Brave New World

By Aldous Huxley

Rooting for the Wrong Team

           Out of all of the characters in Brave New World, the only one I immediately gravitated towards was John. This was because, despite his odd upbringing, he was the most relatable. He, like the reader, toed the line between the ancient ways of Native American culture and the cold-hearted efficiency of World Control. He expresses his qualms with the new world, declaring: “I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin,” (Huxley 215). This outrage mirrors many of the emphasized values in today’s society, or more accurately, society in the days of Aldous Huxley. The importance of Christianity, art, risk, liberty, and morality are all being defended solely by this one character. John’s Shakespearean references also make him the champion for the general belief structure of society as we know it. Shakespeare is known as possibly the greatest literary mind of all time, in part because his works are relatable, capturing what is considered to be ‘timeless’ human emotion. The World State culture, though, has no experience with these emotions. They don’t value the character-building qualities of hard work, nor do they have any experience with love and its many pains. They have no use for nobility, or religious morality Stuck between the two worlds, John’s story soon resembles a Shakespearean tragedy; his many references became prophesy. His demise is illustrated through his repeated quote, “O brave new world” (130). John first believes the Other World to be beautiful and perfect, the way his mother described it. The more he’s exposed to it, though, the more he detests the new world. The society of the World State discredits everything he believes in, belittling the noble ideals he holds most dear. After his conversation with Mustapha Mond, John is left in a crisis of faith. He tries to be as self-sacrificing as possible to repay for his sins and to prove to himself that there is value in his system of beliefs, but he can’t escape the temptations of progress, and participates in a spontaneous Solidarity Service. All the while, John is no longer being described as such. Instead, he is described as “Mr. Savage” (230). With his system of values undermined, his family taken away from him disgracefully, and even his civilized name stripped from him, John is left without meaning and instigates his tragic end. Since John represented and defended everything today’s society stood for, this is Huxley’s argument for this Brave New World. Huxley allowed us time for our horror, gave us a caricature of ourselves, and illustrated what may lie ahead for those resisting progress.