Although she may not acknowledge it, Lenina rebels against her conditioning for sexual promiscuity, the belief that “every one belongs to every one else.” At the onset, she is continuing an unconventionally long and exclusive sexual relationship with Henry Foster. Even in returning to normal sexual behavior, she again rebels, […]
Read more Character Analysis LeninaCharacter Analysis John the Savage
John represents the most important and most complex character of Brave New World, a stark contrast to Bernard, the would-be rebel. Bernard’s dissatisfaction with his society expresses itself most characteristically in sullen resentment and imagined heroism, but John lives out his ideals, however unwisely. In turning aside Lenina’s advances, John […]
Read more Character Analysis John the SavageCharacter Analysis Bernard Marx
In a society of perfectly flawless people, Bernard’s flaw — his short stature — marks him for ridicule. The rumored cause, alcohol in his blood surrogate, links him chemically to the lower castes and undercuts his Alpha Plus status. Bernard himself is painfully aware of others’ responses to his un-Alpha-like […]
Read more Character Analysis Bernard MarxSummary and Analysis Chapter 18
In a lighthouse outside London, John undergoes purification for “eating civilization.” Fasting, whipping himself, and vomiting, John strives to exorcise the guilt he feels for Linda’s death and his horror of sexual contact with Lenina. Reporters, film crews, and then crowds intrude on his privacy. When Lenina herself approaches him, […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 18Summary and Analysis Chapter 17
John’s formal acceptance of all the horrors of sickness, poverty, and fear — capped by Mond’s terse “You’re welcome” — ends the chapter. Analysis In this chapter, Mond continues his discussion of the practical philosophy of the world he controls. With Bernard and Helmholtz gone, Mond and John concentrate on […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 17Summary and Analysis Chapter 16
Analysis In this chapter — the aftermath of the soma riot — Mustapha Mond discusses the importance of happiness and stability, even at the cost of truth and freedom. In a sense, this is the conversation both John and Helmholtz have been waiting for — the explanation of everything dissatisfying […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 16Summary and Analysis Chapter 15
Suddenly inspired, John calls to the Deltas to give up the drug. When they fail to respond, John seizes the soma and throws it out the window, causing a riot among the Deltas. Bernard and Helmholtz arrive to save John, and they become involved in the riot themselves. When the […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 15Summary and Analysis Chapter 14
The children annoy John, making it impossible for him to speak with his dying mother. When Linda wakes from a soma dream and mistakes her son for Pope, John’s misery turns to fury. At the moment of death, Linda’s terrified eyes seem a reproach to her son. John leaves the […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 14Summary and Analysis Chapter 13
The chapter ends with a phone call for John with the news that his mother is dying. Analysis In this chapter, Lenina determines to approach John for sex directly, rather than continuing to wait for him to take her. In her attempted seduction, Lenina uncovers a disturbingly violent side to […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 13Summary and Analysis Chapter 12
Meeting with John and Bernard, Helmholtz reads an anti-social poem he has composed. This reading inspires John to read Shakespeare aloud. Helmholtz’s initial delight at the poetic language turns to laughter and ridicule when Shakespeare’s ideas about love and sex clash with Helmholtz’s own social conditioning. Analysis John’s preference for […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 12