Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Vocabulary Part 2 (Bernard's Exile)

Using six vocabulary words, write a story about Bernard once he arrives at his island of exile.


         
          Helmholtz and Bernard had been split up once they got to the Centre for Exilation and Transport. Mustapha had made it seem that Helmholtz and Bernard were going to travel together to the Falkland Islands, but upon arriving, the Gamma-Minus travel coordinator had motioned Bernard to walk to the lift at the end of the hall. Heading up to the 32nd floor, just below the roof, Bernard stepped out onto a rocket lander full of people that looked quite like him. 

          When all the people got aboard the rocket lander, the rear of the vehicle fulminated and Bernard nearly fell over due to the inital force of the takeoff. Bernard's heart was palpitating due to the sudden shock of the liftoff and the confusion as to where in the world he was going. It was all answered when a very energetic, effusive travel director stepped in front of the crowd to explain where they were going. (He was particularly joyful, Bernard could tell he was under the influence of at least 3 grammes.) It appeared that Bernard and the rest of his look-alikes were going to an island just off the west coast of Africa called Ilha de Såo Nicolau. 

          When the flight ended, Bernard had an optimistic attitude about the place by the way the man that was hopped up on soma had detailed it. That is until he stepped off the lander and the first thing to catch his eye was a huge, two-hundred and fifty-foot billboard towering over the island, littered with classic hypnopaedic phrases on it. Even worse, when Bernard took a glance about the town noticing its citizens, they were all Gammas! Was he brought to the island due to his size? Did the rumors about the alcohol in his blood surrogate go too far? Bernard slowly sulked in depression by a nearby river to cry. 

          After living a few days on his new island, Bernard never smiled, talked to anyone; just sat alone throwing rocks at his wall balancing between utter disgust, hatred, and depression. There were so many dents in the wall, Bernard felt it reflected his soul and his inner feelings. In some ways, he could connect and relate with the wall. Before long he got fed up and began to bounce the rocks off the wall at an awkward angle so that they would hit himself in the face. He figured he should be feeling as much pain as the wall and this continued until Bernard was put in a moribund state. The many bruises and cuts in his head were only a symbol of his insanity, so he kept on throwing the rocks until the last one splashed on his already bloody head killing him instantly.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Book Review/Personal Response



Summary ( start with what the book is about.)
         Brave New World gives an interesting perspective on the futuristic methods of governmental control as well as its presence in dictating its citizens' destinies to follow in a consumerist conformity lifestyle. It's all about limiting freedom and enforcing control without anyone knowing it. 
         The society of the Brave New World keeps its citizens ignorant through determining their path in life and making them like whatever it is. There are sewage workers who get alcohol poured into their pre-life embryos to dumb them down into loving working in the wastes and gross disgusting depth of the cities. Conversely, they have the ability to make people superior and have a brain with the capacity of individual thought for few, enough intelligence to run a large portion of the World.
          Thankfully, with all the differences in the people, there is harmony! The masses are always happy with their current situation due to their programming and all the propaganda ingrained into their synthetic minds. Everyone belongs to everybody and should anything bad ever happen; any bad feelings or resentful actions, there is always soma for you to take to ease your troubles away in a drug-like fantasy.

          However, there is still no such thing as a perfect society and there are accidents that cause some people to break free from the cycle of the working social status. In the book we see three of these people. Bernard Marx, who was conditioned to be one of the smarter people in the society, however has a body type unlike his fellow geniuses and is subject to torment and laughter by those of lesser intelligence. This causes him to be depressed, submerged in melancholy and sadness, causing him to want to rebel and be different.
          The other two who break free of the mould in the society are John and Helmholtz. Helmholtz is a writer for the things that the babies listen to while they are asleep. Like, Bernard, he is sad because he feels he is fulfilling his full purpose in life and is being limited to writing simple lies. Both him and Bernard take care of a young boy that grew up on an Native American Reservation but has spent his life reading Shakespeare. He is taken from the Reservation to society which incites many events that shapes John's view of this New World.
 
           Throughout John's journey in the New World, he finds out that civilization is not much to his liking. Everything and everyone is superficial, materialistic, and ignoble. It all worries him and he acts on his judgement (with quite a bit of help from Shakespeare.) to try to make some difference by throwing soma out the window at a hospital, or refusing to go to a party so people can gaze upon him like a museum display, or throwing little kids across the room at a hospital.

           All these things eventually boil down to the three characters being put on trial by the World Controller. They are too smart for this society and don't particularly like the values held by the 'fake' people. Bernard and Helmholtz are sentenced to exile on an a deserted island which is more of a reward than anything as it holds people with equal intelligence and morals to them. John however must stay in London to continue on with an experimente. John, already disgusted and angry with the workings of the system, will NOT be experimented on and runs away and creates his own exile in a deserted lighthouse outside the city.

            Unfortunately, there is no escape from the people as they show up at the lighthouse and make a spectacle out of the native boy. His self-torture that is meant to purify himself and cleanse him from the New World is viewed as an act for them to watch, something to entertain them. It all comes down to John's breakdown and suicide in which the book ends and society goes on as if nothing happened...

        
            I actually enjoyed this book, it has quite a dark look into a possible future while having a light, humorous side due to it's satirical nature. It does have its fair share of confusing moments and points that might make you go "What the...?", but it all makes sense in such a weird, seemingly lifeless society.
            I do like the books like Fahrenheit 451, Harrison Bergeron, and some of the other futuristic, governmental control books as well. While it holds a serious warning to a culture and world that is subject to possessing an absolute grip on every single citizen's life, the humor in the book reinforces the absurdity and pandemonium of such a future.

        
            I would definitely recommend this book even to people who don't care too much about futuristic, controlling governmental books as it can still give a good laugh due to the silly ways human nature has been dumbed down to such an animalistic culture. 
           Shakespeare fans could also be able to recognize the extravagant amount of Shakespeare references in this book and could perhaps draw a larger meaning from the book through this.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 18 ]---|>

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - THE LAST ONE!
Summary: Helmholtz and Bernard wanted to say goodbye to John before they made their departure to their island exiles. When they find him, he is very pale due to his self-cleansing intake of mustard and hot water. Bernard confesses that he is sorry for everything that had happened and even though they were all sad at their predicament, internally they were happy for one another. John then tells them that he asked Mustapha Mond if he would be allowed to go the islands with them, yet was declined, due to him wanting John to continue in the experiment. But John'd be damned if he were to be some experimental being, therefore he states that he too is leaving tomorrow.

          John takes a long adventure and finds a lighthouse for him to begin his life of solitude. (Good luck with that...) While at the lighthouse, he engages in a lot of self torture that he believes is bringing him closer to God, cleansing him of the filth that he attained in the New World, and helping him to be 'good'.
          Later, John starts to think about what he's going to do, somewhat of a plan. He had previously bought some blankets, rope, string, nails and other essentials and with his remaining money he hoped that he could last with it over the winter. For the spring and summer months, he has begun a garden and began to fashion arrows and a bow for food!

         But alas, John has been spotted! (OOOH NOOO!) Some land-workers driving around spotted him whipping himself one day and that's all that was needed to get the word out to the rest of London!
         Only three days later John is visited by a News reporter that is curious (along with the rest of the society) about a Savage's life and his solitude. John answers with some Zuni words and BAM! swiftly kicks the reporter away. Nevertheless, he is swarmed by more reporters, each given their own kick in the behind.

        After a while, John is alone again, and continuing his garden work. He has lots of time to let his mind wonder which sadly bring him to Linda...but even worse, he has thoughts of Lenina! They shock him so much since he swore he would forget about her, he flails himself into a thorny bush and grabs the whip yet again to punish himself.

          For the past three days, John has been watch by Darwin Bonaparte who has been collecting footage of John's behaviour and puts it into a movie. It's a hit! John is then a famous social icon without even knowing it and tons of people come to see him. The massive crowd outside his house baffles him as they throw him snacks as if he were an animal. He yells at them to go away, but it only pleases them and encourages them to engage in a cheer. "WE WANT THE WHIP!" "WE WANT THE WHIP!" They get the whip alright, but it is not John who gets whipped, it is Lenina! He spies her coming off a helicopter with Henry Foster in the midst of all the commotion of the crowd. He breaks through the mass of bodies and attacks her, but everyone else begins chanting Orgy-Porgy!!!

           Regaining consciousness after a large soma-induced orgy, John wakes up with terror! He proceeds to go atop the lighthouse and hang himself... :(

Vocabulary:
Unanimity - (n.) -The state of being unanimous/harmony/agreement.

Literary Elements:
Allusions:
Hamlet ---> "A good kissing carrion."
                    "Sleep. Perchance to dream, for in that sleep of death, what dreams?"

Macbeth ---> "And all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death."

King Lear ---> "As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport. Thunder again; words that proclaimed themselves true-truer somehow than truth itself. And yet that same Gloucester had called them ever-gentle gods."

Measure for Measure ---> "Thy best of rest is sleep and that thou oft provok'st; yet grossly fear'st thy death which is no more."

Trolius & Cressida ---> "Fry, lechery, fry."

Why Chapter is Important:
It's apparent that John is unfit for society through most of the chapters he is involved in. Through all the events that happen in this chapter, it appears he has had enough and can see only one last way to liberate himself from this horrible world.

Consumerism is really huge in this chapter when everyone rushes to see this new movie-star Savage. They honestly don't care about his unstable emotions but only of fulfilling their own enjoyment through seeing this primitive creature. The outrage about the feely made about him, the 5 reporters that come to see him, John is a very popular person and cannot stand it.

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 17 ]---|>

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Summary: John and Mustapha are left alone in the room and continue to talk. John asks what else Mustapha has sacrificed for happiness and the Controller exclaims, Religion. Mustapha walks to his safe and pulls out the Bible as well as many other religion-based pieces or literature. He reads some aloud to John. When he finishes, he talks about the independence that is ingrained in every young and prosperous person is not enough to get them through 'til the end, so by staying in the young and prosperous phase of life 'til the end, enjoying the infantile bliss is all the people can do which caused them to tone out religion or religious thoughts. John then criticizes the nature of humans to automatically think of God by instinct, whilst they're alone and thinking of death. Mustapha retorts stating that everyone is conditioned to not believe in God, and they are never in a state of solitude due to the said conditioning that makes their lives devoid of a lack of human contact.

         John, still puzzled, inquires Mustapha to recall a bit from King Lear, where it seems that there is an evident God running and managing the lives of the characters and holding presence unlike New World society. Mustapha and John continue to go back and forth about self-denial, which has turned to self-indulgence and consumerism; chastity which has turned to the expulsion of passion which consequently leads to the instability; nobility and heroism, which is now thorough conditioning that prevents any feelings of having to protect someone or something out of passion, when temptations are to be resisted, all things that will eventually end leading to the end of civilization.

          By this point, John seems a little irate. When he tells Mustapha of the man who endured the stinging flies and mosquitoes in the garden which have been eliminated from the society. John scorns the society for taking the easy way out of life, rather then learning to face the challenges, oppose the problem, they simply get rid of it! Mustapha insists that the enduring of these things is unnecessary due to the scientific advances and such things as the Violent Passion Surrogate which acts somewhat as a replacement for violent, fearful 'emotions' in the person without any of the inconveniences. John likes the inconveniences, the society however doesn't not; would much rather a life of leisure and infantile comfort. John and Mustapha then end it with John accepting his claim to the right to be unhappy.

Vocabulary:
Superfluous - (adj.) - unnecessary or needless. 

Literary Elements:
Allusions:
Life and Death of King John ---> "I Pandulph, of Fair Milan, cardinal."

Mentions of The Bible, Imitation of Christ, and Othello.

King Lear: "The gods are just and of our pleasant vices make instruments to plague us; the dark and vicious place where thee he got cost him his eyes." "Thou hast spoken right; 'tis true. The wheel has  come full circle; I am here."
(Pleasant vices in this society being unending happiness, soma, consumerism, all things that make the society so disgraceful to John, he feels that gods are or should be punishing man for these acts.)

Othello: "If after every tempest came such calms, may the winds blow till the have wakened death."
(Reinforcing John's argument on necessary suffering; enduring makes such calms much more rewarding by riding through them.)

Why Chapter is Important: Just John and Mustapha in this chapter. They talk about the role of religion in this society. How God hasn't changed throughout the years, but it is man who changed. Christianity causes unhappiness with thoughts of afterlife, death, and sinful forgiveness. Society must not have these plaguing thoughts running through their citizens, so religion has been forgotten and thrown into the vault. John argues that it seems natural for man to feel some sort of instinct or presence of God, which Mustapha disagrees with. Although Ford is the apparent God replacement in the society, the people have no unhappiness when worshipping him; for example in the Solidarity Services.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 15 ]---|>

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Summary: John walks into a group of Delta Hospital workers with his mother's death fresh on his mind. Not really paying any attention to his surroundings, he pushes through the workers who groan at his unpleasant walking. He snaps out of it once he gets nudged by enough people, and hears a loud shout for the days soma distribution. All the Deltas flock to the table where the soma is coming from; orderly, in single file. The words of Tempest begin to mock John at this point, civilization and humanity is destroyed in his view, and the barbaric congregation of the soma-wanting Deltas pushes him to the brink. He shrieks, "STOP!". He is now the centre of attention and all the people are marveled by this strange person's antics. John declares the filth and the poison that is soma, and over everything the Sub-Bursar says, he quickly contradicts them until he has infuriated the crowd so much that the Sub-Bursar runs to the telephone.

          Meanwhile, Bernard and Helmholtz are suspecting they'd meet John at one their usual meeting places, however, a phone call from the Sub-Bursar directs them in an urgent hurry to the hospital to get John.
          John is at the hospital continuing his rant, his rage makes his speech easier, and he begins to take drastic action by flinging some soma out a nearby window. All the Delta's are speechless at this unspeakable act of horrible disgustingness. WHO WOULD EVER THROW AWAY SOMA?!?!?!?
          Bernard and Helmholtz see this, however Bernard fears for John, knowing that he will definitely get killed. Helmholtz on the other hand, happily joins John in the fray. Once all the soma is thrown out the window, John and Helmholtz are charged at by the Deltas. Bernard runs in to help them, but quickly doubles back because he is a little girl. No, not really, but his judgement is being clouded with the fact that he might be killed in the incident. He is becoming more selfish and not as rebellious as he thought and desired he was at the beginning of the story.
          The police run in with soma machines and music boxes to calm the crowd. Oh look, Bernard decides to do something! He shouts for help, but he gets pushed out of the way from the police. He increases his yelping and gets very frustrating to the police; Bernard takes a shot of soma-water in the face and crumbles to the ground. Soon after Bernard is shot, soma vapour is sprayed throughout the whole hospital, which leads to al the Deltas kissing each other and John and Helmholtz being captured. Bernard however, attempts to sneak out, but gets caught due to the police knowing his affiliations and friendship with John and Helmholtz.

Vocabulary:

Literary Elements:
Tempest Quote Irony: The "O Brave New World" quote has finally taken a whole spin in this chapter. Words that filled him with joy, are now supposedly 'mocking' John. This brave new world has such people in it, which is definitely (in the viewpoint of John) a very horrible thing for he sees the society is doomed to infantile damnation and has been cursed by being engrossed in it. (Which leads to his later self-torture.)


Why Chapter is Important:
Chapter 15 seems to be the climax of the book, where John finally snaps and starts a revolution of sorts in the hospital which leads to his trial with Mustapha. (Falling Action)

For control, the police in this society are shown to use little to no violence in controlling the people. They come in with music boxes and guns that shoot soma-water at the people in order to change them into blissful, happy people!

We also see Bernard backing out of his supposed rebellious nature that he felt so mighty for having when the Director called him a heretic. He has slowly slipped into the comformity of all the rest of the citizens and his individual thinking is growing more and more selfish.

Linda's death and dependence on soma has (as it should) given him a very deep hatred for the stuff he calls poison to the body and soul. With his mother dead and society on his last nerve, he rebels against the Delta workers and the soma distributors, throwing it out the window. His motive for this is the fight against artificial happiness. John's disgust with soma and the easy joy it brings people seems to be a constraint of freedom; the freedom of suffering, to overcome life's obstacles, and all such unpleasantries that are wiped away in the New World.

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 16 ]---|>

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Summary: All three protagonists are ushered into a room all with different attitudes and feelings about their current situation. Helmholtz is indifferent about the situation and seats himself in the most comfortable chair in the room and laughs aloud to himself about it all. Bernard however, is scared, shocked, and absolutely terrified about what might happen; with this, he finds a very lumpy uncomfortable chair in the corner to sulk in. John however, doesn't take a seat anywhere, but finds a book on Ford that he picks up yet finds highly uninteresting.

         Shortly after this, Mustapha Mond walks in and greets the three men. He starts off by striking up a conversation with John and his dislike to civilization. John feels at ease with the Director and answers with a truthful no. The conversation escalates when Mustapha reveals that like John, he is well-versed in Shakespeare's writing. John becomes delighted and asks questions about the books and why they are prohibited. Mustapha Mond tells all about stability, control, and keeping the people happy; sacrificing some beautiful, excellent things (like famous literature) in order to maintain stability. Mustapha Mond also goes into his past, and his experiences with being a scientist and his own dilemma with facing island exile. When Bernard comes to the realization that he will in fact be sent off to an island, he freaks out!!! He pleads, he begs, he gets on his hands and knees as if he were about to be sentenced to death. Nonetheless, Mustapha phones in for some guards to come in and spray him with some soma.

          Mustapha continues talking with the two remaining men. He states his enviousness Helmholtz and allows him to choose what kind of island he would like to be sent off to. Helmholtz decides on an island with a miserable climate and horrible weather because it will help him in his writing. Mustapha then declares it be the Falkland Islands, and with this decision, Helmholtz leaves the room to check up on Bernard.

Vocabulary:
Galvanized - (v.) - to startle, stimulate into sudden activity.


Literary Elements:
Allusions:
Tempest ---> "Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments will hum about my ears, and sometimes voices." (Used to show John that Mustapha has also read Shakespeare.)

Macbeth ---> "But they're...they're told by an idiot." (In reference to the feelies and the simulated life that John sees as redundant, pretentious, and lacking purpose. The society he hoped for, somewhat similar to the morals and values held in Shakespearean plays, seems ideal for him, because Shakespeare was not an idiot.)

Mentioning of Cyprus ---> an island southeast of Europe that Aphrodite was said to have been born on; Aphrodite being the goddess of beauty, sexuality, and happiness.


Why Chapter is Important: Mustapha Mond, who seems to be in control of Europe as a whole, would be assumed to have been conditioned for the job; leading the whole society. However, he opens up to the three men, describing that he isn't really so bad and was in their situation with his dabbling with extreme sciences. To me, his antagonistic aura has left, where he feels like the exiling them to an island is for the best of them because he respects their spirit and intergrity. He seems friendly enough and that anything wrong or spiteful he has done was purely in the name of the duty of maintianing social stability.

Bernard's changing is also referenced in this chapter how quick he is to blame John and Helmholtz for the whole fiasco when the threat of island exile comes up. Mustapha is disgusted and explains this as being more of a reward than a punishment.

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 14 ]---|>

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Summary: John, after receiving a phone call from about his mother, rushes to the Park Lane Hospital for the Dying to see her. He runs in and asks the nurse to lead him to his mother. John's choice of words make the nurse confused and she begins to blush, nonetheless she takes him to the room where Linda is on the bed. John goes beside her and reminisces of his childhood and all the good things Linda told him about the New World. Sadly, he can't think of the good times for very long because his thoughts are interrupted by a flood of little children coming into the room for their death conditioning! They come in and mock Linda's horrible physicality. John takes this very bad, especially when the kids repeatedly berate him with "Why is she so fat", "Isn't she awful?", "Look at her teeth!".

          Anybody in today's society (hopefully) would be seriously offended by this, and John takes action by grabbing one of the little children by the collar, gives him a well-deserved smack on the ear, and flings him away crying. The nurse becomes aware of the child's pain and comes in and tells John that she will tolerate him striking the children! However, John is not sure why they are even here and takes their presence as a disgrace to his dying mother. She informs him that they are being death conditioned and that he is interfering and setting them back a couple of months. The nurse leads the kids off to go play some hunt-the-zipper and drink some caffeine-solution, leaving John at peace with the moribund Linda. He starts to regain his previous focus, but his mind is quickly plagued by images of his mother and Popé. To add insult to injury, Linda then wakes up, gazing into John's eyes and murmurs, "Popé!". John tries to get Linda to remember that he is her son, but he can't seem to break that barrier between reality and her soma-holiday. Linda gave a last gasp for air, clawing at her neck and trying to intake the air that she could not longer breathe.

         John rushes for a nurse to help (good luck) but no one can make it back to her bed in time to do anything. Linda had died. John couldn't help but cry and let out his sadness. This confuses the nurse who thinks that this shameless activity will confuse the children, and if she did anything to comfort him, it might upset him and lead to him doing more harm to the children. John is left alone with his sobs and his repeated "Oh God, God, God, God, God..." until the children return once more. These little kids are so annoying to John, so when all the stupid questions and the infant behaviour are thrown at him by the children yet again, he walks towards one and shoves him to the ground; the chapter ends.

Vocabulary:
Moribund! - (adj.) - in a close-to-death/deathish state.

Constituents - (n.) a person who authorizes another to act on one's behalf.

Literary Elements:
Irony: Pretty much whole chapter. Attitudes and hospital workers' views on death and John's behaviour.

Why Chapter is Important: This chapter marks the end of Linda's life which leaves John with a huge emotional wound that he will carry throughout the rest of the book. Her death has a worse impact on John due to the fact Linda struggles to remember him due to her heavy soma influence, imagining him to be Popé. The contrasting views on death between him, the children, and the nurses put him over the edge driving him more and more mad until he snaps in the next chapter.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 13 ]---|>

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Summary: Henry comes in and asks Lenina to a feely. However, she declines due to her depression by John's actions. She then tells Fanny about it and she, much like the ordeal with Henry Foster, says Lenina should stay off the one man mentality and be more promiscuous.
           John then hears his doorbell ring, hoping it's Helmholtz answers it, revealing Lenina. John and Lenina admit their love for each other and John spurs some Shakespeare at her. She really doesn't understand and grows irritable at John going on about lions, vacuum cleaners, and crazy stuff. She is a little under the influence of soma at this moment, and she presents her self naked to John where he smacks her and calls her a whore.
She then runs to the bathroom to inspect her damages. After a long wait in the bathroom, John gets a phone call, presumably about Linda and he rushes to see her. Lenina then takes the opportunity to sneak out of his house and go back home.

Literary Elements:
Allusions:
Tempest:
- "There be some sports are painful but their labour delight in them sets off."
- "But some kinds of baseness are nobly undergone"    ^continuation^
- "If thou dost break her virgin knot before all sanctimonious ceremonies may with full and holy rite..."
- "The murkiest den, the most opportune place, the strongest suggestion our worser genius can, shall never melt mine honour into lust."
- "The strongest oaths are straw to the fire i' the blood. Be more abstemious, or else goodnight your vow."

Timon of Athens:
- "For those milk paps that through the window bars bore at men's eyes..."

Othello:
- "Impudent Strumpet!"

King Lear:
- "The wren goes to't and the small gilded fly does lecher in my sight. The fitchew nor the soiled horse goes to't with a more riotous appetite. Down from the waist they are Centaurs, though women all above. But to the girdle do the gods inherit. Beneath is all the fiend's. There's hell, there's darkness, there is a sulphurous pit, burning, scalding, stench, consumption; fie, fie, fie, pah, pah! Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, to sweeten my imagination."

Trolius and Cressida:
- "Outliving beauty's outward with a mind that doth renew than blood decays."

Twelfth Night:
- "If I do not usurp myself, I am."

Vocabulary:
Trypanosomiasis - (n.) - A parasitic sleeping infection.

Strumpet - (n.) A promiscuous woman, whore.

Why Chapter is Important:
This chapter shows John and Lenina's emotions for each other and misunderstood they are of each other. Since mostly everything John knows about love has been from learned from Shakespeare and Linda's situation and how it related to Hamlet only reinforced his justification of his actions/decisions from Shakespeare. Lenina's hypnopaedic learning and the New World way of living is how she acts towards her attraction to John.

Although, Lenina's whore-like behaviour is very discomforting to John who has been rapidly finding society to his disliking doesn't help one bit. More and more is being thrown at John and it shouldn't be too long before he snaps! :O

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 12 ]---|>

CHAPTER TWELVE
Summary: Bernard has invited a whole bunch of important people to a 'Come-gaze-upon-the-reason-I'm-so-popular' party so everyone can meet the Savage. Although, before the party starts, Bernard has to go get John, but John has experienced a lot in the past chapter and has grown upset with the New World society. Bernard pleads for John to come out but all he gets in reply is some Zuñi words as well as a "Go to hell!".
          Bernard has to then face his guests without a Savage causing everyone to get pissed off at him for tricking them into treating such an inferior Gamma-Minus with respect for taking care of such a creature. All the party-goers leave disgruntled and Bernard slips back into the depression and melancholy that he had in the beginning of the book.
           He goes back to Helmholtz and hopes that he will be taken back as a friend, which he does! Helmholtz didn't really feel any hatred for Bernard when he abandoned their friendship, so there is almost no hesitation to re-friend each other. Helmholtz says that he has got himself into trouble by teaching his students some rhymes that he made up about being alone. (An individualistic writing that is looked down on in society.) Although it was a bad thing to do, he is happy because he found that inner calling that needed to come out; he found his voice.

          John and Helmholtz also become friends, better than Helmholtz and Bernard had been. (Which infuriates Bernard with intense jealousy!!!!) Helmholtz and John exchange poetry and rhymes which please one another, but when John reads about the Capulets wanting Juliet to marry Paris, Helmholtz finds the situation hilarious and John gets offended.

Vocabulary:
Sepulchral - (adj.) pertaining to a tomb or a burial site.

Why Chapter is Important:
Mustapha looking over the 'New Theory of Biology' paper and praising it for how ingenious, however it affects the social stability of the society, and is therefore condemned. It brings censorship into the fray of governmental control in this book, as well as showing that the World Controller some individualism much like Helmholtz and Bernard.(As evidenced in "What fun it would be, if one didn't have to think about happiness!")

Helmholtz being an individual as well gets along with John very well as they can share their insights about poetry. However, Helmholtz is a product of the new society and has been conditioned like everyone else. This is why he finds the Paris and Juliet marriage situation so absurd and comical. It's this that destroys John's image of Helmholtz as being one of the only people he could really open up to. This furthers his contempt for the brave new world that had such people in it.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 11 ]---|>

CHAPTER ELEVEN
Summary: Bernard is able to keep his job due to the Director resigning. Bernard gets very happy as he is now seen as the appointed guardian of the Savage (John) which only increases his popularity. Everybody is clamoring to see this 'creature' from all parts of London.
Now he gets girls, people stop judging him by his attitude, there are no more rumors about the alcohol in his blood surrogate; everything he had been complaining about before! He speaks to Helmholtz about this, who said before does not care for Bernard's boasting, ignores him in a depressed silence. Bernard outraged by the lack of attention given to him, stops being Helmholtz's friend and vows never to speak to him again. (A little harsh!)

After a while, Bernard writes Mustapha Mond a letter detailing the way he feels about society. How he could make it better. How it is too easy. This upsets Mustapha and begins to feel the same way as the Director, finding Bernard to be a heretic. He plans a punishment that will teach him a lesson...

Meanwhile John goes to a few places. First, the Hospital for the Dying which is were his mother, Linda, is being held. She has been overdosing on soma ever since she returned to the New World and doesn't have much to live. John sees this as wrong, seeing as how letter her do this to herself is just shortening her life, when really (according to Dr. Shaw) is lengthening it due to her time spent in ethereal eternity within herself.
He then goes to Eton where there are children that watch movies based on savages like him who whip themselves. They find these movies to be hilarious and John begins to slowly lose faith in humanity. (He restates the 'O Brave New World...' quote to a much different implied meaning then when his attitude was much more optimistic.)

Last, Lenina tells Fanny about her attraction to John. She doesn't know that John is very infatuated with her and spent some time back in the Reservation sniffing through her belongings. Then both of them go to a movie together which features a black man stealing a women and having a 3 week long 'adventure' in a helicopter. Lenina, along with the rest of the audience find it lovely where John finds it as ignoble filth. After the movie is over, Lenina goes home and John goes home to read Othello in his room.

Literary Elements:
Dr. Shaw ---> Allusion to George Bernard Shaw (Whom Bernard Marx alludes to, as well as Karl Marx)

Mozart, Lucrezia Ajugari --- > Lucrezia Aguiari, famous musicians

The Merchant of Venice ---> "What's in those, those caskets?"

Repeat of the 'O Brave New World' quote from the Tempest. (Allusion, Irony)

Ariel could put a girdle 'round the earth in forty minutes, Allusion to Tempest.

Eternity was in our lips and eyes, Allusion to Antony & Cleopatra



Vocabulary:
Peyotl ---> not found in 2 dictionary sites.
     however, Peyote - (n.) similar to mescal

Cadged - (v.) To borrow without intent to repay.

Tete-a-tete -(n.) a convseration specifically held between just to people...

Vitrified - (v.) to convert, or be converted into glass.

Prognathous - (adj.) having enlarged jaws, protrusive jaw structure.


Why Chpater is Important:
       This chapter marks the beginning of Bernard's change in the story. He is gaining confidence, but a little too much. It all goes to his ego, and when he boasts about it to Helmholtz, Helmholtz doesn't satisfy Bernard with a glorified response so Bernard breaks off all communications with him.

John also begins to take a disliking to the New World state. The feely he watches, the kids in the Hospital for the Dying, and the people that laugh at the self-whipping savages all bring down any desire for the new society that he once had.

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 10 ]---|>

CHAPTER TEN
Summary: Bernard's behaviour has gotten the Director into a mood where he feels he needs to make a public example of him, by embarrassingly exiling him to Iceland. He tells this to Henry since he feels that Bernard's behaviour is jeopardizing the structure of society and must be removed because they make plenty more Alphas to fill his place.

The tables are turned however when Bernard arrives! Bernard is faced towards the Director in a populated room filled with Decanting Centre workers and is asked whether or not he has any reason to persuade him NOT to send him away from London. Bernard does!
Bernard opens the door to reveal Linda with all her fatness along with John. Linda tries to pressure the Director into remembering who she is, which he avoids under uncomfortable circumstances. He is a little embarrassed, but when John throws himself down at his feet yelling "MY FATHER!" The whole room lights up in uproarious laughter. This causes the Director to resign due to sheer humiliation.

Vocabulary:
Coquettishly [coquette] - (N.) a woman who flirts lightheartedly with men.
---------------------(adv.) in a very flirtatious manner.

Literary Elements:
Irony: The sheer thought that anyone in the society would be an actual father becomes extremely comical and hilarious.

Why Chapter is Important:
The chapter marks the beginning of John's journey in the New World. Sadly, it starts out with him humiliating his father to a point where he quits his job and runs away. Not starting out so well...

It also raises some questions about the society. The way the Decanting Centre is compared to a beehive can make you wonder about how insect-natured and colony-esque the workings of the system are.
There is also some dialogue that leads to the question "what is an individual?" which can almost be said to be a main moral focus spanning the whole novel.

Vocabulary Words (November 29th - December 3rd)

Lupus - (n.) any form of an ulcerative skin disease.
        "The little kid was freaking out, sprinting around the trampoline because he thought he contracted lupus from a bumblebee sting."

Effusive - (adj.) Lacking reserve, unduly demonstrative.
          "The guest speaker was very effusive in his persuasive speech telling people about the wonders of pickle research."

Surrogate - (n.) a substitute or a standing in, representative.
         "Billy had severe food poisoning, so Kyle went to the meeting as his surrogate.

Viviparous - (adj.) Birthing young not through usage of eggs.
          "Every time you see a bird, you should know that it is not a viviparous creature."

Peritoneum - (n.) The serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity and investing its viscera in anatomy.
          "The peritoneum of the young boy had to be burned for the sacrificial ritual to begin."

Moribund - (adj.) in a close to death-state.
          "Tommy demanded lunch money from a fourth grader who refused to pay up, so Tommy's face turned red and put the moribund kid in the hospital."

Fulminate - (v.) To explode with a loud noise.
          "The bomb technician couldn't remember if he was supposed to cut the red wire or the green wire; so he cut both, causing the whole building to fulminate. 

Malignant - (adj.) very harmful, dangerous, or giving off a bad influence.
          "My mom keeps telling me to stop watching MTV because she thinks I'm turning into a malignant serial killer."

Palpitating - (v.) to pulsate or throb.
          "Christopher's legs during the final stretch of the race were going exponentially faster than his palpitating heart."

Viscose - (adj.) possessing viscosity, moving quite like a slow liquid.
          "Watching Yadviga cook in the back room of the school disgusted me when she poured a viscose black liquid onto what I thought was going to be a delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

Hypnopaedia - (n.) The learning of lessons during sleep.
         "Marty was really stressed about the upcoming English test, so he tried hypnopaedia to cram all the info in before the big day."

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Connective Essay

          Brave New World can be compared to Ray Bradbury's The Pedestrian by the theme of Social conformity and control. This is evident due to both books' dystopian nature and governmental presence with forms of control.

          First of all, the conformity of each society is enforced by the governmental powers in the books; The one police car as a symbol of society as a whole in the Pedestrian, and the World Controllers in BNW. Through the conformity of each of the citizens, the societies have thus gained control. Whether it be by dumbing down certain people and keeping them from any emotion-producing artwork or literature, or putting everything they need to be happy inside a television set for them to watch for all eternity.

          Brave New World keeps its people in line through the caste system. Each person predesigned and predestined to fulfill their role in life. The conformity of everyone is further reinforced by the hypnopaedic teachings that the citizens are conditioned with from their childhood. In the Pedestrian, the people are controlled by the television sets (viewing screens) in their houses that give them all the information, adventure, and fun they need in their life.

          The benefits of both of these societies, is that there is relatively no crime, outbreaks, or notable health problems. The one police car in the whole city that captures Leonard and the only form of guards in Brave New World are the one's guarding the Savage Reservation. Both stories' societies achieve this through keeping the people happy and not giving them the ability of knowing what crime is. Due to conditioning and hypnopaedic teachings as a child, in theory this is much easier in the Brave New World, although the Pedestrian gives a less high-tech method that keeps its people inside, making sure everyone owns a viewing screen and keeping that on most of the day. Granted, both ways are successful, allowing many would-be individuals to be doing the same thing, therefore being controlled.
          An example of happiness being an outlet for control in Brave New World would be soma. Soma is your break away whenever the rare occasion of a bad time or unpleasant experience occurs. It's an instant escape from anything that interferes with happiness. (The truth in some cases.) In the Pedestrian the TV's are the producers of happiness and are always on where the citizens are expected to be watching. Any form of entertainment exists in TV, no other activities exist outside of the household other than walking around and enjoying the scenery. (Which is condemned as we see when Leonard gets arrested.)
          
          The social quest for a perfect, happy maintainable citizenship out of their society is never perfect. There is always someone who has to screw everything up, break away from the norm, and in the eyes of a reader, someone who can act and think as one of their own. Both societies share such characters who appear as outsiders, characters with the intelligence to think for themselves. Characters who don't agree with the status quo, and might be what you would call rebels. Bernard Marx and Leonard Mead, both fit this description in their dislike for the workings of the social status.
          Leonard is unaware of what he is doing unlike Bernard. However, he is aware of the external and internal freedom given to him, which he assumes everyone has, yet most, if not all the people choose not to use. He takes it for granted until he is confronted by the only police car that tells him what he is doing is against the law. Bernard on the other hand, isn't conditioned to know what freedoms he is missing out on, but he has a noticeable dislike for the society and how it works. He has the internal freedom to think for himself, something very rare to find in the BNW society, yet a false-sense of external freedom. Bernard wishes to go against the system as evident in his joyous rebellion against the Director when told of his attitude outside of work. The same can be said about Leonard Mead, who after he is told what he has done wrong wants good reasons to justify his arrest.

         
         

Friday, November 19, 2010

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 9 ]---|>

CHAPTER NINE
Summary: Lenina is overwhelmed by the disgusting and horrifying sights she has seen in the Reservation. To break away from it all, she takes a large amount of soma that puts her into a short coma. (soma-holiday) While Lenina lay passed out in her drug-induced slumber, Bernard goes to make a phone call to Mustapha Mond to ask if he will be allowed to bring Linda and John back to London. He accepts, finding their coming to be of sufficient scientific interest.

While Bernard is away, John goes to the rest-house where Lenina and Bernard were staying. He yells for them to no avail, and he considers them already gone from the Reservation. He gets sad and betrayed, but assumes he should look through the window. He gets a glimpse of Lenina's briefcase and gets reassured that he has not been abandoned. He then takes a rock and flings it through the window to get inside. Once inside, he searches through her stuff and findings numerous beauty products, all of which he sniffs and rubs against his face. (Odd...) He then hears a sigh coming from Lenina and he realizes that she is deep in sleep in the next room. John studies her and recites some Shakespeare lines to her.
But then, there is a helicopter noise, and he knows that it's Bernard coming back from his hotel! John dashes out of Lenina's room, bounds out the window and runs away leaving no trace of himself behind. (Aside from the broken window, the glass shards everywhere, the rock that is laying in the middle of the room, the random clothing of Lenina's strewn about, the smell of perfume lingering in the air...)
Vocabulary:
Cygnet - (n.) a young swan.

Agaves - (n.) Tropical American plants for decoration. Known for their Sword-shaped leaves.
Literary Elements:
Irony:
Going to the Reservation, which is essentially a vacation/holiday for Lenina and Bernard, yet it was so terrible and horrific, she needed a holiday for her holiday!! :O

Shakespeare Allusions:

1 from Trolius and Cressida:
        "Hey eyes, her hair, her cheek, her gait, her voice;
          Handlest in thy discourse O! that her hand,
          In whose comparison all whites are ink
          Writing their own reproach; to whose soft seizure
           The cygnet's down is harsh. . ." 

2 from Romeo and Juliet:
        "On the white wonder of dear Juliet's hand, may seize
          and steal immortal blessing from her lips,
          Who, even in pure and vestal modesty,
          Still blush, as thinking their own kisses sin."

         "Did he dare? Dare to profane with his unworthiest hand that. . .No, he didn't"

Something ironic about the quotes is that they are both from tragedies of love gone wrong. John's joy along with his eagerness to explore the New World, and his attraction to Lenina will probably end up in tears and sadness.

Why Chapter is Important:
           In this chapter, Bernard gets the permission from Mustapha Mond to bring John and Linda back to London. Mustapha agrees which is excellent as it doesn't interfere with Bernard's plan. (To reverse the humiliation which the Director plans for Bernard, back onto him by presenting him with the mother of his child. [Child included...John])

           John's attraction to Lenina goes further in-depth in the chapter. Lenina passed out in soma-holiday gives John a very big temptation, but he strongly resists however vocalizing his feelings through Romeo and Juliet quotes. He doesn't even allow the flies to touch her, he shoos them away from her as if they are trying to steal her. (Immortal Blessings)

          John's feelings and eagerness for the New World are very strong, because when he feels he's been abandoned, he begins to cry. This could also be his troubled childhood coming through again, everyone mistreating him, making him feel more and more alone. Thankfully since these people are from a different place, he rethinks about the situation and decides to look inside the house.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Group Work Questions

Compare an contrast Society with the Reservation:
         Reservation is a contrast to the New World because it acts somewhat similar to how the present day (the one we are living in now...) works. Native American culture aside, the way they age, the fact they mend their stuff, they take care of themselves, they make crafts, all of these things which are somewhat ideal in our world, contrast what the New World citizens do. The Reservation residents are shown as awkward and strange because they do such things. (And the Indians find the lack of skill in the New World citizens have disappointing.)

          While the New World has certain services for the worship of Ford/soma and the Reservation people have their own sacrifices for Pookang and Jesus. They both have some sort of religious services, the New World for self-pleasure and to apply the 'everyone-belongs-to-everyone' law, and the Reservation for the well-being of the village and the crops. However, both places have little use for books. Since most of the things that come from books have been secluded to the offices of the World Controllers and just don't exist on the Reservation. (save for the literature that John was given through Popé.)


#1. What was John's upbringing like? His relationship with Linda? His education?
His Mom (Linda) didn't really know what to do, how to raise him really due to her not being conditioned for this kind of life. Birth is purely eliminated in the New World where Linda came from, and so she struggles on how to react with John.

His relationship isn't all that good to begin with, but as Linda learns about mothership she eventually learns how to care for him and he eventually grows to love her. She has to really go against her conditioning and all that she's been through to give John a good life, and it is hard coming from the New World and raising him on the very different Reservation.

John is one of the more educated children in the Reservation, since he was taught to read. Books aren't a commodity in the Reservation, and John knows that he isn't going to be accepted in the community, but he has the upper hand in knowing how to read.

#2. Why doesn't Linda want to be called a mother?
Because her conditioning and hypnopaedic training had taught her that mother was a fowl, disgusting word. She eventually gets sort of used to it, yet John has got in the habit of addressing her as Linda.

#3. What social positions do Linda and John hold in Maplais?
They are outcasts because of the different environment Linda was brought up in. Since she has known that sleeping with a multitude of men is ok, the others don't particularly care for that behaviour and shun her, beat her, and throw rocks at John everytime they see him.

#4. What does John want in his life?
John's alienation separates him from most other humans in his life. He hears such good stories from Linda and from what he's read in Shakespeare, and he wants to start again and adventure in the New World.

#5. What does Linda tell him about the Other Place?
You can fly any time you want, there are things that fill the room with scents, there are pictures you can see, hear, taste, and smell.

#6. What does he learn from Shakespeare? How does he relate to Hamlet? The Tempest?
His morals, half the things that come out of his mouth, and some of his actions. (Him attempting to stab Popé.)

#7. What does it mean to discover "Time and Death and God?"
In the New World, all three of these things are nowhere to be found. Even though there is an evident year (632 A.D.), it is purely a number. History has been wiped out and there has been no reason to even mention Time, Death, or God to any of the New World citizens. Through mainly reading Shakespeare all his life, he has discovered these and can make what little sense he can of the world.

#8. Why does Bernard want to take John to London?
Because the Director is going to exile Bernard to Iceland, but in a publicly humiliating manner. By bringing John and Linda, people from the Director's past, he can sort of turn the humiliation on the Director, perhaps saving his job, and getting a little laugh for himself. (Revenge/Retribution/Another feeling of being a rebel.)

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 8 ]---|>

CHAPTER EIGHT
Summary: Bernard, seeing John as somewhat of an outcast (like him) talks to him. He asks him to tell some stories of what John can earliest remember. John does so; tells tales of sorrow, prejudice, and of how he was alienated to due to his mother and being blonde. Through all the stories, Bernard has been plotting a very ingenious plan, and once John finished his horrific tales of his youth, Bernard asks if he would care to come back to the New World along with him and Lenina. John is overjoyed but wishes to bring Linda as well. Bernard thinks that that's not a good idea, although he gives it a little thought and it plays very well with his plan, so he gladly accepts them both to travel back with him.

Vocabulary:
Kiva - (n.) An underground ceremonial chamber in Pueblo villages.


Literary Elements:
Irony:
The reason Bernard laughs when denying his marriage to Lenina. He laughs since it is silly for people to get married to ONE person, since everyone belongs to everyone. Of course Bernard doesn't really care for that whole idea, but it is still slightly comical to him that he would ask.

Found a List of all the Shakespeare Quotes found in this book, so bwahaha!:

"Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed,
Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love
Over the nasty sty..."

"When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed..."

"Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villian!"

^ All allusions to Hamlet ^

"To-morrow, to-morrow, to-morrow..."

^ Macbeth ^

"O wonder! How many godly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O Brave New World that has such people in it!

^ The Tempest ^ - From which the title is derived -

Most of the allusions, and a good majority of the things that come out of John's mouth, are from Shakespeare because it has been the only thing that John has been able to read in life on the Reservation.

Why Chapter is Important: Since we were just introduced to John, we are given his backstory through this chapter. His emotions that come through will more than likely play a huge role in the further development of the conflict and story. Due to his similarities with Bernard (being an outside, different.) and how he was alienated and despised, could affect his disposition towards the Director and any who care to interact with him in the World State.

There is more description of the Reservation, especially of the youth life and the way Linda had raised John along with comparing what lesson she had taught him to what the Indian elders would tell John.

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 7 ]---|>

CHAPTER SEVEN
Summary: Inside the Reservation, Lenina and Bernard watch an old Native American/Savage ritual. Lenina is pleased with the music, the drums reminding her of a Ford's Day celebration or a Solidarity Service. Soon, she gets disgusted when the music hastens and a young man is brought out and whipped for a sacrifice. Lenina pleads for Bernard to stop them, but he really is unable to do anything, being an outsider to the Reservation. Once it is all over, the boy lies dead in the field, Lenina horrified. After the ritual, a young Indian comes towards them, however speaks English surprisingly well. He begins to rant about how he should've been the one to have been sacrificed, for he would've drawn a lot more blood. He then sees Lenina, one of the first attractive women that he has seen without dirt covering her face. He gets nervous, and soon takes Bernard back to the pueblo where he lives.
       When they arrive, Lenina gets freaked out by a disgusting, fat, unbathed, grotesque woman who the young savage (John) calls his mother. She then hugs Lenina and grows eccentric to see someone from the civilized State. Once introductions are made, she tells the tale of how she came to the reservation and had had a contraceptive malfunction allowing her to give birth to John. (Lenina shudders at this.)


Literary Elements:
Symbolic of Society:
"I hate walking. And you feel so small when you're on the ground at the bottom of a hill."

Irony:
Lenina shuddering whenever Linda says anything pertaining to  a 'mother'. As mothers are such disgusting creatures in the New World society.

Bernard asking Lenina if she felt anything like a missed opportunity in not being a mother, and Lenina gets disgusted.

Why Chapter is Important: The life of a Savage in the reservation is detailed in this chapter alonng with descriptions of the setting. The disgust that Lenina feels for the Reservation contrasts the 'prefect' world that everyone is supposed to believe is Paradise. Even though there is no freedom there, it is the essential happiness of it all that sets apart New Mexico from the London Hatchery.

We also meet John and Linda in the chapter, and it appears that Linda is the woman that the Director was telling Bernard about in Chapter 6 Part II. She did not die however, she had a mishap with her contraceptives and could'nt get an abortion and had a child. (John)

Monday, November 15, 2010

Vocabulary Quiz Part #2 (How Mustapha Mond became World Controller?)

          Mustapha Mond was born around the time of A.F. 534 in Liverpool, England; in a time where the world was thrust into a state of turmoil, nuclear war was imminent, and every single world leader was ruminating upon a way to bring peace to world.

           Once then President of England Roger Serbert was assassinated in A.F. 556, Mustapha was already a prodigious politician. He had a very big following at such a young age, and people admired him with his promises to bring change to the world. He talked a big talk, yet his high charismatic personality won the hearts of millions within just half a year of his campaigning. Mustapha was sure to win the election for President of England with as many supporters as he had, but Mustapha was axiomatic about the World's state. He saw how unhappy people were, he saw the economic troubles plaguing every nation, he was aware of the tension with the nuclear war. His epic plan, from which he thought years before he began his quest for Country-Leadership, was to end all the troubles. To push the reset button on the whole and breed a new era of humans with no problems, no mishaps, and bring forth a new dawn of man without the inclusion of war.

           Mustapha Mond was growing eager for his election to come as he had all his preparations made and ready. He had banded together at least 100 of his top assistants and leading men to help. When election day finally arrived, there was a big mass of votes flooding in for Mustapha Mond. So much so that the vote for Mustapha Mond was unanimous, beating fourteen other contenders clear out of the water! There was no mollifying the other politician's anger, for they felt cheated of their votes because of Mustapha's charismatic character. (They had a feeling there was some bribery afoot, due to the mass amount of cohorts that Mustapha conned into helping him.)

           Nonetheless, Mustapha wasn't going to have to handle any of the death threats, legal actions, or persecution from the sore losers. He held a meeting with his top men/scientists, he reminded them of how they were going to bring synthetic, predetermined castes to the world. He then appointed nine of other people to play a similar role as him in the new society. This was a magnaminity and each of the nine now leaders of world bowed down to Mustapha in respect and thanks. Once the meeting was over, it was time for the plan to be initiated. To bring upon a grand precipice felt only to those outside of the secret fallout shelter underneath the Presdential Office. The 100 men went down 50 stories underground. It was a big platinum room that held a gigantic command console that Mustapha had his anxious eye on. Once he had checked to see if all of his companions were safe, he rushed over to the console and put his finger over a large, cliché red button. He gave a dramatic hesitation, before pressing down on the button that would unleash nuclear missles on the world. Mustapha had a sadistic smirk on his face, and he turned to his men, who in unison all gave a hearty laugh. The world belonged to them now.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 6 ]---|>

CHAPTER SIX

Part 1 Summary: Lenina can't get over how odd Bernard is. She struggles with the decision on whether to stick with Bernard and go to the Savage Reservation, or head up to the North Pole with Benito Hoover. However, she had already been to the North Pole before, and didn't really have a good time, besides, she hadn't been to America but once, so she sticks with her original plan.
She then tries to get Bernard to do something with her. Swimming and a dinner? No, Bernard thinks there will be too many people there. Electro-Magnetic Golf? No, that's a waste of time. Then, somehow Lenina convinces him to watch a Wrestling match with her. Bernard is pressured by Lenina to take some soma but Bernard refuses, even when he stops the helicopter to think. After some troubling words (in Lenina's perspective) he takes some soma and Lenina and Bernard fly to Lenina's house to have sex. (Which Bernard regrets the next day.)

Part 2 Summary: Bernard goes to talk to the Director about getting a permit to take himself and Lenina to the New Mexico Savage Reservation. The Director is uneasy, and tells Bernard of when he took a girl there once twenty years ago. In a very long story, he tells Bernard of the girl going missing without being found by search troupes. He even reveals that he has had recurring nightmares about her even to that day. He then forbids Bernard to go due to reports of outlandish behaviour, and if he doesn't present himself as a respectable Alpha, he will be exiled to a Sub-Centre in Iceland. Bernard leaves the office feeling like a rebel and goes back to tell Helmholtz of the ordeal. Much like when Bernard told him of Lenina and his plans to go to New Mexico, Helmholtz shows no interest in Bernards boastful rebellious act.

Part 3 Summary: Bernard and Lenina are on a rocket and fly to Sante Fe where they stay in a hotel overnight. Lenina is thrilled due to the sheer amount of amenities that the Hotel has to offer. She loves it and wishes that they could stay here, although Bernard takes this literally and says that she has the choice to stay while he goes alone to the Reservation. She is somewhat offended, and is of course going. Later, they need to the signature of the Reservation Warden for the permit. They find him, and he goes on to Lenina about useless facts and trivia about the Reservation. Bernard then realizes he left his Eau de Cologne tap on in his bathroom which will be a heavy price to pay when he gets back to London. He is eagar to phone Helmholtz, but the Warden won't shut up about the reservation. He talks and talks and talks and talks and talks and talks until he can break away for a short moment. He gets to the phone and Helmholtz picks up. He tells him to turn off the scent tap, but Helmholtz has some news for Bernard as well. The Director is looking for someone to replace him. He also said, in public, that he was going to be exiled to the Sub-Centre in Iceland. He gets depressed yet again because at first he had thought nothing of the Director's threat. Now that it was coming true, he was really appalled. Lenina gives him a couple grammes of soma to cure his sadness. They then get inside a helicopter that will take them to a pueblo where they can be a part of one of the Savage rituals/dances. Then they fly over all of the New Mexican towns with Bernard asleep. Upon landing, Bernard wakes up and Lenina is taking suitcases out of the helicopter, and the Pilot reassures Lenina that the savages won't hurt them while they are vacationing.

Vocabulary:
Brachycephalic - (adj.) describing a head as broad as it is front to back as it is side to side.

Solecism - (n.) A breach of good manners or etiquette.

Literary Elements:
Allusion:
Jean-Jacques Habibullah ---> Names of several Afghanistan Kings/ Arabic for "Beloved of God."

George Edzel ---> George Engel; German anarchist

A gramme in time, saves nine ---> A Stitch in time saves Nine ---> an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 

Why Chapter is Important:
More insight to Bernard's individuality in Part 1; him despising most things that New World citizens usually do, when he stops the helicopter over the water just to think to himself, his uplifted mood when being considered a rebel. 

Part 2 seems to be a big foreshadow of what may happen to Lenina at the Savage Reservation.

Bernard must get exiled to Iceland should he return to London. Inciting Event?!?

Thursday, November 11, 2010

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 5 ]---|>

CHAPTER FIVE

Part 1 Summary: Henry and Lenina finish up their date at the Obstacle Golf. They then hop in the helicopter and fly back, passing a Crematorium on the way. This is where Lenina begins to question and think about some of the castes problems. However, Henry redirects her, and she forgets her train of thought. Once they land, they go to a night club after taking a bit of soma, and there are a whole bunch of couples there too dancing in a soma-induced frenzy.

Part 2 Summary: Bernard occasionally goes to a Solidarity Service (Every other Thursday). He was already late and somewhat anxious. However, when he arrives at the place where the Service is held, he finds that he is indeed not the last one there. Unfortunately, in his rush, he selects a seat at random and is forced next to Morgana Rothschild. She has a very scary unibrow which frightens Bernard, hinting at his own physical insecurities. After all the people arrive, the service begins in a crazy, zealous soma ritual. Everybody gets really into the Ford and his coming except Bernard, yet he pretends to be, just to sort of fit in and not feel awkward. (Which goes unsuccessful, because afterwards, he feels even more isolated and miserable as before.)

Vocabulary: Pullulation - Pullulate is a verb that means to germinate or sprout from. Describes the sprouting of the lower-castes coming when the Alphas and Betas approached the monorail.

Allusions: (Lots of them O_o)
Big Henry ---> Big Ben, the huge Clock!

Malthusian ---> Thomas Robert Malthus: 1766-1830's British political economist. Theorized the dangers of overpopulation would preclude endless progress towards a utopian society.

Fifi Bradlaugh ---> Charles Bradlaugh = Political Activist and Notable Atheist. (Irony in the fact Fifi shares this last name yet attending a somewhat religious ceremony.)

Morgana Rothschild (Has a freaky Unibrow) ---> Morgan La Faye?

Joanna Diesel ---> Rudolf Karl Diesel, German Guy that made the Diesel Engine.

Sarojini Engels ---> Friedrich Engels; German philosopher & right-hand to Karl Marx in the study of communist theory
                         ---> Sarojini Naidu, an Indian freedom fighter and activist.

Herbert Bakunin ---> Mikhail Bakunin, Russian revolutionary and popularized the Anarcho-Collectivism doctrine.

"Twelve of them ready to be made one..." ---> 12 Disciples

Tom Kawaguchi ---> Possible allusion to either Kiyotake Kawaguchi; a WWII general and/or Matsutaro Kawaguchi, and 20th Century novelist with published works around the same time as some of Huxley's books.

Clara Deterding ---> Henri Detereding, supporter of the Nazi party and pioneer in the oil industry.

Orgy-Porgy ---> Georgy Porgy (Nursery Rhyme, Children's song)


Why Chapter is Important: This chapter shows what most citizens do in the New World. A lot of the events revolve around the use of soma and how happy it makes its users. There are also some pretty severe uses that go into rituals such as the one that Bernard attended.
The activites also mirror what is acceptable in our society, dancing and rituals using heavy drug use (soma) are the norm and fit into the daily lives of all the citizens of the New World. However, in our society, these are only events that the strange, crazy, and looked-down upon people would partake in and would be severly punished if found out.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 4 ]---|>

CHAPTER FOUR
Two-Part Chapter!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 1 Characters: Lenina Crowne, Henry Foster, Bernard Marx, Benito Hoover

Part 2 Characters: Helmholtz Watson, Bernard Marx,

Part 1 Summary: Lenina comes into the lift in order to try to find Bernard Marx. Many men look at her and greet her. She enjoys the attention yet, shallowly wishes some of them didn't have little qualities about them. (This guy has too big of ears, This guy is too hairy, yadda, yadda, yadda.) But when she finds Bernard, she says that she agrees to go to the Savage Reservation with him and openly converses about sexual relations which embarrasses Bernard. Lenina doesn't understand this, but she bids him farewell, for she is going on a date with Henry and is already late. (This puts Bernard further into a bad mood.) Benito Hoover then runs into Bernard and notices him looking 'glum' and offers him some soma. Bernard rudely and silently turns down his offer and walks away. Meanwhile, Henry and Lenina fly the helicopter on their way to Obstacle Golf.

Part 2 Summary: Bernard, after some hassle with some people from other castes gets his helicopter ready and flies to the Bureaux of Propoganda. This is where his friend, Helmholtz Watson works, writing and teaching. Bernard and Helmholtz go to Bernard's helicopter after Helmholtz fending off a couple of ladies. They fly away to Bernard's apartment and discuss some things. Helmholtz begins to tell Bernard about a weird feeling inside him, a feeling of being unfulfilled. He assumes there must be more to life then writing propaganda and being with so many women. Bernard insists that everything is good with Helmholtz, but Helmholtz insists that he isn't as important as he could be. All of a sudden, Bernard senses that someone is listening in on their conversation, and signals Helmholtz to be quiet. Helmholtz sneakily, tip-toes to the door, and flings it open to reveal nothing.

Literary Elements:
Symbols:
Helicopters - - - The helicopters played a somewhat important role in the chapter, shuttling around Lenina and Henry in Part one and Helmholtz and Bernard in Part 2.
The ability to fly is usually seen as a big freedom, which is somewhat of a contrast of the actual freedom that the citizens have. They don't realize that they're predestined to take a particular path in life, and the helicopters really resemble their freedom, when really it is dramatically limited.


Allusion:

Helmholtz Watson ---> Hermann von Helmholtz
     -Helmholtz Watson being a writer trying to evoke some sense into the babies while they are in their hypnopaedic stages of development, correlates with the German physicist Herman von Helmholtz who marvelled in the field of pitch notation, resonance and certain other things regarding the sense of sound/hearing.


Why Chapter is Important:
Part 1 is really the first time out of the Hatchery and the first glimpse of what really goes on in the life of a new world citizen. It also holds the agreement of the Lenina to go to the Savage Reservation with Bernard later. This big setting change from London to New Mexico will probably be important in chapters to come. (Perhaps this is where the inciting event will take place?)

Also, in Part 2, we are introduced to Helmholtz Watson, who is like Bernard in the sense of individuality and the allowed intelligence to think to themselves. However, Bernard's physical shortcomings are contrasted by Helmholtz having the ultimate, desired appearance. Also, where Bernard despises his appearance and wants to fit in with the others and be seen as the Alpha he truly is, Helmholtz is essentially what Bernard wants to be visually, yet mentally and emotionally, Helmholtz feelings a longing for something more that he feels he won't be able, or have the power to achieve.

Another thing I noticed, which I have a feeling is a huge foreshadow is the scene in Bernard's Apartment where Bernard tells Helmholtz that he senses someone listening in on their conversation. Bernard does nothing but raise his finger, and Helmholtz goes into sneak mode and tip-toes across the room to investigate. This has to have happened before and they might've been caught discussing things against the World Controllers and they are on edge; fearing should anyone find out what they were discussing.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 3 ]---|>

CHAPTER THREE

Ironic Allusions:

Polly Trotsky - - - Leon Trotsky
                                              
Bernard Marx - - - Karl Marx

Lenina - - - Vladimir Lenin
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
All were revolutionaries in around the Communist movement, which Huxley named the characters this because of the irony of the classless Communist social system that Marx, Lenin, and Trotsky saw was right. This contrasts the story's society where the 'people' are classed into groups based on intelligence.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Themes:

///Freedom & Confinement
///Isolation
///Identity
///Spirituality
///Suffering

Summary:
The Director takes the students outside to where there are whole bunch of children 'playing'. There is a talk about how games used to be played back in the 'Ford's' Day, however it is interrupted by a shadowy man coming into the field. The students are questionable, until the Director profoundly introduces the figure to the students. He is Mustapha Mond, one of the ten World controllers. 

Once he is introduced, he begins detailing previous life, how it was back when Ford was alive. Then a criss-cross of views begins to happen between Lenina and Fanny Crowne, Mustapha and the students, Bernard Marx and the Predestinator, Bernard Marx and himself (thoughts, and with the Hypnopaedic speaker whispering things into the sleepy heads of the Beta children.


Literary Elements:


Situational Irony:
Scattered throughout chapter. 
     -Children begin engaging in sexual 'play' at a very young age and it isn't considering strange.


     -People disgusted at the thought that humans used to give birth to one another


     -Fanny telling Lenina she needs to be more promiscious as seeing one man for a long time is not good. 


     -The antagonistic role mothers are portrayed as by Mustapha.


     -The disgust of family and how it was one of the main things wrong with the past's society.


     -The encouragement of a drug-like substance to be taken.


Metaphor:
     "His voice was a trumpet." The Controller's preaching's are blasted at the students like a trumpet, also making them feel larger, warmer...


Vocabulary:

Just because it's been used a lot:
Viviparous - (adj.) - Used to describe a being that has it's young develop inside the body instead of in an egg. (Thus, what mammals do.)


Why Chapter is Important:
The chapter goes into more depth through the background of the society. We meet one of the World Controllers for the first time, Mustapha Mond, who begins to talk to the students about the history of the new world. (Which he is allowed to since only the World Controllers are aloud to have literature. [Locked away in the safe])

We are also introduced to the antagonist and some other important characters for the first time. 


Through the erratic back and forth conversations between each set of characters in the society, it gives more insight into the confusion and just how crazy the society really is. However, it has a certain structure; Mustapha will begin to tell about the society of the past and how it used to have atrocious creatures such as mothers and relationships that consisted of just one person settling down with one person after a certain amount of years. Then this is put into action when the scene changes to Lenina and Fanny, where Lenina sort of embodies this monogamous relationship with a man named Henry, and is somewhat criticized by Fanny for not being as promiscious as the society intends it's citizens.

"No civilization without social stability. No social stability without individual stabilty,"

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

BRAVE NEW WORLD |---[ Chapter 2 ]---|>

CHAPTER TWO


Summary:

The chapter begins with the Director taking the students to the decanting room. Here the babies are psychologically trained what to be afraid of and how no desire towards. In this case, it's flower and books. This way they have no desire for nature or for gathering information via books. Then there is another place where the Betas are taught through little speakers echoing things into their heads as they sleep. The chapter then ends with the Director getting really into a point he's making, slamming his fist down onto a nearby table, waking the sleeping/learning babies.
Literary Elements:

Introduction to Ford - Symbol === A messiah figure for the society, due to the assembly line which the society's human recreation process seems to emulate. 


Trumpet's mouths - Personification === describing the physical speakers teaching the sleeping Betas

Events: 

Death of Polish, French, and German languages === Everyone speaks a uniform language that keeps everything without confusion allowing easier control over the masses.

Vocabulary:


Hypnopaedia - (n.) The learning of lessons while asleep
Sibilant - (adj.) hissing sound or quality
Indefatigable - (adj.) incapable of feeling tired, or fatigued




Why Chapter is Important:
          By electrocuting the baby's, it shows just one more area of the mass produced citizens that society has control over. By controlling their likes/dislikes/fears, they have essentially made a consumer class who can be manipulated to spend their money wherever they please, or whatever economic area it is needed. Also the death of the Polish, French, as well as the German languages also show another area of society's control, due to having everyone speak the same language allowing for much easier manipulation among the people. And the last control technique we see in the chapter is the sleep-learning of the Betas. It pounds the information and opinions into the baby's heads while they sleep which is exactly like the shock therapy only applied less barbarically to those who were selected in the higher/more successful caste.