Brave New World Reading Log
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Chapters 1-6 Directions: DO NOT write your answers on your own paper; type them on the
form and print it OR print the form and write them on the form.
Chapter 1
Ch.1.
The novel opens with the
CENTRAL LONDON
HATCHERY AND
CONDITIONING CENTRE
It contains the World State’s
motto, COMMUNITY, IDENTITY,
STABILITY (3).
1. What is purpose of the centre?
2. Explain what the motto means.
3. How does the centre support the motto and how does the motto drive the
centre’s purpose?
Although the temperature of the
bottom floor is described as
tropical, it is characterized by light
and color imagery that suggests
the idea of cold (3).
4. Quote three images that suggest the idea of the room’s coldness.
“Meanwhile it was a privilege.
Straight from the horse’s mouth
into the notebook” (4).
6. What “horse” is Huxley talking about? Describe him.
5. What might the coldness reflect about the nature of the brave new world?
7. Why is he showing the boys around the centre?
“Begin at the beginning”(5).
8. Why does the D.H.C. say this and what does it actually mean?
“For particulars, as every one
knows, make for virtue and
happiness; generalities are
intellectually necessary evils” (4).
9. Explain this quote: how do “particulars” make for virtue and
happiness?
10. What theme does the quote reflect?
“Bokanovsky’s Process is one of
the major instruments of social
stability” (7).
11. How does the process serve to help social stability (see the explanation)?
Brave New World Reading Log
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“Alphas and Betas remained until
definitely bottled; while the
Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons
were brought out again, after only
thirty-six hours to undergo
Bokanovsky’s Process”(6)
12. Why do you think Bokanovsky’s Process is not applied to Alphas and
Betas?
“The principle of mass production
at last applied to biology” (7).
13. If the Bokonovsky process is the idea of mass production being achieved in
science, what does that say about the role of science in this society?
Mr. Foster was giving his expert
knowledge and informed the
students that “the Predestinators
send in their figures to the
Fertilizers” (10)
14. Who is Henry Foster?
“’Embryos are like photographic
film. . .’” (11)
16. How are embryos like photographic film?
The next paragraph describes the
room: the sultry darkness, bulging
flanks of row on receding row,
bottle glinted with innumerable
rubies, hum and rattle of
machinery, etc.
“We allow as many as thirty per
cent of the female embryos to
develop normally” (13)
15. What is the social predestination room and what do the predestinators do?
17. What literary devices does Huxley employ in the paragraph? What effect do
they create?
18. Why do they allow some female embryos to develop normally?
19. What is a freemartin? What purpose do they serve and what small defect do
they have?
“’We also predestine and
condition. We decant our babies
as socialized human beings, as
Alphas or Epsilons, as future
sewage worker or future Directors
of Hatcheries” (13)
20. Using pp.14-15 explain why an Epsilon embryo is kept below par. With this
in mind, how do they create the different castes and how in general terms
are they conditioned?
21. Are we conditioned in our society? Explain the reasons for your answer.
Brave New World Reading Log
“All conditioning aims at that:
making people like their
unescapable social destiny” (16)
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22. What does this quote mean? Do you think this is a good idea? Justify your
answer.
23. Where do you see this in society today?
Chapter 2
“INFANT NURSERIES. NEOPAVLOVIAN CONDITIONING
ROOMS”(19)
1. Who was Pavlov?
“There was something desperate,
almost insane, about the sharp
spasmodic yelps to which they
now gave utterance. Their little
bodies twitched and stiffened;
their limbs moved jerkily as if to
the tug of unseen wires” (21)
2. Why is the simile used to describe the movement of the infants’ bodies so
appropriate? (Hint: it involves irony.)
“What man has joined, nature is
powerless to put asunder” (22)
3. What does this quote mean in context and what (language) is it alluding to
and for what reason?
The conditioning lesson that the
students observed taught the
infants to have an “’instinctive
hatred of books and flowers’” (22)
4. Why are they conditioned to hate books? How would this be beneficial to
“community, identity, and stability”?
5. Why are the infants taught to hate flowers yet love country sports (all which
much use elaborate apparatus)? How would this be beneficial to
“community, identity, and stability”?
In telling about Reuben, the director
reminds the shocked students that
“most historical facts are unpleasant”
and “’For you must remember that in
those days of gross viviparous
reproduction, children were always
brought up by their parents and not in
State Conditioning Centres’”(24)
6. Why are the children taught that historical facts are unpleasant?
7. What does viviparous mean?
8. What is the purpose of telling about Reuben?
Brave New World Reading Log
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As the director discussed Ford’s
first T-Model, “[He] made a sign of
the T on his stomach and all the
students reverently followed suit”
(25).
9. What does this seem to symbolize? (hint: this is a parody of what religion?)
“Moral education, which ought
never, in any circumstances to be
rational (26)”
10. Hypnopaedia can’t be used for intellectual education yet it’s perfect for moral
education. Explain why and use the quote as evidence.
During the lesson on Elementary
Class Consciousness, the
different classes (castes) are
described according to status.(27)
11. Rank the classes in descending order (intelligence, work ethic/job, color).
Hypnopaedia is described as
“words without reason” and “The
greatest moralizing and
socializing force of all time” (27).
13. Knowing that Huxley is being satirical, what doe these quotes in connection
with each other really mean about the minds of the people in the World
State?
12. What’s the purpose of the class consciousness lesson? Does it support
“community, stability, identity”?
“The sum of the suggestions is
the child’s mind . . . all his life
long. The mind that judges and
desires and decides- made up of
these suggestions. But all these
suggestions are our suggestions”
(28-29)!
Chapter 3
“’strange to think that even Our
Ford’s day most games were
played without more apparatus
than a ball or two and a few sticks
and perhaps a bit of netting’”31)
1. What is the purpose for making sure that games involve many apparatuses?
The D.H.C. finds the scene of the
children playing a sex game to be
charming, but the students touring
the facility don’t; to them “it was
just a pair of kids fooling about;
that was all. Just kids”(31)
3. What does this incident imply about attitudes towards sex in Brave New
World? How do they differ from attitudes today?
2. What theme is conveyed by this quote?
Brave New World Reading Log
“’History is bunk.’ He waved his
hand; and it was as though, with
an invisible feather whisk, he had
brushed away a little dust, and
the dust was . . . Thebes and
Babylon. . Whisk. . Rome,
Jerusalem. . . Whisk, the
cathedrals; whisk. . Passion; .
.Requiem; whisk. .” (34)
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4. How does the image of a whisk brushing away dust help to convey the
Controller’s attitude toward history?
5. What theme does the passage reflect?
Beginning on page 34, three conversations are going on at the same time, with Huxley switching back and
forth between them: between the Controller and the boys, Henry Foster and Benito Hoover, and Lenina and
Fanny.
“There were those strange
rumours of old forbidden books
hidden in a safe in the Controller’s
study. Bibles, poetry – Ford knew
what” (35)
6. What does this reveal about Mustapha Mond, the Controller?
The Controller describes home as
“reeking with emotion” and full of
“suffocating intimacies” and
“dangerous relationships” (37)
8. What do the Controller’s words reveal about the attitude of his society
toward family life?
“Our Freud had been the first to
reveal the appalling dangers of
family life”
(39)
9. What has this new world put in place of marriage and parenthood?
7. Why would the Controller have access to banned material?
“Family, monogamy, romance.
Everywhere exclusiveness, a
narrow channeling of impulse and
energy” (40)
“Everyone belongs to everyone
else”
10. What is the connection between Mustapha Mond’s comments about family
life and this motto of the new world?
“No social stability without
individual stability” (42)
11. Explain this quote, i.e., what do you think the Controller means by “individual
stability” and why is it vital to social stability?
12. What is ironic about this notion? How is individual stability achieved in the
World State? Find two quotes from p.44-45 to support your answer.
13. Do you agree with the quote about stability? Explain the reason(s) for your
position.
Brave New World Reading Log
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We have all “encountered
insurmountable obstacles”, had
strong “emotions”, had to wait a
long time between having a
“desire and its fulfillment” (44-45).
14. The Controller thinks such obstacles are bad and that life is better without
them. Do you think your life would be better if you were exempt from such
emotional challenges? Explain the reason(s) for your answer.
“’They say somebody made a
mistake when he was still in the
bottle-thought he was a Gamma
and put alcohol into his blood
surrogate’” (46)
15. To whom does this comment refer?
“’The Russian technique for
infecting water supplies was
particularly ingenious’” (48).
17. Why does the Controller share this information with the students? (Hint: it
helps to explain something.)
16. Why do people say this about him/her?
“’The Nine Years’ War, the great
Economic Collapse. There was a
choice between World Control
and destruction. Between
stability and . . .’” (48)
“’All crosses had their tops cut
and became T’s.”
18. Why was this done?
There was also a thing called
God.’”
19. What does this comment reveal about belief in God in the new society?
“’We have the World State now.
And Ford’s Day celebrations, and
Community Sings, and Solidarity
Services’” (52).
“’All the advantages of Christianity
and alcohol; none of their
defects’” (54).
20. Find this quote and read it in its original context. What would you infer Mond
means by the “advantages of Christianity”? What would he see to be its
defects?
21. According to the text, what are the advantages of alcohol? What are its
defects?
With the transfusion of young
blood and hormones, they
“conquered old age” (54).
22. What benefits exist from having the same tastes and powers of a seventeen
year old? Find a quote that shows the benefit(s) – p.55.
Brave New World Reading Log
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Chapter 4, Part 1 (Lenina and her date) and Part 2 (Helmholtz and Bernard)
Lenina was “publicly proving her
unfaithfulness to Henry” (58).
1. How did she do this?
2. Why was this important for her to do?
3. Why is Bernard so uncomfortable discussing a date with Lenina in public?
What does this reveal about Bernard?
“Bernard gave his orders in . . . a
tone of one who does not feel
himself too secure in his
superiority” (64)
4. Why is Bernard so insecure?
The Bureaux of Propaganda and
the College of Emotional
Engineering were housed
together, where Helmholtz
Watson is a lecturer (67).
5. Why is it appropriate that these are in the same building?
6. Describe Helmholtz. How is he extraordinary?
7. Why do Bernard and Helmholtz connect?
“’Did you ever feel . .you had
something inside you that was
only waiting for you to give it a
chance. . some sort of extra
power that you aren’t using. .’”
(69)?
8. What does Helmholtz reveal to Bernard? What is he really desiring?
9. Bernard doesn’t really understand. How are they really different?
“’. . a feeling that I’ve got
something important to say and
the power to say it. . ‘” (69)
“Words can be like X-rays, if you
use them properly- they’ll go
through anything” (70)
10. What does Helmholtz realize about writing?
11. Does he feel like his writing does this? Explain.
12. What is ironic in his statement?
Brave New World Reading Log
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Chapter 5, Part 1 (end of Lenina’s date) and Part 2 (Solidarity Service)
“soma holiday” (77)
1. What is a “soma holiday”?
2. What theme does the taking of soma reflect?
“Malthusian Drill”
3. What is a “Malthusian Drill”? What does Lenina’s use of it reveal about her?
The Solidarity Service is
described as having a Community
Singery, solemn synthetic music,
a Singery clock, trumpets that
bellow out “Ford”, sign of the T, a
hymn, etc.
4. What do these images symbolize?
Rituals were performed as they
passed the cup and said, “’I
drink to the imminence of His
Coming’” (82)
6. To whose coming are they drinking?
5. How is this description ironic and what is its purpose in BNW
7. What theme does the description of the Solidarity Service reflect? Why is
this ironic?
(See page 84)
“. . . the calm ecstasy of achieved
consummation, the peace, not of
energies at rest and in
equilibrium. A rich and living
peace. For the Solidarity Service
had given as well as taken. . .”
(85)
8. How do Bernard’s feelings after the service differ from this (see page 86)?
9. What reason does he give for his feelings? What deeper reason may
actually lie behind his feelings?
Chapter 6, Part 1 (Lenina’s date with Bernard) and Part 2 (journey to the Savage Reservation)
“Odd, odd, odd, was Lenina’s
verdict on Bernard Marx” (87).
1. According to pages 88-89, what does Lenina find odd about Bernard?
Bernard wants to look at the sea
in silence because he says it
makes him feel “’as though I were
more me, if you see what I mean .
. . not just a cell in the social body
. . . free- not enslaved by my
conditioning. . .wouldn’t you like
to be free to be happy in some
other way, Lenina? In your own
way, for example; not in
everybody else’s way’” (90-91)
2. What does Bernard mean when he says that looking at the sea in silence
makes him feel as if he were himself? Paraphrase what he’s trying to
express.
3. Based on the quote, what would you say Bernard desires?
4. What theme does this passage reflect?
Brave New World Reading Log
Bernard began to talk “dangerous
nonsense”. He expressed that he
wanted to “’try the effect of
arresting [his] impulses’” (93).
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5. What value of the Brave New World does Bernard’s desire to arrest his
impulses contradict?
6. Why does he want to do this? (See page 94.)
“’I really don’t know why I bored
you with this trivial anecdote’” (97)
7. What anecdote does the D.H.C. confide to Bernard? (Summarize it.)
8. How is the word “trivial” ironic?
9. Why is he furious for having shared it with Bernard?
“’Alphas are so conditioned that
they do not have to be infantile in
their emotional behaviour. But
that is all the reason for their
making a special effort to
conform. . . It is their duty to be
infantile, even against their
inclination. . I give you fair
warning’” (98)
10. What does the Director mean by the word “infantile”?
Write down the description of
the lifestyle of the reservation
below (103).
13. Why is it called a Savage Reservation?
11. In what ways are people in the Brave New World infantile in their behavior?
12. With what does the Director threaten Bernard? Why does the threat excite
him?
14. What keeps the savages on the reservation?
Chapters 7-12 Directions: DO NOT write your answers on your own paper; type them on the
form and print it OR print the form and write them on the form.
Chapter 7
“Naked from throat to navel, their
dark brown bodies painted with
white lines. . . the dirt, . . the piles
of rubbish, the dust, the dogs, the
flies.. . [Lenina’s] face wrinkled up
into a grimace of disgust” (109)
1. How does the Savage Reservation differ from the “civilized” world of Lenina
and Bernard?
Brave New World Reading Log
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“She felt in her pocket for her
soma-only to discover that . . .
she had left the bottle down at he
rest-house” (111).
2. What makes Lenina feel the need for soma?
Pages 110-112
4. What aspect of the Savage ritual does Lenina like?
3. What is satirical about the fact that she can’t take soma while having awful,
disgusting feelings?
5. Why does she like it?
“’Do you see that damned spot?’.
. The multitudinous seas
incarnadine’” (117).
6. Whose words is the Savage using? (Hint: he is a VERY famous and
important writer.)
7. Why does he want to be the sacrifice?
8. Why wasn’t he allowed to be the sacrifice?
Chapter 8
Chapter 8 as a whole
1. List five events that John recalls about childhood that shape his view of people
and life. (write the page numbers)
John is given a copy of The
Complete Works of William
Shakespeare (131)
2. Why does John like it so much and how does he use this in his life?
3. Present at least two pieces of evidence from the chapter to support your answer.
“’If one’s different, one’s bound to
be lonely’” (137).
4. Why might this be true?
5. List the characters in the novel to whom this statement applies. For each, identify
the difference(s) that isolates the character from society and how the
difference(s) isolates the character.
“He hesitated doubtfully. That
6. What makes Linda revolting? Why does Linda’s future anywhere look fairly grim?
Brave New World Reading Log
revolting creature! . . . It suddenly
occurred to Bernard that her very
revoltingness might prove an
enormous asset” (138).
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7. Predict: How do you think Linda might prove to be an asset for Bernard?
Chapter 9
Beginning of chapter 9
1.
“’I was talking to his fordship on
the phone a moment ago’” (141142).
2.
Why does Bernard make this comment (i.e., what ulterior motives might he
have in making the comment)? What do these motives reveal about how Bernard
is feeling about himself?
“He was thoroughly enjoying
himself” (142).
3.
We can deduce from this comment that Bernard’s feelings about his world
have changed. Describe specifically how they have changed. What does this
change reveal about Bernard’s character?
To John, the sleeping Lenina
seems beautiful and childlike.
4.
What is ironic about John’s perception of Lenina?
5.
Why is Romeo and Juliet an appropriate play for John to quote?
As he watches Lenina, he quotes
lines from Romeo and Juliet.
(144)
Why does Mustapha Monde allow Bernard to bring Linda and John back?
6.
Why does John frequently use Shakespeare’s words to express his own
personal thoughts?
Chapter 10
This chapter begins with the
D.H.C, Thomas, setting the stage
for a place to deliver the news of
Iceland to Bernard.
“’A public example,’” he was
saying, “’. . . because it contains
more high- caste workers’” (147).
1. Why is it important to make an example of Bernard’s non-conformity to the highcaste workers?
“’His intellectual eminence carries
with it corresponding moral
responsibilities. The greater a
man’s talents, the greater his
power to lead astray’” (147-148).
2. Do you agree with the D.H.C.? Explain.
“’Unorthodoxy threatens more
than the life of a mere individual;
it strikes at Society itself’” (148).
3. What kind of unorthodoxy does the D.H.C. refer to here (hint: what specific
aspects of Bernard’s thinking and behavior does the D.H.C. identify as
unorthodox)?
Brave New World Reading Log
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4. How is Bernard’s particular kind of unorthodoxy threatening to the life of his
society?
5. Judged by the standards of our society today, what is ironic about what the
society of Brave New World regards as unorthodox?
Huxley uses dramatic irony
effectively when the D.H.C. is
surprised by Bernard’s showing to
ward off his exile to Iceland.
6. Describe the humiliating scene that led the D.H.C. to flee the center (use some
quotes)
7. Why is the event so humiliating for the D.H.C.?
Chapter11
“After the scene in the Fertilizing
Room, all uppercaste London was
wild to see this delicious creature
who had fallen on his knees. . .”
(153).
1. Why were they so eager to meet John and not Linda?
“’Soma may make you lose a few
years in time, but think of the
enormous, immeasurable
durations it can give you out of
time. Every soma-holiday is a bit
of what our ancestors used to call
eternity’” ((154).
2. Who is speaking here and what prompts him/her to make this comment? (Hint:
s/he is trying to justify something.)
Find three examples to show how
Bernard’s guardianship of John
empowered him. (156-157)
4.
3. Do you agree or disagree with this person’s rationale? Explain the reason(s) for
your answer.
5.
6.
“’. . . though I must admit, that I
agree with the Savage in finding
civilized infantility too easy or, as
7. What evidence can you cite from the text of Brave New World to suggest that
Bernard’s comment is not completely sincere? (Hint: His behavior suggests that,
while he may think that the “infanitility” of civilization is too easy, he feels quite
Brave New World Reading Log
he put it, not expensive enough .
.’” (159)
John attends a class for Alphas in
which they are learning about a
savage reservation (p.162).
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differently about the matter. And yes, you should be able to cite evidence to show
this.)
8. What does John learn from this class?
9. How well do you think John understands why they are laughing and that they are
laughing at all that he believes in?
“’. . . an interesting example of the
way in which early conditioning
can be made to modify and even
run counter to natural impulses’”
(161).
10. Bernard is here writing about John’s still wanting to see Linda despite her
unattractive appearance. What is ironic in this comment on the effect of John’s
“early conditioning”?
John and Lenina’s trip to the
feelies
11. Compare and contrast John and Lenina’s different responses to the feelie.
12. Both end up disappointed at the end of the evening. Why is Lenina
disappointed? Why is John?
Chapter 12
John refuses to attend the
gathering that Bernard had put
together with special guests,
including the Arch-CommunitySongster.
1. How do people’s views of Bernard’s change as a result of John’s refusal?
Support your answer with textual evidence.
“’A New Theory of Biology’ . . .
‘Not to be published’” (177)
2. Why does Mustapha Mond decide not to publish this book and put the author’s
name on a list?
3. He believes it to be perhaps true and a masterful piece. What does Mond’s
decision to suppress it say about the brave new world?
“’Well, I’d rather be unhappy than
have the sort of false, lying
happiness you were having here’”
4. Why does John think that Bernard’s happiness was a “false, lying happiness”?
Brave New World Reading Log
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(179).
5. Do you agree with John? Justify your answer.
“One of the principal functions of
a friend is to suffer the
punishments that we should like,
but are unable, to inflict upon our
enemies” (179).
6. How could this be true?
Hemholtz gets in trouble for his
rhymes written to induce feelings.
Reread them on p.181.
“’I feel as though I were just
beginning to have something to
write about’” (182).- note the
satire
8. Why do Hemholtz’s students object to the poem he reads them?
Hemholtz and John share a
connection, but they also
misunderstand each other too.
9. Explain the connection that bonds Hemholtz and John but excludes Bernard.
7. How does Bernard make Helmholtz and John suffer on his behalf?
10. In what way(s) do they misunderstand each other?
Directions for Chapters 13-18:
1. List the main events of the chapter.
2. Find an interesting, provocative quote from the chapter. Write the quote with the page number
and write what you found interesting about it.
3. Write at least one question that you had after reading this chapter. It may be something that
puzzled you, an issue raised by the chapter that intrigued you, or a prediction about what is going
to happen next.
Important note: DO NOT write your answers on your own paper; type on your computer or
print and write them on the reading log form.
CHAPTER 13
Main Events
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Brave New World Reading Log
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CHAPTER 14
Main Events
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CHAPTER 15
Main Events
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CHAPTER 16
Main Events
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Brave New World Reading Log
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CHAPTER 17
Main Events
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CHAPTER 18
Main Events
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