FREE ESSAY ON BRAVE NEW WORLD

BRAVE NEW WORLD

Soma and orgy-porgies, sex hormone chewing gum and erotic play among children-all of these
things further the power of the centralized world government in Brave New World. In a
civilization that is without disease, old age, and all negative emotions, the people are
forced to pay a price without even realizing it. That great price is their freedom. With
mass consumption as a diversion, the New World quickly forgets the advantages of true
independence. In the futurized novel by Alduos Huxley, conformity rules over
individuality and scientific control successfully enslaves a brainwashed and fearful
society.
Bokanovsky's process is one of the major instruments of social stability. (BNW 7.) First
the scientists fertilize one single human egg, by arresting it's normal development, it
then proceeds to bud, producing many identical eggs. By making thousands of siblings,
they are easily able to create a sense of community among all the children. A major
problem that is recognized right away is, won't overpopulation lead to problems with the
economy? In response to this question, Huxley states, Overpopulation leads to economic
insecurity and social unrest. Unrest and insecurity lead to more control by central
governments and an increase of their power. (CN 29.) The world leaders gain even more
control when they start regulating society's ability to think on an individual basis.
This is done through classical conditioning, and what Utopia calls hypnopaedia.
Hypnopaedia is sleep teaching. It is used to drum prejudices into the subconscious of the
sleeper. (CN 7.) The Director of Hatcheries explains, Till at last the child's mind is
these suggestions, and the sum of the suggestions is the child's mind. And not the
child's mind only. The adult's mind too- all his life long. The mind that judges and
desires and decides- made up of these suggestions. But all these suggestions are our
suggestions! (BNW 29.) Another form of control used by the government is chemical
persuasion. 
Soma, it comes in several forms, mainly tablets. It is described to be a pacifier that
lulls the passions and understandings of the people, a major instrument in social
stability. (CN 8.) In small amounts Soma is euphoric, yet in larger doses it induces
blissful disorientation and then sweet, restorative sleep. (CN 34.) Because Soma is so
pleasurable to Utopian life, and has no side effects, it is one of the main methods of
control in Brave New World.  It kept the people uninterruptedly distracted and contented
and prevented insurrection. (CN 34.) With all of these powerful forms of control, society
is growing more oppressed, and the centralized government is gaining strength.
Towards the end of the novel, one of the world controllers, Mustapha Mond, asks, What's
the point of truth or beauty or knowledge when the anthrax bombs are popping all around
you? That was when science first began to be controlled- after the Nine Years' War.
People were ready to have even their appetites controlled then. Anything for a quiet
life. We've gone on controlling ever since. It hasn't been very good for truth, of
course. But it's been very good for happiness. One can't have something for nothing.
Happiness has got to be paid for. (BNW 228.) This powerful quote spoken straight from the
horse's mouth shows the attitude of the people in control of Utopia. Yes, society has
sacrificed freedom and independence, but for what cost? Mustapha Mond later points out
that although the people are without God, poetry, freedom, independence and goodness,
they never have to face disease, old-age, anxiety, stress, and unspeakable pains of every
kind. (BNW 240.) The fact remains, because science controls every aspect of life, and the
government controls science, the people of Brave New World are slaves trapped in a very
powerful system.