Brave New World Chapter 12

Summary John refuses to come out of his room for the party Bernard had thrown to again show John off to a group of Alphas Bernard is left to humour the guests by himself Afterwards Bernard takes 4 grammes of soma, showing he has been involved more with society After the party, John and Bernard talk about how depressed they are, and go to Helmholtz John and Helmholtz begin talking about poetry, and compare Helmholtz’s propaganda writing with Shakespeare Helmholtz is blown away by John’s reading Bernard tries to interrupt them as he becomes jealous of their relationship and doesn’t like being ignored. John refuses to come out of his room for the party Bernard had thrown to again show John off to a group of Alphas Bernard is left to humour the guests by himself Afterwards Bernard takes 4 grammes of soma, showing he has been involved more with society After the party, John and Bernard talk about how depressed they are, and go to Helmholtz John and Helmholtz begin talking about poetry, and compare Helmholtz’s propaganda writing with Shakespeare Helmholtz is blown away by John’s reading Bernard tries to interrupt them as he becomes jealous of their relationship and doesn’t like being ignored.

Themes Fate- how it is unwise to attempt to deny or change it- shown when Bernard collapses from his temporary high- standing in society to be worse off than he was before The futility of going against the ways of a well orchestrated government- shown in this chapter through Bernard and later through John Fate- how it is unwise to attempt to deny or change it- shown when Bernard collapses from his temporary high- standing in society to be worse off than he was before The futility of going against the ways of a well orchestrated government- shown in this chapter through Bernard and later through John

Bernard After his failure of a party, people start to criticise him and he is back to being viewed as inferior Humiliated by the Arch-Community-songster who was a guest at the party Loses confidence feels sorry for himself- “The tight balloon of Bernard’s happy self-confidence was leaking from a thousand wounds” Talks to John, who is for now his only friend Regrets parting with Helmholtz, and so apologises Later feels jealous of John and Helmholtz After his failure of a party, people start to criticise him and he is back to being viewed as inferior Humiliated by the Arch-Community-songster who was a guest at the party Loses confidence feels sorry for himself- “The tight balloon of Bernard’s happy self-confidence was leaking from a thousand wounds” Talks to John, who is for now his only friend Regrets parting with Helmholtz, and so apologises Later feels jealous of John and Helmholtz

John Shows his frustration at being on display at Bernards parties Compassionate to Bernard when he is depressed Gets along well with Helmholtz, with whom he talks about poetry and Shakespeare Despite the individuality of Bernard and Helmholtz, John is the only person in the book who views society as it is, and also the only one who understands shakespeare Only unconditioned individual Shows his frustration at being on display at Bernards parties Compassionate to Bernard when he is depressed Gets along well with Helmholtz, with whom he talks about poetry and Shakespeare Despite the individuality of Bernard and Helmholtz, John is the only person in the book who views society as it is, and also the only one who understands shakespeare Only unconditioned individual

Helmholtz Poet who writes the propoganda Forgiving, calm and not very emotional Fairly imaginative, but not to the same extent as John- this is why he is blown away by Shakespeare He doesn’t understand many of the concepts in Shakespeare’s writing, i.e. love Poet who writes the propoganda Forgiving, calm and not very emotional Fairly imaginative, but not to the same extent as John- this is why he is blown away by Shakespeare He doesn’t understand many of the concepts in Shakespeare’s writing, i.e. love

Key Quotes “It was only in Zuni that the Savage could adequately express what he felt about the Arch- Community-Songster.” “A few minutes later, however, he thought better of it and took four tablets of soma.” “You’ve got to be hurt and upset; otherwise you can’t think of the really good, penetrating, X- rayish phrases.” “It was only in Zuni that the Savage could adequately express what he felt about the Arch- Community-Songster.” “A few minutes later, however, he thought better of it and took four tablets of soma.” “You’ve got to be hurt and upset; otherwise you can’t think of the really good, penetrating, X- rayish phrases.”