Do you like this piece of work? Why or why not?
Oh, man. Brave New World is definitely one of the more heavier books I've read but lucky for me, I am really into dystopian fiction. After reading chapter 3, I couldn't help but keep reading into chapter 4. It's hard to put this book down but I find myself almost needing to because it's such a downer! It's almost as if it wasn't written in 1938 because it seems so current, which is the scary thing. Overall, though, I am really enjoying Brave New World despite the disturbing events and subject matter involved. The way that the children are conditioned based on their social class is just mind boggling and when the Director is talking to the students about the game they are playing and how he doesn't understand "fun". What really blew my mind, though, was when one of the head honchos showed up unexpectedly and he was thinking to himself about the rumors swirling around that he hides away ancient books and Bibles. I can't imagine a society where Bibles are considered ancient and authors like Shakespeare aren't revered! So far, though, I don't really understand why this book shows up on banned book lists. I was expecting a really graphic description of the children and their sexual encounters but its vagueness is what surprises me the most about why it's banned. The way Huxley has his characters discuss this isn't perverted in any way; in fact, it's more that they look down on such primal urges and that people actually used to copulate to produce children. The students are so embarrassed at their ancestors that it seems they don't even like to think about such an atrocity. I'm really looking forward to delving deeper into this utopian/dystopian society that Huxley created and he does a great job of revealing just enough at a time that keeps the reader wanting to read more in order to find out the secrets behind this society.
I think it is because of the "vagueness" that it is troubling to those who adhere to censorship. The sex and drugs are offhand, almost inconsequential--that is what troubles so many. Also, as you mention above, the lack of religion--its replacement with science and Technology--parents are also troubled by this. It is all too close to home---is it not eerily reflective of our own society and the issues it is currently confronting?
ReplyDeleteHi Mattie!
ReplyDeleteI'm commenting on your blog because for some reason, even though I accepted her invitation, Blogger is not letting me access Kayla's work.
One thing I found interesting about your post is that you seem to value the language more than the content... the sexual acts of the children do not bother you because they aren't described "perversely," regardless of the fact that this society allows children to commit acts which are considered immoral and illegal in our own society. I think this is a very interesting insight into the power of language--how something is described makes all the difference. This makes me reflect on the reasons why people react so intensely to some works... is it really the content of the work that people resist, or is it the feeling invoked by the style of narration?