By Sana Ashraf
Revolutionary stories come in the form of utopian fiction. And one masterpiece that has stood the test of time is the Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, which was written in 1931. It is a compelling depiction of the future, and the perspective he shares is transformative and elevating.
Huxley paints the picture of a world which replac es human ambition with placid happiness, freedom of suffering, and a surrender of character for the sake of “social stability”. Often people compare it to Nineteen Eighty-Four. The Brave New World depicts a future in which civilisation is the master. It portrays a world where no one is left to feel sad. Everyone is constantly happy, and emotions are continuously elevated by the intake of ‘soma’ – a drug that instantly provides a feeling of ease and comfort. In the ‘new world’, countries and nations compete for the production of test-tube babies per year – the concept of a family, biological parents, frightens them. People are produced in hierarchies from birth: there are Alphas (being the highest) then Betas, Deltas, Gammas and so on.
Throughout the novel, Huxley does not focus on the development of his characters as much as he explores ideas.The book begins with a tour of students in the ‘Hatchery and Conditioning Centre’ in which genetically engineered babies are produced then brainwashed, hypnotized, and conditioned throughout their childhood.Due to this conditioning, babies are taught to hate books and nature for the sake of the system’s motto: Community, Identity, Stability – such that “one believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them.”
Later, John – a savage from New Mexico – is brought to the new world and is challenged with civilisation. He criticises the notions of the ‘brave new world’ by saying “But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.”
The novel is packed with details of theories and ideas that leave the reader dumbfounded. It is captivating in the way it offers new concepts from two remotely different perspectives. It challenges the notion of a ‘perfect world’ and much of its predictions are frightening because it was written almost a century ago. A must-read novel, and very timely given the changes that are already occurring around us.
Book Recommendation: “Looking for Alaska” by John Green
Miles, a new student at a boarding school, meets Alaska who helps him seek ‘the Great Perhaps’. Alaska’s adventurous, self-destructive, and prankster attitude fascinates Miles, until he finds himself falling for her.
