CHAPTER 1
1. Why is the first sentence strange? What does it set up?
I think the first sentence is strange because the author describes a building of 34 stories as only 34 stores, and as a "squat grey building". This sets up that everything in this time period is larger and more advanced, and that people's perceptions of "normal" have grown with the building sizes to think that a 34 story building is small and quaint.
2. What is the meaning of the World State's motto "COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY"?
The leaders want everyone to feel part of a community, and to feel accepted. They want everyone to feel like they have individual identities, while being seen in their predetermined classes. And of course they depend on people continuously consuming and buying to keep markets and the government stable.
3. Why does the fertilizing room look so cold when it is actually hot inside? What goes on there?
I think that the fertilizing room looking cold is a metaphor because of the lack of emotion that goes on inside. There is no love or affection for the embryos, because the workers have been conditioned since they were children not to feel emotions for anything or anyone else. Workers fertilize eggs, and create children of each caste in this room.
*4. Why do particulars "make for virtue and happiness," while generalities "are intellectually necessary evils?"
Their main goal will always come back to getting happiness for themselves, whether that's buying it or receiving it some other way.
5. How do people know who they are in this society?
Before people are even born, their fate in this society's hierarchy has already been decided for them. Workers mass produce eggs to "be born" into a fixed category of Alpha's, Beta's, Gamma's, Delta's and Epsilon's. The last three castes have a mental disorder due to lack of oxygen as a fetus that makes them less intelligent.
6. Why use the Bokanovsky's process at all? How is it an instrument of social stability?
Bokanovsky's process was used because 96 human beings could grow where only one or two (twins) can grow in our lifetime. His process is used alongside the social status so they can have more embryos growing from one bud, therefore using less buds. Also they can use these 96 embryos in the category lacking, instead of just one.
7. Why don't Epsilons "need human intelligence"?
Epsilons don't need human intelligence because they aren't required to think very much in the jobs they were created for. They work in factories doing the grunt work, and do not have the brain capacity to run countries, like Alpha's.
CHAPTER 2
1. What work does the conditioning do? Who gets conditioned? How does hypnopaedia work?
Babies and children get conditioned to learn the basics of what they will need to know as they grow up into adults. During conditioning, they learn the things to stay away from, things that aren't politically correct, and things that are expected of them; things that are the "norm" of their society. Hypnopaedia, the "principle of sleep-teaching," was the act of memorizing certain facts in your sleep, but not thoroughly understanding the concepts.
2. Why condition the Delta's to hate nature but love outdoor sports?
Long ago, Delta's were conditioned to like nature, because it was thought that they would consume more transport, which they did. However, it prevented factories from being busy. They had to abolish the love of nature to keep people consuming products and keeping factories in business. People were conditioned to love country sports, but it was made sure that all country sports entail the use of elaborate apparatus. "People consume manufactured articles as well as transport."
3. How does time work in this book? History? Why does Ford say "History is bunk"?
Learning about history is discouraged because if people know about the past they can compare their lives to people's back then, and they may discover that people of our time were just has happy, and this makes people of Ford's time to question their lifestyles. Ford wants people to live and consume in the present, he believes history is garbage, unimportant.
4. What are the various castes like and why?
Alpha's are the smartest, are used to invent and run the country, and wear grey. Beta's are less intelligent than Alpha's, but are still considered upper-class. Gamma's wear green, Delta's wear khaki, and Epsilon's wear black. The last three caste's have a mental disorder due to lack of oxygen and are used for manual labour.
5. How do the students demonstrate their own conditioning?
The upper-class students have been conditioned to look down upon the caste's below them, but to be happy with their own.
CHAPTER 3
1. How do the children play together? What is childhood like?
Naked children play ball games, or squat silently in twos or threes in the shrubs. Children are conditioned to start having sex at the age of seven, and learn how to act and treat others in their castes.
2. How is our world depicted? How do we get from here to there?
Our world is looked down upon because things were simpler and not everything was invented or based on increasing consumption. With each new and complicated game or toy that was invented, the next one had to be more elaborate and in some may more challenging, and eventually people started basing their worlds around waiting for the next best thing.
3. Why must games be so complex in this society?
Games are not created unless they bring something new and interesting to stores. The main idea is to create something that people will want to consume, and people are less inclined to buy something if they already have something like it; there is less desire for it. 4. Why are strong emotions dangerous? Family relationships? Romance? Religion? Art? Culture?
Emotions could be dangerous to learn too much about because people could relate to them or be intrigued by them and want to bring them into their lifestyles. Also, there is the potential to get hurt with these things, which leads to unhappiness.
5. How is sexuality used in this novel? Do you see any problems with it?
Sexuality is used as a form of amusement, and children have been conditioned to start "erotic play" at the ripe age of seven, so by the time they are into adulthood, sex is such a mundane thing that it is weird to go weeks without it. It is a little weird for me to imagine these acts happening before the age of ten, also sex is portrayed to us as a sacred thing that you do with someone you care about, but we think that because that is what we have been taught.
6. What does Mustapha Mond do? What is his relationship to history?
Mustapha Mond, also known as "His Fordship", is the controller of the Western European zone of London. He is the one who decides what to tell people about history and how to word things so people will be disgusted at the thought of the way we live.
7. Is there anything unusual about Lenina Crowne? Bernard Marx? What? Why?
Lenina seems to like to go against the expected of most people. She has spent over a month with the same man, when the usual time limit is a week as the most, and shows an interest in Bernard Marx when he is socially unacceptable. Bernard Marx is not your typical Alpha because of his smaller size, and this makes him insecure, when an Alpha should be proud and confident.
8. How does Huxley use the cinematic technique toward the end of this chapter?
He switches between different conversations very quickly and they become as big as one sentence then we switches to a different character speaking. I thought it was powerful, but very confusing and hard to keep up with.
9. What is soma? What are its uses?
Soma is a pill the people take to keep them from feeling too much. It keeps them in a happy euphoria.
10. How do people age in this society?
People dont age, they take pills to prevent them from looking older, and die at the age of 60 so they never have to be seen as withered and old and "ugly".
CHAPTER 4
1. What is life like for the Epsilon-Minus Semi-Moron who runs the elevator?
He probably works all day, doing work no body else wants to do. People look down upon him and are thankful they aren't Epsilon-Minus'.
2. How do the other Alphas relate to Bernard?
They act standoffish towards him because he is physically unlike other Alpha's. Some fellow Alpha's feel sorry for him because it is thought that he may have had alcohol in his blood surrogate and that is why he is different.
3. What does Lenina do on her date?
She and Henry Foster took his helicopter to Stoke Poges to play Obsticale Golf. Then they go to Henry's apartment and go across the street to Westminster Abbey Cabaret. After this they go back to Henry's apartment and take soma caplets and have sex.
4. What does she think of the lower castes?
Lenina is very vocal about her feelings for lower castes. "I'm glad I'm not a Gamma", is an example of something she says proving she looks down upon them and is glad she is of the higher castes.
5. Why is Bernard the way he is? What does he really want?
It is thought that when Bernard was in a tube, a worker put alcohol into his blood surrogate by accident and that is why he grew up smaller than the average Alpha. He just wants to fit in and be normal for once.
6. Why is Helmholtz the way he is? What does he want? How is he different from Bernard?
Helmholtz has a mental excess which causes him to be thought as "a little too able." he feels like there is something else in the world, something more important that consumption, but he doesn't know what it is. He is the opposite of Bernard because Bernard is physically defective while Helmholtz it physically too able.
CHAPTER 5
1. What do Lenina and Henry talk about on their way home? What happens at the crematorium?
They talk about the Slough Crematorium. Inside the crematorium is where people are cremated, and they recover over 98% of the phosphorus from circulation. This is used for plant growth.
2. Why are stars depressing?
Stars are depressing because when you can see the night sky, it means you don't see the sky signs, or they are turned off, and this might be sad.
3. What are the solidarity services like? What role do they play? How does Bernard fit?
It is a group that meets to worship something, but instead of religion, they worship materialism-- Model T. They solitary hymns, and ingest soma in the form of "strawberry ice cream soma". They summon a Greater Being, but Bernard is unfazed and doesn't feel any greater power, but goes along with it to be like everyone else.
CHAPTER 6
1. Why is being alone a bad thing?
Because it allows you time alone in your own head. Also, being lonely makes people feel unhappy, which is avoided at all costs.
2. What do Lenina and Bernard do on their first date? Why is the ocean important? The moon?
Bernard talks a lot about the ocean and how calming and peaceful he feels when gazing out into the waves. This makes Lenina feel very uncomfortable, to feel inspired about something to ordinary.
*3. What does Bernard say about freedom? What does he mean?
4. How does the date end?
With Bernard giving in to Lenina's begging, taking a few grammes of soma, and sleeping with her.
*5. What does it mean to be infantile in this society?
6. How does the director feel about Bernard? Why is he warning him?
He notices that Bernard is different, therefore must have to be monitored closely. He warns him not to question society and act the way he is expected to act, or else he will be exiled to Iceland.
7. What does his story mean? What does it show us about him?
The story shows that the director has made mistakes in his past, in leaving with Linda somewhere in the reservation, that he is not necessarily proud of.
8. How does Helmholtz feel about Bernard after he hears the story of the meeting with the director?
Helmholtz is annoyed with Bernard's childish behavior and emotions. 9. What do we learn from the Warden? What are the reservations like?
There is no escape from a Savage Reservation, and children are born into it and will live there for their entire lives.
10. What does the word Malpais mean?
Malpais is the town and rest house where Lenina and Bernard stay. This is where they watch the sacrifice and where John and Linda live.
CHAPTER 7
1. How is the mesa like a ship?
"The mesa was like a ship beclaimed in a strait of lion-coloured dust."
2. Why doesn’t Lenina like their Indian guide?
Lenina is afraid of the indian guide because he is associated with this unknown and queer place. Her feelings were reciprocated, with the guide being described as "hostile and sullenly contemptuous."
3. What is the city itself like? What are the people like? How does Lenina respond? Bernard?
The streets were dirty and dusty, and villiagers walked by in feathers and wearing deerskin shoes, holding snakes. Lenina is shocked and scared at times, and Bernard is fascinated in many of the things he sees, but is shocked along with Lenina.
4. What ceremony do they witness? What does it mean? What does it seem like to Lenina?
They witness a sacrificial ceremony. This is considered to be an honor. Lenina sees the blood and what in her eyes is torture and cruelty.
5. What idols emerge from the ground?
An eagle -- Pookong, and Jesus Christ.
6. How is John Savage different? What does he want? How does he respond to Lenina?
He is different because his mother Linda was born through a bottle but she was left at the reservation and gave birth to him at Malpais, and he has lighter skin and hair. He wants to fit in with the other indians, but clearly doesnt. He seems imbarissed, and shy when he notices Lenina watching him.
7. What is Linda’s story? What has her life been like here? How does Lenina react to her?
She travelled to the Reservation with the director a long time ago, but she got lost and he left without her. She accidently got pregnant and horrifyingly gave birth to her son John. He pities herself and her life in Malpais, is ashamed for having a baby. Lenina pities her for doing these awful things she has been conditioned to be disgusted with.
CHAPTER 8
1. What was John’s upbringing like? His relationship with Linda? His education?
He had a tough time finding acceptance in the native boys, so much of his time was spent by himself. He has a close relationship with Linda, and feels protective of her around other men.
2. Why doesn’t Linda want to be called a mother?
Because she has been conditioned to think family is wrong and even though she has love and appreciation for John, she is disgusted with herself for having a baby.
3. What social positions do Linda and John hold in Malpais?
Neither of them are treated with kindness or acceptance. Linda is shown no respect by men, and John is clearly an outsider.
4. What does John want in his life?
5. What does Linda tell him about the Other Place?
Linda would talk very highly about the Other Place, how you could go flying anytime of day, that there was no such thing as sadness, and how everything was beautiful and happy.
6. What does he learn from Shakespeare? How does he relate to Hamlet? The Tempest?
John connects with Shakespeare because it speaks to him and he is able to make connections to his own life. He relates Linda to the women sleeping on a bed in Hamlet, and Pope with Hamlet's uncle. John also sees Bernard as Prospero from the Tempest.
7. What does it mean to discover “Time and Death and God?”
8. What do John and Bernard have in common?
They are both outsiders in their own community and are continuously striving for acknowledgement. They gravitate towards each other because they see the similarities between them.
9. Why does Bernard want to take John to London?
Bernard sees fame and recognition through the Savage, and becomes corrupt and greedy and uses him.
CHAPTER 9
1. How does Mustapha Mond feel about the plan?
Mustapha Mond sees the "sufficient scientific interest" in bringing the Savage to London.
2. What happens when John watches Lenina sleep? What does he think or feel?
John connects Lenina with Juliet and himself as Romeo. He believes she is above him and that he is not worthy of her.
CHAPTER 10
1. How and why was the DHC planing to make an example out of Bernard?
The DHC told Bernard to meet him in the Fertilizing Room because "it contains more high caste workers than any other." The director wants to do this because Bernard is very smart, and with that comes moral responsibilities. The director is afraid that Bernard will corrupt people with his ludicrous beliefs.
2. Why is unorthodoxy worse than murder?
Because "unorthodoxy threatens more than life of a mere individual, it strikes at Society itself."
3. How does Linda act in the hatchery? How does the DHC react? The spectators?
Linda acts warmly to the director as she is reacquainted with him. She tries to convince him that it is the same Linda from years ago. He is disgusted with her appearance and acts as if he has never known her. The spectators laughed at the humiliating joke.
CHAPTER 11
1. Why does John become popular, but not Linda?
John is misterious and unknown because he was born on a reservation. Linda is a mother mother who has grown fat, and ugly over the years.
2. How does Bernard’s life change? How does he react? What does Helmholtz think?
Bernard finds himself of an importance that he was never experienced before. It is because he has connections with the Savage that he is suddenly so popular. He uses John's popularity to get girls and to make his fellow alpha plus' jealous. Helmholtz shows no interest and Bernard is insulted and doesnt want to be friends with him anymore.
3. How does Linda spend her time?
In a soma holiday. She takes as much as 20 grammes a day and is thought to only live another 2 months.
4. How does Bernard talk in public?
With new-found confidence that he never used to have before he met the Savage. He owes all of his unknown fame to John.
5. What does Mustapha Mond think of Bernard’s reports?
He is angry that Bernard is trying to lecture him, but then his emotion changes to mirth, because he realizes how clueless and idiotic Bernard really is, and decides to teach him a lesson.
6. What does John think of the caste system? Of the clones? How does he use The Tempest now?
John is disgusted with the ways of the World State and ends up "violently retching" because he finds this lifestyle so nausiating.
7. What do we learn about the reservations at Eton? What does John think?
8. How do the children respond to dying? Why?Dying is seen as a positive and educational thing that holds no emotion at all. Children come to see a death as part of their conditioning to accept death as nonchalantly as if they were going to a feely.
9. How does Lenina feel about John?
Lenina thinks John is very attractive and senses he is uncomfrotable around her, but she catches him watching her sometimes too.
10. What does John think about the feelies? Why?
He thinks the film is horrible and ignoble because of the violence and inhuman-ness.
CHAPTER 12
1. Why does John decide not to come to Bernard’s party? What does this mean for Bernard?
John was feeling used because Bernard was using John's fame to attract envy from his peers and to make himself feel special. This means that Bernard is made to look like a fool when he has to tell everyone that the Savage will not appear. 2. How does Lenina feel at the party? Why does she feel this way?
She had a strange feeling of "anxious exultation". Like she was anticipating her next encounter with him. She feels this way because she may have real feelings for him. She felt lifeless when she found out that she wouldn't see him.
3. How does John feel? Why is he reading Romeo and Juliet?
John feels like he has requited love for Lenina, but she isn't capable of love in return. He reads R & J because he feels the same way as Romeo does for Juliet.
4. What does it mean that Lenina likes looking at the moon now?
I dont think John has made such an impact on her that she has a different mindset, but atleast she has began to stop and take notice of the natural things in the world, things he believed in, like the moon.
5. What role does Mustapha Mond play as a censor? Why does he do it? What does he
censor? What does he really want?
6. How does Bernard’s position change? How do John and Helmholtz respond to Bernard now?
8. What does Helmholtz think of Shakespeare? Romeo and Juliet?
9. What does Helmholtz think is necessary for good writing?CHAPTER 13
1. What are the consequences of Lenina’s emotion? What is happening?
2. How does she feel for John? What does she do to get what she wants?
3. How does John feel for Lenina? What does he want to do to prove it?
4. How does John react to Lenina’s actions? Why does he respond this way? What did he want from her?
CHAPTER 14
1. What is the hospital for the dying like? What are the dying like?
2. Note the television. Recall TV did not exist as we know it in 1932.
3. Why is Linda dying?
4. What memories flood over John as he stands before his mother? Why these particular memories? What are his memories of the “other place”? What role does memory play in civilization?
5. Why are the Delta children at the hospital? What does John think of this?
6. Why isn’t death terrible for those in the civilized world? What does this mean for the individual?
CHAPTER 15
1. The title phrase recurs here. How is it used differently than before? What does it mean now?
2. Why does John decide to interfere with the soma distribution? Why does he say it is poison?
3. What is John’s conception of slavery and freedom? Manhood? Liberty?
4. What does he think of the Deltas to whom he delivers his speech?
5. What roles do Bernard and Helmholtz play here? What does this tell us about their characters?
6. How does the soma riot end? What does it mean to be happy and good?
CHAPTER 16
1. How would you describe Bernard’s behavior in this chapter? Why does he act this way?
2. Why doesn’t John like civilization?
3. Why does Mond say old and beautiful things are forbidden?
4. Why can’t tragedies be written now? What is necessary for tragedy?
5. What does art mean in the new world? What can’t it mean? What is Helmholtz’s role?
6. What does Mond say is the role of liberty? Happiness? Stability? Truth and Beauty?
7. How does Mond explain the caste system? Do you agree?
8. What would happen with an entire society of Alphas?
9. Why must science be constrained? Progress? Do you agree?
10. What choice did Mond make as a young physicist? Why? What is his real position?
11. Why does Helmholtz make the choice he makes?
CHAPTER 17
1. Why does Mond want to talk with John alone? What do they talk about?
2. What is the significance of their discussion of religion? What does John argue religion can give to civilization? Why does Mond argue that it is unnecessary and potentially dangerous?
3. What does Mond believe is the role of God? How is it related to the self?
4. What role does solitude play in spirituality?
5. How does John argue that the civilized man has been degraded? From what and to what?
6. What are your conceptions of the roles of self-denial, chastity, nobility, heroism? What would John or Mond say?
7. What role does Mond say soma plays in this? What is an “opiate of the masses”?
8. What does it mean “to suffer the sling and arrows of outrageous fortune” or oppose them?
9. What does John mean by saying that nothing in civilization costs enough?
10. In saying no to civilization, what does John say yes to? Would you make the same decision?
CHAPTER 18
1. How does John purify himself?
2. Where does he go, and what does he plan to do there?
3. Does this represent a healthy alternative from society?
4. Why the self-flagellation?
5. What are his thoughts of Lenina?
6. What makes the film so popular back in London?
7. What does Lenina want? What does John think she wants?
8. How does the crowd respond? What happens that evening? What becomes of Lenina?
9. What is John’s decision? Why does he make it? Were there alternatives? 1. Why does John become popular, but not Linda?1. Why does Mustapha Mond agree to the plan?
