Journal #3 - Brave New World

In the novel Brave New World, a motif that is prominent throughout the book is the fear of nature. In the last third of the book, this fear of nature is represented in the World Controller's words. He explains the disgust of nature and the past society's acceptance of it by saying "A man grows old [and] from which, as from an illness, he hopes to recover. Vain imaginings! That sickness is old age; and a horrible disease it is" (209). This quote shows is just one of the many examples of a fear of nature in this novel. However, in the words of the World Controller, nature is referenced differently than previous motifs. The World Controller speaks of nature as a way to control the population by manipulating their fear of the unknown. The One-State conditions people to be disgusted by nature and in doing so can control their habits and actions and also unite them. Huxley uses this motif to show that a common enemy unites and also binds.

The setting of the World Controller's office seems to reflect on how assuming and uniform the society is. While looking around his room, one would see "books in the shelves, at the sound-track rolls and reading machine bobbins in their numbered pigeon-holes [and] a massive volume bound in limp black leather-surrogate, and stamped with large golden T's" (197). This is a description of how any study in the One-State would appear, and the volume, which is actually a biography of the society's "deity" suggests the ignorance of the society, since many people are ignorant of who their "deity" actually is. With this, Huxley warns about how human choose to be mindless and enjoy being mindless.

The frenzied speech of John the Savage contrasts with the "normal" speech of the society. John is often aggravated due to his displacement in this society, and therefore yells at any people that are watching to leave him alone. He swears and speaks in an unorthodox way, even referring to God. When confronted by his ex-love, he yells "Strumpet! [...] Oh Linda forgive me. Forgive me, God. I'm bad. I'm wicked" (225). However, the society speaks in a calm manner, not easily aggravating, speaking to John with a cool tones that one would use to relax someone. Huxley uses this contrast in the language of these two forces in the novel to show that John could never fit into the society with his views on life, which color the way he speaks.