Brave New World

I was immediately hooked once I began reading the first chapter of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. The planet in this futuristic so called utopia is run by the World State; their motto being "Community, Identity, Stability" (3). As the beginning of the novel unfolds we notice how this motto is in effect. The first chapter details the growth of human beings within a laboratory. This idea relates to cloning that is taking place today and the prediction scientist have on what will be able to be grown in a laboratory. In the novel Bokanovsky's Process takes place when one embryo splits and forms up to ninety six humans. This is where we begin to see Identity. A person is not only developed in a lab but they can be identical twins with up to ninety five other humans which shows a loss in one's unique identity. Everyone is beginning to look, dress and talk alike forming one identity.

As the story continues chapter two displays the stability factor in the World State's motto. As these humans develop in a red room they continue onto the Social Predestination room where newborns and children are somewhat brainwashed. They are exposed to loud noises at the sight of books and given electric shocks at the sight of flowers. This part in the novel reminded me of the firefighters in Fahrenheit 451 who burned books in order to save society from an artful expression of ideas. Hearing loud noises and being shocked as a child teaches them to ignore nature and simply work. This is part of what could stabilize the planet. Another idea that could fall under both community and stability is the separation of people into the Gammas, Deltas, Alphas and Betas who are all known for wearing a certain color or doing certain things such as drinking. The community is also run in a caste system where one class of people is higher than the other. They closed museums and blew up historical monuments. Erotic and sexual play is also a significant part of this novel. Humans grow up within stages of life from the Hatchery to Social Predestination and so on. As they grow children are introduced to these types of games. This idea relates to today's society and how we are exposed to sexuality at younger ages by hearing things on TV, friends or experience. Sexual activities aren't seen starting in adulthood as much as it did in the past.

We are introduced to characters that seem to start and question the power inside they seem unable to use. This happens today when people conform to the norm in society ignoring the power they hold within.