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Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. A satire. Satire. Literature criticizing human vices Main goal: arouse contempt Common characteristics: ridicule, irony, exaggeration, humor. Brave New World Written: 1931, England Published: 1932
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Brave New Worldby Aldous Huxley A satire
Satire • Literature criticizing human vices • Main goal: arouse contempt • Common characteristics: ridicule, irony, exaggeration, humor
Brave New World • Written: 1931, England • Published: 1932 • Settings (place): England; U.S. —“savage” Reservation in New Mexico • Settings (time): • 2540 AD • 632 years AF (“After Ford”—Year zero = 1st year of Model T car production
Brave New World • narrator: Third-person omniscient • point of view: Shifts between multiple characters • Bernard • John • Lenina • Helmholtz Watson • Mustapha Mond
Propaganda/Advertising • Censorship • Conformity • Genetic engineering • Social conditioning • Mindless entertainment • Relevance – why read Brave New World? • More applicable today than in 1932 • Huxley warns about excesses in each area.
Relevance – why read Brave New World? • Cultural references (allusions) • Clay Terrace – Soma • Brave New World – often referenced in articles on technological development.
Literary Technique • Reverse-typicality—modern life completely reversed in some way • BNW reverses moral standards to… • criticize forces eroding basic freedoms/cultural norms • Military/industrial complex; centralized power; consumerism; hyper-specialization– all of these erode… • religion; families; independent thought
Fiction—low risk consideration • Huxley explores important questions. • What would happen if…? • As you read, consider what questions Huxley is asking and answering with Brave New World