Introduction - The Setting



Motivation: Read the following quote by radio talk show host, Dennis Prager: “Although images of perfection in people's personal lives can cause unhappiness, images of perfect societies can cause monstrous evil. In fact, forcefully changing society to conform to societal images was the greatest cause of evil in the twentieth century.” Do you agree or disagree with the quote? Why?

TWE is conflict established thus far in the BNW?

A) Lenina

1. What is your opinion of Lenina? Include some specific examples of things Lenina says or does that have influenced your feeling.

-very straightforward

-enjoys division (her caste system) “glad I’m not a Gamma”

-flirty/sexy

-attractive, often describes as pneumatic, which here refers to voluptuous

-stereotypical societal member of BNW

-Fanny is incredulous bc Lenina is only seeing one guy

-needs to be unfaithful and have multiple partners to be “normal” in this world

-questions some things in their world “I simply don’t believe…”

2. State why you think that Lenina can or cannot be any different than she is?

-cannot be different: all she’s ever known is what she’s been told to be, even through sleep hypnosis

-society sets the norms for her

-so afraid of anything changing or being different, may think there is something better outside her bubble but would never change

-when she has problems, she takes more soma…..how she deals with things….nothing will ever change for her

-may be capable of change: stays with Henry for a long time, discusses waking up once when being sleep taught

-if there were a change in society, she would change with it

3. Consider the interaction between Lenina and Bernard at the start of this chapter. What point of view does each express or represent? Cite examples from the text to support your answer.

-she’s flirting with him, discussing plans for their date

-he doesn’t want to have these types of conversations in public

-publicly announce she isn’t solely faithful to Henry

-just normal to discuss things like this

-he has a different view of how things should be handled

-thinks relationships should be private/more longer term

-makes a comment about women being treated like meat

4. Consider Lenina’s reaction to Bernard. She refuses to look at the sea; she insists on taking soma; she attempts “to stop the ears of her mind.” The narrator tells us she is “determined to preserve her incomprehension intact.” (Pgs. 92, 93) What conclusions can you draw about Lenina’s attitude and position? Find examples to demonstrate your conclusion.

-contrast between them

-Bernard questions things he doesn’t agree with

-she shuts the ears of her mind, aka not think for herself, accept what’s given to her, doesn’t want to think about the possibility of change/differences

-likes B but thinks he is so weird, doesn’t want to question things, she gets scared and cries when he starts discussing his individual thoughts….refuses to even have a discussion about those beliefs

-afraid to accept truth that there are flaws in the system

-she knows it exists but doesn’t want to accept it

-afraid of the unknown

B) Bernard

1. What makes Bernard stand out among the people of the new world?

-he is shorter than everyone in his caste, uglier, and has different thoughts than those he was programmed with

-still looked up to because he is an Alpha Plus

-further embarrassed by being looked up to, very insecure

-he is a loner

2. In Section 2 of Chapter 4, the narrator gives an explanation of Bernard’s problems. List the things that trouble Bernard. Why do you think Bernard is “much more alone” and “utterly miserable” during the solidarity service in Chapter 5? (Pg. 86) Even soma is not a solution for Bernard. Do you think Bernard is in any way responsible for his own problem?

-thinks people are spying on him, insecure, dislikes soma because he yearns for sincere happiness, rather be angry and true to himself as an individual than falsely happy.

-he doesn’t believe in a lot of things that are going on there

-likes to have personal relationships with people but can’t

-wasn’t entranced, everyone pairs up for sex, and nobody picks him

3. Bernard thinks that people are suspicious of him. At times in these chapters, Bernard thinks someone is spying on him. Do you think the controllers are watching him? In a world dedicated to happiness, what should be done about someone like Bernard?

4. Compare Helmholtz to Bernard. Explain both their similarities and their differences.

5. Huxley has now introduced two characters that stand in opposition to the new world. What do you see as the significance of these characters?

6. Find examples from Chapter 6 to support the assertion that Bernard’s protest is more talk than action. What is Helmholtz’s reaction to his friend’s description of the encounter with the Director?

7. What is your opinion of the Director’s treatment of Bernard?

8. When Bernard learns that he actually is going to Iceland, what is his reaction?

C) Everyone Respond

1. In the exposition, what information about earlier events are you given in Chapter 6? What can you infer from the Director’s story? What literary term could be used to describe the story?

VI. Summary/Answer AIM: How do Lenina and Bernard reflect the possibility of evil in the society of BNW?

VII. Homework:

1. Read chapters 7-9 for Monday, and complete the study guide questions.

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