Brave New World
Themes
Name: ___________________________
A. Theme—The advancement of science as it effects human individuals
1. Discuss the Bokanovsky Process and its effect on society:
2. List several ramifications of the use of Soma in the society described in Brave New World:
3. Are there similar advances being made in society today such as what you describe in question 2? What
ramifications do you think it holds for our future?
Brave New World
Themes
Name: ___________________________
B. Theme—Dangers and limitations of a totalitarian government
1. Describe how the government in Brave New World maintains control over its people (i.e. through force,
intimidation, mind control?) Explain your answer:
2. Looking back through history and today’s modern age, where have we seen a similar type of government?
Does it work? Why or why not?
Brave New World
Themes
Name: ___________________________
C. Theme—The dilemma between science and religion
1. Describe how Huxley’ futuristic society directly results in the dehumanization of its people through lack of
religion and family.
2. How does the constant of science prevent the soul’s ability to transcend and reach a place of personal utopia?
3. How has the use of science and technology in today’s society created a similar effect on us?
Brave New World
Themes
Name: ___________________________
D. Theme—Happiness vs. Truth
1. How is the use of Soma used and what is the correlation on its use between happiness and truth?
2. How does John create a delusion by viewing Lenina through the lens of a Shakespearian story?
3. Mond view happiness on a very surface and superficial level. Looking at your own thoughts on happiness,
what connection can you make between truth and happiness on a deeper level?
Brave New World
Themes
Name: ___________________________
E. Theme—Moral and cultural decay
1. What factors existing in the World State in Brave New World lead to the moral decay of humans? Why?
2. Describe the correlation between moral decay and cultural decay:
3. Looking at society today, do you think we reflect a society of moral and cultural decay, or a society of rebirth
and hope? Justify your response:
Brave New World
Themes
Name: ___________________________
F. Theme—Isolation of humans who are not allowed to have real relationships
1. How does the theme of isolation provide a counterpoint to the idea of conformity that saturates the World
State in Brave New World?
2. Describe why each of the following characters are isolated from the World State and why. They describe
whether or not you think this could have been avoided.
a. Bernard Marx
b. Helmholtz Watson
c. John
3. What is the ultimate effect of human isolation in any given circumstance/How can it forever change
someone?
Brave New World
Themes
Name: ___________________________
G. Theme—The role of sex in human existence
1. Explain the control that the government in Brave New World has over sexual mores :
2. Explain the control that the government in Brave New World has over reproductive rights:
3. What is the major conflict that John experiences with Lenina as a result of this government interference?
Brave New World
Themes
Name: ___________________________
H. Theme-The consumer society
1. Explain how Brave New World is a satire of the world in which Huxley existed AND how it is satirical of our
modern world:
2. While the attitudes and behaviors of World State citizens at first appear bizarre, cruel, or scandalous, many
clues point to the conclusion that the World State is simply an extreme—but logically developed—version of our
society’s economic values. Compare and contrast the two: