Brave New World Study Questions Community, Identity, Stability!

Chapters I – III 1. What is A.F. 632? What can you infer about this society from such a designation? After Ford 632 – this society worships production, materialism. 2. How many individuals can be produced from one egg and one sperm? 96 3. What is the purpose of the processes that take place in the Social Predestination Room? The fetuses are chemically and otherwise treated to suit them for a particular social caste and job.

Chapters I – III 4. What is the point of conditioning the masses to hate nature? A love of nature does not keep the factories busy. 5. What kinds of things do the children hear as they sleep? They hear messages that convince them that they are happy. 6. Who is Mustapha Mond? What does he say about history? He’s the Western European Controller who says history is bunk.

Chapters I – III 7. Describe Lenina Crowne. A young and attractive woman who works at the Hatcheries and Conditioning Centre, Lenina is “having” Henry Foster exclusively. 8. What is wrong with Bernard Marx? He is a bit small for an Alpha, likes to be alone, and he doesn’t like to hear Lenina discussed as if she was a mere piece of meat. 9. What is soma? It is a drug with no side effects which provides an escape from reality.

Chapters IV – VI 1. Who is Helmholtz Watson? What’s his problem? He’s a lecturer at the College of Emotional Engineering, and Bernard’s friend. He is not satisfied with his work; he feels he can do something more important. 2. The Solidarity Service has elements of several rituals in our world. Which ones? Elements include those of religious services, séances, witches covens, and orgies 3. What story does the D.H.C. tell Bernard? He tells him about his own trip to the Savage Reservation many years ago. 4. What distressing information does Bernard’s call to Helmholtz reveal? The D.H.C. plans to send Bernard to Iceland.

Chapters VII – X 1. How does Lenina react to the Savage Reservation? She is horrified by it. 2. What does Lenina like about the Reservation? She likes the drums. 3. What does Bernard like about the Reservation? Bernard finds the parent-child intimacy lovely.

Chapters VII – X 4. What do Bernard and John have in common? Both are lonely outcasts of their societies. 5. Does Lenina have any compassion for Linda? No she doesn’t. 6. How does Bernard avoid being sent to Iceland? When he returns to London with John and Linda, John reveals that the D.H.C. is his father. The D.H.C. is completely humiliated and leaves the Centre.

Chapters XI – XIII 1. How is Bernard’s life changing? He is becoming a celebrity because of his association with John. 2. What question about the Savage is Lenina unable to answer? She is unable to describe how he makes love. 3. How is a “feelie” different from a movie? The viewers also “feel” what is happening on the screen.

Chapters XI – XIII 4. How has the Savage influenced Helmholtz? Helmholtz realizes that what his writing has been missing is conflict. 5. Whom does John the Savage keep quoting? Why? Shakespeare; a volume of his plays was John’s reading book at Malpais, and he has also absorbed many of the Elizabethan social mores. 6. Why does John go into such a rage against Lenina? She doesn’t conform to the vision he had of her, as a chaste proper young woman. (She didn’t conform to Bernard’s ideals either)

Chapters XIV – XVII 1. Where is John at the beginning of Chapter 14? He is at a hospital for the Dying. 2. Who “invades” the hospital and drives John into a frenzy? A group of identical children arrive. 3. How does John try to help the menial staff at the hospital? He tells them that soma is killing them and throws it away.

Chapters XIV – XVII 4. What is surprising about Mustapha Mond? He knows about Shakespeare and religion. 5. How do you feel about Bernard right now? A.W.V. 6. Why does art require social instability? Social instability = conflict = art. 7. What effects did the advent of mass production have on society? It changed what people sought to give life meaning, from knowledge and truth to happiness and comfort.

Chapters XIV – XVII 8. What right does John claim? John claims the right to be unhappy, if that is what Mond chooses to call it. 9. What happens to destroy the peace John is beginning to find at the lighthouse? He becomes a sort of roadside attraction. A feelie is made about him. Lenina comes to try to help him and he turns on her, whipping her. He finally hangs himself. 10. Is John’s decision to end his life understandable? A.W.V.