Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Brave New World
Book Review: (Brave) Prophetic Exploration of Things to Come
Summary: 4 Stars
This futuristic classic of a totalitarian state begins with a tour in the Central London "Hatchery" and Conditioning Center where students are shown how human beings are produced through the placing of embros in bottles until they are "decanted" and brought into the world. The newly produced humans, then, are socially conditioned, predestinating them to be of the Alpha, Beta, Delta and Epsilon castes. This process, which involves cloning and genetic engineering, is aimed at serving the world state motto: "Community, Identity, Stability." The novel's heroes, Bernard Marx, and a "savage" named John, begin to turn the plot, as both find the aspects of a controlled society disturbing.
Huxley's "Brave New World" is written much in the same vein as Orwell's 1948 classic, "1984," and concentrates upon loss of individual freedom. Huxley's work is remarkable in its research and detail, and, especially, in its prophetic exploration of things to come. Indeed, genetic engineering is now a reality (though only in its formative stages today in the twenty-first century) and en vitro fertilization is common practice. References to Ivan Pavlov, and the novels' ideas about "conditioning" that actually came to fruition in B.F. Skinner's Radical Behavioralism theories engender admiration for the thought Huxley put into creating this lasting work. "Brave New World" is good science fiction for adults and young adults, alike.
Book Review: 4.5 Stars . . . Words Like X-rays
Summary: 5 Stars
With chilling detail, Huxley ushers us into his brave new world with descriptions of assembly-line human production. It's a safe world, sterilized, and its subjects imagine themselves in a state of perpetual happiness--so long as they are taking their soma, a sleep-inducing prescription. It's a world in which morals have been turned upside down, and in which "free love" is a means of keeping slaves numbed to their own reality.
Mankind, it has been decided, will be most successful and content if each individual has a predetermined role in the mass production of goods and services. Some will play the role of Alphas, some Epsilons, and others Semi-morons. No one is discontent--in theory, anyway--because they have been conditioned for their lot in life. All are young, beautiful, somewhat generic, but in no need of individuality even in matters of romance, since all physical intimacy is shared freely and without strings attached.
This is Huxley's reaction to the times in which he lived, and it still rings true in many ways today, eighty years later. He deals with the mass-production idea that was making true craftsmen and artists irrelevant. He even dates his futuristic world using A.F., or Anno Ford. His Fordship is a clear reference to Henry Ford and his assembly line standards that changed the way companies ran. Huxley also takes shots at eugenics, which were a popular subject of that day--and which led to some of Hitler's ideas--and at rising Communism, with its goals of making everyone unimportant except to serve the greater organism. In turning the tables on moral thought and religious precedents, Huxley paints a world in which all true joy and personality has given way to a sleepy, technology-induced enchantment. He paints these masses in literary metaphors as worms, maggots, and locusts, and gives us only a few glimpses of humans before this time.
It's a disjointed story in many ways. This is a book more concerned with concepts and ideas than with strong characterization or smooth narrative. It jumps around. It seems to care less for its subjects than for its subject matter. Perhaps this was intentional, with Huxley giving us a detached view of a detached society, but it does make for a less engaging tale in some ways.
Nevertheless, this is a fearless gaze into the future and a bold warning to a western culture obsessed with perfection, production, and beauty. Huxley says at one point that "words can be used like X-rays," and he proves that in startling fashion with this timeless and disturbing classic.
Book Review: A Classic for our Time
Summary: 5 Stars
Brave New World, where do I begin. I'd have to agree with what a friend of mine said about this book. It should not be read in high school. I think that it's point would be missed. At face value, it's a fascinating read. Huxley's world is so upsettingly vivid that it lures the reader in and makes one turn pages continuously. What's even more fascinating is the social commentary beneath the outward appearance of the novel. And I think that would be missed among adolescents.
Brave New World is the story of a world that has come to be after the "nine years war." In this world, individuality is no longer welcomed. Humans are no longer born in the traditional sense of the world. They are grown. Mankind has been reduced down to genetic manipulation and is created on an assembly line. Mankind comes in various ranks. There are the best of the best, golden and chiseled, and there are the worst of the worst, the fetuses who are injected with alcohol while they are growing. Whether the best or the worst, each person serves a very specific function to the new society.
There are so many disturbing aspects of this book. Mother is a word that causes people to blush since there are no mothers anymore. Love is disgusting and unfathomable yet sex is encouraged even as children during "erotic play" time. Contraceptives are carried around on a belt worn by women. Relationships do not exist beyond sex. People are discouraged from ever being alone (after all, one may have time to think). And if one ever gets unhappy, all you do is take a soma, a hallucinogen that makes everything o.k. God does not exist.
God has become nothing but a myth that society mocks and laugh at. God has become replaced with the term "Ford". I must say that Huxley had excellent insight into what the invention of an automobile could lead to. The book is filled with "Oh Ford!", "The year of our Ford", and "his Fordship." I can't help but think of the first commandment and the story from the bible of the golden calf. "You shall not worship false idols." Huxley has given us the extreme of worshipping false idols and shows societies tendency to replace God with material possessions. The soul of a human has been replaced with chemicals, "groupthink", genetic engineering, and false happiness. What we are left with is an empty shell; a robot that looks like a human. Sex exists to make people happy, not to reproduce. If reproduction occurs, there are whole buildings dedicated to abortion. Motherhood is not welcomed in this brave new world. And what a brave world it is to make so many assumptions.
Huxley has created a masterpiece that was relevant from the day it was published and will always remain relevant. It is a telling example of what the loss of spirituality can do and of the necessity of so many emotions that we perceive as negative.
This book was read for the banned books challenge. It's ashame that people ban books such as these. Yes it's disturbing, but it's message is one that should be heard by all. It warns of the dangers of banning books that make one think. It shows the power of the human mind that actually is able to think out of the box. It opens one's eyes to the dangers of being just like everyone else. It's a book that should be required reading, but maybe not in highschool. Save this one for the college years.
I loved the cover to this edition. It drew my eye right away. Greg Kulick did the cover design and illustration. It's the Harper Perennial Modern Classics edition and it is packed with extras in the back. I recommend this one!
Book Review: A Must-Read Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
Brave New World is one of the three biggies in utopian/dystopian literature. Yes, there are many great dystopian novels out there but George Orwell's 1984, Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World always seem to grab the most attention.
In Brave New World society is being controlled by brainwashing people, drugs (soma) and a form of entertainment called "Feelies" which like a motion picture that provides touch sensations as well as sight and sound. People don't have mothers and fathers in this society; everybody is engineered in a lab. There are various castes that people are born into. The castes are Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon (in that order). Alphas are the highest level - they are world controllers, psychiatrists and the like. Epsilons are the sewage workers, foundry workers, etc.
Brave New World starts by following Bernard who is a high level Alpha-plus. He is one of the higher level individuals but he doesn't fit in. He is noticeably small compared to other people in his caste, he seems to be looked down on, and even by those who is below his caste level. There are rumors that alcohol was accidentally administered while he was incubated.
Later on in the book somebody from outside of the society comes into the picture, he is known as the Savage. The Savage is from an Indian pueblo in New Mexico. The Savage is completely different from these people, which creates some very interesting scenarios.
Brave New World is expertly written. Huxley's prose is exciting and very creative. There are some very interesting plot developments, especially towards the latter half of the book when the Savage is brought into the negative-utopian society.
Check this book out - I highly recommend it! Brave New World is a very fun read that never seems to have a dull moment.
Book Review: A challenging but Interesting Book
Summary: 4 Stars
Brave New World is a very interesting book that draws you in. This book makes you think about a different world other than the world we live in today and how people think differently as a result. The author uses different points of view and changes from character to character to make the reading interesting.
I feel that the only weakness in this book is the level of explanation or depth. They throw you right into the story without much explanation or background. This gives the book an appealing aspect but also makes it confusing to read.
If you are planning on reading this book you should know that there is some very challenging vocabulary. These words would make it very challenging to read this book at a young age.
But overall I think this is an awesome book if you are in the mood for a dystopian adventure.