"Brave New World"

Book Review # 108660

English > Analysis
Literature > English

"Brave New World"

A critique of Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World".

1,245 words () | 2 sources | MLA | 2004 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper summarizes and analyzes Aldous Huxley's famous novel, "Brave New World". The paper briefly summarizes the novel and then looks at how, although set in the future, it contains contemporary issues of the early 20th century. The paper also relates that Huxley was able to use the setting and characters in the book to express widely held opinions, particularly the fear of losing individual identity in the fast-paced world of the future. In addition, the paper discusses the paradox in the book. The writer concludes that she would definitely recommend "Brave New World" and that, even though the book's message may be joggled and complex, its basic ideals of unity, love, and a search for individuality make it timeless.

From the Paper:

"Brave New World was inspired by H.G. Well's utopian novel Men Like Gods. Wells' optimistic vision of the future gave Huxley the idea to begin writing a parody of the novel, which became Brave New World. Contrary to the most popular optimist utopian novels of the time, Huxley sought to provide a frightening vision of the future. Huxley referred to Brave New World as a "negative utopia", somewhat influenced by Wells' own The Sleeper Awakes and the works of D. H. Lawrence. Yevgeny Zamyatin's novel We, completed ten years before in 1921, has been suggested as an influence, but Huxley stated that he had not known of the book at the time. Huxley visited the newly-opened and technologically-advanced Brunner and Mond plant, part of Imperial Chemical Industries, or ICI, Billingham and gives a fine and detailed account of the processes he saw. The introduction to the most recent print of Brave New World states that Huxley was inspired to write the classic novel by this Billingham visit."