Brave New World
Character Analysis
Ryan Smith
Who is John?
Brave New World is a book about a so called Utopia in which has total control over all of its citizens and uses drugs to mask emotions. Brave New World’s society consist of industrialization,false feelings, and controlled people, and therefore is a perfect foil for John. John is a kid from the Native American reservation which is the last of its kind. John is an emotionally unstable person with a strict set of morals and is an outcast in an unfamiliar society which causes his death. Before John met Brave New World’s society he was discriminated against on the Native American reservation for being white. He was lonely and only wanted to fit in to the society. So when he got his opportunity to leave the reservation he took it and was introduced to the Brave New World. When John first arrived in Brave New World he was excited to escape the reservation he was also excited to live in a new place. But it wasn't until he lived there for a short amount of time that he realized it repulsed him. It lacked morals that he held closest to him and it was nearly all artificial. Although society is flawless to most, it twisted John’s perspective of people and life, driving him to isolation and ultimately, his suicide.
BNWs Society is a foil for John because they are nearly opposites. John comes from a traditional Native American society where everything was hand made and old fashioned, whereas everything in BNW society is built by machines and industrialized. Even though John was an outcast on the reservation he still picked up on the norms and traditions of the Native American society. Things like morals and religion which differed greatly from Brave New Worlds also natural birth which is frowned upon greatly in Brave New World . When he was introduced to BNWs society everything he knew was turned upside down. When he was in the BNWs society his true colors showed. The reader saw how morally strict he was and how much he showed his emotions. Such as when his mother, Linda, died while she was in a coma induced by overdosing on soma. He got extremely angry and went to the hospitals then started throwing soma out of a window in front of many Deltas.. (Huxley pg. 213) “He began to throw the little pill boxes of soma tablets in hand fulls out into the area”. This resulted in a riot and the capture of John, Helmholtz and bernard. (Huxley pg. 242) “ Now I am purified said John, I drank some mustard and warm water”. This quote shows that when John does something that goes against his religion or moral code he purifies his soul in some way. It is usually this or whipping himself.
Another way in which society shows John’s true self is when John secludes himself. He continues to harm himself in order to purge his soul of society. He also whips himself whenever he thinks of Lenina in a romantic way. This shows how strong in faith and morals he his. This is demonstrated to an extreme at the end of the book; Lenina emerges from a helicopter that came to see the “savage” whip himself. John sees Lenina and begins to whip her. The crowd mimics him then begins to chant “orgy porgy”. John eventually takes soma and participates in the orgy. Once he awakens he recalls the whole experience; he then ends his own life. (Huxley pg. 259)“ Just under the crown dangled a pair of feet”. He ended his own life was in order to cleans his own soul and make amends for the “sins” that he committed.
After experiencing both the Native American society and the Brave New World society John does not conform to either. Instead he becomes an outcast in both and ends up realizing that wherever he goes in this world he can not fit in. A message that I took away from this book is that although society is an inanimate idea, it still can be responsible for horrible things. Sometimes ideas can be more powerful than physical force. Although society is flawless to most, it twisted Johns perspective of people and life, then drove him to isolation and ultimately is responsible for his suicide.
Self-Assessment.
I think that my paper deserves a low A or high B.
Who is John?
Brave New World is a book about a so called Utopia in which has total control over all of its citizens and uses drugs to mask emotions. Brave New World’s society consist of industrialization,false feelings, and controlled people, and therefore is a perfect foil for John. John is a kid from the Native American reservation which is the last of its kind. John is an emotionally unstable person with a strict set of morals and is an outcast in an unfamiliar society which causes his death. Before John met Brave New World’s society he was discriminated against on the Native American reservation for being white. He was lonely and only wanted to fit in to the society. So when he got his opportunity to leave the reservation he took it and was introduced to the Brave New World. When John first arrived in Brave New World he was excited to escape the reservation he was also excited to live in a new place. But it wasn't until he lived there for a short amount of time that he realized it repulsed him. It lacked morals that he held closest to him and it was nearly all artificial. Although society is flawless to most, it twisted John’s perspective of people and life, driving him to isolation and ultimately, his suicide.
BNWs Society is a foil for John because they are nearly opposites. John comes from a traditional Native American society where everything was hand made and old fashioned, whereas everything in BNW society is built by machines and industrialized. Even though John was an outcast on the reservation he still picked up on the norms and traditions of the Native American society. Things like morals and religion which differed greatly from Brave New Worlds also natural birth which is frowned upon greatly in Brave New World . When he was introduced to BNWs society everything he knew was turned upside down. When he was in the BNWs society his true colors showed. The reader saw how morally strict he was and how much he showed his emotions. Such as when his mother, Linda, died while she was in a coma induced by overdosing on soma. He got extremely angry and went to the hospitals then started throwing soma out of a window in front of many Deltas.. (Huxley pg. 213) “He began to throw the little pill boxes of soma tablets in hand fulls out into the area”. This resulted in a riot and the capture of John, Helmholtz and bernard. (Huxley pg. 242) “ Now I am purified said John, I drank some mustard and warm water”. This quote shows that when John does something that goes against his religion or moral code he purifies his soul in some way. It is usually this or whipping himself.
Another way in which society shows John’s true self is when John secludes himself. He continues to harm himself in order to purge his soul of society. He also whips himself whenever he thinks of Lenina in a romantic way. This shows how strong in faith and morals he his. This is demonstrated to an extreme at the end of the book; Lenina emerges from a helicopter that came to see the “savage” whip himself. John sees Lenina and begins to whip her. The crowd mimics him then begins to chant “orgy porgy”. John eventually takes soma and participates in the orgy. Once he awakens he recalls the whole experience; he then ends his own life. (Huxley pg. 259)“ Just under the crown dangled a pair of feet”. He ended his own life was in order to cleans his own soul and make amends for the “sins” that he committed.
After experiencing both the Native American society and the Brave New World society John does not conform to either. Instead he becomes an outcast in both and ends up realizing that wherever he goes in this world he can not fit in. A message that I took away from this book is that although society is an inanimate idea, it still can be responsible for horrible things. Sometimes ideas can be more powerful than physical force. Although society is flawless to most, it twisted Johns perspective of people and life, then drove him to isolation and ultimately is responsible for his suicide.
Self-Assessment.
- What do you think is the strongest element of your paper? (concessive thesis, NPA, use of semi-colons, use of evidence, etc)
- What do you think is the most beautifully worded sentence you wrote, and why?
- How did the grammar lessons help you structure your writing more clearly? Be specific. If not, what other ideas or lessons might have helped you more?
- What overall grade do you think you should get for each of the following elements? Use a letter grade. Be specific and explain why.
- Introduction: A-I feel as if I used both the concessive thesis and NPA well because of my correct word usage and finishing my thoughts. Such as “ Brave New World’s society consist of industrialization,false feelings and controlled people, and therefore is a perfect foil for John”. Not only did I use commas correctly but I finished my thoughts making sure it wasn't a run on sentence.
- First body paragraph: A-My first body paragraph used the TEA format well. I have quotes to support my topics.
- Second body paragraph: A- I used TEA well in my opinion. I backed up my claims with quotes as evidence.
- Conclusion: B- My conclusion did restate my thesis and finish my thought but i just feel that i is not up to par.
- Overall, what grade should your paper receive? Why? Be honest with yourself.
I think that my paper deserves a low A or high B.