Uniformity In Brave New World

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Pages: 4

Science, art, and beauty often stir the development of both ancient and modern civilizations. Within nations, different interpretations of these elements often result in instability and a lack of cultural uniformity. In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, he presents a highly efficient and stable utopia, run by a Controller who deprives residents of the high arts, and limits scientific research to areas he has approved. Instead of a unique culture, he promotes material pleasures that render people shallow and calloused. Not far away, the Savage Reservation is rooted in classical traditions that influence John to collect literature and pursue wholesome interactions. His yearning for understanding and emotional fulfillment ignites his desire to share his knowledge of beauty and art with those who have not experienced it. Though John the Savage and the Controller have a similar respect and appreciation for science and the arts, John attempts to distribute his knowledge, elevate …show more content…
His upbringing, accompanied by his fascination with bravery, inspire John to prove that he is worthy of respect and dignity. After the sadistic ritual on the reservation, he implies his desire to validate his own self-worth, wondering “Why wouldn’t they let me be the sacrifice? They could have had twice as much blood from me,” (117). John indicates that he would be willing to suffer for a cause that he deems noble, and suggests that by sacrificing for a worthy cause, one simultaneously honors oneself. His personal morals make it difficult for him to adjust to the obsession with materialism that he witnesses every day in the New World. he confirms that “nothing costs enough here,” (239). He implies that since everything is accomplished easily and painlessly, no one can be truly satisfied because there is no room for struggle or