Brave New World Discussion Quiz
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
1.
Reading Section: Chapters 1-6
Huxley’s narration style is a grammatical technique called "Implied Indirect Discourse." Start
with "discourse." Discourse = speech. If you've got a sentence that reads, "Marie said 'hello,'" then
"hello" is the discourse. Indirect means no quotations, so your sentence would say, "Marie said
hello." "Hello" is now your indirect discourse. IMPLIED indirect discourse is indirect discourse
without the little "Marie said" tag. The tag is implied. No quotes = indirect discourse. No
quotes and no tags = implied indirect discourse, which is what you have going on in the early
chapters of Brave New World. Why does Huxley begin his text in such a way? What is the
purpose in requiring the reader to make the implications themselves as to who is speaking? How
does the reader respond to his implied indirect discourse?
2. Analyze the World State’s motto, “Community, Identity, Stability” (3) What are the definitions
and connotations of these three words? What does the motto mean? How do you think the motto
has affected the society in year A.F. 632? What sort of politics might be associated with this
philosophy and which modern social conventions in our world today are in contrast with this
motto?
3.
What moral issues arise when you discuss, “The principle of mass production at last applied to
biology?” (7). What might be the chief argument for and against such a process when looking at
our society today?
4. Describe the process of Hypnopædia on page 25-26. Consider the D.H.C’s explanation of the
inability to teach facts to children in their sleep but being able to give a “moral education” during
hypnopædia. What does the Director mean when he says, “Moral education, which ought never, in
any circumstances, to be rational?” What are the children being taught when the group goes into
listen to their hypnopædia and how does it define the Director’s explanation of a “moral
education?”
5.
While being created, certain sects of society are conditioned for different preferences and
tolerances. Virtually everything that a future man or woman is predetermined to do by the World
State government they have been preconditioned to enjoy. What does that do to the idea of
happiness? Does our idea of happiness exist in the society of BNW? How are the ideas of desire
and wants controlled by the World State?
6. What does the narrator suggest is the source of Bernard’s self-consciousness and dissatisfaction
with society? Describe Bernard’s friend Helmholtz. How are Helmholtz’s self-consciousness and
dissatisfaction with society different from Bernard’s?
7.
What is the function of the Solidarity Service? Discuss the various ways in which this purpose is
accomplished (the various facets of the Service). Why do you think most of the attendees react so
strongly to the Service? How does Bernard react, and why? What aspects of Christianity do you
recognize in the Service, and why would these things have been preserved?
8. What do you think Bernard means when he speaks of wanting to be “free to be happy in some
other way”? What does he mean when he says that he wants to “try the effect of arresting [his]
impulses,” and how does that idea apply to his relationship with Lenina? What does he mean
when he says that he wants to be an adult all the time—how are the people of this society “infants
where feeling and desire are concerned”? What does Lenina’s reaction to Bernard’s unhappiness
about their date show about her? (Refer to these lines near the end of Part 1: “Lenina felt all her
triumph suddenly evaporate. Perhaps he had found her too plump, after all.”)
9. Why is talking about the “remote past” (probably anything more than a year before) a taboo?
What do you think drives the Director to unconsciously violate this taboo? What do Bernard’s
initial reaction to being reprimanded, his bragging to Helmholtz, and his reaction upon learning
of his impending transfer to Iceland (Part 3) show about his character?
10. Why do you think the Reservations are maintained? What is shown about the people of this
society by their attitude toward and treatment of the “savages”?