Brave New World Lecture Notes
I. Aldous Leonard Huxley
A. Born July 26, 1894 – England
B. Wrote BNW in 4 months – 1931
C. Grandfather: Thomas Henry Huxley – Biologist who
helped developed theory of evolution.
D. Mother was niece of Matthew Arnold (wrote Dover
Beach) and sister of a novelist.
E. Even as a small child he was considered different =
feeling of separateness
II. Setting: England – London – 600 years in the future = 632
A.F. (After Ford) on their calendar
A. Centuries before, the world as we know it was
destroyed by the 9 Years War
- Out of it grew the World State – headed by 10
world controllers.
B. Henry Ford – a mythologized version – the auto
pioneer who developed mass production methods =
World State is built on mass production
C. All traces of past are erased – “History is bunk.”
D. Utopia = Greek for No Place
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Changed Names of places/things show changes in society:
Charing Cross = London Railroad station  Charing T
(after Ford’s Model T)
Big Ben = BIG clock in London  Big Henry
Westminster Abbey  Nightclub = Westminster Abbey
Cabaret
Some parts remain the way they were before the World
State - they are called Savage Reservations – with New
Mexico Zuni Indians (full of poverty, filth, hunger, and disease)
Iceland and Falkland Islands are lands of exile where
people unable to conform are sent.
Huxley emphasizes a rigid class structure much like
that of present-day England.
But his society is stronger, being biologically and
chemically engineered.
III. Themes – as important as plot
A. “Community, Identity, Stability” (motto of World
State) vs. Individual Freedom
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1. Community is the result of identity and stability.
Achieved through new religion and structuring life
so that one is NEVER alone.
2. Identity is the result of chemical engineering, also,
by teaching everyone to conform to the extent that
anyone who is different is made to feel odd, an
outcast.
3. Stability is mentioned most often – it is the reason
for designing society this way. Stability means
minimizing conflict, risk, and change.
B. Science as a Means to Control
Does not show many scientific advances as many
futuristic novels do, but shows the advancement of
science as it AFFECTS human individuals. Did not
concentrate on nuclear physics – concentrates on more
relevant (for the time period) misuse of biology,
physiology, and psychology to create community, identity,
stability.
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C. Threat of Genetic Engineering
He didn’t use the phrase or terminology, but describes
manipulation of RNA and DNA – the proteins in every
cell that determine the basic inherited characteristics of
life.
D. Misuse of Psychological Conditioning
Every being is conditioned to fit society’s needs. Ex.
The work he/she will do. Mainly done by Hypnopaedia
(sleep teaching) = brainwashing.
E. The Pursuit of Happiness carried to an Extreme
A society can only achieve stability when everyone is
happy. They eliminate any painful emotion – which means
every deep feeling, EVERY PASSION! The Utopians go to
great length to deny the unpleasantness of death, and to
find perpetual happiness. But the cost is very great. By
denying themselves unpleasant emotions they deny
themselves deeply joyous ones as well. Happiness is
shallow.
F.The Cheapening of Sexual Desire
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Sex is a primary source of happiness. The BNW makes
promiscuity a virtue – they have sex with any partner
they want – “Everyone belongs to everyone else.” To
have sex with the same partner for a certain number of
times (or exclusively) is forbidden because it can stir up
emotions, passions, and jealousies.
True love for one person would lead to a neurotic
passion and the establishment of family life which would
undermine the community. No one is allowed to become
pregnant because no one is “born” in this society.
G.The Pursuit of Happiness Through Drugs
Soma is used in the BNW by everyone (some are paid
with it). It calms people and gets them high at the same
time – but prohibits feeling – causes numbness, apathy,
NOTHING is dealt with and all is escaped. Reminds
one of children who are overly protected. NOTHING IS
REAL.
H. The threat of Mindless Consumption and Mindless
Diversion
This society offers its members distractions
that they must enjoy in common – never
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alone – because solitude breeds instability.
1. Sports whose complex equipment keeps the
economy rolling.
2. Clothes that do not last.
“The more stitches the less riches”
“Ending is better than mending.”
“I love new clothes”
Discuss – how are we like this in our own society? Tires?
Clothes? Cars? Toys? Appliances, Light bulbs,
batteries…
I. The Destruction of the Family
The combination of genetic engineering,
bottle-birth, and sexual promiscuity means
there is no monogamy, marriage or family. “Mother” and
“Father” are obscene words.
J. Denial of Death
The BNW insists that death is a natural and not
unpleasant process. There is no old age or visible
senility. Children are given treats when they hear of
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death occurring. This conditioning does not – as it might
– prepare people to cope with the death of a loved one
or their own mortality. It eliminates the painful emotions
of grief and loss, and the spiritual significance of death.
K. The Oppression of Individual Differences
Some characters in BNW differ from the norm, we are
shown their struggle:
Bernard
Helmholtz
John the Savage
Mustapha Mond
Huxley himself felt different from those around him.
Many of the characters could be a mirror of an aspect
of Huxley’s personality.
L. What does such a system cost?
The utopia has some good sides: no war or
poverty, little disease and unrest. Yet, it may be argued
that the “benefits” – sex, drugs – are a direct cause of
the sacrifice of freedom and feeling. The price is too
high.
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This Utopia must give up love, family, science, art,
religion, and history – and thus give up
INDIVIDUALITY!
IV. Humor Huxley was educated at Oxford; he was familiar
with history and literature. He expected his readers
to know the plays of Shakespeare, to recognize
names like Matthews, Marx, and know words like
“predestination” (to determine in advance).
You will have much more fun with BNW if you
don’t let the language scare or bore you. (Use a
dictionary!)
Many elite students in England tried to make a
game of language and ideas. You may find some of
Huxley’s humor funny or you may think the humor
is non- existent. You will have more fun with it if you
TRY to spot the humor.
You will find big jokes, for example, the “feelies,”
and little jokes like “decanting” – pouring fine wine.
Other jokes:
“Orgy-Porgy” – group sex is a parody of a
nursery rhyme
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“Our Lord”  “Our Ford”
Names:
Karl Marx = father of communism = “Bernard Marx”
Lenin = man who led the Russian Revolution =
“Lenina”
Benito Mussolini and Hoover = first name of dictator
of Fascist Italy and last name of president who led
U.S. to the Depression = “Benito Hoover”
“Malthusian Belt” = Thomas Malthus had a theory
that population will increase faster than its means if
not checked by moral restraint, disease, famine,
war and disaster  leads to widespread poverty
and degradation.
V. The Utopian Idea
A. Utopian Literature dates from 5 B.C. (Plato,
Socrates, etc.) Some consider literature of escape
the simplification of personal wants and naturalness
of living, advocating literature, the arts, education,
religion, politics and living in general.
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Note: It is more than coincidental that Huxley took his title
from Shakespeare’s The Tempest:
“O, wonder! How many goodly creatures are there
here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
that has such people in’t.” (Miranda)
B. Themes of escapism, glorification of nature, and
natural nobility run through Shakespeare’s work, and it
is Shakespeare who John the Savage uses in obtaining
his entire education in conformity with nature.
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