Huxley's+Brave+New+World

__ Brave New World __ by Aldous Huxley Aldous Huxley’s __Brave New World__ focuses on a culture centered on science that ignores personal relationships. Although society functions more efficiently in the “brave new world,” society offers little happiness. __Brave New World__ shows evidence of Huxley’s  understanding of changing ideas in his day. The novel’s plot shows changing political, scientific, and economic ideas. The author’s scientific background surfaces throughout the novel. Huxley’s biologist grandfather was a friend and supporter of Darwin’s __Origin of Species__ theory. Similarly, Huxley’s brother, Julian was a noted geneticist. This influence links biology and genetics to eugenics, a popular scientific study in Huxley’s day. Both sciences experiment in the regulation of inherited traits in humans. In __Brave New World,__ traits are isolated and eliminated to improve society. Historically Huxley saw the use of eugenics widely implemented by the Nazi party in eliminating the non-Aryans in an attempt to purify the German lineage. Huxley recognized the potential danger in such purification techniques. Besides exposure to changing scientific theories, Huxley’s world travels, introduced him to new political theories which surface in the plot of __Brave New World.__ His visit to Italy introduced him to the horrors of F ascism when F ascist supporters searched his room without a warrant. Huxley saw any government like F ascism as an attempt to control the individuality of people through violence and brutality. Several of the novel’s characters are traceable to Huxley’s interest in different political views. Huxley probably developed Benito Hoover from both Benitor Mussolini and Herbert Hoover while Bernard Marx originated from the names of Claude Bernard, the French scientist responsible for experimental medicine , and Karl Marx the father of Communism. The character of Len nina can also be traced to the name of Le nin, another original founder of socialism in Russia. Along with changing political theories, Huxley’s visit to the United States also impacted the plot of the novel. Huxley visited Henry Ford’s manufacturing plant, observing an assembly line building cars with speed and efficiency. In the novel, Henry Ford serves as a religious figure in which time is measured After Ford. Huxley was critical of American culture in the 1920s and 1930s , which he felt represented the future of civilization. He saw in a capitalist society like America a catering of quantity over quality , ignoring the individual and serving the masses. The average person becomes more important than those who excel. American popular culture threatens individuality and intellectual development. Huxley creates this satisfied perfect society scientifically by eliminating the human element in relationships. Babies are mass produced by cloning, eliminating the possibilities of deformities. In __Brave New World__, these embryos are dropped into a solution in large bottles according to the particular classes of society assigned by the government. Economically, people will no longer struggle with their place in society. They understand the Alpha Plus Intellectuals will dominate the Epsilon Minus Morons, eliminating class struggle and dissatisfaction. Members of society must be satisfied with their station in life because there are no alternatives in changing their situations. Because babies belong to everyone in this society, all children are everyone’s responsibility. This eliminates poor parenting and gives all children equal opportunity for their assigned social position. Government suppresses art and religion because they cause unsteadiness in this new world. Society members must focus on their belief in the government and tangible answers offered by science. The elimination of their imagination and faith produce citizens lacking emotion and discontentment because being unaccustomed to thinking or dreaming. This lack of emotion also impacts personal relationships. This new society erases marriage and family life. Because there is no marriage or family, there are fewer problems with jealousy, adultery, and other problems occurring whenever loyalty is expected. __Brave New World__ shows Huxley’s family influences in science as well as his extensive world travels exposing him to new political and economic ideas. Although most futuristic changes illuminate personal relationships and individuality, some changes such as the elimination of emotions promote a more harmonious, but impersonal world. Huxley shows the importance of family, art, religion, and emotions in forming a civilization that is not only smart, but also satisfied. Posted by Walden (Kayla)