Class, Race, and Physical Bodies in Brave New World
In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, physical bodies directly correlate to class. Physical bodies of
Commented [P1]: Excellent use of a specific, analytical, opening
statement.
abnormal growth often mark difference from society and indicate lower class standing. Race also plays a role in
physical bodies and class. The issue of race in Brave New World exists on a continuum in which lower class
standing correlates to darker skin tone: conversely, the higher the caste, the whiter the individual. Lastly,
comparisons between insects/animals and characters in the book provide insightful commentary into the nature
of class relations in Brave New World.
The lower-caste people of the book are given alcohol during the embryonic stage so as to stunt their
proper growth and development. While the use of drugs in Brave New World is overwhelmingly dominated by
the golden recreational drug, soma, alcohol is viewed in the society as poison. Lower caste embryos are “dosed
almost to death with alcohol,” during development (Huxley 7). The standard result is “a stunted Epsilonhood”
(146). Bernard Marx, an Alpha Plus, is lower in stature than his colleagues of the same class. He is physically
defect and at numerous times in the text this defect is attributed to “alcohol in his blood-surrogate,” (64).
Bernard is seen as an outsider in his own caste, presumably a result of his mishandled embryo. While Bernard
and Lenina are visiting the Savage Reservation, they find a woman of Beta-Minus status who was lost on the
Reservation many years before. When they meet Linda, she “simply reeked of that beastly stuff that was put
into Delta and Epsilon bottles” and “positively stank of alcohol,” (119). So when a Beta-Minus like Linda stays
with the Savages for too long she is reduced to the level of a Delta or Epsilon when back in the brave new
world. Another description of Linda reveals that her “nails were black,” (119) further enhancing her
transformation and downgrade in class as a result of living amongst the Savages. Perhaps this adverse nature of
alcohol in the brave new world is Huxley’s comment on alcohol usage in the society of Huxley’s time.
The majority of the Savage Reservation population has dark skin. Lenina and Bernard meet an elder and
“his face was profoundly wrinkled and black, like a mask of obsidian,” (110). Similarly, the majority of the
lower caste members of society in the brave new world are black. For example, the hangars for the helicopters
were staffed “by a single Bokanovsky Group” in which “the men were twins, identically small, black and
hideous,” (64). At the beginning of the book, Mr. Foster says, “‘You should see the way a negro ovary responds
Commented [P2]: So many topics! You might want to just pick
one, but we’ll see how it goes. Unfortunately, they’re all wonderful.
After reading through this whole paper, I think you need to lose this
first paragraph about alcohol. It’s good, but the race/animal
conversation is better, and they have more to do with one another.
You’ll need a thesis that does two things: firstly, makes the claim
that race and animality are bound up together in this text, and then
that the combination of the two correlates to class. You can totally
do that—and it will help you to formulate the rest of your paper
according to that thesis.
to pituitary! It’s quite astonishing, when you’re used to working with European material,’” (9). Mr. Foster was
discussing the Bokanovsky Process during this time, so it is inferred that only Bokanovskified eggs are of
“negro” descent, thus the reason they are the first choices for Deltas and Epsilons. Since both the lower-caste
members of the brave new world and the Savages are black, this shows how they are relatively close in class
standing.
The race of the Savages is further underscored through the comparisons between Savages and animals.
For example, when John is relaying his memories on the Reservation to Bernard, he remembers that Popé was
“like a black snake trying to strangle her [Linda],” (132). The “black” is in reference to Popé skin color, and
Commented [P3]: I think if you’re going to talk about race and
the Savages, you’ll also need to address their Native American-ness.
It’s an interesting element in that it on the one hand suggests that
Native Americans are superior to the socially programmed
Europeans, but also figures them as ugly and savage—and even
more problematic in the use of the Noble Savage.
Commented [P4]: Popé’s
snakes are, at least in Western culture, the animal archetype of evil. Later, during an exchange between Bernard
and the Director back at the Hatchery in London, the Director replies to Bernard, “‘Yes-s,’ […] lingering, a
serpent, on the ‘s,’” (148). This encounter foreshadows the Director’s imminent meeting with Linda, whom he
had left at the Reservation so long ago, and equalizes the Director and Popé.
Another instance of comparisons between black people and animals occurs when Lenina and John attend
the feely. The premise of the feely is that a concussion destroyed a “gigantic negro’s” conditioning. As a result,
he developed “an exclusive and maniacal passion” for a “Beta blonde,” (168). After a “sensational kidnapping,”
the Beta blonde was “ravished away into the sky” and kept there for three weeks until “three handsome young
Commented [P5]: This is a fantastic catch. I think you’ll need to
talk about how this animality suggests an underlying morality to the
whole text: both of these men are evil, and so they embody evil
animals. Or something to that effect.
Commented [P6]: This opening is indicative of the most
prominent room for growth in your paper. Here, you’re
transitioning from one paragraph to the next through “another
instance”—in essence, just a list. We’ve finished one thought, and
now we’re moving to the next. When we formulate your thesis,
we’ll try to come up with something that allows you to move from
one instance to the next through logic. Progress from one example
to the next because you absolutely must in order to complete your
argument.
Alphas succeeded in rescuing her,” (168). The negro was shipped off to an Adult Re-conditioning Centre. This
“feely” sounds strangely comparable to the plot of the film King Kong, which came out right around the time
Huxley published Brave New World. If this assertion is valid, then essentially Huxley likens an abnormally
Commented [P7]: Definitely. Good catch.
huge black gorilla to a black man.
However, King Kong came out in 1933, and Brave New World came
out in 1932. We can talk about how you can still make this
argument (and there’s potential, here) when we meet.
Just as race is compared to animals in Brave New World, similarities between Deltas and Epsilons and
insects can be drawn from the text. On numerous occasions, the Bokanovskified twins are compared to insects,
which highlight both their unity and insignificance.
One example of this is when Lenina and Henry hovered in their helicopter over London: “the
approaches to the monorail station were black with ant-like pullulation of lower-caste activity,” (73). This
description equates the lower-caste with ants, which are numerous and inconsequential. Moreover, this scene
Commented [P8]: Same paragraph as previous.
literally places Lenina and Henry above the lower caste members to match their figuratively elevated position
on the hierarchical ladder of the society.
References to bees are abundant in Brave New World as well. A description of the Central London
Hatchery and Conditioning Center is “Buzz, buzz! The hive was humming, busily, joyfully,” (147). It can be
deduced that the brave new world is just like a beehive: there is a Queen, the World Controller, there are drones,
the upper-caste members of the society that cannot contribute to feeding the community but are in charge of
reproduction, and finally, the workers, which provide food and stability for the rest of the hive while still
inconsequential and easily replaced.
At the foot of Linda’s deathbed, John becomes overwhelmed with a series of “eight-year-old male
twins” in khaki (201). Soon, “the ward was maggoty with them,” (201). Another reference to the Deltas later
states: “Like maggots they had swarmed defilingly over the mystery of Linda’s death. Maggots again, but
larger, full grown, they now crawled across his grief and repentance,” (209). This comparison of maggots and
Delta children explains a few things. The first is the situation: maggots usually appear in dead animals, and the
jargon is befitting for the situation because Linda is on her deathbed. Furthermore, maggots are typically viewed
as a grotesque nuisance, which perfectly suits John’s state of mind at the time. Maggots are also the larva of
flies, hence the reason the Delta children are referred to as maggots instead of flies.
Commented [P9]: I love where this is right now. Once you have
a strong thesis, we can know where to head with the conclusion.
Ask yourself these questions: What do animals tell us about class in
BNW? What do animals tell us about the way that BNW (the book,
not the fictional world) is structured; in other words, do they
provide some sort of key or codex to evaluating characters or
events? And lastly, what does reading BNW teach us about class
and animals?
Essay Rubric – ETS 181: Class and Literary Texts Fall 2013
Paper 2: Class and …
Style: 10%
x/10
Logic: 20%
x/20
Structure: 30%
A
- Prose contributes to
overall quality of
paper
- Proper grammar
and sentence
structure
- Clear development
of individual style
- Internal logic of
paragraphs clear
- Sentences lead
evidently into one
another
- Use of evidence
augments argument
- Superb use of
original thought
B
- Prose does not
impede overall quality
of paper
- A few grammatical
errors
- Room for stylistic
growth
- Overall logic of
paper clear
- Overall logic of
paper does not impede
argument
- Internal logic of
paragraphs mostly
clear
- Order of sentences
occasionally jumbled
- Use of evidence
supports argument
adequately
- Shows development
of original thought
C
- Prose at times
impedes argument
- Many
grammatical errors
- Argument of
sentence at times
unclear because of
illegibility.
- Internal logic of
paragraphs hard to
follow
- Sentences seem to
have no relation to
one another
- Evidence not
clearly linked to
argument
D
Comments
- Prose immediately Quite well written.
impedes argument
- Frequent
grammatical errors
- Argument
difficult to follow
because unreadable
- Logic scattered
- Order of sentences
impedes argument
- Little to no
evidence, or
evidence not
helpful
- Overall
- Paragraph order
arrangement of
confuses reader
paper seems to have - Argument has
difficulty
I agree with your
readings, and your
examples are
excellent. Your
close readings are
absolutely
wonderful.
As I’ve indicated in
your paper,
sometimes I’m not
quite sure of your
paragraphs’
purpose—that is,
their ultimate goal.
Make that explicit
with topic
sentences and
transitions that
point back to your
thesis (which, of
course, we’ll need
to develop).
Once you have a
stronger sense of
how to articulate
your thesis in each
Essay Rubric – ETS 181: Class and Literary Texts Fall 2013
Paper 2: Class and …
x/30
- Argument
progresses in
strength
- Flow of paper
augments argument
- Argument strength
does not wane
- Flow of paper does
not interfere with
argument
Argument: 40%
- Clear, original
thesis held through
entirety of paper
- Mostly clear thesis,
few deviations
no bearing on
argument
- Argument flat or
falls apart
- Order of
paragraphs impedes
argument
- Unclear thesis,
many tangents
coalescing due to
progression of
paragraphs
paragraph, I think
your structure will
become much
clearer. Right now,
it’s definitely in list
form.
- Paper does not
seem structured by
common argument
See my comments
in your paper. We
will, of course, talk
more about this
tomorrow. Overall,
great work. I love
your theme. A more
explicit
construction of
your thesis will
make this even
better.
x/40
Final Grade: