the half-gramme” of soma (87). Because Bernard could not
express “the outbursts of [his] abject self-pity” while taking soma, he
turns it down (99). While high on soma, Bernard would be happy with his
inferior height and size. He doesn’t want to be blindly happy, as the society
dictates. He wants “to be free to be happy in some other way” (91).
Bernard’s version of happiness is to be popular, accepted, admired, and
well-liked. Therefore, he is not a rebel at all; in fact, he too is a conditioned
member of society eager to “belong to everybody else” (13). Bernard is
basically the same as all the other members of society. The only difference
is Bernard knows he doesn’t fit in, and he is whiny about it. He only acts out
because he is releasing the pent-up anger and disgust that he feels towards
those who reject him. All in all, Bernard is more interested in conforming to
society and gaining acceptance than defining his individuality.