Brave New World- Second Reading

The first question that came up during my reading were about Bernard's feelings for Lenina. In what way is he attracted to her? What are their plans for the future and how does he, honestly, feel about her?
      - Bernard's feelings with Lenina have seemed to go back and forth. They started off as seemingly true feelings, when he is angered as he overhears people talking about her "as though she were a bit of meat" (Huxley 43). I think Huxley used this to show that Bernard liked Lenina before she knew him that well, and it came over as kind of a boyish crush to persuade the audience to be on Bernard's side. However, it seems that Lenina gets shoved to the side as the book progresses. Bernard's fascination with John and the reservation seemingly overtakes his relationship with Lenina, and we hear less and less about her as the book goes on, leaving us in doubt as to what his true feelings are. Possibly this turn of events was brought in to show that maybe we forget what is important in life, and that Bernard will later go back to Lenina as he realizes what their relationship actually means.

The next question I had was how long will the one-state actually last? How durable is it and how long will the people continue to live like this?
    - We haven't had much of an introduction as to how the one-state existed, except the tid bits about ford and the start of this empire and how the people came to accept it. It does seem very durable, and is demonstrated through the government's control into the people's minds. Huxley writes, “’Old men in the past used to renounce, retire, take to religion, spend their time reading, thinking­—thinking! Now-- such is progress—the old men work, the old men copulate, the old men have no time, no leisure from pleasure, not a moment to sit down and think…” (68). This shows that through the use of soma and other government control, the one-state has intruded upon the minds of the citizens and made them, as they believe, happier. The durability, with the continued use of soma, could last for a long while if they keep perfecting and adding to their mental and social control.

The last question during this reading was why was John brought into this book? What is his purpose and what does he represent in Brave New World?
    - We met John on the reservation, and the first glimpse we get of him is that of a savage. Huxley writes when he first sees Lenina, a true woman, that "at once he was breathing Lenina's perfume, filling his lungs with her essential being" (143). John was born in a mix between the reservation's culture who did not accept him and reading about this wonderful civilization, the one-state, and fantasizing about it. He doesn't see how people can cope with all the rules that are set though, and maybe this is what Huxley is using him for. John might show our perspective. Us Americans with so much freedom, unable to stand that much of control. Perhaps Huxley will continue to use John in a way that shocks us from our perspective.