CHAPTER FOUR
Two-Part Chapter!
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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.
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