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By Aldous Huxley
Reading guide
Introduction
1. A Brave New World, where humans are bred and conditions scientifically
to create a society in which people have peaceful, reasonably happy
lives, but no individual freedom or opportunity for passion. Do you think
this is a perfect society?
2. Everybody has a work and nobody is dissatisfied with their position in a
socially stable society. Is that a quality of a good society?
3. But there is a shadowy emptiness at the heart of this existence which
only a few people are aware of. What do you think that emptiness is?
4. What is A.F.?
Chapter 1. The Centre.
1. The World States motto suggests that community, identity, and stability
are the most important qualities in their society. Do you agree? Are those
qualities important in any society?
2. Details, as everyone knows, lead to virtue and happiness; generalities,
though necessary for some purposes, are dangerous. A peaceful and
efficient society is based on practical workers, not on thinkers. Do you
agree with this statement?
3. Explain the fertilization process used in Brave New World.
4. What is Bokanovskys process? Which classes undergo this process?
5. Why would Bokanovskys process help create social stability?
6. What is the purpose of depriving some embryos of adequate oxygen?
7. According to the Director, what is the secret of happiness and virtue? Do
you agree with him?
8. Explain some of the processes that the Centre uses to prepare embryos
for their inescapable social destiny
Chapter 2. State Conditioning.
1.
2.
3.
4.
7. Why was it difficult for Linda to answer Johns questions when he was a
child?
Chapter 8. John.
1. Are Bernard and John similar in any way?
2. What ceremony is John excluded from participating in? How does he
respond to his exclusion?
3. What does Bernard offer to do for Linda and John? How does John
respond to that offer?
Chapter 9. My father!
1. Why does the Director want to send Bernard to Iceland?
2. What is Bernards reaction?
3. What is the reaction of the workers when they hear John call the Director
father?
4. What is Lindas reaction when she sees the Director?
5. What is the Directors reaction to the whole situation?
Chapter 10. New lives.
1. What did the Director do after the scene in the Fertilizing Room?
2. Why is there enormous public interest in seeing John, but not in seeing
his mother, Linda?
3.
General questions
1. Find examples of the use of terminology related to Henry Ford.
2.