The novel Brave New World takes place in the fictional utopia of the World State in the year of 632 A.F., or 'In the year of Our Ford'. This new calendar is based on the years following the production of the first Model T car (Huxley 37) This is evidence of the warped religion worshiping Henry Ford as their god, a symbol of the value of technology in this society. There has also evidently been a violent war called the Nine Years' war that resulted in an economic downfall and led to a society revolving around consumerism, where consumption is more important than culture or families (Huxley 36).
The people of the World State society are taught to behave in a much different way than the people of today. Promiscuity is promoted, people are discouraged to get attached to anyone even just as a close friend, and if anyone fails to behave in this way, they are deemed anti-social and are sent away to an island against their own free will (Huxley 157).
There really aren't any social issues in the utopia that Brave New World depicts because the government has conditioned its people so well that it is almost impossible for them to be dissatisfied with society. Even for the people that are dissatisfied with the World State, they are sent to an island away from society where they can live with people like themselves.
This book symbolizes the dangers of a government that controls all aspects of its citizens life. It shows us that if we let our government get too powerful it could mean sacrificing our individuality and free will.
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Electronic.
No comments:
Post a Comment