Lenina Crowne is the main female character in the novel Brave New World. She is desired by many men including John the Savage and Bernard Marx. Her mutual desire for John and Bernard shows that she is somewhat unconventional because they are both outcasts and most World State women would not be attracted to them because it is against their conditioning. She also shows her nonconformity by having only one man for four months, which is something deeply discouraged in her society (Huxley 30). Although she may be slightly different from her peers in this way she still believes all the values the World State has taught her and she accepts the behaviors of her society unquestioningly.
The way that Lenina reacts to her attraction to John shows how she is just like everyone else living in the World State; she uses sex to show affection for men, as this is the only way she knows how. When John discusses marriage with her, quoting Shakespeare, she responds with disbelief and is completely incomprehensive (Huxley 132). When John tells her he loves her, she reacts by attempting to seduce him and is confused when he becomes angry at the way she is behaving (Huxley 134).
Ultimately Lenina serves as a representation of the World State woman. She finds nothing wrong with sexual promiscuity and believes in all the hypnopaedic phrases she has been taught. This is why she can never be with John, who detests the World State and all of its people.
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Electronic.
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