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Happiness is All the Rage: Brave New World

Happiness is All the Rage: Brave New World. Feraco Myth to Science Fiction 1 June 2009. The Story. Bounces from one perspective to another Starts in the Central Hatchery (Director, etc.) Moves out into the city as its characters do Takes a detour into the Savage Reservation

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Happiness is All the Rage: Brave New World

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  1. Happiness is All the Rage: Brave New World Feraco Myth to Science Fiction 1 June 2009

  2. The Story • Bounces from one perspective to another • Starts in the Central Hatchery (Director, etc.) • Moves out into the city as its characters do • Takes a detour into the Savage Reservation • Finishes back in “civilization”

  3. The Story • As Huxley switches settings, he also switches purposes • The Hatchery scenes quickly flesh out the entire World State • City introduces characters • Savage Reservation breaks those characters down • Return to civilization = Clash of Man v. Progress

  4. What’s It About? • Stability (Director)? • Connection (Lenina)? • Meaning (Hemholtz)? • Happiness (Linda)? • Life (John)? • Notice Bernard’s not here

  5. Bernard Marx and Hemholtz Watson • See the world for what it is • Want something more • Bernard = Fake protagonist • We share his views • He caves and changes • Not ready for real challenge • Hemholtz = Thinker • Seems a bit detached at first • We understand him better later • Greets a challenge

  6. Lenina Crowne • A confusing character • Should we root for her? • Seems capable of feeling • Emotional cripple • A child in a world of children • Clashes with those who would keep her a child and those who would ask more of her

  7. John (The Savage) • Our real protagonist • Truly alone • A man without worlds • A relic of the past • What have we lost? • Tries to save others • Intentions frustrated • Claims right to suffer • A tragic ending? • Is he reclaiming what’s rightfully his – or giving up?

  8. Others • Mustapha Mond • World Controller • Not really bad • Self-limiting – checking his own potential in order to fit in • The Director • Clash of Structure v. Humanity • Linda • Exile, not outcast • An empty life

  9. Basic Arcs • John’s experiences on the reservation and in civilization – always isolated • Bernard’s search for acceptance • Hemholtz’s search for a “subject” • Lenina’s vestigial desire for connection • Societal studies – birth, death, conditioning

  10. What’s It Really About? • Theme-wise, Brave New World is complicated because it’s trying to do a number of things all at once • Is it about what it means to be human? • Love • Security • Independence • Identity • Enlightenment

  11. More Themes • Development • Relationships • Civilization • Faith • Risk • Disillusionment • Happiness • Loss • Heroism • Dystopia

  12. At the End of the Day • “Be careful what you wish for – you just might get it.” • Paradise • Stable • No one wants for anything…except for wanting • Is it human to suffer? • Is it human to fail? • What, then, is humanity?

  13. Chapter 17 • Re-read this chapter again. • Can you disagree with Mond? • What, really, have the people of the World State sacrificed? • If you had your choice between the Savage Reservation and the World State…would you really choose the reservation?

  14. Brave New World • As we move forward, we have to ask ourselves what we really want • What would we do with prosperity? • What would we do with freedom? • What would we do if we were in charge of our lives? • Apparently, we’d throw it all away.

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