"Linda, on the contrary, cut no ice; nobody had the smallest desire to see Linda"

There are several scenes throughout Brave New World which can be thought of as humorous and even out and out hysterical. The scene where Lenina first visits the savage reservation, Bernard's erratic behavior and comments, Linda's reunion with Tomakin, and John's reaction to the feelies just to name a few. Do you think Huxley meant these scenes to be funny? If he did, why would he include them in an otherwise nightmarish dystopian novel? If he did not mean for them to be funny, why do we find them so? Is it our culture? Our comedic perception? Or something else.... Please comment.

"I do love new clothes..."

As we discuss Huxley's Brave New World, we focus on all of the negative aspects of the society: the control, promiscuity. lack of individuality and drug induced manipulation. However, for all of the obvious negative aspects, the new society has eliminated crime, poverty, disease, greed and many other deplorable human conditions. Are there any positive aspects of the new society? Is there anything to be learned from Huxley's vision? Is the price of this kind of  society too high for humans to pay?  Please comment.                                                                                                                        

"In order to be irreplacable, one must always be different." -Coco Chanel

We have learned thus far that both Bernard Marx and Helmholtz Watson consider themselves "individuals". Bernard, wallows in his emotions, refusing soma and trying desperately to belong. Helmholtz, has it all-looks, intelligence, a prestigious job and women who throw themselves at him. Yet, he is not satisfied. Both men wish that being "different" was not such a bad thing. How hard is it to maintain your individuality? Is it easier to blend in and be like everyone else? Is it worth the pain, ridicule and sometimes violence that society (both ours and the one depicted in the novel) heap upon those that are different? Just how different are you really willing to be?  Please comment.

O! Brave New World....

No writer of the twentieth wrote about the future in optimistic terms. Visions of oppressive goverments, enforced conformity, the obsolecence of love and families and the obliteration of the individual are just some of the nightmare visions writers saw in their futures. Even more disturbing than their nightmares, are just how many of Orwell, Huxley and Bradbury's (just to name a few) fears became reality. How do you see the future? What do you think life will really be like in 50 or 100 years? What scares you? Excites you? What kind of life will your grand children and great grand children be living?

We are the product....

I suppose you could say my father's world was Thomas Hardy and my mother's D.H. Lawrence.
Seamus Heaney
The poet Seamus Heaney has stated that the rival worlds of his mother and father shaped him into the person he is and greatly influenced his poetry. His father was from the ancient world of farming and his mother was from the modern industrial world. Heaney has also stated that being from the country of Ireland with all its unique heritage is an inate part of him. Do where we come from and where are parents come from shape who we are? Is our heritage something to be embraced or to be overcome? What has helped you (or hindered you) become the person you are today?